First off this only covers my use with a Netgear Nighthawk AC1900 Model R7000.
This was purchased in late 2017. Installed after the cable modoem and then connected to a switch with POE (Power Over Ethernet) for the cameras. All cameras are connected directly to this switch.
I do not use a DVR all recordings are done to the MicroSD card inside the cameras.
I do think that most of the Netgear routers which support VPN as a "VPN server" would work the same way but remember I'm one of the 'Dense' people
The included instructions with the router do not really cover the VPN thing so find the users guide online. This gives a good step by step giude except on one thing and it is confusing to us dense people in a few other areas.
This is from what I have learned, I'm NO EXPERT and am still playing around on how some things work.
So the VPN creates a secure connection to the VPN Server (Netgear router). In this case it is your router at home/office.
With this secure connection you can connect to your home network from any internet connection, even where it may not be a safe connection like a Starbucks or a hotel wifi.
My cousin's husband works for a top 100 Corporation in the world in the computer security dept. He told me any free/open wifi connection like hotels are the first place hackers setup to steal login and passwords so a VPN is actually good practice for anyone who travels and connects to work or home networks while on the road.
Enough of that!!
Basic steps.
a) Activate the VPN server on the router
b) Download the configuration files from the router
c) Download and install the OpenVPN Client softwater
d) Extract and place the configuration files in the correct OpenVPN folder.
e) Rename the TAP network connection
f) Go outside of your home network and try connecting.
So when you use the VPN and connect you can login to the Netgear router or any other things attached to the home network like a printer, cameras, computer (if setup for it) or network storage device. (I'm still exploring all this but the cameras work great!!!)
First login to the router and follow the instructions to find the VPN area and to turn "ON" the VPN server. My router used the "OpenVPN" software.
1) I would suggest as far as mine went to check the "Enable VPN Service" and then click on the "Apply" button. I think this was my first mistake.
2) Now go to the "OpenVPN configuration package download" and click on the one you need. I use Win 10 so any other way from here on out is not what I'm doing.
When you get the download just place it in a folder to keep safe as you may want to use it for more than one device or you may need to update it anytime you make changes to your routers configuration. Keep this in mind!!!
3) Go here and download the correct file. I used the one pointed to with the red arrow. This is the "Stable" version as far as I can tell and it is the 64 bit version. In the area shown pick the correct one for your system.
4) Install this on your computer. I used all the default settings and like it says in the instructions just allow everything it asks for including the TAP Network Adapter.
5) If you have a choice do not allow it to start when Windows starts, no need to have this running when not in use.
6) Now you have to deal with this TAP network adaptor which really messed me up as it is not real clear. Here are the steps I took.
a) Start, Windows system, control panel
b) Network and Internet
c) View network status and tasks
d) Change adapter settings
e) Highlight the TAP-windows adapter and then click on "Rename this connection"
f) Rename it to what it says in the user guide. For me it was "NETGEAR-VPN
g) Close out all of the windows.
h) At this point and it may not ne required but I rebooted my computer so do what you like here.
7) You now need to take the zipped configuration files from step 2. Go to extract the files and place them in the c://Program Files/OpenVPN/config folder
On this one the Netgear instructions from the router tell you to place them in one location but the users guide tells you to place them where I just did. I used the first location and it did not work then the location from the users guide and POOF! it worked!!!
8) From what I know you cannot use the VPN service when connected to your own network. You will need to connect to a neighbors or go to a Starbucks. I actually was not able to test it until I got back to CA but once I tried it it worked GREAT!
So here is how you start the OpenVPN service and connect. (The instructions in the user guide are correct here but don't tell you everything clearly)
1) I had the icon for the OpenVPN client on my desktop and I right click it and choose "Run as administrator"
What this does is start the client which resides on the windows task bar (Lower bottom right of the windows screen) It may be hidden so you need to show it.
2) Right click on the task bar icon and choose "Connect"
3) a box will pop up on the screen and scroll through a bunch of stuff and the last line should be your routers IP address. If you see red lines scroll by or an ending error message you have issues......sorry!
4) Once connected the box will disappear after a few seconds and you can view your devices on the home network via file explorer. You can also open a browser and put in your routers IP address (internal and normally 192.168.1.1) to log into the router.
5) When you are done go back to the icon on the task bar, right click and choose "Disconnect". I like to right click again on it and choose "Exit" which closes the OpenVPN client. No need to have it running when not in use eh?
Now go explore and see what you can do and please as you find things report it here!!
