(This is not a request for VPN provider recommendations)
It seems like my country will soon make VPN privacy illegal. What is the easiest way for a non-technical newbie like me to set up my own VPN in the USA? I need VPN access to the US and UK.
Can I get a pre-made image that has the server and VPN all bundled? Can Docker or Kubernetes do something like this? I am looking for a one-click install for everything.
Is a US-based VPS with VPN a good way to get around laws and systems that block or compromise commercial VPNs?
I do this all the time, setting up my own private VPN server using VPS services.
I just checked Vultr, and they offer an OpenVPN server image that runs on Ubuntu.
Honestly, I usually set up a plain Linux server (I use Debian for servers) and there’s a very popular OpenVPN installation script. It asks you a few questions and then builds the VPN server for you.
Yes, major VPS providers like Vultr and Linode make it easy to set up VPN servers.
You just choose which city and then which image to run. They should have OpenVPN server images, possibly one with obfuscation, to hide the SSL traffic. Make sure to set the connect port to 443.
You’ll need to do some digging and learn a bit if you want to really avoid VPN detection. There are plenty of guides available.
Hmmm Looks like a DIY VPN might not be useful if my country has a national firewall.
“Censorship-heavy countries like China invest huge resources in maintaining their firewalls. They keep an eye on major cloud companies, so your VPS provided IP address is likely to be blocked.”
This VPS server would run your VPN too, but for how long?
Blocking by your own country could easily be dodged with a VPS server.
If you’re not a Linux expert in security, don’t try to do it all by yourself.
Setting up a secure Linux server in a VPS environment isn’t a task that can be done in a couple of hours or by someone who’s not very experienced.
Honestly, I wouldn’t give your private VPS server a better chance than about 20% of staying up for more than 24 hours before it gets hacked by Chinese or Russian hackers.
My personal advice is to find someone who can build and secure this server for you.
@Quade
As I said earlier in this thread, any VPS or VPN I use will likely get blocked if my country sets up a national censorship firewall. I am looking into Tor and other alternatives.
@Dai
I’ll start looking on Upwork for a good Linux expert who can set this up for me. I don’t have enough experience with security. I’ve only been using Linux/Ubuntu for about 10 months, so I know just a little about it.