Need VPN+Proxy Solution & Setup

[Interrupt]

Friends,

I'm attempting to set up a small VPN and Proxy with the sole purpose of being able to connect securely from a public wi-fi using a multitude of devices to my home computer (always on, fiber optic, running Windows XP). Firesheep, FaceNiff, etc. are all extremely popular so this seems like a rosy idea.

I've tried a Hamachi+Privoxy setup and although Privoxy seems to be working well (the Privoxy test site says I'm using it), Hamachi is ill suited for my needs: I can't seem to be able to sign into it via the built-in Android ICS (4.0.4) VPN connection tool (and I heard the LogmeIn app for Android isn't really designed for web traffic, merely used for file sharing and remote access).

So I'm not quite sure how to approach the situation. I've read numerous sites (LifeHacker loves to cover topics like these), but the aforementioned approaches fail to provide satisfactory results (tbh, Hamachi+Privoxy might have been working but since I couldn't test it on the Android, I wouldn't know).

I tried OpenVPN in a virtual environment but the AS is dated. I tried to wget the latest Ubuntu release via the console once signed in but it just lingers (who knows if that's even a VM client problem, firewall problem or an OpenVPN problem).

I know a few of you regulars on the forum work in networking so if there's a way you can help me through getting a solution up and running, I'd appreciate it. Again, this is just for personal use and not business use.

Thanks,

M

Edit: The host is Windows XP. Type of devices are an iPad, Android smart phone and possibly a Windows laptop.

[GroundZero3]

For openvpn you said the AS is dated. What does that mean?

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The Access Server that OpenVPN allows you to download from the site - one which can be run from a VM environment - is old, dated and needs to be updated. As a solution they tell you to wget the latest updates and restart (absolutely annoying that they don't update the AS on the site but they aren't really concerned with Windows users). But when I tried to get them it simply lingered, the DNS for their server resolved fine but it looked like it was offline or simply... err, dead.

Why do I need the latest version? Because I'm told it resolves issues with how you can access the UI. Apparently the older version (the AS that is downloadable) relies on Internet Explorer. But at some point in the past I disabled IE somehow. Now it works but it doesn't pull up the web UI. Buggy as hell. But that isn't an issue: apparently a lot of people have it, and OpenVPN tells people to update and that the latest can be accessed via Firefox.

The reason for that particular change was that, prior to this update, you could access the web interface but it gave a javascript error or some such nonsense when you tried logging in. Presumably it works now but I can't get my hands on that update.

So that's where I'm at with OpenVPN... which is why I tried Hamachi but that didn't work.

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Bah... my little issue is now compounded. In trying to download Schrew Soft VPN to test that, prior to install but after downloading, the computer restarted. Now every time I restart it the moment it hits the desktop it restarts itself.

:/ It was working not more than a minute ago.

Running malware & spyware programs in Safe Mode w/ Networking (which works). Then may need to open a new thread for this seeing as how when I try to check the Event Viewer I'm just getting an unknown interface error. Wonderful. If the malware report turns out clean I'll also try to ensure that the event log service is running and the registry key is fine.

[GroundZero3]

did you see this?

HOWTO: Openvpn and Ubuntu (Dapper)

i was running it on vmware workstation with squid and it worked like a charm. Even gamed over it, not sure about iphone compatibility last I checked it didnt support it

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Actually I wonder why that didn't come u p in the suggestions, looks awesome. You may think it stupid but I never really considered running the OpenVPN in an already setup Linux virtualization. being in Windows I was looking for Windows only solutions but I've run plenty of Linux sessions in Virtual box, shouldn't be much different.

Thanks GZ!!! I'll try it when this damn thing decides to work.

Isn't it kind of strange I'm getting such restart problems the day I decide to play with VPNs? do you think it may be connected? Bah.

[Interrupt]

Okay, I'll come back to all this if this damn PC gets fixed. In the meantime, anyone interested in figuring out what is happening: Keeps Rebooting (strange DHCP entry in Event Logs... maybe you might know what it is GZ?)

Edit: Fixed.

New question:

My friend Taxman recommended purchasing a WRT54GL and upgrading to the latest DD-WRT firmware which facilitates SSH tunneling and a VPN for use that in conjunction with my MI424WR Actiontec Router. Would you recommend the same or would you try your OpenVPN using Ubuntu approach? (As seen: HOWTO: Openvpn and Ubuntu (Dapper)) I'd like to save money if possible (paid VPN that I was considering was StrongVPN).

Second question, the virtualized Ubuntu session would need to be running 24/7, no?

Third question, using my dynamic IP, I've tried changing the IP range of my whole network from within the router's config and ended up taking my whole network offline. Maybe I wasn't doing it right but it looked self explanatory in the router config, I just moved one of the latter octets up a little. Now I'm hesitant to attempt this without help. (I'm trying to move the range so that I can use the VPN from anywhere I am.)