Software for a VPN connection to home from work

[Alejandro85]

Hi, I need some software that allows me to connect to my home computer from my work over internet. My first intention is to run remote desktop over internet, but then use some other services on my home PC from work, like a web or database server. I can't use port-forwarding, so a direct connection is a no-go and I must appeal to third party software and services.

I'm looking for a program with those features:
- Free to use (although a paid version might offer additional features).
- Works on Windows 7 x64 on both ends.
- Doesn't requires port forwarding for direct connection.
- Can establish a VPN connection and use network services on both ends from the other.
- If I can join more than two computers, much better, but not required.
- Lets me use any service, not just Remote Desktop.

Does anyone knows or better has experience with any such program?
Thanks in advance!

 

[samuria]

Why can't you port forward without that assuming your running a nat router it's hard for anything to connect as the router won't know how to action it. Make model of router as a lot have a built in VPN

 

[Alejandro85]

Why can't you port forward without that assuming your running a nat router it's hard for anything to connect as the router won't know how to action it. Make model of router as a lot have a built in VPN

The router is provided by my ISP, and they don't allow direct access to it. They manage its password and all its configuration over the network, so it's a no-go that route. I could put anything else behind it, but ultimately the router will prevent a direct connection.
I'm aware that some routers bundle a VPN service, but as I don't control it it's useless for me, even if it does (as are its port forwarding capabilities).

That's why I'm asking for a software that doesn't depends on a direct connection. Relaying it though a third party server is the only option here.

 

[iko22]

Hello Alejandro85,

There is TeamViewer, which is another kind of remote desktop,

or, there is Cloud NAS drive, which lets you connect to the drive from anywhere.

 

[Alejandro85]

Hello Alejandro85,

There is TeamViewer, which is another kind of remote desktop,

or, there is Cloud NAS drive, which lets you connect to the drive from anywhere.

Thanks for the tips, but not exactly what I'm looking for.

Teamviewer, while works, is..... less than perfect. It's relatively slow, tends to disconnects itself (commercial usage detected, even between two homes) and most important, it takes over the server computer. Remote desktop allows any number of simultaneous remote users while another is at the physical computer. (I'm now realizing I forgot this one). Nice for a quick support connection, terrible for an entire day of continuous work.
Although it would be my first suggestion for someone not used to computers, I don't want it for me for serious usage, go figure.

About Cloud NAS drive, never heard of it, is it some sort of online "disk"? Like Dropbox or something like that? While nice for some things, I neither want to publish my files to someone's else computer.

 

[iko22]

Sorry, I hadn't explained very well. I was kind of assuming that you already knew such devices.
I basically meant a NAS (Network Attached Storage) with onboard Cloud features.
So, it is an "online disk", but it is your own personal disk, that you keep at home. You can configure these NAS so that they become available on the web.
So think of a NAS drive that you can attach to your network. Many of these new NAS drives have a feature to turn your personal NAS into a Cloud-based storage device, that allows you Remote file access. One example is WD My Cloud Personal NAS drive. Other makes, QNAP, Synology have their own variations on this Remote file access feature. Requires additional outlay on hardware (the NAS+HDD), that is the drawback.
See Best NAS devices of 2020: top Network Attached Storage for the home and office for ideas.

 

[samuria]

Your still stuck if you can't open ports as nothing can get through and it depends on the router settings as even things like TeamViewer need to open ports if the router doesn't allow that your stuck

 

[Alejandro85]

Sorry, I hadn't explained very well. I was kind of assuming that you already knew such devices.
I basically meant a NAS (Network Attached Storage) with onboard Cloud features.

Thanks! I knew what a NAS is, what a "cloud" is, but not Cloud NAS
Seems interesting, and may fulfill some of my needs for the time being, although it's not exactly what I was thinking of, and as you said, the need of buying hardware may make me think twice, but a nice to know anyway, thanks!

Your still stuck if you can't open ports as nothing can get through and it depends on the router settings as even things like TeamViewer need to open ports if the router doesn't allow that your stuck

TeamViewer (or any other software like it) does NOT require any port forwarding to operate correctly, that's why it's a prime suggestion for people without too much computer knowledge, it can work with zero configuration. If you look at its documentation you'll find that it only requires outgoing connections to its own server, which doesn't needs any port forwarding. It doesn't a direct connection between the two computers, instead it relays its communications though its server, and that doesn't requires any port forwarding at all. I'm looking for a VPN software that does the same thing.

 

[samuria]

TeamViewer doesn't need port forward but it has to be able to open ports if the router is locked down it may not let it open ports as unpnp may be turned off

 

[file3456]

TeamViewer doesn't need port forward but it has to be able to open ports if the router is locked down it may not let it open ports as unpnp may be turned off

No. TV doesn't require UPnP or port forwarding. The connection is handled via a middle-man server. You just need to allow the outbound IP and that's it.

 

[file3456]

Since you don't want to use Team Viewer then there are a couple of options. One is to use a router that supports a third-party firmware like ASUS Merlin or DD-WRT. I use an ASUS router myself with ASUS Merlin and have a local VPN. I can connect to my local FTP and Team Speak server without opening ports. Best of all, it looks like the VPN port that is used uses port knocking. I have scanned my network with Nmap and check my external IP at Shodan, Censys and GRC's Shields Up and no port is opened. Yet I can make a VPN connection.

Now if you use a router then you'll have to go into your ISP's modem and turn on bridging mode in order for the router to work with the modem.

If you use a VPN in a router you can install on the home computer something like Ultra VNC or Tight VNC. Then what you do at work is launch the OPenVPN client, make a connection top your home router and then fire up the VNC connection.

The other option is LogMeIn by Hamachii. Absent of those two solutions and TV, you're stuck with RDP.

Note that you can find routers already flashed with ASUS Merlin or DD-WRT on eBay. If you go that route, I'd make sure to flash it again or update its firmware. And make sure you stay abreast of updates. Updating is a simple as browsing to the router update file via the router.

 

[file3456]

If yo want to go cloud/NAS, there is the option of Amazon AWS S3 and using the FTP client WinSCP to connect to your AWS S3 bucket.

The first year has a free tier providing you don't go over the limits. After that it's pennies a month. I offload attachments on my own website to S3 and it costs me about 63 cents a month.