VPN setup on a Router, PC or specific device?

[videobruce]

I'm thinking about getting a VPN using IPVarnish.

Two selling points are it was recommended for Kodi (Media Player/Streaming, so called 'TV Boxes') and they have a guide for setting it up using dd-wrt in a Router (which I already have).

I have done initial research and I'm aware that VPN's can slow down things depending on which one, the server(s) you (or they) pick and what the path is and for what purpose. I also know these are not 100% invisible which is not what most advertise them as.

The question is, they have options of using s specific device(s) or using a Router which seems to make the most senses since everything goes thru that anyway. The Router seems the easiest, but I'm concerned about using other devices for 'Streaming' and also slowing downloading large files. My ISP is Spectrum/TWC and it's 100MB

 

[ch33zw1z]

Configure the ddwrt device in addition to your already existing network. The always on VPN will run behind the existing router, and you can have the best of both worlds. Connect to the main router when you want regular connection, connect to VPN router when you want VPN.

 

[videobruce]

Are you taking about two Routers??

 

[ch33zw1z]

Yes, some streaming services don't allow VPN, you will want to be able to easily choose VPN or not.

 

[videobruce]

That would be a non-starter.

 

[ch33zw1z]

What would be?

 

[videobruce]

Another Router, one is enough. I don't have a large setup, it's very basic compared to what most of these guys apparently have based on their posts.

 

[ch33zw1z]

Adding an always on VPN connection will make your network more complex, so welcome to the club

The choice is yours. The ddwrt connection won't be the same as software where you can just turn it off and on. I'm just giving advice from my own experience. More sites and services are denying proxy IP's every year. Even anandtech has blocked some of the PIA IPs that I get when I use it. I have to turn the VPN off to come here many times.

 

[videobruce]

I appreciate the input, believe me. It's just frustrating.

 

[ch33zw1z]

There's other ways to get get it done. I ran a pfsense vm for about a year that ran my always on connection, used a spare router I had, configured as a WAP(not as a router) and ran a wireless lan called "wlan_vpn", anything connected to it was on the VPN. It was fun...I basically bailed on the always on VPN when Netflix started denying it.