Personal VPN

loudbagel

loudbagel

Pre-takeoff checklist
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Jan 16, 2011
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Hummingbird Saltalamacchia
So the school has been driving me bonkers with all the crap they are blocking, I would love to be able to stream pandora (but they blocked it).

Anyways I have my own webserver with unlimited bandwidth (so they say :no:)is it possible to create a VPN using this server, then route my devices through it to get internet?

totally new to all this VPN stuff...
 
What OS is the webserver?

(The answer is yes, the implementation is different depending on OS...)

There's also commercial public VPN companies with really reasonable rates. Can just use their servers if you're ultra-lazy. ;)

Example...

https://secure.logmein.com/products/hamachi/purchase.aspx

$19. No annual fee. I have no idea how they're making that work as a business model, but it's out there.

OpenVPN has plenty of docs and support on Linux. Windows stuff has traditionally used PPTP tunnels that are encrypted, and there's always SSL/web-based tunneling stuff too. Lots of options.
 
Nate, when traveling, I do use LogMeIn Pro to connect back to my desk top. Help me understand what the difference with their Hamachi tool and why that would be any different than what I have now.
 
I've run in to the same thing overseas. Pandora won't run in most Southeast Asian countries. I log in to my work VPN and were golden.
 
AggieMike88 said:
Nate, when traveling, I do use LogMeIn Pro to connect back to my desk top. Help me understand what the difference with their Hamachi tool and why that would be any different than what I have now.
Click to expand...

Hamachi is a hosted VPN, I believe. Or at least it has helper stuff on their servers so your machines can "find" each other and do peer-to-peer VPN tunnels.

I haven't used them. Just see it mentioned a lot.

The difference would be that you're just connecting the networks. The full LogMeIn tool includes remote control software for the desktop machine located elsewhere. With a VPN, the mobile machine looks for all intents and purposes like you've plugged it into the network at home, and you can use whatever free (VNC, Windows Remote Desktop, Mac stuff -- which is just Apple bundled VNC) tool for remotely controlling the other machine that you like.

Additionally you can route everything to the house first and use your Internet connection at your house as the jumping off point into the Internet. Encrypted network tunnel to the house, when you pull up a web page, the web server will see the request as coming from the house.

Or the hosting provider in the case of someone else hosting it, like LogMeIn. Depends on if they're doing a split-tunnel or not. (A VPN can be set up that routes your home network stuff over the tunnel, but public stuff just goes straight out your local Internet connection.)

I usually just set up a quick and dirty SSH tunnel to a box at a static public IP at home if I really need to show up from somewhere else.

The downside there is, the VPN/SSHhost is usually at my house and if the power goes off at home or the box dies, no VPN. A hosted service like Hamachi would eliminate that risk.

For as little as I use it, no big deal.

SSH tunnel doesn't really work well with the iPad (can be done, but not with the built in VPN settings).

I really should set up an IPSec VPN server here at home sometime, but haven't bothered yet...
 
denverpilot said:
I usually just set up a quick and dirty SSH tunnel to a box at a static public IP at home if I really need to show up from somewhere else.

The downside there is, the VPN/SSHhost is usually at my house and if the power goes off at home or the box dies, no VPN. A hosted service like Hamachi would eliminate that risk.

For as little as I use it, no big deal.

SSH tunnel doesn't really work well with the iPad (can be done, but not with the built in VPN settings).
Click to expand...

+1 for the SSH tunnel, just beware of port blocking at your school. I know my (high) school blocks it, but it is usually left open at libraries and public wifi. SSH also works great for secure browsing in public wifi situations.
 
loudbagel said:
So the school has been driving me bonkers with all the crap they are blocking, I would love to be able to stream pandora (but they blocked it).
Click to expand...

I suspect your efforts to circumvent their restrictions will not go unpunished.

If you want control over your internet connection, get your own internet connection.
 
I have both a IPSec and SSL VPN endpoint. At least one mobile carrier blocks IPSec, but ssl works fine. it works great from overseas: route all traffic through VPN.

OpenVPN is good, and not too hard for someone computer literate to set up. If you have a remote Linux box, it's a good choice.
 
Why not just use your cell phone for listening to pandora? The data involved is minimal.
 
Why not pay attention in school rather than surfing the web and listening to music ?
 
Depending on your home router, you can also drop DD-WRT on it and have that act as the VPN server. Not necessarily the easiest setup to get to roll your way, but just noting you have lots of options.
 
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