Optimal method to connect two distant apartments under one network.
Optimal method to connect two distant apartments under one network.
Hello, I recently relocated to a different country, but some items from my previous home remain (desktops with Plex and Steam Link/Moonlight, PS4, etc.). Through port forwarding, I managed to set up Plex and Gaming services, and they function much better than anticipated. However, I now face ISP restrictions that prevent me from accessing my old network. For instance, checking my ISP account for bills and invoices requires being within their network. My workaround was using remote desktop to view bills, but it became increasingly unreliable as connectivity issues grew. What’s the best method to connect to my home network? I’ve tried WireSock (with Windows desktops) and WireGuard VPNs, though some devices still encounter problems. Would it be advisable to purchase two routers equipped with VPN capabilities and link them together? This would allow me to connect a device via WiFi to the VPN, which should then reach my home network. Any advice or experiences do you have on this? Are there recommended routers for such setups? I’d appreciate it if someone could confirm whether this approach works smoothly for 4K streaming. My speeds show a significant drop: old apartment – Ping 7ms, Download 585 Mbps; new apartment – Ping 8ms, Download 830 Mbps. P.S. I have double NAT at my previous place. Thanks for reading, everyone is great!
A VPN offers a solid approach. There are multiple methods to implement it, and I haven’t personally tried consumer routers for this purpose. However, it should function properly if configured correctly.
Other possibilities include purchasing a Raspberry Pi and setting up a PiVPN, which could replace the need for a dedicated VPN server router. For clients, installing a router seems like the optimal choice. Tethering from a laptop often causes significant slowdowns, and tethering a VPN from an Android phone is feasible only on rooted devices. Are there additional hidden methods?
There are choices available, though it isn’t straightforward. How long will this arrangement need to remain? What budget are you comfortable with? Why should we not transfer everything from your previous home to your current residence?
Well, maybe it takes years, not sure. I was considering purchasing two ASUS RT-AX86S models with the AX5700 for around $500, but I’d rather skip that. Around $150 would be fine. I’m not certain about how long I’ll stay. The first year will act as a trial, and then I can decide whether to remain here for 1, 3, 5, 10, 25 or 40 years—or even forever. If I relocate my equipment and later move everything back after a year, it would be quite costly. P.S. I once tried setting up VPNs by buying cheap WiFi extenders with UTP ports so I could tether Wi-Fi from one VPN. But it seemed unreliable; sometimes updates would break other systems, and I had to troubleshoot constantly. That’s something I’d rather avoid. Any advice?
So the Pi should be okay. piVPN simplifies installing WireGuard by guiding you through a straightforward process. I’ve used HA on a Pi for my parents and it functions well, as have WireGuard setups on similar devices. If you’re facing update problems, it’s usually due to user mistakes. However, I’m not convinced a Pi is the ideal choice here. Netgate, the company behind pfSense, offers reasonably priced router appliances. With those, you can create a VPN tunnel between them using WireGuard, and all routing should operate smoothly. You could set this up with WireGuard and iptables on a Pi, though it would require more effort; pfSense manages routing changes automatically, making it simpler. You might consider an SG-1100 to replace your existing routers. Then you can configure the current ones as switches or access points, directing VPN traffic at the pfSense level. I think this is the video I referenced for that part (it uses ovpn instead of WireGuard, but once you grasp the basics you can adapt the advice for WireGuard).