Wireless Router with Built-in VPN Client

OzFrugie on 01/06/2019 - 10:09

Hey all

I am in the market for a wireless router which has built-in VPN client so that my internet connection at home is all through VPN, so eliminating the need to use app-level VPN client.
Ideally, it has ability to reconnect automatically if the VPN or internet connection drops.

Is there such a device that meet these requirements?
I would like to take advantage of the ebay 20% sale going on at the moment.

Thanks

PS my connection is NBN FTTB and my modem is connected to my current router in bridge mode

Computing

Comments

  • kipps on 01/06/2019 - 10:15

    Find a high spec’d dd-wrt compatible router and then flash it. See https://www.comparitech.com/blog/vpn-privacy/best-vpn-dd-wrt…

    • Diji1 on 01/06/2019 - 11:09
      -2

      Still needs an app level client and high powered routers are a ripoff.

      There are guides for doing this but it is not technically easy: buy a low powered PC with at least one i5 core, install some kind of linux or hypervisor such as Proxmox and install a virtual router software such as pfSense. Then setup pfSense to handle all VPN processing.

      • OzFrugie on 01/06/2019 - 18:15

        Pardon my ignorance, if I buy high powered router and flash dd wrt, why will i still need app level client?
        Won't all connection be under vpn at the router level?

        • stratbargain on 01/06/2019 - 18:34
          +2

          You don't. You run the vpn client on the router and you can setup rules on the router to exempt certain devices if you need. Nothing needs to be installed at the devices.

  • stratbargain on 01/06/2019 - 11:17

    Yeah if you want to get any decent speed on the VPN using OpenVPN you really have no option but to go with a properly spec'd PFSense box or similar. An off the shelf wireless router won't get you full 100mbps but more like 20-40mpbs.

    I'd go a suitable PFSense router with 1 or 2 ubiquity Unifi wireless AP's and a separate switch.

    • OzFrugie on 01/06/2019 - 16:23

      Is pfsense router basically normal computer with pfsense software installed and configured?

      I have NUC with windows installed. Can I use this box for pfsense router as well?

      Can high spec router with dd wrt achieve 50 Mbps?

      • stratbargain on 01/06/2019 - 17:20
        -1

        A NUC can work as a PFSense router if it's got two lan ports.

        I think even the best commercial dd-wrt routers will only hit 30-40mbps via OpenVPN.

        You really need a computer with a CPU that has AES to hit 100mbps.

        I used one of these for a while https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32550695648.html?spm=a2g0s.9… and I think it could hit close to 100mbps but you'd best to double check the pfsense forums. Plenty of info on different chips and the speed they will achieve.

        • OzFrugie on 01/06/2019 - 18:19

          Why does it need 2 LAN ports? Is it one for connecting to modem and one for connecting to wireless AP?

          What do you use now for Pfsense box?

          • stratbargain on 01/06/2019 - 18:33
            +1

            @OzFrugie: One for your modem (WAN Port) and one that goes into a Switch. Then you hang your devices and AP off the switch

            I use an edgerouter X now as I don't use a VPN. Great router, But it is capped at about 20/30mbps with OpenVPN from memory.

    • Namesareapain on 01/06/2019 - 19:36

      Completely untrue.
      ARM Cortex A9 based routers (like the Linksys WRT1200AC, WRT1900ACS, WRT3200, WRT32X) can give about 100Mbs OpenVPN throughput and some others like the ASUS RT-AC86U can push 200Mbs OpenVPN.
      Both easily enough for your avg NBN connection.

      • OzFrugie on 01/06/2019 - 22:30

        Do you have personal experience with any of this devices and setup vpn on them?

        • Namesareapain on 02/06/2019 - 06:40
          +2

          I have run an OpenVPN benchmark (which is said to be accurate) on a WRT1200AC and got those results, the other Linksys ones should be even faster (note that this was done running OpenWRT, the stock firmware on these should be avoided like the plague).
          The ASUS RT-AC86U number comes from real world tests by "RMerlin" (the guy behind the Merlin firmware for ASUS routers) on the Small Net Builder forums.

          • OzFrugie on 02/06/2019 - 17:13

            @Namesareapain: Thx for insightful reply.

            Asus rt ac86U looks the best out of them all. From what I understand, this model has built-in VPN feature.
            Are you suggesting that I should not use the stock firmware but flash it with openwrt or dd wrt or Merlin?
            What's the reason for that? Is it because stock firmware won't hit those speeds?

            By the way, if I set up vpn client on the router level, will I also be able to set up vpn server on the router so that I can access my home network from external network?

            • Namesareapain on 03/06/2019 - 17:48

              @OzFrugie: For the Linksys devices not only does OpenWRT have a lot more features (I am not even sure if the stock firmware supports OpenVPN), but the Linksys firmware on all of those devices (bar the WRT32X) also has a relatively large privacy bug that they are refusing to fix.

              In regards to if you can run both OpenVPN client and server at the same time, I know that OpenWRT would be able (but I have no idea about ASUS).

      • stratbargain on 02/06/2019 - 07:11

        You are right. I want aware the new ones support AES… Good to know!

        • Namesareapain on 02/06/2019 - 08:32
          +1

          It is not really that (e.g the Linksys routers can do hardware AES-CBC but not AES-GCM, yet the performance difference between the two is only a few Mbs), they are just much faster than whatever routers you were thinking about.

      • OzFrugie on 06/06/2019 - 00:25

        would that be a reason one would choose Linksys routers you mentioned above rather than Asus AC86U?
        I am leaning towards getting the Asus..

  • bdl on 01/06/2019 - 15:27

    OP,

    1) Why do you want all your traffic via VPN?
    2) What kind of throughput were you expecting for the traffic going through VPN?
    3) What NBN speed are you on at the moment? 100/40?

    • OzFrugie on 01/06/2019 - 16:20
      1. Privacy
      2. Not much difference compare to without vpn. Around 45 Mbps dl / 18 Mbps ul without vpn. Using Sydney server PIA usually not much speed difference
      3. 50/20 with Aussie broadband
    • OzFrugie on 01/06/2019 - 22:29

      Looks like it's using pptp protocol rather than openvpn.. less secure i think

  • ljay2020 on 08/09/2020 - 22:21

    Hi all,

    Any updates on this? I'm also in the market for a router with built in VPN client, ideally sub $200. Mainly for privacy and streaming US netflix to a smart tv. Easy to use would be great as my skills are not in networks.

    Thanks!

Login or Join to leave a comment
Login Join