Condo Wifi -> Private Wifi & Routing Everything Through A Vpn

[BuffaloRescue]

Im using my condos wifi, i dont have access to their router.

I want a wifi connection where everything at the router goes through a VPN giving me access to overseas content for a TV media player etc.

Is there some kind of a bridge i can make, connecting some hardware to the condo wifi and to a vpn and then making my own private wifi network where all traffic will go through a vpn (perhaps strongvpn.com... open vpn unless anyone has better suggestion).

This solution will fix my two previous enquiries.. a) making my computer connection secure.. and giving me access to overseas content for my tv media player.

Thanks

Edited April 20, 2013 by BuffaloRescue

[BlackPuddingBertha]

You dont give much information about your equipment but assuming that you have a Windows laptop:

Zero cost: put a VPN on your laptop, share the connection and turn the laptop into an access point for your other device(s).

Requires expenditure: get a wifi router (about 1000-1500B) and use that to connect to your building wifi, and put a VPN on that. Then use that for your local network. Not all brands and models will do it though.

[BuffaloRescue]

You dont give much information about your equipment but assuming that you have a Windows laptop:

Zero cost: put a VPN on your laptop, share the connection and turn the laptop into an access point for your other device(s).

Requires expenditure: get a wifi router (about 1000-1500B) and use that to connect to your building wifi, and put a VPN on that. Then use that for your local network. Not all brands and models will do it though.

Ive got a macbook

Its not possible to use it as a bridge between 2 wifi connections, only between either lan or 3g and wifi.

The wifi router has to connect to 2 wifi connections. As i said.. i dont have access to the condos wifi settings.. it is a shared wifi.. theres no wall socket, lan, or router i can change settings on

Edited April 20, 2013 by BuffaloRescue

[BlackPuddingBertha]

I hate Apple products and I like to stay as far away from them as I can.

That said, it can be done on a Mac if you get a second wifi adapter (ie a wifi USB key etc). But next time use Windows which can do this easily with no extra expense or parts!

Or you could go with option B: get a suitable router and use it to connect to the building wifi. Configure your VPN on that new router and connect all your local devices to it. This also means that you wont need to leave the laptop turned on all the time. One of those mini-router things would do.

[rogerdee123]

Do a web search of "Witopia" by Spark Labs. I use this VPN on my Macs both laptops and desktops over all kinds of routers both wireless and ethernet. Easy to access overseas sites for downloading content. Simple and no problems.

[BuffaloRescue]

I hate Apple products and I like to stay as far away from them as I can.

That said, it can be done on a Mac if you get a second wifi adapter (ie a wifi USB key etc). But next time use Windows which can do this easily with no extra expense or parts!

Or you could go with option B: get a suitable router and use it to connect to the building wifi. Configure your VPN on that new router and connect all your local devices to it. This also means that you wont need to leave the laptop turned on all the time. One of those mini-router things would do.

So you arent talking about a ADSL wifi modem then, which most people call a router. It is some other kind of router i need? One that is capable of connecting to one wifi network for the internet connection and creating another, seperate wifi network for the lan. Is that right? Can you give an example of a product available in Thailand that can do this. Thanks

[Crossy]

One solution, there are others.

Important Note. Whilst I know that both the Bridge and VPN access modes do work and I have used them, I've not actually plugged two routers together in this way. Should work but no warranty implied or inferred.

You will need two cheap routers that will run DD WRT, such as the Linksys WRT54GL. Ensure you get compatible routers, check the DD WRT site http://www.dd-wrt.com/site/index

Configure one of the routers as a Wireless Bridge http://www.dd-wrt.com/wiki/index.php/Wireless_Bridge and set it up to bridge your condo WiFi.

Plug your computer into a LAN port on the router and check you can access the internet.

Now connect the WAN port of your second router to the LAN port you've just used to check the bridge.

Connect wirelessly to the second router, with the default settings you should be able to access the internet.

Now set up the second router to access your VPN service (strongVPN), instructions should be on the website of your VPN provider.

If it works all your WiFi traffic will go via the VPN.

[rogerdee123]

I think I understand what you need but am not sure. Would the following work for you?

Your MacBook will broadcast a wifi signal (for your TV media player or other devices within range) if you turn on internet sharing.

If your MacBook is running a VPN ( like witopia or another ), your TV Media Player would be receiving the content from overseas thru your MacBook and the VPN.

[Crossy]

Can the Mac do that ^^^ when it itself is connecting via WiFi? Windows boxes choke.

[rogerdee123]

well I've not done it myself.

But often have been in meetings where we (meeting attendees) use WiFi broadcasted by a MacBook there at the table ... but frankly not sure if that MacBook (broadcasting) was receiving it's internet connection via wifi or ethernet ...

Maybe someone else here can answer

[rwdrwdrwd]

Crossy's solution would work well but you could get away with only one non dd-wrt router if you

1 - connect your mac to wifi
2 - set up a vpn on the mac (system preferences, network, + button in bottom left, vpn, then enter vpn details - strongvpn works well, check it actually is set up correctly and connect to it before proceeding, i recommend selecting the option to 'show vpn status in menu bar' since it makes it easier to see if it drops)
3 - connect a cheap cable wifi router to your ethernet port and share the vpn connection (NOT the wifi connection) with ethernet. (system preferences, sharing, internet sharing, from vpn to ethernet)

The router would then pick up the already vpn'd connection and could share that out to other devices on your own wifi network. Router would need a small amount of config to add a wireless name and authentication etc

Another solution would potentially be a second usb wireless device, then share the vpn connection with that - same principal as sharing with ethernet

I don't believe it is possible to use the same wireless device to connect and share on a mac

Edited April 21, 2013 by rwdrwdrwd

[rogerdee123]

according to a Mac expert, the MacBook will choke same same windows boxes .. if receiving via internal Mac "airport" (wireless) and trying to broadcast via same internal "airport" (wireless). It would work if receiving via ethernet and broadcasting via airport (wireless) ... or receiving via airport (wireless) and broadcasting via ethernet.

If limited to only using wireless he suggests either:-

- receiving the wireless signal via USB dongle and re-broadcasting via internal MacBook wireless (airport).

Or

- connecting the Macbook to an "Airport Express" via ethernet and broadcasting the wireless signal (from the MacBook internet sharing) thru the airport express.

Edited April 21, 2013 by rogerdee123

[BlackPuddingBertha]

Can the Mac do that ^^^ when it itself is connecting via WiFi? Windows boxes choke.

This is not true. It works perfectly well.

[BlackPuddingBertha]

If limited to only using wireless he suggests either:-

- receiving the wireless signal via USB dongle and re-broadcasting via internal MacBook wireless (airport).

As suggested by me in post #4

Or

- connecting the Macbook to an "Airport Express" via ethernet and broadcasting the wireless signal (from the MacBook internet sharing) thru the airport express.

Gahh. More crap Apple products. The OP needs a proper non-Apple router to do this job, not those overpriced Airport toys.

[BuffaloRescue]

well I've not done it myself.

But often have been in meetings where we (meeting attendees) use WiFi broadcasted by a MacBook there at the table ... but frankly not sure if that MacBook (broadcasting) was receiving it's internet connection via wifi or ethernet ...

Maybe someone else here can answer

Probably receiving internet by 3g, and sharing it

[Justsumhelp2]

If your trying to use services in the US like netflix, http://www.unblock-us.com/ works great, all you have to do is set the device's dns address to their servers. Been using it on a ps3 and ipad for over a year now with no problems. They even offer a free trial.