I have a fundamental problem setting up a VPN. Somehow I am not able to Google my way out of it and the VPN vendor’s web site isn’t helpful either.
I have security camera software set-up and cameras connected to a Windows box. The software installed without issue and is working properly. I can access it from my cell phone using my home WiFi and I can access it using other machines on my home network.
I want to safely access the security package while away from home. With a little research ExpressVPN and NordVPN seemed like my top two choices. Without any strong reason I selected ExpressVPN.
I installed ExpressVPN on both my security box (Windows) and my cell phone (Android). Installation was without issue. With VPN turned off web sites that report back my IP address report my local ISP. With VPN turned on both the cell phone and security box report ExpressVPN server addresses. Both devices access web sites without issue. To my current level of knowledge the VPN software is working properly on both devices.
When I am at home with WiFi turned on my cell phone can access the security software on the Windows box.
When I try to connect to the security software with WiFi turned off or when I am away from home I get no response. Accessing other web sites through the VPN software is working properly but accessing the security software is not.
There is a firewall/router between my Windows box and the internet. It is actually a Linksys E4200 but that probably doesn’t matter since I think this is more of a block diagram issue/question. Some Google results suggest that connecting inward into my home network requires I enable VPN Pass Through by opening up ports 1723 and 47 for PPTP. That didn’t work.
From a fundamental, block diagram point of view I don’t know if the VPN software on the Window box will keep a tunnel open to the ExpressVPN server or if it is necessary for me to open up ports. For security reasons I don’t want to open any port I don’t need to. Since the ExpressVPN software on the Windows box promptly reports ExpressVPN server connections lost and reconnected I am thinking I should not have to open up additional ports.
Looking at this from a different point of view I did a “ifconfig” on the cell phone with WiFi on (can access software) and WiFi off (simulating being away from home):
1) With WiFi "on" my cell phone has interfaces tun0 that appears to be my cell phone provider’s IP address and a wlan0 address that matches my home network.
2) With WiFi "off" my cell phone has interfaces rmnet_data0 and tun0 and both have ten-dot addresses that appear to be my cell phone provider’s.
The ExpressVPN web site doesn’t seem to address this configuration. The “24/7 technical assistance chat” appear to be a bot that either is down or replies with various forms of “did you read the instructions?”. Googling this is challenging since ExpressVPN also sells a VPN router and therefore any search with “ExpressVPN” and “router” goes off in that direction.
Thus:
1) When using a VPN service designed to have my cell phone appear to be inside my home network wouldn’t I expect the cell phone to have an IP address inside my home network? This would suggest something isn’t right in the “appears to be right” VPN software installation.
2) Do I need to open ports in my firewall or since the ExpressVPN software promptly reports ExpressVPN server connections lost and reconnected should I assume that a tunnel is already open 24/7?
Thank you,
Bruce
VPN Setup Problem
Re: VPN setup problem