That's my story and I'm sticking with it!! Pete
This was purchased in late 2017. Installed after the cable modoem and then connected to a switch with POE (Power Over Ethernet) for the cameras. All cameras are connected directly to this switch.
I do not use a DVR all recordings are done to the MicroSD card inside the cameras.
I do think that most of the Netgear routers which support VPN as a "VPN server" would work the same way but remember I'm one of the 'Dense' people
The included instructions with the router do not really cover the VPN thing so find the users guide online. This gives a good step by step giude except on one thing and it is confusing to us dense people in a few other areas.
This is from what I have learned, I'm NO EXPERT and am still playing around on how some things work.
So the VPN creates a secure connection to the VPN Server (Netgear router). In this case it is your router at home/office.
With this secure connection you can connect to your home network from any internet connection, even where it may not be a safe connection like a Starbucks or a hotel wifi.
My cousin's husband works for a top 100 Corporation in the world in the computer security dept. He told me any free/open wifi connection like hotels are the first place hackers setup to steal login and passwords so a VPN is actually good practice for anyone who travels and connects to work or home networks while on the road.
Enough of that!!
Basic steps.
a) Activate the VPN server on the router
b) Download the configuration files from the router
c) Download and install the OpenVPN Client softwater
d) Extract and place the configuration files in the correct OpenVPN folder.
e) Rename the TAP network connection
f) Go outside of your home network and try connecting.
So when you use the VPN and connect you can login to the Netgear router or any other things attached to the home network like a printer, cameras, computer (if setup for it) or network storage device. (I'm still exploring all this but the cameras work great!!!)
First login to the router and follow the instructions to find the VPN area and to turn "ON" the VPN server. My router used the "OpenVPN" software.
1) I would suggest as far as mine went to check the "Enable VPN Service" and then click on the "Apply" button. I think this was my first mistake.
2) Now go to the "OpenVPN configuration package download" and click on the one you need. I use Win 10 so any other way from here on out is not what I'm doing.
When you get the download just place it in a folder to keep safe as you may want to use it for more than one device or you may need to update it anytime you make changes to your routers configuration. Keep this in mind!!!
3) Go here and download the correct file. I used the one pointed to with the red arrow. This is the "Stable" version as far as I can tell and it is the 64 bit version. In the area shown pick the correct one for your system.
4) Install this on your computer. I used all the default settings and like it says in the instructions just allow everything it asks for including the TAP Network Adapter.
5) If you have a choice do not allow it to start when Windows starts, no need to have this running when not in use.
6) Now you have to deal with this TAP network adaptor which really messed me up as it is not real clear. Here are the steps I took.
a) Start, Windows system, control panel
b) Network and Internet
c) View network status and tasks
d) Change adapter settings
e) Highlight the TAP-windows adapter and then click on "Rename this connection"
f) Rename it to what it says in the user guide. For me it was "NETGEAR-VPN
g) Close out all of the windows.
h) At this point and it may not ne required but I rebooted my computer so do what you like here.
7) You now need to take the zipped configuration files from step 2. Go to extract the files and place them in the c://Program Files/OpenVPN/config folder
On this one the Netgear instructions from the router tell you to place them in one location but the users guide tells you to place them where I just did. I used the first location and it did not work then the location from the users guide and POOF! it worked!!!
8) From what I know you cannot use the VPN service when connected to your own network. You will need to connect to a neighbors or go to a Starbucks. I actually was not able to test it until I got back to CA but once I tried it it worked GREAT!
So here is how you start the OpenVPN service and connect. (The instructions in the user guide are correct here but don't tell you everything clearly)
1) I had the icon for the OpenVPN client on my desktop and I right click it and choose "Run as administrator"
What this does is start the client which resides on the windows task bar (Lower bottom right of the windows screen) It may be hidden so you need to show it.
2) Right click on the task bar icon and choose "Connect"
3) a box will pop up on the screen and scroll through a bunch of stuff and the last line should be your routers IP address. If you see red lines scroll by or an ending error message you have issues......sorry!
4) Once connected the box will disappear after a few seconds and you can view your devices on the home network via file explorer. You can also open a browser and put in your routers IP address (internal and normally 192.168.1.1) to log into the router.
5) When you are done go back to the icon on the task bar, right click and choose "Disconnect". I like to right click again on it and choose "Exit" which closes the OpenVPN client. No need to have it running when not in use eh?
Now go explore and see what you can do and please as you find things report it here!!
That's my story and I'm sticking with it!! Pete
