Fastest dd-wrt compatable consumer VPN router
Tags:
- Routers
- VPN
- Encryption
Last response: in Networking
Evilbred
September 22, 2014 6:08:59 PM
Recently I've been trying to get more educated on VPNs and encryption. I've had a VPN service for quite some time now (Private Internet Access) and have been quite happy with it.
I had also signed up for a DNS proxy for my smart TVs for Netflix region switching.
Now I've put my focus on letting my router do all the work (and not paying for a vpn AND dns proxy). I've recently went out and bought an inexpensive router (Asus RT-N16) and flashed it with dd-wrt. I've pieced together a config from reading forums and setup guides. Everything worked great, the IP got changed and the router was very stable, until I turned on the OpenVPN client.
I neglected to educate myself on the amount of processing power bulk encrypting everything requires (did I mention our main source of entertainment is 1 or 2 tvs streaming HD Netflix or Hulu?)
The poor RT-n16 didn't stand a chance.
What I'm looking for right now is a consumer router that will flash to DD-wrt and have the processing power to bulk encrypt everything going out. It's difficult to find this info as most home routers tout their throughput, which is more a measure of how good their radio controller is, or how much ram they have. Obviously my application will require brute CPU power, which they tend not to list.
What information I do find is difficult to determine how relevant it is, does OpenVPN support dual and quad processors that some of the higher level consumer routers have now?
While I do have some experience with commercial routers (typically I use Cisco ASAs) I'm not too interested in getting into a too technically complex project.
I would also be interested in a straight up vpn appliance build that won't be taxed or bothered to run wireless (I could just use my RT-N16 for that).
Anyone have any suggestions on what may work for me? Budget is in the high consumer range (~$250), I could go higher, but this is a personal interest/pet project and inevitably subject to wife approval (she has a set of messed up priorities that don't involve bulk data encryption).
I had also signed up for a DNS proxy for my smart TVs for Netflix region switching.
Now I've put my focus on letting my router do all the work (and not paying for a vpn AND dns proxy). I've recently went out and bought an inexpensive router (Asus RT-N16) and flashed it with dd-wrt. I've pieced together a config from reading forums and setup guides. Everything worked great, the IP got changed and the router was very stable, until I turned on the OpenVPN client.
I neglected to educate myself on the amount of processing power bulk encrypting everything requires (did I mention our main source of entertainment is 1 or 2 tvs streaming HD Netflix or Hulu?)
The poor RT-n16 didn't stand a chance.
What I'm looking for right now is a consumer router that will flash to DD-wrt and have the processing power to bulk encrypt everything going out. It's difficult to find this info as most home routers tout their throughput, which is more a measure of how good their radio controller is, or how much ram they have. Obviously my application will require brute CPU power, which they tend not to list.
What information I do find is difficult to determine how relevant it is, does OpenVPN support dual and quad processors that some of the higher level consumer routers have now?
While I do have some experience with commercial routers (typically I use Cisco ASAs) I'm not too interested in getting into a too technically complex project.
I would also be interested in a straight up vpn appliance build that won't be taxed or bothered to run wireless (I could just use my RT-N16 for that).
Anyone have any suggestions on what may work for me? Budget is in the high consumer range (~$250), I could go higher, but this is a personal interest/pet project and inevitably subject to wife approval (she has a set of messed up priorities that don't involve bulk data encryption).
More about : fastest wrt compatable consumer vpn router
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abailey
September 22, 2014 6:58:34 PM
What speed is your internet line? I researched this topic not long ago. It is hard to find exact numbers but this is what I found:
The Netgear R700 and the Asus RT-AC68U can get 50Mbit/s speed through with OpenVPN. An Asus RT-N16 can do about 10Mbit/s through OpenVPN. The only other small router I am familiar with the OpenVPN throughput is the Ubiquiti Edgerouter Lite than does 15 to 20Mbit/s with OpenVPN.
The Netgear R700 and the Asus RT-AC68U can get 50Mbit/s speed through with OpenVPN. An Asus RT-N16 can do about 10Mbit/s through OpenVPN. The only other small router I am familiar with the OpenVPN throughput is the Ubiquiti Edgerouter Lite than does 15 to 20Mbit/s with OpenVPN.
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Evilbred
September 22, 2014 7:52:55 PM
abailey said:
What speed is your internet line? I researched this topic not long ago. It is hard to find exact numbers but this is what I found:The Netgear R700 and the Asus RT-AC68U can get 50Mbit/s speed through with OpenVPN. An Asus RT-N16 can do about 10Mbit/s through OpenVPN. The only other small router I am familiar with the OpenVPN throughput is the Ubiquiti Edgerouter Lite than does 15 to 20Mbit/s with OpenVPN.
It's 10Mbit/s, but regardless of what others say, the N16 just can crunch the numbers fast enough.
I'm looking at just flashing it back to Asus and seeing if the store will let me ryeturn and upgrade to probably the ac68u, which has dual 800 MHz CPUs to the N16's single core 480MHz.
I just don't want to spend the extra $$ and end up still not being able to get the needed processing power.
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Related resources
- Linksys DD-WRT VPN Router > Amped Wirless Router - Forum
- Setting up a DD-WRT vpn router to a MF60 mobile router - Forum
- Router DD-WRT compatibility question - Forum
- VPN Compatable ISDN Router - Forum
abailey
September 22, 2014 8:23:55 PM
bill001g
September 23, 2014 5:53:49 AM
Evilbred
September 23, 2014 6:51:09 AM
From what I understand encryption is almost entirely dependent on processor (clock speed). Floating point processors have a distinct advantage as well.
I can see on my current router the CPU is almost tasked 100% but the RAM barely budges.
My only question is will OpenVPN utilize the second core, or should I just try for the highest single core router I can?
I can see on my current router the CPU is almost tasked 100% but the RAM barely budges.
My only question is will OpenVPN utilize the second core, or should I just try for the highest single core router I can?
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Best solution
abailey
September 23, 2014 7:24:08 AM
It does appear that OpenVPN can utilize the second core. It also appears that the Nighthawk is faster than the AC68u when you are talking OpenVPN. There is a whole discussion about this very topic over at the smallnetwork builder forums. I don't know the policy on this board for linking to other boards so I will not put a link to it right now.
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Evilbred
September 23, 2014 4:28:48 PM
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