VPN Primer for Noobs

What VPN Solution are you using?


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CitznFish

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Question on VPN.. I currently have a TPLink TL-R600VPN router, is this OK to use, or am I better off moving to an ASUS? I've read in the past there were issues with this routers VPN and iPhones, but unsure if that is still the case.

 

fenderman

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Question on VPN.. I currently have a TPLink TL-R600VPN router, is this OK to use, or am I better off moving to an ASUS? I've read in the past there were issues with this routers VPN and iPhones, but unsure if that is still the case.

it should be fine..ensure you are using the l2tp/ipsec not pptp...
ensure you have the latest firmware for the router.
 

Paulx

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I have had a working system and then troubles. I have the BI app loaded on two S9 Samsung phones. Working like swiss watches. Then I noted a few days before it stopped working, that things were slowing down. Both loading/connecting and watching videos getting laggy. Now if I am at home and run just the BI app, no problems watching videos. But if I go celluar and use the OVPN then things go strange. Have troubles connecting or just slow to make a connecting via the BI app. And once it is loaded I can see all in the app except video thumb nails do not load and if I try to watch any cameras or clips, nothing loads. But I have to add, I can see how many clips, how much HD is being used, CPU usage and so one.
So, I am confused. It appears that the VPN is working. But something is blocking my video. Anyone have any ideas? I would show the log from my Asus router, but I dont know how to export the log. But it appears that my user name has logged in successfully.
 

Barboots

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. But if I go celluar and use the OVPN then things go strange. Have troubles connecting or just slow to make a connecting via the BI app. And once it is loaded I can see all in the app except video thumb nails do not load and if I try to watch any cameras or clips, nothing loads.
What's your home internet's upload speed like... and your cellular download speed? I use Speedtest to confirm.

Cheers, Steve
 

nuraman00

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Does a VPN affect whether I can connect to a Slingbox for out of home streaming?

Will I have to connect to the VPN first?

I just set up the Slingbox today.
 

SouthernYankee

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Paulx
Who is your cell provider?
Have you changed the VPN port number ? This is recommended.
What is the performance like when using an external WiFi ?
Some cell networks are blocking or slowing down VPN connections.
 

Paulx

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Barboots, working on an answer to your question.

SouthernYankee, Sprint is my cell provider. And Centurylink is my ISP. No I have not changed the port cause Nayr said that they can still run a scanner and find my port number. I have not tried to go someonewhere and use their WiFi. Great suggestion for trouble shooting this. Thanks
I need to try some of this and come back with results.
 

Paulx

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@SouthernYankee Well I had a chance today to get on an external WiFi today. One of the speed test programs I have loaded on my cellphone said that I had a 1MBps up and down. This is with the OVPN running. And loe and behold I can get video via the BI app. This is making me to lean towards Sprint blocking but not the VPN cause like I said its only the video that is missing. The BI info about cpu load, memory amount in use, number of clip, and amount of hard drive used and available shows up. Now I have to figure out what it is about the video that is not going through the cellular link.
 

SouthernYankee

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Paulx
I do not know how to determine what the cell provider is blocking or how ?
It is good to determine that BI is working and the app is working.

Have you tried to use the Web interface after you connected via VPN ?
 

Eric W.

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Hello,
I'm sort of new here and I'm looking to install 2 Dahua Starlight Varifocal Turret (IPC-HDW5231R-Z) cameras. I've been informed to setup a PC with Blue Iris, along with a VPN w/ OpenVPN for the best security, which is challenging to me. However I've been getting a lot of help from this forum and I'm getting better at understanding what to do.

I'm sort of new with this whole networking thing so I apologize up front if I'm not making sense.
Here is what I've done so far...

- My router (NETGEAR AC1200 - R6230) has a VPN option.
- Setup a No-IP account
- Enabled DDNS on router
- Enabled VPN on router
- Downloaded OpenVPN, installed it

At this point is where I'm stuck. It appears I need a config file in order to use Open VPN. I'm not sure where to get one or if I have to create one? I'm not good with coding.

Please let me know the next step on the configuration file.
Thank you.
 

randytsuch

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Hello,
I'm sort of new here and I'm looking to install 2 Dahua Starlight Varifocal Turret (IPC-HDW5231R-Z) cameras. I've been informed to setup a PC with Blue Iris, along with a VPN w/ OpenVPN for the best security, which is challenging to me. However I've been getting a lot of help from this forum and I'm getting better at understanding what to do.

I'm sort of new with this whole networking thing so I apologize up front if I'm not making sense.
Here is what I've done so far...

- My router (NETGEAR AC1200 - R6230) has a VPN option.
- Setup a No-IP account
- Enabled DDNS on router
- Enabled VPN on router
- Downloaded OpenVPN, installed it

At this point is where I'm stuck. It appears I need a config file in order to use Open VPN. I'm not sure where to get one or if I have to create one? I'm not good with coding.

Please let me know the next step on the configuration file.
Thank you.
Take a look at my instructions
NetGear R7800 - OpenVPN

Sounds like you need the smart_phone.ovpn file, which you have to download from the router.
 

Paulx

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Have you tried to use the Web interface after you connected via VPN ?

Ok, so like once I have the VPN connected, open my phone's sprint browser on the phone and enter my 192.168.x.x:81 and see if I can get video?
 

Paulx

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SoutherYankee, an update to my last post. Seems that this noob cant figure out how to send my BI machines ip address through my VPN connection. Can you explain how that is done? I have just recently learned how to create a VPN and have not used it for anything other than to use my BI app on my phone. Thanks
 

SouthernYankee

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Connected the phone via the VPN to the home network. The IP address to connect to the bi web server is the same address you would use on your home network.

Home network test.
1) get the IP address of the BI computer.
2) get the BI web server port number from the BI options, web server tab.
3) from any computer web browser on your home network connect to the bi web server. Example http://192.168.1.234:8081/
 

smole

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Is there an android app that will automatically open (or make) the VPN connection only when i open my CCTV app?

I don't need the VPN all the time, i need it only when i view the CCTV cams.
 

Barboots

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Is there an android app that will automatically open (or make) the VPN connection only when i open my CCTV app?

I don't need the VPN all the time, i need it only when i view the CCTV cams.
Tasker is the best automation app for Android. Others may do what you want, however Tasker definitely will.
 

Paulx

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Morning SouthernYankee and Barboots,

SY, I got my log in box and logged in, but nothing after that. Just a clear white screen, no text or video. This is at home but with the WiFi turned off so it had to go cellular.

Barboots, Weird, I dont seem to have the same OVPN app. Even the symbols in the upper left corner look different. Mine shows a Key and some sort of little rectangle when OVPN is connected. And I dont show anything like what your showing me. My settings page is much simpler. No menu at the top. But thanks for information. BTW FWIW I have version 3.0.5
 
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