I am considering build a Virtual Private Network for remote security camera viewing. I don't want to do basic port forwarding for security reasons.I have found that VPN's can be hardware such as in the router, software in the computer, or through VPN service providers. As far as I can determine these providers act between a LAN and the ISP.Question: which would be the most advantageous, and most economical?

The use of a VPN is to keep the rest of the internet out of your systemA Router etc.. Is still using software, that is built in, to connect to some providerIf this is for security cameras etc..Then go any which way, it really won't matter too muchIf this is security for your pc and your network your browsingThen Google VPN compare, and choose the service you like the bestThere are a lot of optionsA good high rated paid service is probably the best

I’m no expert, so I can’t say what’s best for your personal use. I use a VPN service provider, PIA VPN. It allows me to use public WiFi more securely. Some use it to help watch European sporting events. To do so might require you to set your location somewhere in Europe.The paid VPNs are supposedly better than the free ones. PIA VPN is normally $40 per year, though it does occasionally go on sale. I do have to reset the connection once or twice a day when it loses connectivity. Hope this helps.

Mortimer Brewster wrote:I do have to reset the connection once or twice a day when it loses connectivity. Hope this helps.Is this normal with PIA? If so, that would rule it out for me, as my objective is remote access. I could not do resets effectively.

I am an expert. First off you have to understand that VPN doesn't mean much without knowing the points the virtual private network is connecting. VPN services are designed to secure your browsing, not connect you to your home network and will provide no help with accessing your local security cameras (which I believe is what you want to do).IMO using any consumer grade router VPN solution is a huge mistake. If you want to access security cameras at your home there are 3 reasonable options: A) Buy cameras that connect to a service provider that has a means to view remotely. Personally I don't trust any of these providers, however you may find the risk acceptable. B) run security camera monitoring software that pushes security camera data to the cloud, very similar to above but not built into the cameras. May be more secure that relying on camera manufacturer, typically more likely to patch however you'll need to keep up on your local software patching. iSpy might be useful in this regard: http://www.ispyconnect.com/ C) run a hardened SSH server on your local network, only auth with pre-shared keys, SSH2 run on an odd port and restricted tunnels. There are plenty of resources for SSH server best practices. Doing this can provide easy access to local resources, and depending on how configured can be very secure.I use method C, however I also live this stuff. Doing anything with a decent level of security requires knowledge and continuing education that most will not be able to manage. "A" using 'cloud connected' cameras is probably the least work, and least secure due to hardware providers being notoriously lazy about patching as well as often leaving backdoor hard coded passwords. "B" may be a better choice, your cameras are not connected to the public network only connection is from software to remove server. It will require maintaining a local server 24x7, power backup if you care about downtime..etc...in short, there is no easy answer ;-)

braindead0 wrote:I am an expert. First off you have to understand that VPN doesn't mean much without knowing the points the virtual private network is connecting. VPN services are designed to secure your browsing, not connect you to your home network and will provide no help with accessing your local security cameras (which I believe is what you want to do).Why do you think VPN should not be used to connect to a remote network? "not connect you to your home network and will provide no help with accessing your local security cameras"VPN was designed exactly for this purpose. Securely connect a computer (or site) to another network using the public Internet. Only recently has the use of VPN shifted to obscure browsing habits and cheat media streaming providers.

VPN question | Good Sam Community

dryfly
Explorer
Oct 10, 2017
Mortimer Brewster wrote:
I do have to reset the connection once or twice a day when it loses connectivity. Hope this helps.

Is this normal with PIA? If so, that would rule it out for me, as my objective is remote access. I could not do resets effectively.
Mortimer_Brewst
Explorer II
Oct 10, 2017
I’m no expert, so I can’t say what’s best for your personal use. I use a VPN service provider, PIA VPN. It allows me to use public WiFi more securely. Some use it to help watch European sporting events. To do so might require you to set your location somewhere in Europe.
The paid VPNs are supposedly better than the free ones. PIA VPN is normally $40 per year, though it does occasionally go on sale. I do have to reset the connection once or twice a day when it loses connectivity. Hope this helps.
MrWizard
Moderator
Oct 10, 2017
The use of a VPN is to keep the rest of the internet out of your system
A Router etc.. Is still using software, that is built in, to connect to some provider

If this is for security cameras etc..
Then go any which way, it really won't matter too much

If this is security for your pc and your network your browsing

Then Google VPN compare, and choose the service you like the best

There are a lot of options

A good high rated paid service is probably the best

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