Spitz GL-X750 and OpenVPN

davidmaxwaterman · 2019-08-22T09:29:23.720Z

I just had my cell ISP fix their bandwidth problems, and now I get speeds through Spitz that are more inline with my expectations.

However, when I turn on OpenVPN[1], it drops drastically…like to 5Mbps-^/6Mbps-v from about 20Mbps-^/40Mbps-v.

When I turn off VPN, and turn it on on my laptop only, I get back to the 20Mbps-^/40Mbps-v speeds.

Of course, my laptop has a powerful CPU (i5-8250U CPU @ 1.60GHz) that includes the AES extensions.

Does Spitz’s QCA9533 CPU not have the AES extensions?

I wonder why GL-Inet couldn’t use a Chinese made CPU, eg rockchip RK3128, which seems to have AES[1]. I guess the rockchip has too much other, mostly useless, stuff (eg GPU) which means it comes out more expensive? It’d be good to not be (as) vulnerable to US sanctions and its ‘black list’ as getting chips directly from Qualcomm.

Is there some ‘add-on’ AES accelerator that can be used?

[1] AES instruction set - Wikipedia RK3128 - Rockchip Wiki

alzhao · 2019-08-22T10:19:05.358Z

The chip cannot do AES acceleration. Also openvpn use pure software encryption. So hardware AES does not help.

The device can achive 6-10Mbps in openvpn maximum. When using 4G and wifi, vpn speed will drop as well.

Using Chinese CPU is OK. But those CPU does not has good wifi performance.

We are using Marvel chipset which could achieve 97Mbps in openvpn and we will have a product soon. The first version will not have wifi.

davidmaxwaterman · 2019-08-22T11:00:09.354Z

Also openvpn use pure software encryption. So hardware AES does not help.

That’s an interesting assertion. I find several references to the contrary - unless I’m reading them wrongly:

https://www.privateinternetaccess.com/blog/2018/08/hardware-acceleration-is-here-for-routers-using-openvpn/

Netgate Forum – 13 Jan 17

OpenVPN 2.4 AES-NI speed

Upgraded my Super Micro C2758 a few hours ago and ran some OpenVPN 2.4 speedtests. I tried an UDP server with TLS Enc and Auth, DH ECDH Only, ECDH Curve default, AES-256-GCM, No LZO Compression. OpenVPN runs on 127.0.0.1 with Port-Forwards. Using the...

Well, not that I really understand them, but it seems clear to me that they are trying to get h/w aes acceleration to work with OpenVPN - I can’t quite figure out if they’re being successful, or not…and I’m not an expert by any means.

Using Chinese CPU is OK. But those CPU does not has good wifi performance.

Personally, I’d prefer to be unshackled from US companies and have slower performance. Perhaps you should have a ‘US-free product’. It seems like that is the way things are heading for Chinese companies and their products anyway.

alzhao · 2019-08-22T11:08:33.358Z

Our B1300 does have AES engine. We tried very hard to make to work with OpenVPN but failed.

davidmaxwaterman · 2019-08-22T11:43:40.452Z

That’s interesting. I hope you’ve not given up - it’s a killer feature

Leo · 2019-08-23T04:09:47.660Z

Try WireGuard, it may get a better performance.

davidmaxwaterman · 2019-08-23T09:44:16.897Z

One day, perhaps:

Home of internet privacy – 14 Mar 19

Does ExpressVPN Use WireGuard? | ExpressVPN Blog

While we have a lot of respect for WireGuard, ExpressVPN has developed its own VPN protocol, Lightway, as a secure and reliable alternative.