Can I use a single laptop as a server and a client?

thenewnetuser

I want to connect my laptop to the Internet through OpenVPN.

Do I need two laptops—one as a server and one as a client—to connect to the Internet.

Can I use a single laptop as a server and a client to connect it to the Internet?

thenewnetuser

I want to encrypt data with OpenVPN for my home Internet connection to prevent data monitoring by ISP. I don't want to use OpenVPN on public networks.

thenewnetuser

Do I need two broadband connections and two laptops (one as a server and one as a client) to use OpenVPN at my home network?

Does OpenVPN encrypt data from client --> server as well as from server --> Internet?

thenewnetuser

Your ISP does not have access to your LAN provided you have even a fairly simple router, so long as you use it correctly.

I searched Google but couldn't find any relevant information. I've heard that ISP can (but don't bother) monitor data of any user.

While using LAN:
Are you suggesting that encryption is not necessary to protect data sniffing by ISP?
Are you suggesting that a modem as well as a router is required to encrypt data so that ISP cannot perform data sniffing?

Is using VPN is justified only to protect from man-in-the-middle attack while using wireless/public networks AND/OR IP address being leaked to the website one is visiting?

sambul21

thenewnetuser wroteAre you suggesting...

Lets say, you have one PC at home and another at work. If you connect them via OpenVPN server-client, your ISP and other middle men ideally won't be able to decrypt traffic btw the 2 PCs. Its good to protect your company secrets - right?

OR, you install some program like CyberGhost VPN (which is based on OpenVPN) on your home PC, run it to connect to one of CyberGhost remote VPN servers around the world. Now all your internet traffic goes through the secure VPN channel btw your PC and the CyberGhost VPN server you're hooked to. Your ISP again is out of luck here 😃 sniffing on you. Also, you can browse the web anonymously this way. When you open a website, its server will see the CyberGhost VPN IP address. Your PC other info, usually transmitted on website server requests, ideally won't be logged by the website and CyberGhost.

You can check, using special test websites, what info about your PC is still leaking, while you browse the web via a service like CyberGhost.

sambul21

Read GRC's OpenVPN HowTo Guide for more in-depth info, and look through that site, run some tests on it to see, how exposed your PC is on the web, possibly despite VPN connection.

Now open a site like checkmyip.net to see, what a typical website would see about your location with and without VPN running.

sambul21

When you're browsing the web via a remote VPN server and finally fully convinced, you're totally anonymous, check your browser leaks here: Server-Side: IP Address Whois and IP Geocoding . And smile... :lol:

You may also want to look at Advanced Onion Router .

sambul21

If you want to learn more about Advanced Onion Router (AOR) - its an advanced combo version of The Onion Router (TOR) that delivers high anonymity web surfing, usually at a cost of slower surfing speed.

It has a very flexible choice of web surfing options. The way it work: you launch AOR as a proxy on your PC, then launch your web browser like Internet Explorer, and set AOR as the proxy in the browser Settings, like 127.0.0.1:9050 . Now all your IE surfing traffic goes obfuscated and encrypted through TOR network.

Also useful is comparison Tor vs VPN by HotSpotShield. Of course, you can find a lot more on the web about web privacy, security and anonymous surfing.

mmarkantony

thenewnetuser wrote I want to connect my laptop to the Internet through OpenVPN.

Do I need two laptops—one as a server and one as a client—to connect to the Internet.

Can I use a single laptop as a server and a client to connect it to the Internet?

you just need one computer no need 2nd pc
tor vs vpn