Netgear RAX80 and OpenVPN

[SJGUSMC21]

Guys, this dense Marine needs some help. I followed the netgear guide on how to install a vpn on my phone and enabling it on my router. Could not get it to work. I only want it on my phone as this is the only device that access's my camera's away from home. I have read the VPN primer, but I just don't get it I guess. I miss my R7000 with DD-WRT...but it died and I bought this one. It truly is an amazing router....but if I had to do it all over again I would have bought something more dd-wrt and vpn friendly.

I did search the forum for any experience with RAX80, didn't find it. I will continue to keep trying...I am 'lacking' in my VPN knowledge...I know this. I will re-read the wiki on vpn's again...maybe I missed something.

Thanks.

 

[SJGUSMC21]

Alrighty then.....so I am connected. Yes it was that simple...but....and really never understood it until now. I was trying to connect thru my phones 5g network...duh. As soon as I connected to a wifi source, BAM. Live and learn I suppose. I though everyone was connecting thru the 4g networks using vpn on their phones. I never access my home network thru anything other then my phone using 4G, now 5G.

I learned something today....that is a good thing.

Let the berating begin....

 

[SouthernYankee]

VPN has two parts the client and the server. The client runs on your phone. The server runs on the router or a PC on your home network. Lets take the VPN server running on the netgear Router. You can access the VPN on the router using wifi or cell phone 4G or 5G. Using wifi at home does not make any sense, you can connect directly with out using the VPN. Using wifi at the coffee shop you will use the VPN.

Are you using the UI3 web application on your phone or are you using the BI app on android or Apple ?

I am not sure about the netgear router but it should create a file client.ovpn. This file needs to be copied to your phone. Also you need to download the OpenVPN client from the store (google or apple).

You will need to use a DDNS service, that will give a name to your router for external access. the Internet IP address of your router (something like 76.31.27.229). The internet address of your router will change over time.

setup a DDNS on the netgear router SEE

https://kb.netgear.com/23860/How-do-I-set-up-a-NETGEAR-Dynamic-DNS-account-on-my-NETGEAR-Nighthawk-router

.

I have got to go.... but do you understand what I am saying....
more later

 

[SJGUSMC21]

Thank you SouthernYankee for 'spelling' it out for me and yes, it is starting to make sense to me now. . To answer your questions..

1. I am using the Android OpenVPN app
2. It did create a file (4 actually), I copied them to my phone, imported that and BAM.
3. DDNS service....not for sure, but I did op to use the ip of my router. I am getting sleepy and I will tackle the DDNS service in the morning.

THANK YOU for helping me out SY! I'm real slow sometimes, but I do eventually get there...be safe.

 

[SouthernYankee]

Note the "I have to go" well that was to bed. As an old guy I like to sleep.

The DDNS is used to set the router ip internet address, as it may change over time.

You should be able to access your home network with OpenVPN via your cell phone on the cell phone network

 

[SJGUSMC21]

SY, I get it. I am 57, have two jobs and two daughters 8 and 12. Sleep is AWESOME when I get it.

I haven't had a lot of time to work on this, but yesterday at work, connected to my jobs wifi (which I never do) the VPN did not worked (worked at home as long as I was connected to my wifi). Couldn't connect until I got home and connected to my wifi.

It's OK, I will work on it. I am doing something wrong, simple I am sure, but wrong. I have learned so much in the last few days about VPN...and this great.

I will post more as I will have time this weekend to work on it.