VPN Primer for Noobs

[GKL]

I watched a tutorial on Softether and it seems straight forward. If Roger and you can't figure it out let me know and I can try to help. It shouldn't take too long.

I have it working and am helping GKL in conversation.

Thanks, the offer is really appreciated, Roger has sent me some screenshots of his set up that should be a big help, I should have time this afternoon to fix some settings I had wrong and set up a bridge I overlooked to do, afterwards I'll see about checking back after I have it working to let you know all what I had wrong.

 

[Probird79]

Thanks, the offer is really appreciated, Roger has sent me some screenshots of his set up that should be a big help, I should have time this afternoon to fix some settings I had wrong and set up a bridge I overlooked to do, afterwards I'll see about checking back after I have it working to let you know all what I had wrong.

Well how is everything coming along? Success?? If not, post were you are stuck with perhaps some screenshots if need be.

 

[GKL]

Well how is everything coming along? Success?? If not, post were you are stuck with perhaps some screenshots if need be.

Thanks for asking, we're getting close, I fixed several settings I had wrong and added a Softether bridge I didn't realize I needed. We think the final roadblock is that the computer that has the Softether VPN server must be hardwired to the router. Today I'll be trying to use an old computer that I originally did not think would work (it has Windows Vista) I need to get Softether installed on it and hardwire it to the router, first though is I'm trying to remember the password or pin number to get pass the log in screen (it had been sitting unused for a few years) before resorting to a factory reset as a last resort

 

[fenderman]

Thanks for asking, we're getting close, I fixed several settings I had wrong and added a Softether bridge I didn't realize I needed. We think the final roadblock is that the computer that has the Softether VPN server must be hardwired to the router. Today I'll be trying to use an old computer that I originally did not think would work (it has Windows Vista) I need to get Softether installed on it and hardwire it to the router, first though is I'm trying to remember the password or pin number to get pass the log in screen before resorting to a factory reset as a last resort

keep in mind that the power consumption running an old pc 24/7 will likely cost more than other solutions suggested.

 

[GKL]

keep in mind that the power consumption running an old pc 24/7 will likely cost more than other solutions suggested.

It is an old laptop, wouldn't that be better than if it was a desktop computer ?

Once I had it set up I could also blank out the display screen to lessen power consumption.

 

[Roger]

My suggestion is still the raspberry pi. $40 and small with low power consumption.

 

[fenderman]

My suggestion is still the raspberry pi. $40 and small with low power consumption.

for about 40 bux he can buy an android phone

 

[Roger]

Phone is not the issue. I had him connect to my vpn from his phone and it worked perfectly. Issue is his VPN setup, which an android phone would not fix at this point.

 

[fenderman]

Phone is not the issue. I had him connect to my vpn from his phone and it worked perfectly. Issue is his VPN setup, which an android phone would not fix at this point.

phone is the issue...he has a router that supports openvpn....android phone = problem solved.

 

[GKL]

Well how is everything coming along? Success?? If not, post were you are stuck with perhaps some screenshots if need be.

Well, finally .....SUCCESS !!!!!! Thanks to you and everyone who offered ideas, it was very much appreciated !!!!! Special thanks to Roger who started a forum conversation with me on Thursday and 4 days and 6 pages of posts later helped me get success, if the forum has an award for extra extra effort he deserves it

My mind is tired, so without going into all the specific details right now of all the settings I had wrong and/or omitted, the final roadblocks were that the computer that the softether VPN server is on must be hardwired to the router, not thru WIFI, and the final roadblock was that my computer's firewall was blocking the VPN connection, also it was set to public network and I had to switch it to private network to turn off the firewall safely.

 

[lukmm]

Just went through reading all 21 pages of this thread, great info.

Below is what I have done:
1) All cameras are connected to NVR and using 10.x.x.x IPs assigned and managed by the NVR.
2) NVR is connected to the router and I have paired mac address to a particular IP address.
3) Added a firewall rule to block all traffic from NVR's IP address and for all ports.
4) Verified that firewall rule works and no connectivity to the outside world.
5) Turned on OpenVPN server on the ASUS router.
6) Used iPhone with wifi turned off to login into the VPN server and able to access the NVR.

The app for NVR access is FLIR Secure.
Now, that I have the setup working the way I wanted, time to start locking it further down.
Thx for all the great suggestions.

 

[Paulx]

Still reading and only got to page 18. But I need to ask a hopefully quick question. I might have mistakenly bought a wrong Asus router wireless switch RT-AC66U. It was on sale and got that one instead of the AC68U. Will the AC66U work as good as the AC68U for a VPN server?

Thanks

 

[lukmm]

Still reading and only got to page 18. But I need to ask a hopefully quick question. I might have mistakenly bought a wrong Asus router wireless switch RT-AC66U. It was on sale and got that one instead of the AC68U. Will the AC66U work as good as the AC68U for a VPN server?

Thanks

Should work. I am running an even older RT-AC56U.

 

[Paulx]

Thanks for the quick response lukmm. Got notification that my router has shipped. Thats when I realized I got a 66 and not a 68.

 

[fenderman]

Thanks for the quick response lukmm. Got notification that my router has shipped. Thats when I realized I got a 66 and not a 68.

the 66 is an older unit, keep it if you got a really good deal, otherwise send it back.

 

[bubbajoe2112]

Still reading and only got to page 18. But I need to ask a hopefully quick question. I might have mistakenly bought a wrong Asus router wireless switch RT-AC66U. It was on sale and got that one instead of the AC68U. Will the AC66U work as good as the AC68U for a VPN server?

Thanks

Is it the 66U_B1? If so, I don't see any advantage in getting the 68U. They both have dual core, 1Ghz processors....

The old 66U has a single core, 800Mhz processor IIRC.

 

[Paulx]

the 66 is an older unit, keep it if you got a really good deal, otherwise send it back.

Well is $109.00 a good deal?

 

[Paulx]

Is it the 66U_B1? If so, I don't see any advantage in getting the 68U. They both have dual core, 1Ghz processors....

The old 66U has a single core, 800Mhz processor IIRC.

Yes according to the invoice it is a 66U_B1. (Wipes brow).

Thanks bubbajoe and fenderman for your help.

 

[fenderman]

Well is $109.00 a good deal?

someone is screwing with you...it was no sale..

https://www.amazon.com/Dual-Band-AC1750-4-Port-Gigabit-RT-AC66U_B1/dp/B01N08LPPP/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1512011213&sr=8-2&keywords=RT-AC66U+B1

 

[bubbajoe2112]

^^^^ That's not the _B1. That's the older 66U. No one is screwing with him. The Amazon price for the _B1 is $108.

https://www.amazon.com/Dual-Band-AC1750-4-Port-Gigabit-RT-AC66U-B1/dp/B01N08LPPP/ref=dp_ob_title_ce