Setting up a home VPN server.

ProjectBox153 · September 28, 2017

I'm completely new to setting up a home VPN server. Is there any thing that would allow me to do some configuration in Windows and connect to my home's network without needing a client program? I have a server running Ubuntu I'd like to use if possible, and the client is Windows XP. Thanks!

ankitrana85 · September 29, 2017

Well setting up VPN is a multi step process,

you will need a router in home network that acts as an interface for VPN, some high end home wifi routers have this inbuilt option. If you do not have one of those than check if you can use custom router firmware that provides this capability. Such as DDwrt OpenWRT or Tomato [Use this article for ref: External LINK ]
If your ISP has provided static IP than it is ok, else you may have get Dynamic DNS to avoid change of IP every time, again this can be achieved in multiple ways. Most wifi router have option for DDNS or DYNDNS in built. i suggest NO-IP dynamic dns provider, it is free and easy to use. you can ignore this if static ip is provided. All you would have to do is get port forwarding enabled.
for VPN on server get Open VPN (AS) from the OPen VPN community downloads, you will have to create certificate and keys for the home VPN and client cert file. [Found this great article that will help for UBUNTU External LINK]
use client cert file on any open vpn device, it can be macosx, windows, android, just get the client app and use client cert file to connect

Well it more easy said than done, i have never tried it on home network as my ISP does not allow port forwarding and i can not get DDNS work.

But i have used it on a old remote Centos based server in past and on that i do not have to configure any router, just Open VPN as and cert files and keys.

I have very limited exposure to this but hope it helps and pushes you in right direction.

Sir Asvald · September 29, 2017

I'm using my raspberry Pi 3 as my VPN server. I'm using OpenVPN and it works like a charm.

Just follow this guide. It can take time to create the certificate (2048 bit) It'll extremely longer for 4096 bit.

http://www.pivpn.io/

tt2468 · September 30, 2017

As @Abdul201588 sorta implied, there are nice scripts out there that make the whole openvpn installation/management process easy. I use this script, which is older and works really well from my experience. The nice thing is that the dev keeps it updated, so no worries about insecure servers. From the looks of it, pivpn.io is actually a copy of the script I use, except slightly more complicated.