[SOLVED] Purevpn with Sagemcom FAST 5364 router or NAS?

[GaryTheGolfer]

Hi,
I have the usual local ethernet/wifi home network working with a Sagemcom FAST 5364 router. I also have a Synology DS218 Play NAS attached.

I have multiple Android devices on my network. I have been using PureVPN on individual devices but this can be confusing for me and my wife. My question is can I set up the vpn on the router (or NAS!) and have everything go to the internet via the VPN?

I have searched on the internet and there is a lot of info on HOW to set up a vpn server or client on the NAS. However none of these tell me if/how I can achieve what I want which is all traffic going through the vpn instead of having to deal with a vpn on each device.

Can anyone clarify IF I can do what I want and give my a few hints on how to go about it please?

Thanks.

 

[USAFRet]

Synology has a specific application for this:
https://kb.synology.com/en-id/DSM/tutorial/How_do_I_set_up_my_Synology_NAS_as_a_VPN_server
https://kb.synology.com/en-af/DSM/help/VPNCenter/vpn_setup?version=6

https://www.google.com/search?client=firefox-b-1-d&q=synology+NAS+vpn

 

[GaryTheGolfer]

Thank you for the fast and helpful reply. My early conclusion was that my router wasn't able/easy to set up a vpn. I did then go part way through setting up my vpn on my NAS. I didn't realise that I had to also arrange some port forwarding. It will take me some time to read up and figure out the port forwarding requirements.

Thanks for confirming it can be done and setting me down the right path.

 

[bill001g]

You have to be very careful on your requirements. A vpn server function is fairly common and many NAS support it. A vpn client function is not as common.

The difference is when you run as a server you are remotely accessing your house/nas from someplace external. When you run as a client from your house you are access some server in another location. In your case purevpn data centers.

I have my doubts if a NAS can act as a VPN client for other devices in your house. Maybe, most are linux based but be aware vpn is very cpu intensive so it would not run real fast if it does,

I have not looked your router manual up to see if vpn client is supported. Most routers do not support this but it is getting more common. Most tplink and asus routers support it. Be aware these too have cpu issues, you will likely cap out your speed in the 30mbps range with most routers.

 

[USAFRet]

Also, what is the specific need for the VPN at all?

 

[GaryTheGolfer]

Also, what is the specific need for the VPN at all?

We have multiple android boxes receiving IPTV.

So I need to set a VPN client on the NAS rather than a VPN server? Would I also need to set up static routing table on my router...which currently provides DHCP for a block of ip addresses.

 

[USAFRet]

the usual local ethernet/wifi home network

multiple android boxes receiving IPTV

This still doesn't indicate a need for "VPN".
Haw many is "multiple"?

How it is configured, on the NAS or otherwise, depends on the particulars of what you're setting it up on.

 

[GaryTheGolfer]

OK. I have 5 x H96 Max boxes (or similar) around the house: some connected via wifi; some connected via ethernet cable to the router. Plus we have 3 tablets and a smartphone and a NUC all connected by wifi to the router. There are two freeview boxes connected via ethernet. And a smart TV connected via ethernet. Plus I have 3 printers: 1 connected by wifi; 1 via ethernet and 1 via a parallel to print server. The NAS is wired directly to the router. Nothing else is connected to the NAS. To provide the required additional ethernet ports, I have a Cisco 16 port ethernet switch. We use 1 or 2 of H96 boxes simultaneously for IPTV using Tivimate, BBC iPlayer and ITV hub.

That feels like a typical home network to me?

 

[USAFRet]

Thats a pretty extensive "home network".

But still...what does VPN bring to the table?

 

[GaryTheGolfer]

I want to use my Purevpn on some/all my h96 and tablets to allow my wife and I to view IPTV. My ISP routinely blocks (nearly all) IPTV services. I can "manage" the process of using a VPN on each H96 but my wife cannot understand or manage the technology at all. I would like to be able to have my entire network on a VPN to the outside world so that my wife can use the IPTV without understanding anything about it.

 

[USAFRet]

My ISP routinely blocks (nearly all) IPTV services.

OK...there might be a valid reason.

Far too many people hear the term "VPN", and think that is the solution to 'everything', and they must have it right now.

As far as the "how to"...you'll have to go through the Synology thing and see if that actually works for you.
It may, or may not.

 

[GaryTheGolfer]

I'm 4.5 years into my use of PureVPN on individual devices...I'm not really just jumping in....I'm just trying to find a better solution than the one I already have.

The router manual doesn't seem to be publically available...presumeably because the ISP wants to stop people (like me!) messing around with the settings......in part because of the customer support issues it would complicate. There may be a "secret menu" that I have no access to but AFAIK the router doesn't support VPN.

Failing that I'm back to my starting point, how do I set up the NAS (and router?) to achieve VPN on my whole home network....

 

[USAFRet]

Then blow off the router functionality, and look into the Synology thing.

 

[GaryTheGolfer]

Just an update in case it helps others....... The NAS route always seemed like a difficult solution.

In the end I bought a cheap second-hand router (ASUS RT-AC1200+ on FleaBay £26) and set that up exclusively as a VPN router. I set a separate subnet on that router (eg192.168.2.1) and linked its WAN port to one of my main ISPs Router LAN ports. Everything that needs a vpn connects to the ASUS router (by wifi or ethernet); everything else eg printers connects to the main ISP router. The Asus router (external) ip address is set to a non-dhcp address from ISPs router (eg 192.168.1.99)...dhcp starts at .100. So the ASUS appears to the ISP router to be on the same subnet (192.168.1.x). This means all devices on both routers can "see" all the other devices. ie my android boxes can use the non-vpn printers.

All the vpn set up that needs doing is done to the ASUS vpn router: no changes are needed to the ISP router (which allows vpn pass-though).

If I ever have any problem with vpn, I can either log on to the ASUS router via ethernet or wifi and turn the VPN off. Even easier, I can use the ASUS app to easily turn the vpn on/off.

We only ever use two IPTV sets at the same time (they are all in different rooms). If I used more than two simultaneous IPTV streams, I might need a more powerful vpn router since older routers don't really have enough horsepower

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