Using a VPN server to connect to my home router admin interface

VPN
1

I would like to be able to control my home router from outside of my home network.

To do this safely I need to take the following steps, or so I’m told:

  1. running my own VPN server (on a machine on my home network)
  2. configure port forwarding on my router
  3. connecting to the VPN server remotely

Two questions:

  • is this the right way to do it?
  • would Tunnelblick be a good solution for this? (I’m all Mac)

Thanks!

2

At least for ASUS routers, no VPN is required. Just https to the router domain name (via DDNS and the specified port, both of which are set up in the router admin)

3

I use a Mac, too, for just this purpose and more. Tunnelbkick is good client software. For server side, I am a huge fan of Raspberry Pi platform and piVPN (it doesn’t have to run on a pi).

Read about piVPN here.

4

It’s a Sagecom, rebranded by the telco with proprietary firmware.

5

Gotcha. Then your steps look right to me. You will want to turn on DDNS on your router to give you a domain name to point your client to…

Although it requires spending some dollars, I always put my ISP gateway/router into bridge mode and then use a more robust router (ex. ASUS). Has a ton of functionality that you may find useful depending on your needs (remote access, vpn, qos, nas,…).