DIY OpenVPN Server?

[TukangUsapEmenq]

I'm just wondering. I stumble onto this video and... Well, not actually using AWS when you got Google Cloud free credits anyway. Works like a charm right now. No more those stupid block on Reddit on my country lol

 

Now I'm really wondering. Correct me if I wrong, of course. The one good purpose of VPN is when.. You need to pull some data from your local network at home, while you're at somewhere using a cellular network. Is it actually okay if I'm using an old computer (or as simple as Raspberry Pi), install OpenVPN on it, and call it a day? I don't really want to use cloud because of... Why use cloud if you can have it locally.

 

And do I really need a license for this? Currently on my Google Cloud I can use 2 devices, freely. But in case on home I want to my NAS to connect to the VPN, or my PC, or else. Do I need it?

 

And yes, I know I need a good upload speed and latency if I'm gonna for local VPN server. But, just wondering.

[Eigenvektor]

3 minutes ago, dhannemon13 said:

The one good purpose of VPN is when.. You need to pull some data from your local network at home, while you're at somewhere using a cellular network.

The primary purpose of a VPN is to access a private network over the internet, as if your computer is directly connected to that network. E.g. companies can use this to give employees access to company resources that are otherwise only accessible on their internal network. You can use it to access stuff on your home network while not at home.

 

3 minutes ago, dhannemon13 said:

And do I really need a license for this?

OpenVPN Inc. does have a commercial product which requires a license, but that isn't needed for your use case. Just stick to the open source version of OpenVPN, which is free to use.

[SupaKomputa]

You don't need VPN to avoid country blockage.

You can also use DNSCrypt, which is way faster than VPN.

It doesn't involve channeling the stream through another computer (which depends on that server speed to get the stream).

https://www.dnscrypt.org/

 

I choose cloudflare server as my dns provider, they are fast.

[TukangUsapEmenq]

9 hours ago, Eigenvektor said:

OpenVPN Inc. does have a commercial product which requires a license, but that isn't needed for your use case. Just stick to the open source version of OpenVPN, which is free to use.

Welp, means I can only get two devices, for example, my phone and my NAS connected at the same time, then? Perhaps maybe another free, open-source VPN server OS other than OpenVPN that you can recommend? Perhaps something that can use standard VPN types so I don't have to use another app (just integrated with Windows and Android) tho.

 

9 hours ago, SupaKomputa said:

You don't need VPN to avoid country blockage.

You can also use DNSCrypt, which is way faster than VPN.

It doesn't involve channeling the stream through another computer (which depends on that server speed to get the stream).

https://www.dnscrypt.org/

 

I choose cloudflare server as my dns provider, they are fast.

I personally using Cloudflare's 1.1.1.2 DNS tho, they actually already unblock most of blocked sites (because ISP I use only DNS-blocking those sites, unfortunately some ISP on public wi-fi won't work and still needs VPN). I used anonymoX sometimes, reliable enough until now but bruh. Slow af.

 

But the real purpose why I want VPN, of course is Eigenvektor's answer.

9 hours ago, Eigenvektor said:

to access a private network over the internet, as if your computer is directly connected to that network.

 

But well, good suggestion either to use DNSCrypt, didn't think of it before. I'd consider to test both for the needs later somehow.

[SupaKomputa]

2 minutes ago, dhannemon13 said:

I personally using Cloudflare's 1.1.1.2 DNS tho, they actually already unblock most of blocked sites (because ISP I use only DNS-blocking those sites, unfortunately some ISP on public wi-fi won't work and still needs VPN). I used anonymoX sometimes, reliable enough until now but bruh. Slow af.

No, it's not the same as DNSCrypt, with it all your dns request are encrypted so the ISP cannot see where you want to go. It's pretty much the same encryption as VPN without tunneling. And the server is only send you DNS data, not the whole http stream so it is quicker.

[Alex Atkin UK]

18 hours ago, dhannemon13 said:

Welp, means I can only get two devices, for example, my phone and my NAS connected at the same time, then? Perhaps maybe another free, open-source VPN server OS other than OpenVPN that you can recommend? Perhaps something that can use standard VPN types so I don't have to use another app (just integrated with Windows and Android) tho.

No, as they said you don't need the commercial version, stock OpenVPN can allow as many connections as you want.  The catch is it may need more manual setup.

[TukangUsapEmenq]

On 9/24/2020 at 11:10 PM, SupaKomputa said:

No, it's not the same as DNSCrypt, with it all your dns request are encrypted so the ISP cannot see where you want to go. It's pretty much the same encryption as VPN without tunneling. And the server is only send you DNS data, not the whole http stream so it is quicker.

Ah, I got it. Will consider on it then.

So DNSCrypt for basic browsing and things, and VPN just in case I need connection to my personal network. Seems good like this?

On 9/25/2020 at 5:21 PM, Alex Atkin UK said:

No, as they said you don't need the commercial version, stock OpenVPN can allow as many connections as you want.  The catch is it may need more manual setup.

Ah, okay. I get it. I thought I would even need any kind of license for personal use anyway.

Just wondering, tho @Alex Atkin UK. What kind of pfSense router you actually use? That i5-7200U are kind of interesting on me (since I basically using the same exact processor on my laptop lol).

[SupaKomputa]

2 hours ago, dhannemon13 said:

So DNSCrypt for basic browsing and things, and VPN just in case I need connection to my personal network. Seems good like this?

Yeah pretty much it.

[Alex Atkin UK]

17 hours ago, dhannemon13 said:

Just wondering, tho @Alex Atkin UK. What kind of pfSense router you actually use? That i5-7200U are kind of interesting on me (since I basically using the same exact processor on my laptop lol).

It was one of the "appliances" off Amazon which I suspect came straight from China as it took FOREVER to arrive.  I went with this particular one because I knew Gigabit FTTP would be a thing likely within its life span and I'd be using OpenVPN which is very single-thread heavy.

I actually have three WAN connections, with a UK VPN connection over each (generally only one used at a time, the others so it can failover if one drops link), a VPN to a US server (for accessing region blocked sites), a VPN connection to a NAS at a friends house and a VPN to my Virtual Private Server, so I don't have to leave the Web configuration UI open to the Internet.

I also have a VPN server on pfSense so I can remote in that way and get the full protection of everything configured on the router.