Setting up a home VPN with Wake on LAN

jsmurray2

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Aug 16, 2015
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Ok so I have desktop pc thats about 10 years old or so and I would like to set it up as a VPN. I would like to be able to access it from school to do things like play League of Legends that is blocked by the firewall. The desktop is currently installed with Xubuntu. I would like to set it so that I can remotely turn the desktop on from school and then automatically have it load a program(s) that would do the following:

1. Turn on the pc from school and have it automatically load a VPN and a remote desktop.
2. Have a basic VPN so that me and my friends could log into it and use it.
3. Be able to remote desktop to the computer (for instance if i wanted to install and run a server from the pc; I would like this to be separate from the VPN so that I don't always have to remote desktop).
4. I would like to be able to shut the computer down when I am done (the computer is old and I don't want to leave it running all day and also to keep friends from abusing my VPN access).

Thank you for your time and have a great day! ;)
 

thor220

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Dec 15, 2009
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In order to do this you would have to compromise the security of your home computer. You cannot open these ports without also inviting everyone else as well. In addition, using a school computer to remote desktop would allow the school's network to be breached. Of course, this is if the school even allows out going VPN connections. Last time I checked most schools have the remote desktop port and protocol blocked.
 

jsmurray2

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Aug 16, 2015
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The VPN is not blocked, there are many students at my school who regularly use VPNs. I also plan to only use the desktop for a VPN and remote access, not for storing sensitive files. What would be more worrying is to have my whole network compromised. I am willing to set this up and would like to get recommendations on programs and how I should go about configuring them for what I have specified, not to be told it is impossible since I already know it is possible. What do you mean by "inviting everyone else"? Do you mean to say that I will be broadcasting my ip out for people to breach. I want to build a secure connection for my personal use.
 

thor220

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Dec 15, 2009
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The windows VPN protocol isn't secure to begin with. Microsoft provides it as a basic application to connect to remote computers. It has basic security that hasn't been updated in ages, virtually rendering said security worthless.

When I say you are inviting others in, I mean that anyone who knows anything about computers will simply port scan your router/modem, find that you have the remote desktop protocol open 24/7 and can pretty much do whatever they want.

In my 3rd year in college, our computer security professor would give us extra credit for each remote computer we were able to compromise (with proof of course). Of course we wouldn't do anything to the systems, just leave a txt document notifying them of it.

If a hacker finds that you have this port open all the time they can easily assign the computer to a botnet or snoop your network packets. Snooping packets would mean that everything you do online would be known by the hacker. They'd know your passwords, what website's you visit, ect. Not just yours either, anyone connected to the wifi at that house.

If you want a secure connection then you need to do so with another program as the built in windows does do so well.

It may just be simpler to bring a portable VPN client on a USB drive. It would be just effective and achieve everything you need to do without the risk.
 

jsmurray2

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Aug 16, 2015
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Again, the desktop is running Xubuntu, a distribution of Ubuntu Linux tailored to meet requirements for older PCs. Also, this is why I want to use Wake-on-Lan so that the port is only open when I am using it. I am asking for help in finding programs to meet the requirements I wrote about, not use Windows VPN. I was thinking about something like hamachi. My problem is gettring the programs I'll need to run when the computer boots and have me able to boot the desktop remotely so i can only have the desktop running when I need it. I do not want anything to do with Windows on the desktop although the laptop I'll be using to connect is running Windows so whatever applications I use need to be compatible for both systems.