Proxy/VPN for when I'm abroad.

[StefanWolves]

Well I'm going to the USA on the 29th December and have got Sky TV on my iPhone/Laptop and will also be wanting to watch BBC iPlayer and whatnot when I'm abroad. However these don't work when I'm abroad (because it needs to be a UK I.P address)... Is it possible that I can set up some sort of a proxy/vpn at home and then connect to it when I'm abroad so that it uses the IP address that I use at home?

Or something along those lines? if anyone could help me with this I'd be hugely grateful! I know it's probably possible, and If it isn't too hard I will probably give it a shot.

Thanks ;)

[N!ck]

Do you have a server or VPS in the UK or with a UK IP?

[Tomm]

It is unlikely you'll have the upstream bandwidth to support stuff like streaming iPlayer if you're on an ADSL connection.

[N!ck]

It is unlikely you'll have the upstream bandwidth to support stuff like streaming iPlayer if you're on an ADSL connection.

'tis why I asked whether he had a server or VPS hinting at one in a datacentre rather than at home.

[Robbie]

Well I'm going to the USA on the 29th December and have got Sky TV on my iPhone/Laptop and will also be wanting to watch BBC iPlayer and whatnot when I'm abroad. However these don't work when I'm abroad (because it needs to be a UK I.P address)... Is it possible that I can set up some sort of a proxy/vpn at home and then connect to it when I'm abroad so that it uses the IP address that I use at home?

Or something along those lines? if anyone could help me with this I'd be hugely grateful! I know it's probably possible, and If it isn't too hard I will probably give it a shot.

Thanks ;)

Have you tried the LogMeIn Ignition app?

[StefanWolves]

True, I have got LogMeIn app, but I can't exactly leave my laptop turned on for two weeks (that and the fact that I'm taking it with me? :P)? To the others who said I wouldn't have the speeds, well we have a business connection I think (or something along those lines...), or something because my dad runs a PC shop and needs high upload and download speeds...

And Nick no I don't. I am willing to purchase a VPN for a month or something, one that I can use on my iPhone and laptop, but it'd need to be hosted in the UK, right? (to get the UK I.P to watch iPlayer and Sky App)

[Jordy]

True, I have got LogMeIn app, but I can't exactly leave my laptop turned on for two weeks (that and the fact that I'm taking it with me? :P)? To the others who said I wouldn't have the speeds, well we have a business connection I think (or something along those lines...), or something because my dad runs a PC shop and needs high upload and download speeds...

And Nick no I don't. I am willing to purchase a VPN for a month or something, one that I can use on my iPhone and laptop, but it'd need to be hosted in the UK, right? (to get the UK I.P to watch iPlayer and Sky App)You're in luck, there seems to be quite a lot seeing as lots of people outside the UK want access to iPlayer etc.

Just google "UK VPN" and I found plenty of websites offering the service.

Then set your laptop up with the VPN network, create an Adhoc network if you're using Windows, just google "Create adhoc vista" or something and if you're got a Mac try this; http://www.macsupport.ca/2006/07/31/communicating-with-other-computers-wirelessly/ - Then your iPhone can connect through your laptop to get access to the VPN

[N!ck]

Ah, my way work on the iPhone as far as I'm aware (as it involves SOCKS proxy).

What I do is set up an SSH tunnel to my server and send all the traffic over that.

You best bet is probably going to be a VPN as you need it for the iPhone as well. I've not used VPN before so I don't have a clue, sorry.

[StefanWolves]

I'll go with a VPN then probably. I can set up a VPN on my iPhone too. Any good VPN suggestions?

And nick, now you're saying that, I do have a website which is hosted on a shared server, it is based in the UK.

[Flisker]

http://www.vpnuk.net/dedicated-ip.html They look okay

[StefanWolves]

I was looking at that one. :P

[Recursion]

I have the cheapest VPS with iFuseHosting.com (£5.99) and setup a SOCKS5 proxy to SSH all my traffic through my VPS (based in Maidenhead), make sure you send your DNS requests through it too though (can change that in about:config in FF).

