got a raspberry pi? why i set up my own openvpn instead of paying

Amplify Amplify ·

got a raspberry pi? why i set up my own openvpn instead of paying

Amplify

Amplify

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ok so so i was looking at my monthly sub to nord and express and it just hit me - i have a raspberry pi 4 sitting in a drawer for like 2 years from a failed home assistant project. i was paying like $100 a year for something i could maybe just host myself? felt dumb. anyway spent last weekend setting up openvpn on it and wanted to share the mess i went through cuz maybe it helps someone else avoid the same headaches. first off the guides online are either too basic or assume u already know linux inside out. like they tell u to just run these commands but then u get weird errors about certificates or the network bridge doesn't work. i had to manually edit the server.conf file like 10 times. kept getting connection refused on port 1194. turned out my isp was blocking udp on that port lol. had to switch to tcp 443 and that finally got past the firewall but then the speed tanked. the speed thing is where it gets real. my home internet is 500 down 50 up. the pi is wired via ethernet not wifi that's important. when i connect from my phone on 5g the download speed is like 40 max. upload is fine around 45. but the latency jumps to like 90ms. that's cuz the pi's cpu just can't handle the encryption fast enough - even the pi 4. i tried tweaking the cipher from aes-256-cbc to aes-128-gcm and it got a bit better maybe 60 down. but still not close to my paid vpn speeds where i get like 300+. privacy wise tho it feels different. i know there's no logs cuz i'm the one who would have to log it. but then i realized my home ip is now exposed to wherever i connect from. so if i'm traveling and use it, my home network is the exit point. that means if i accidentally do something dumb, it traces back to my house. plus my isp can see all the traffic from the pi unless i route the pi through another vpn but then that's just silly. streaming is a total no-go. netflix sees my home ip and just gives me my local library. tried to watch something from another region and it just doesn't work. torrenting works but the slow upload speed means seeding is painful. ended up just using it for basic browsing when i'm on public wifi and don't want to pay for a commercial vpn. it's a fun project and u learn a ton about networking and certs but if u need speed or streaming, stick with a paid service. maybe i'll try wireguard next but heard the setup is easier but the battery drain on mobile is worse. idk. anyone else tried this and got better speeds?
 
be careful with those guides, bruh. they often skip real-world gotchas like cert errors or network bridges messing up. if u wanna avoid that mess and still get solid speed, maybe check out a paid service like Mullvad.
 
yep I went down that rabbit hole too, spent days fighting certs and port issues, ended up just grabbing a cheap VPN for my main stuff and hosting a mini server for my own projects. sometimes DIY is fun but man it eats your time.
 
spot on, bro. setting up openvpn on a pi is a minefield of weird errors and weird configs. speed drops hard even on a decent box like the 4.
 
Nah, I think DIY VPNs on a Pi are a pain for speed and hassle. Better off with a legit paid VPN and keep your privacy for real. Setting all that up just to get half the speed of a paid service ain't worth the headache.
 
careful with the DIY VPNs, man. I did the same with a pi and the speed was trash even with a 4. switched to a paid one later and it was night and day, no headaches. that setup mess just ain't worth it when u want good speed and peace of mind
 
last month i was in the same boat, but i found switching to wireguard on the pi made a big difference - waaay faster than openvpn and less hassle. sometimes a tweak like that can save u from junk speeds.
 
You really had to edit the conf file like 10 times? Sounds like a nightmare. Ymmv but isn't that just what Linux setups are always like, headache for days?
 
Honestly, I set up my own VPN a few years ago on a Pi and found it was a total resource hog. The speed drops, latency jumps, and honestly it felt more hassle than it was worth. I went paid instead, and the peace of mind was just better. DIY is cool for learning but imo it rarely beats paid for real-world use.
 
Nightmares are what I expected honestly. Setting up these things rarely just works out smooth. I mean, if you wanna do it just for fun, fine but don't expect a seamless experience w/o banging your head.
 
I gotta disagree a bit, setting up your own VPN on a Pi isn't always the hassle-free fix people think. I did it myself once, and after a few weeks of tweaking configs, I realized I was spending more time fixing issues than actually benefiting from it. Sometimes paying for a trusted VPN is just less headache.
 
I gotta disagree, setting up your own VPN on a Pi isn't always the hassle-free fix ppl think, I did it once and after a few weeks of tweaking configs I realized I was spending more time fixing than actually enjoying the privacy.
 
bruh, just remember to keep your configs updated or u might get hacked (and no, running an outdated VPN on Pi aint enough).
 
Been messing with Pi VPNs for about 2 years, and honestly it's not always smooth sailing. Sure, you save a few bucks but the setup and ongoing maintenance can eat up way more time than just paying for a legit VPN service. Also, if you're not careful with configs, it's a open door for hackers.
 
just my 2 cents but setting up a Pi VPN can seem cheap at first but if you consider the time spent troubleshooting, updating, and securing it, you might actually be better off paying for a legit VPN service that handles all that for you.
 
Actually, studies show that about 40% of people underestimate how much time it takes to properly maintain a VPN. setting up your own is kinda fun but if you're not into the tech stuff or updating configs all the time it can get annoying fast. sometimes paying for a legit service is just less hassle overall.
 
Been running Pi VPNs on and off for about 3 years and honestly I've learned that unless you're really into tinkering it can become more hassle than it's worth for the little savings you get over legit paid VPNs. setting up is just the start,
 
different angle: maybe you just like messing with stuff or wanna say you "built it yourself" instead of just clicking a button. i mean, if you're into the tinkering for fun or bragging rights, sure, go for it. but if you're just tryin to save some cash, lol good luck with the endless updates and potential security holes.
 
Isn't it funny how some folks enjoy the hassle just for the DIY bragging rights even if it's not the most practical move?
 
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