How To Set Up A VPN On A Router // Wireguard on OpenWrt

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Welcome back to Dev Odyssey Home Networking! In this episode I visually explain how a VPN on a router works, using OpenWrt router, Wireguard VPN and Mullvad VPN provider. Then I show you how to set up a Wireguard VPN on an OpenWrt router. Then we test out this VPN connection using a Mullvad "check", searching for our IP address, and other status tools within the router. Using a VPN on a router has many benefits, some of which are hiding internet traffic from ISP, bypassing ISP restrictions, getting access to different content and much more. There are also drawbacks, including breaking streaming services, losing internet connection if VPN goes down (or bill isn't paid), all traffic is tunneled out through the VPN and that may not be desirable. There are many additional features you can configure with a VPN on a router, and if you're interested, drop me a comment below!

Video Outline

00:00 Intro
00:21 What is a VPN
00:33 VPN on Router Explained
00:46 Normal Router Scenario
01:08 VPN on Router Scenario
02:15 VPN Benefits
02:37 VPN Drawbacks
03:27 VPN on Router Demonstration
03:54 BackUp and Upgrading OpenWrt
05:26 Downloading Wireguard
06:25 Configuring Wireguard
08:26 Adding DNS Server to WAN
08:59 Configure VPN Zone
09:50 Configure Gateway Metrics
11:30 Verifying VPN Connection
12:47 Troubleshooting
14:14 Outro

Have you ever tried to setup a VPN on all of your network devices, but you just can't get it working? Well in this video, I’ll show you how in one foul swoop.

A VPN is a Virtual Private Network that enables you to tunnel your internet connection out form a VPN server.

Benefits

Hide Internet traffic from ISP from all your devices (including IoT Devices)
Bypass ISP restrictions
Access to different content
Similar to proxy benefits | Refer to the following video for more information on configuring a proxies:
   • How to Create a Proxy // Squid (HTTP)...  

Drawbacks
VPNs can break your streaming services
Can lose internet connection if VPN goes down
Everything is tunneled through the VPN ( might not want to do that). This is configurable .

Requirements
OpenWrt Router
Wireguard as VPN software
Wireguard VPN configuration from VPN provider - Mullvad

Steps

1. Install Wireguard from System | Software | Update Package List using opkg | Search for luci-app-wireguard
2. Reboot router
3. Log in | Network | Interfaces
4. Add New Interface
1. Name - wg0
2. Protocol - Wireguard VPN
3. Create interface
4. General Settings
1. Private Key (From VPN Provider)
2. IP Address (IPv4 and IPv6 from Provider, use + to add a second IP)
5. Firewall Settings
1. Assign Firewall-Zone (vpn)
6. Peers
1. Description (Name)
2. Public Key (From VPN Provider)
3. Allowed IPs (IPv4 IPv6 config from VPN Provider)
4. Advanced - uncheck DNS, put in VPN DNS
5. Route Allowed IPs (check off)
6. Endpoint Host (IP or Host from VPN Provider)
7. Endpoint Port (From VPN Provider)
8. Keep Alive (Optional since it will automatically trigger based on outbound traffic) (useful for CGNAT)
9. Save
7. Edit Firewall Zones in Network | Firewall
1. Edit VPN Zone to look like WAN Zone
2. Edit Lan To WAN Zone to include Zone Forwarding to VPN as well (not just WAN and WAN6)
8. DNS Servers
1. Edit WAN Interface | Advanced Options - Uncheck Assigned DNS - Input DNS Server from VPN provider
9. Set up gateway metrics (optional if you want to revert to WAN gateway when VPN interface is down)
1. Edit WAN Interface | Advanced Options - Gateway metric - 20
2. Edit VPN WG0 Interface | Advanced Options - Gateway metric - 10
10. If you want automatic failover (from WG0 to WAN Interface) when connections stop outbound to VPN (say when you miss a payment to your VPN provider) you can use a package called mwan3
5. Save And Apply
6. View Wireguard Status in Status | Wireguard
7. Do VPN Check (with Mullvad)
8. Google "What is my ip address" to check if VPN is working
9. Troubleshooting
1. If VPN connection stops, internet access stops
1. Disable Wireguard (wg0) Interface, Restart WAN interface (Updates routing table) (If you don't use metrics)
2. Restart Wireguard (wg0) interface

Attributions

VPN icon
Made by Smashicons
https://smashicons.com/

Incognito icon
Made by Freepik
https://www.freepik.com

Block Circle Icon
Made by DinosoftLabs
https://www.flaticon.com/authors/dino...

Stop Sign Icon
Made by Those Icons
https://www.flaticon.com/authors/thos...

WireGuard is a registered trademark of Jason A. Donenfeld.

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Tags

#vpn #wireguard #openwrt