Using NordVPN free trial, but would like to continue having port 3389 accessible for RDP through ISP IP

VPN
1

Hi all,

Disclaimer:: I know that having RDP on the open internet is a terrible idea. Please entertain the fact that I have a very specific need for this and nothing critical or work related is hosted on this server. I also have an RDP program that blacklists IPs after one failed attempt.

I got a VPN and I’d like to use it, however my NOIP DDNS updated to the VPN’s IP and I can no longer access my server through DNS name or original ISP IP address.

Somehow I’d like every port to use the VPN except 3389. Is this possible?

Thanks a ton!~

2

That’s not how this works, that’s not how any of this works. :slight_smile:

This would happen with any VPN provider you used in this way. It is caused by whatever program is doing your DDNS updates (noip Dynamic DNS Update Client?) and your whole DDNS identity is swapped to your VPN identity instead of your ISP identity. There is no link between these two, almost by definition. So, you cannot have some ports appear externally as if it’s your VPN and others as your ISP on a single DDNS IP!

Three possible fixes:

  • A. You could use a simple batch file to start your VPN client and simultaneously stop your DDNS updater. Then have your DDNS updater restart in a scheduled task.
  • B. You could bind that DDNS program to your normal IP or interface GUID with ForceBindIP. I have no personal experience of the program, but it seems well known.
  • C. Alternatively, you could run your VPN and all its activities from within a virtual machine like VMWare or VirtualBox - this also increases your security since anything you do in the virtual machine should have little to no way of directly affecting your host. That way your DDNS updater which is running on your host and therefore external to your virtual machine will not be affected by any network changes in your virtual machine.

If you are running your VPN client from a router, then its more complicated…

3

Isn’t it best to contact customer support? They helped me out immensely with setting up ports as well. Though as your situation is very specific, I think it would be best to ask them if you’re not sure. Also, getfuture is right, it doesn’t exactly work this way

4

You could use a reverse proxy if your access the RDP Session from the same location/computer.

5

I’m reading IPVanish may be a better fit for this because of Port forwarding? NordVPN has also made my plex server externally inaccessible. Drat. Looks like I’ll have some homework on this one.