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Forum Discussion
dreidmiller
Aug 25, 2021Aspirant
DD-WRT necessary for VPN clients?
Is DD-WRT, or Tomato, really necessary for using VPN clients, e.g., SurfShark, Nord, et al? Is the VPN option on the R7000P not truly a VPN but just a pimped up access control? I ask these questions ...
michaelkenward
Aug 26, 2021Guru - Experienced User
dreidmiller wrote:
Is DD-WRT, or Tomato, really necessary for using VPN clients, e.g., SurfShark, Nord, et al?
There are too many VPNs out there for the average punter to keep up with them. Even Netgear's own techies probably don't know the full picture.
My inclination would be to ask the VPN makers how to set something up. They know all the configuration tweaks that work best with their systems.
Some VPNs require their own firmware, and Netgear certainly won't know much about that. It even has a hard time keeping up with its own firmware.
dreidmiller
Aug 26, 2021Aspirant
Thank you. That's a reasonable answer. I will contact the various VPN for assistance.
I am boggled by a company that produces quality products, arguably the best on the market
, that won't enerically accommodate VPN other than OpenVPN which is very pricey if one has more than 2 connections; I have 1 wired and 20 wireless , paying their fee is untenable.
I am boggled by a company that produces quality products, arguably the best on the market
, that won't enerically accommodate VPN other than OpenVPN which is very pricey if one has more than 2 connections; I have 1 wired and 20 wireless , paying their fee is untenable.
- michaelkenwardAug 26, 2021Guru - Experienced User
dreidmiller wrote:
I am boggled by a company that produces quality products, arguably the best on the market
, that won't enerically accommodate VPN other than OpenVPN which is very pricey if one has more than 2 connections; I have 1 wired and 20 wireless , paying their fee is untenable.Netgear does seem to be missing a trick, although its own grasp of its official firmware, which seems to be contracted out, may offer a few clues.
It is especially puzzling now that Netgear seems to be going out of its way to sell subscriptions to things like Armor and Circle. You would have thought that a VPN might be in there too.
Another option would be for Netgear to emulate its deal with DumaOS, which writes custom firmware for gaming routers. Hardware tied to firmware tailored to a particular VPN, at a price, might also work. But I can see the punters screaming about that. They always expect something for nothing.
- dreidmillerAug 26, 2021Aspirant
I totally agree with you. I may start looking into routers that come with DD-WRT installed. I hate leaving Netgear, as they are, and have been, my first choice.
- michaelkenwardAug 26, 2021Guru - Experienced User
dreidmiller wrote:
I totally agree with you. I may start looking into routers that come with DD-WRT installed. I hate leaving Netgear, as they are, and have been, my first choice.
You might do better to find a router with the VPN of your choice installed.
Not all VPNs are made equal.