Setting up a VPN?
 

Hi all due to work in saudi next week, staying ina hotel with wired ethernet (3MB)
Ive heard that if i set up a VPN to home network ill be able to watch iplayer etc?
Is this true and any idea how to do it?

Cheers Nick

Re: Setting up a VPN?
 

as long as you register an IP using a proper mask that the filter can't censor you'll be good.

Re: Setting up a VPN?
 

Thanks for reply buddy but that was a bit over my head?

Re: Setting up a VPN?
 

If you are using Windows 7 you can set it up to accept a vpn connection.

http://louisgale.blogspot.com/2010/0...pn-server.html

Remember you will need to do the port forward on your router and will probably want to setup a host name for your IP address - try dyndns.org

---------- Post added at 00:55 ---------- Previous post was at 00:54 ----------

In fact, seems you can do it on Vista too.

Re: Setting up a VPN?
 

And XP. And 2000.

Re: Setting up a VPN?
 

I'm trying this
set up VPN connection on Windows 7 PC with username & password (using this: http://www.howtonetworking.com/VPN/win7vpn1.htm)
set port forward (port 1723 - unsure if this is right)
it times out when I try to connect (I have no-IP set up so I use a name rather than an IP address to connect to home PC, VNC works fine)
what else do I need to do?

Re: Setting up a VPN?
 

Port 1723 is wrong.

Re: Setting up a VPN?
 

www.logmein.com is pretty good

Re: Setting up a VPN?
 

Any clue as to whats right?

---------- Post added at 20:03 ---------- Previous post was at 20:02 ----------

Cheers but i use vnc to control my pc. Cant see anywhere about it working for vpn

Re: Setting up a VPN?
 

I have a vague clue where to look but not enough to figure out right now.

Re: Setting up a VPN?
 

Use www.strongvpn.com There's a fee but it's very fast and reliable.

Re: Setting up a VPN?
 

I'm trying to set up an incoming VPN also, using the standard Windows 7 method. The good thing is I can connect to my PC. The incoming client is detected and identified by by my PC, an android phone in this case.

What I can't then do from my phone is surf to my desk top. Is there a particular syntax I should use? eg http://router IP/name of PC or something including the port I have assigned. I have tried lots of combinations but am told the page is not available.

Re: Setting up a VPN?
 

Do you actually have a webserver running on your desktop? If so what port is it on?

Re: Setting up a VPN?
 

No just a standard set up. I run the Plex server some of the time. Does that count? The port I have forwarded is 1723. I know that is said to be wrong, but all the literature suggests that port.

Re: Setting up a VPN?
 

I don't know if Plex media server has a built-in web server. You can't surf to a PC if you don't have a web server running on it.

If Plex does have a webserver then you need to go to http://IP.of.PC:1723/ in a web browser.

If you just want to see files on the computer you need to use an app that supports SMB shares, share something on the PC, then configure the app as required. There is no standard format for that.

Re: Setting up a VPN?
 

Thanks. I tried the URL syntax you suggested, with and without Plex running. No joy in either case.

I believe that Plex has a web server.

Inevitably my early attempts were within the home network, so, for testing purposes I logged into next door's BTFON hotspot. Still no joy.

I don't want to go for a third party VPN facility like logmein, if I can avoid it. It's so much better to do it yourself if you can.

Re: Setting up a VPN?
 

Logmein is not a VPN, it has nothing to do with VPN.

What exactly are you trying to do?

Re: Setting up a VPN?
 

Logmein allows you to access your desktop remotely, but also to access files if you want to pay for it. I want to access my desktop remotely. Very rarely I may wish to transfer a small file, but generally I can do this by emailing myself from my desktop. I understand that VPN will allow me to access my desktop.

Re: Setting up a VPN?
 

No, VPN has nothing to do with that.

What you want to do is use something like Splashtop streamer (app and server).

Re: Setting up a VPN?
 

Thank you.

Have just investigated Splashtop streamer. This is what I needed, albeit at £1.29 a month.

If VPN can't be configured to do this, what does it do apart from accessing files?

Re: Setting up a VPN?
 

£1.29 a month? Yikes, it was free when I last used it :-/

VPN is a virtual private network. It links two networks or devices to pretend it's directly connected to the same network. This allows you to do things that only work over a local network that don't work over the internet. It also encrypts your data so intermediates can't eavesdrop on it.

Remote desktop works fine over the internet, and it's already TLS encrypted anyway making a VPN pointless for the above.

Re: Setting up a VPN?
 

You should perhaps look at Teamviewer also.

Re: Setting up a VPN?
 

If it helps, I was based in the Middle East for 2 years. Black VPN did the trick me for. Have fun in the desert

Re: Setting up a VPN?
 

Thumbs up! but the free version gives you an hour for non commercial user and no port forwarding is requaird.

Also RealVNC is a great program and been using this for years since windows 98 however the personal now comes with a price.
https://www.realvnc.com/products/vnc/licensing
Free to Download RealVNC Viewer for Android

http://www.tightvnc.com
Free, Same as above but not as good as RealVNC

Re: Setting up a VPN?
 

Logmein should be fine for what you want to do. I have it installed on families pc's and then they call up and say something not working, I connect and see what they have done. It's been free all the time I have been using it.

If you don't mind forwarding ports on your router and setting up some software to connect to, then VPN server on the box you want to control and also VNC on it (so you can see/control the screen)is a good option. As well as clients for windows, mac and linux, there is also one for android phones. So you can even control it on the go :)

Re: Setting up a VPN?
 

I've always found the Remote Desktop services built into windows to be faster and more responsive than any third party "solutions".

Re: Setting up a VPN?
 

Thanks for all your suggestions. Logmein is clearly the most comprehensive remote desktop facility, but for my purposes TeamViewer seems to the right application. My need is very occasional, so does not justifying spending money.

My VPN requirements, when away from home, are limited to needing to appear to be in the UK when I am not. My Asus router VPN facility appears easy to set up.

Re: Setting up a VPN?
 

I have resolved my confusion over what I needed VPN for and what I wanted remote desktop access for. :rolleyes:

My deep frustration is now with setting up VPN just so that I can appear to be in the UK, i.e. at my home IP address when abroad.

Last year I set up my Asus N66U to do just that. From Spain I was able to use VPN to access BBC iPlayer, the National Lottery and other geographically restricted services. I was also using VPN for security when using public hotspots in the UK. This worked on MS-based laptops and on Android phones. Now since the router firmware upgrade to 3.0.0.4.376.1071 I cannot access the ASUS VPN server. I have followed set up protocol to the letter, the way that worked before. I am not using DNS because my IP is not dynamic.

Have any of you successfully set up VPN using the same firmware? Is it possible to spell out precisely what settings you have used in VPN set up and elsewhere, e.g. WAN and firewall settings?

Re: Setting up a VPN?
 

The firmware upgrade maybe blocking a port maybe that was currently open?