I want a VPN. Which device?

Technical Support for Routers
1

I currently have a docker container running a WireGuard VPN server inside my home network on an old RPI (like) device. It works, but it was a bit of a hassle to setup.

I’d like to setup VPNs for family, and was hoping that a gl.inet device might be able to remove a lot of that hassle. Can I easily setup a WireGuard server, generate clients, etc so they can have a home VPN?

2

Yes it works and the interface to setup clients is usable. I use it in one case where I could not load Wireguard on the main router. I did have to forward the Wireguard UDP port to the GL iNet router, and I assigned it a stable IP address. Just make sure you backup your /etc/config directory on the GL iNet router, as it will have all the Wireguard keys and configuration information.

I am using a GL iNet Microuter-N300 as I already owned the device, and I was not using it for the task I had planned for it. I have it Ethernet connected, with WIFI turned off, as the n300 seems much more stable that way. Its not really fast, but neither is my uplink speed at that site. The N300 is going EOL, so don’t buy one. If I was going to replace it I would go with the AR300m16 as it is still well supported, and uses Open Source drivers, so it should be well supported into the future.

3

What Wireguard upload/dowmload speeds are you expecting, as higher speeds may require more power CPU (although probably not really high speed on an old RPI)? A Wireguard server is straight-forward to set up on GL.iNet routers.

Personally, I prefer to set up a VPN server as a LAN appliance, not a VPN server in a router that also handles non-VPN traffic.

I do not work for and I do not have formal association with GL.iNet

4

Not really sure. I’m leaning towards FIOS.

Another question: I have an AppleTV that I want to VPN to another location so I can avoid blackouts. Can I put one of these guys in front of the AppleTV and have the gl connect to NordVPN so the AppleTV thinks I’m in, say Canada?

5

Best VPN router we have for family is GL-AX1800 at the moment.

6

If you get Fios Gigabit, then the GL-AX1800 Flint is the probably the best GL.iNet router. However, note the following:

  1. The Flint router firmware is currently based on the end-of-life OpenWRT 15.05, while other GL.inet routers are based on OpenWRT 19.07. I think GL.inet is now working to upgrade the Flint firmware.
  2. I have seen quite a few threads in this forum reporting various issues with the Flint router. I do not know whether these are isolated or representative of serious problems.

Personally, I would also consider other brands of routers (e.g., Asus, Linksys, Netgear, TP-Link). For full disclosure, my main router is currently Asus with a TP-Link access point.

I do not work for and I do not have formal association with GL.iNet