I wouldn’t say I’m a tech expert. I know a little and like to learn more. I’m looking to improve my security at home and when I’m out. I’ve got a small PC from work that I’m planning to use as an OpnSense router. I also want to host my own VPN service at home with OpnSense. I get that using OpenVPN from outside my house creates a secure connection for anonymous browsing at home. This is where I’m confused. How exactly does hosting a VPN help when I’m using the internet at home? Am I missing something important or just don’t understand what a VPN truly is
> How does hosting that VPN service help when interneting from home
It doesn’t
Hosting a VPN server is mainly for accessing your home network when you’re away but need to connect to it.
If you want to use a VPN while you’re home, you either need to host the VPN server in a place that can give you access to what your home connection can’t or subscribe to a service like Windscribe so you can appear to be in another region.
@Vail
Got it, so a paid service like NordVPN would be a good option. That makes sense, thanks.
Amir said:
@Vail
Got it, so a paid service like NordVPN would be a good option. That makes sense, thanks.
Yes, but they’re known to leak user data and might have access to encryption keys.
If privacy matters to you, consider renting a VPS to set up your own VPN. This could also save you money if you have multiple users. You can find affordable VPS options for around 1 to 5 dollars a month.
The downside is that paid services typically provide easy switching between different countries. You’d need to rent multiple VPSes to get similar capabilities.
@Wes
Hmm, do you have any reading materials on that? I just paid 120 euros for a year of NordVPN.
Bin said:
@Wes
Hmm, do you have any reading materials on that? I just paid 120 euros for a year of NordVPN.
Mullvad is 60 euros a year and offers a much better service.
Bin said:
@Wes
Hmm, do you have any reading materials on that? I just paid 120 euros for a year of NordVPN.
Mullvad is 60 euros a year and offers a much better service.
Sounds good! What makes it better?
@Bin
No logs, no data leaks since there’s no data to leak, anonymous sign-up without any identifiable details, you can pay with cash, they control most of their infrastructure, and the service is fast. Probably more advantages too.
Bin said:
@Wes
Hmm, do you have any reading materials on that? I just paid 120 euros for a year of NordVPN.
Mullvad is 60 euros a year and offers a much better service.
Just keep in mind there’s no more port forwarding for torrents with them. I switched to AirVPN and it’s been fine.
@Uri
I switched as well after Mullvad changed that, but NordVPN also doesn’t support port forwarding, so I figured /u/BarockMoebelSecond wouldn’t need it.
Still, I think Mullvad is the better option overall.
Bin said:
@Wes
Hmm, do you have any reading materials on that? I just paid 120 euros for a year of NordVPN.
Wow…
I don’t have any specific reading material to share. If you want cheap VPS options, check out LowEndBox (just search it). For VPN, look for guides on installing WireGuard or OpenVPN. You might also try PiVPN, which is a simple installer for Raspberry Pi but also works on virtual servers. It can make the process easier but may not work on all systems.
There are also install scripts available on GitHub.
@Wes
So basically, I just rent a server somewhere, install VPS software on it, and then connect to that from my home computer?
Bin said:
@Wes
So basically, I just rent a server somewhere, install VPS software on it, and then connect to that from my home computer?
VPS stands for Virtual Private Server. It’s not software; it’s what you rent. A hosting provider has a server (basically a computer in a data center) running, and they create a virtual machine (VPS) for you.
You log into your VPS, usually through SSH (some providers may allow it through a browser), which gives you command line access. Then you install VPN software on it, and set up credentials for the VPN client to connect to your private VPN.
VPSes typically run Linux, and you often get to select which version when renting. Debian or Ubuntu is usually a safe choice.
So, besides mixing up VPS and VPN - yes, you are correct.
@Wes
Got it, thanks for clearing that up! I’ll consider this if I run into issues with NordVPN. Or maybe I can get a refund from them and go this route instead.
Bin said:
@Wes
Got it, thanks for clearing that up! I’ll consider this if I run into issues with NordVPN. Or maybe I can get a refund from them and go this route instead.
You could also look into Oracle Cloud’s Pay-as-you-go plan. You can get two x86_64 compute resources (like VPS) for free. Just double-check the network limits! The internet speed is throttled, and there could be a data limit as well.
Bin said:
@Wes
So basically, I just rent a server somewhere, install VPS software on it, and then connect to that from my home computer?
You could set it up on your router so that any device connected to the router will be under the VPN without needing to log in from each device.
@Reed
Nice idea! I’ll go for that.
@Wes
A VPS doesn’t enhance privacy because it keeps your traffic separate from others. It’s still easy to trace back to you.
Zuri said:
@Wes
A VPS doesn’t enhance privacy because it keeps your traffic separate from others. It’s still easy to trace back to you.
True, but you can get an anonymous VPS with crypto. And it doesn’t log your data like NordVPN. The risk of attacks is also lower.
@Wes
Sadly that doesn’t help much. If you access anything identifiable through the VPN, that IP and server will still be linked to you. The main benefit of VPN providers is that they mix your traffic with that of other users.