Routers that support VPN functionality
Routers that support VPN functionality
I need help figuring out how to connect my UnRAID server to a new router. I'm looking for a VPN solution—either OpenVPN or Wireguard—to securely access the files. Since I’m not very familiar with networking, I’d appreciate clear guidance on each step. My current internet speed is limited to 20-25 Mbps, so fast downloads aren’t necessary. I mainly need a stable connection without constant file backups. The router should support the chosen method, and I want instructions for configuring it on the router, MacOS, and iPhone. Any tips would be greatly appreciated.
Security concerns: The distinction in safety between OpenVPN and Wireguard becomes relevant mainly during data transfers, not just local file access. Speed matters less if your upload is already limited to 20-25 Mbps.
Well, since I didn't get any help on here I ended up just buying something and experimenting. For anyone else who has questions about this, here's what I ended up doing and the experience I've had so far: Set-up steps: Bought an Asus RT-AC5300 based on a few reviews online, wide area coverage, and out of the box compatibility with DDNS updates and OpenVPN. Set my Xfinity modem/router to bridge mode and configured the Asus router appropriately *Note: Disconnect all client devices and routers before configuring modem/router to bridge mode. First attempts disconnected all devices from the internet. Had to get Xfinity to disable bridge mode from their end, disconnect everything, then try again. Even then I had to reset my servers to get them to show up. Created a free account with OpenVPN for 2 connections. Selected the VPN tab in the router software, selected OpenVPN, and filled in the details from my free trial. Created a free subscription with No-IP to set my DDNS to a set host-name. Selected DDNS from the WAN tab in the Asus router software, selected No-IP from the drop down, and filled in the details. (after some experimenting), went back to the OpenVPN tab, selected advanced options from the VPN details box, and checked 'Yes' for "Respond to DNS" and "Advertise DNS to clients". Then selected 'export' at the top of the page to download the OpenVPN config file. Downloaded the OpenVPN client app for my laptop and installed it. Dragged the OpenVPN config file into the app, named the connection, and plugged in the login details I set up in the OpenVPN general details tab in the router software. To test: Connected to my phone's hotspot and connected the OpenVPN I just set up. Mapped my local Unraid server same as I would if I was on my home network and it came up (very slowly) Attempted to transfer a 2Mb .png image. Results: Not sure if the limiting factor is my phone's connectively/cell speeds or the generous 11mbps Xfinity provides, but the 2Mb .png file took about a minute to transfer and Finder froze twice while attempting to open up a folder on the server. The Asus RT-AC5300 seems to be a good router so far after about 1 week of very light tests Set-up was pretty simple with a little research and trial and error. GUI is very usable. Ethernet and Wifi speeds remain roughly the same from everywhere in a 1400sqft home (router positioned centrally). Seems like the router can do a lot more than I'm asking it to do. It appears this set-up works as a proof of concept, but is not quite functional yet. Next step will be to test from another wifi network with higher speeds to eliminate the cell network. Then I'm considering swapping to AT&T fiber to get 300mpbs symmetrical up and down to eliminate the ridiculously slow upload speeds from Xfinity. I have no idea if I did this correctly or efficiently. There's probably a better way to do it, but lacking any more knowledgable guidance I could understand (a lot of online posts went over my head) this is the best I could do right now. Hopefully this can help someone else if they they're interested in something similar. Standing by for comments.
I've completed several tests and gathered some early findings: After one month, the Asus RT-AC5300 appears to function adequately. It's unclear whether performance issues stem from AT&T service or the router itself. Both 2.5GHz and 5GHz channels show consistent slowdowns, dropping to around 25mbps download. The 5GHz channel with a distinct name and password delivers speeds between 250-350mbps in both directions. Ethernet maintains stable throughput of 700-800mbps.
To address this, I switched all devices to connect to the 5GHz network instead of the bonded one. Further investigation is needed regarding channel congestion on the 2.5GHz band—possibly due to overcrowding, which could affect device communication. The single 5GHz network became temporarily inaccessible.
I performed a router reset via its GUI (not a factory reset) and observed no additional problems in the past two days. However, I haven't conducted more extensive testing beyond daily usage since the reset. All custom features remain operational. Overall, I'm satisfied with the outcome.
Testing Approach: Connected to 350mbps Xfinity service across town. Configured UnRAID server identically as if using home networks (via Finder: Go → Connect to server [cmd-k], input private IP). Linked media Sharedrive and file storage Sharedrive. Uploaded a 1Mb .png image. Played a 7GB .MKV Blu Ray Rip of a TV show episode. Navigated through shared folder structures.
Observations: Minimal variation in download/upload speeds between VPN enabled and disabled, as reported by Speedtest.net. Successfully connected to the home server without issues. File access remained sluggish—directories like Plex "Movies" and "TV Show" loaded slowly due to their size. Through VPN, loading took roughly a minute. Finder window loading was similarly slow (about 1 minute). The same applied to the file server, though slightly faster.
Initial MKV playback from the Blu Ray was choppy, resembling previous issues when transferring files to the server using MakeMKV and watching in VLC simultaneously.
Further Steps: Test performance on a less robust network, especially when farther away. Implement SSL encryption for VPN connections (possibly via the SSL Certificate). Conduct additional media playback tests.
In summary, the setup seems functional. The main challenge remains optimizing 2.5GHz performance and ensuring stable device communication in crowded channels. Overall, I'm content with the results.