I pay a little bit each month for a VPS to host my web page and some personal backups. Having that anyway, I just run an OpenVPN server there -- pretty easy install on CentOS.
Originally Posted by
elCheapoDeluxe
Other than appliance vs PC, is there any particular advantage to open VPN versus using the PPTP server built into recent versions (<15yr) of windows?
There's a PPTP server and not just a client in desktop versions of Windows?
My experience setting up the Linux PPTP daemon was that it was a pain in the neck to set up, and my home router didn't really pass everything it needed on incoming connections. SSL-based VPN which just needed a single port was easier.
Never mind. Answered my own question. Looks like there are some hoops to jump through to avoid vulnerabilities in MS-CHAP v2. However, if you VPN into something like a free-level Amazon EC2 server just for internet access from behind the great firewall... then I guess who really cares.
Once running a free-level EC2 server, OpenVPN is pretty easy. Bunch of steps, but pretty much just "follow the instructions."