Good for getting around all the blocks at school and in the long battle of the local IT techies looking at all the traffic coming from my laptop :P

[StefanWolves]

How would I set one of those up if I bought it off that site?

[N!ck]

How would I set one of those up if I bought it off that site?

Recursion's method is what I was talking about, and it won't work on the iPhone.

[StefanWolves]

I'm sure there is a way to use SOCKS on a jailbroken iPhone.

[Recursion]

You can do it on an unjailbroken iPhone actually (Bloomin' surprising!!): http://snipplr.com/view.php?id=16563

[Tomm]

I think he was trying to get at the ability to use SSH tunnelling rather than a SOCKS proxy. You can setup a VPN on a VPS assuming that the host has enabled the appropriate modules (OpenVZ based VPS) or if it is a truly isolated solution (Xen, VMWare, Hyper-V, etc.).

(Edit: this was before Recursion's post, if you can do the SSH tunnelling method on the iPhone then its alot easier to setup than a VPN as you don't need to do anything server-side)

Edit 2: Actually read that link in more details and I can't see where it says you can setup a local SOCKS proxy on the iPhone to tunnel data over SSH, might have to use the VPN assuming you can make VPN connections from a iPhone)

[Recursion]

I think he was trying to get at the ability to use SSH tunnelling rather than a SOCKS proxy. You can setup a VPN on a VPS assuming that the host has enabled the appropriate modules (OpenVZ based VPS) or if it is a truly isolated solution (Xen, VMWare, Hyper-V, etc.).

Explain pl0x.

[Tomm]

If you're using OpenVZ which most VPS providers use then you need to get your host to have the tun module loaded on the VPS host machine and the appropriate rights to your container to allow use of TUN/TAP devices. Any respectable host should enable it for your VPS if you request them to do so.

For other solutions that are truly isolated (i.e are not simply a "container" but actually load their own kernel) then you can just do it as you don't need stuff setting up on the host node.

[StefanWolves]

So in short, what is the best all round method?

1) VPN
2) VPS/SSH Tunnel

If 2) would you please talk me through how to set it up & where too buy from? thanks.

[Tomm]

I don't know about the iPhone but the easiest method on a PC is a SSH tunnel with local SOCKS proxy.

[StefanWolves]

I'm sure I can get it on my iPhone. The only problem with this method is that I don't know how to set it up. Which is why I am slightly leaning towards a VPN as I have used them before, but It does come a bit pricey.

[N!ck]

Well with an SSH tunnel it would be as simple as buying a VPS and then connecting to it.

With VPN you say you already know how to connect to that which is fine. You can create your own VPN server if you buy a VPS but setting up your own VPN server side can be more tricky and I've never tried it so I don't know how to do it.

Is using it on the iPhone absolutely necessary (there maybe a way to do SOCKS/SSH tunnelling on an iPhone I don't know)? As if it's not, a VPS and SSH tunneling would be both the cheapest and simplest method.

[Recursion]

If you're using OpenVZ which most VPS providers use then you need to get your host to have the tun module loaded on the VPS host machine and the appropriate rights to your container to allow use of TUN/TAP devices. Any respectable host should enable it for your VPS if you request them to do so.

For other solutions that are truly isolated (i.e are not simply a "container" but actually load their own kernel) then you can just do it as you don't need stuff setting up on the host node.

Okay, CentOS running on Xen, how do I do it? XD

[Tomm]

http://openvpn.net/index.php/open-source/documentation/howto.html

Or just google for a guide on how to install openvpn server.

[Jordy]

Why not just set up a VPN with the laptop, easy to setup, then create an adhoc network. So the iPhone can connect to the laptop via wifi and share it's connection. Easy.

[Recursion]

http://openvpn.net/index.php/open-source/documentation/howto.html

Or just google for a guide on how to install openvpn server.

Thanks, +REP if I can :P

[StefanWolves]

Why not just set up a VPN with the laptop, easy to setup, then create an adhoc network. So the iPhone can connect to the laptop via wifi and share it's connection. Easy.
Why when I can use a VPN within my iPhone? it has the facilities built in.