Have you considered setting up a virtual network using https://tailscale.com and having all your devices on the same virtual network? Then you just specify an network exit node to where you want your VPN to be based. Gets around all the awkward firewall rules, dynamic IP addresses etc. Speeds much faster than OpenVPN too.
You can use old Android phones or tablets as exit nodes i.e. you can leave a phone on charge in the UK with the tailscale app running acting as an exit node when on a trip to France. No need to mess about with routers etc
Easiest and cheapest way to set up your own VPN network
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Thanks for the prompt reply. I have tried to access the French network from the UK and failed. Maybe a firewall setting on the French router is stopping it - Iām not there so canāt check. I take a look next time weāre there.
I already leave the remote equipment on mainly so I can be warned of any power trips; no daily email from a camera and either the power has tripped or the network is down and I can ask someone to check. We have trace heating frost protection on some pipes and a freezer left on. Prior to the camera we arrived to find a rotten freezer load of food - not fun.
@PeterE
I hadnāt considered this. I have already installed the router in France and it works very well for streaming UK content, which was the main objective, so Iāll stick with what I have. Thanks anyway for the suggestion.
@PeterE
Tailscale looks very interesting. Is it possible to install tailscale on a router?
I didnāt want to fiddle my Livebox, so havenāt tried it on the Livebox.
I tried in to a GL.iNet Mango Router. You can install it on that, but it will not allow other devices eg the TV to connect. But it does appear on the Tailscale admin screen as a linked device.
So, I bought a Dell 3290 WYSE box for Ā£25 off ebay. I installed Linux and tailscale. I then installed the wifi dongle. If the Dell is connected via an ethernet cable, you can use the wifi antenna to broadcast a hotspot signal which your TV (or any device can connect to) and then tailscale will router the traffic to an exit node based in the UK. For all other devices etc phones, tablets, pcs, etc you can simply install tailscale. It is ever so easy compared to setting up an OpenVPN server. You can also share devices with other people, so you could share your exit node with others so the can use the same exit node on their device.
My next task is to discover how to modify a wifi dongle antenna to get a much better signal around the house.
PS. I have not tried to see if an old Android phone could be used as a ārouterā in a house with it broadcasting a hotspot signal, but then I assume it may send your data via your SIM card as opposed to your house internet connection.
Thatās really interesting. I wonder if the constraint is with the GL.iNet Mango router or if it is a Tailscale constraint. I have a spare Asus router - Iāll connect the Asus to the livebox and then see if Tailscale will allow other devices to connect to the Asus.
At the moment, I have a vpn on another Asus router which linked to the livebox and it works fine until of course the ip address of the exit point changes (ip is not a static ip) and then that requires a bit of manual tweaking.
Thanks for the info.
Yogesh
Have you tried running a Duckdns script on the router to keep track of the IP address if it changes? Then you use the duckdns.org address as opposed to your IP address in configuring your VPN
Duck DNS - install
You need to use the following option for tailscale to allow other devices to route traffic thru your router
I wish I understood any of this.
I have screwed my VESA bracket to the wall. I am waiting on my neighbour to give me a hand to lift the TV -65"/165cm - onto the bracket.
Then itās down to getting the thing rigged to access iPlayer. Back-along there emerged on a thread dealing with this issue the use of a small yellow ā¦ ummm ā¦ thingo. It seemed to be the answer but for the life of me I have forgotten all the details.