Finally gots the Pixel 4XL / Android version 11 embedded VPN client to work with my Ubiquiti UDM router & RADIUS server. Is this a true VPN?

Joined
May 1, 2019
Messages
2,215
Reaction score
3,504
Location
Reno, NV
I used to have a Pixel 3 which had a terrible Android bug for L2TP connections, which they never fixed. Eventually, upgraded to a Pixel 4XL.
I also have a Ubiquiti UDM router that has a built in RADIUS VPN server (I know...I know...L2TP is not the best for security purposes but that is all this UDM router offers).
Trying to get this router to work with the VPN server & embedded Android VPN client to work has been a struggle. You can not use DNS names (so that means DuckDNS is out) but only IP address number characters. Luckily, my dynamic home IP address pretty much stays the same.
I followed the examples on Ubiquiti help forums to setup the server, plugged in the info on the embedded client...it would not connect. After digging around google searchings, it appears you HAVE to create a firewall to allow ping echo requests (which is turned off by default). I created the firewall rule for WAN IN, and whalla...it now connects. Had to also allow some firewall rules to allow access to my BI machine for UI3 purposes.
Now, as I could before with my long gone Netgear Nighthawk router that used OpenVPN, I can pop up UI3 pretty nicely when out & about on Google cell wifi.

I am the last person to talk to about the best security methods and applications. Is there any concern about using the default VPN client app embedded on my smartphone? When you go to google search VPN, 98% of the searches comes up with everyone using SurfsharkVPN or ExpressVPN or some kind of service but rarely does anyone have a VPN server at home.
 
Top