I’ve just set up my very first VPN and wanted to share the experience with you. As I’m using a Unifi router as my main router, I was pleased to discover that it has a built-in option to set up various VPN servers. After looking through the available options, I decided to go with OpenVPN.

Setting Up the VPN Server

The first step was to configure the VPN server on my Unifi router. Here are the available VPN server options I could choose from:

• PPTP: Simple to set up but not the most secure.
• L2TP: Offers better security than PPTP but requires additional configuration.
• OpenVPN: My choice for a robust and secure VPN solution.
• IPSec: A highly secure option, but more complex to set up than OpenVPN.

I went ahead and selected OpenVPN, which is known for its high security and compatibility with a wide range of devices.

Creating the Configuration File

After setting up the basic information on the Unifi router, the system generated a config file for OpenVPN. This file contains all the details needed to connect to the VPN, including server settings, security certificates, and more. Once the config file was ready, it was time to move on to the next step.

Downloading and Setting Up OpenVPN Client

Next, I needed to download the OpenVPN client from the official OpenVPN website. After installing the client on my device, I imported the config file generated by the router. Once everything was set up, all I had to do was click Connect.

And just like that, I had a secure VPN connection! It’s a great feeling knowing that my home network is now accessible remotely, and all my traffic is encrypted.

Next Steps: Advanced Setups & Testing

This is just the beginning. I plan to dive deeper into the advanced setups and explore the different options OpenVPN offers. There are a lot of tweaks and features to experiment with, and I’m excited to see how I can optimise the VPN for both speed and security.

Additionally, I need to do more research and testing, especially when it comes to things like remote desktop access. My goal is to have full access to my homelab from anywhere, so I’ll be working on configuring remote desktop solutions to ensure I can manage my homelab with ease, no matter where I am.

Stay tuned for more updates as I continue experimenting and improving my setup. If you have any tips or insights on OpenVPN or remote desktop setups, feel free to share them in the comments!