What are the Easy Ways to Create a VPN?

A VPN (Virtual Private Network) can spoof your location or give access to geo-restricted content on the internet. It keeps you safe from malicious practices and hides your original IP address by assigning you a bogus one.

Although there are commercial VPNs that can get the job of hiding your original identity done with just a single click. But if you're against VPNs that sell data to third parties, then you can go for the option of hosting your own VPN server at home with the limited resources you have in hand.

Keep on reading to know what are the easy ways to create a VPN server at home.

What Are My Options?

A VPN server can easily be hosted by using Cloud Services.

You can use your router to create a VPN server.

And if you don't have a VPN router but have a router that supports third-party firmware, just flash your router.

Create a dedicated VPN server on a device (PC or Raspberry Pi).

What Is A VPN & How Does It Work?

A VPN can hide your online identity on the internet as you surf. It makes sure that you are not vulnerable to hackers and eavesdroppers looking to exploit sensitive information (bank details, pins, passwords).

Not even your ISP or government authorities can track your traffic when you're browsing the internet with a VPN connection. 

When you connect to a VPN, a secure bridge is formed between the user and the VPN server. Whatever requests you generate, they're encrypted while traveling through that bridge until it reaches the destination page.

It can even geo-spoof your location to a different region as if you're physically accessing the internet from there.

Create a VPN On Cloud

Cloud computing is everywhere and cloud-based solutions are being utilized by leading industries in the world.

One of the easy ways to create a VPN is using cloud services. The best part is that you won't have to maintain or audit anything.

Algo VPN is the best choice if you want to create a disposable VPN solution. Other than that, Microsoft Azure, Amazon Web Services, Google Cloud, and Digital Ocean are other options for you to consider.

You may have to install some dependencies, run some commands, set your VPN profile up, and play with the access keys a little bit while setting up your VPN server.

Creating a VPN using cloud services can have its cost, but you won't have to deal with anything and there's no third party involved. 

Create a VPN On Your VPN-Enabled Router

To create a VPN using this method, you'll need a router that has VPN functionalities in it. It's just a normal router, but it has the capability to host a VPN server.

You'll have to follow some linear system-specific steps to easily create a VPN on your router.

Just visit the configuration page of your router and head to the VPN section.

You can either search for your router's manual and get help from there.

Follow the instructions and set up your own VPN server on the router.

Create a VPN By Flashing Router Firmware

This is the alternative way to create a VPN on a router if it doesn't have built-in VPN functionalities.

By flashing your router's firmware, you're simply installing a new operating system that will enable the VPN feature and you'll be able to host a VPN server on the router.

The only thing you need to check is whether your router has the compatibility to support any third-party firmware like OpenWrt or DD-WRT. Once that is confirmed, flash your router's firmware cautiously to avoid any mid-process errors.

Once the router firmware is flashed, the VPN feature will be available on your router and you can create a VPN server easily.

Create a Dedicated VPN Server

To create a dedicated VPN server, you need a device that would be running all the time.

You might need to install a third-party VPN server, like OpenVPN. You can do this on any platform (Windows, Mac, or Linux). 

You can even use a Raspberry Pi device with OpenVPN to create a lightweight and low-cost VPN server. It works fine and there would be no latency issues.

Just set up port forwarding, create a connection, allow the users you want to give access, configure the firewall settings to allow remote connection to your network, and set up a VPN connection on your PC.

You're all set to host a VPN server.

Disadvantages of Creating a VPN

Hosting your own VPN server is a good idea but there are some technical drawbacks you might want to consider.

• Poorly configuring a VPN might expose your online identity on the web if your VPN starts leaking your IP Address or DNS.
• Creating a VPN requires good internet speed. If you have bad or average internet, then hosting your VPN server might further slow down your internet connection.
• You need to update your VPN with the latest patch and maintain everything on your own.
• You won't have the choice to connect to multiple VPN servers.

You should be able to create your VPN server now. Although the wise choice would be to get a third-party VPN service so you can escape all the additional efforts of maintaining your VPN server.