Using AirVPN with iOS devices in China: any suggestions?

[zheshibushibi 2]

Hello All,

 

Do you have any suggestions for somewhat-reliable connection to AirVPN servers using iOS devices in China? I ask this because OpenVPN connections over land-based ISPs barely work here without an SSL tunnel.

 

Connection to servers using SSL tunneling through Eddie works great... but that's only for Linux/MacOS/Windows. 

 

Here are the ideas I have so far; can you please add if you have any suggestions?

1. Connections over cell service are much more reliable than land-based ISPs. The downside here is that I have to use my data plan, and doesn't work with my Wifi-only iPad.

2. I could hardwire a laptop to my router then try to share my connection through wifi with my iOS devices once the SSL tunnel is established. Has anyone tried this? This of course would only work when I'm at home.

 

That's all I can think of. Any ideas?

 

Thanks!

[tehhellhound 8]

I always suggest SSL when dealing with China or similar circumstances. Not sure if iOS has an app to do SSL tunneling, but check out SSLDroid for Android and see if iOS has something similar as that does what you need. Then use a vanilla OpenVPN client through the tunnel. You might get away with SSH tunneling, if it is better supported by iOS apps. Failing that, maybe share connection from an OS that can do this. The Great Firewall has more recently been cracking down on OpenVPN. These are 2 methods supported by AirVPN to try to beat it.

[zhang888 1066]

There is a better idea, and it can actually be suitable cross-device as an extra benefit.

Most of the residential connections in China are sub-2Mbit/s, so this means you can take

a TP-Link MR3020, flash OpenWRT+OpenVPN on it and enjoy those speeds behind a NAT

connection with a full-VPN access point. A RaspPI A/B+ can give even better throughput.

 

The benefit from this implementation is great, you are not device dependant, and this

small USB box can do faster crypto than an average iOS/Android device.

Ofcourse you can also connect a laptop or a whole LAN behind it, a RaspPI can handle

a stable OpenVPN link with SHA1+AES256 (AirVPN) at about 2-4Mbit (300-500KBps).

 

 

 

 

Also, read this post with live benchmarks:

http://www.tuug.fi/~toni/blog/?p=69

[me.moo@posteo.me 80]

I always suggest SSL when dealing with China or similar circumstances. Not sure if iOS has an app to do SSL tunneling, but check out SSLDroid for Android and see if iOS has something similar as that does what you need. Then use a vanilla OpenVPN client through the tunnel. You might get away with SSH tunneling, if it is better supported by iOS apps. Failing that, maybe share connection from an OS that can do this. The Great Firewall has more recently been cracking down on OpenVPN. These are 2 methods supported by AirVPN to try to beat it.

wtf?

[guppy 10]

There is a better idea, and it can actually be suitable cross-device as an extra benefit.

Most of the residential connections in China are sub-2Mbit/s, so this means you can take

a TP-Link MR3020, flash OpenWRT+OpenVPN on it and enjoy those speeds behind a NAT

connection with a full-VPN access point. A RaspPI A/B+ can give even better throughput.

 

The benefit from this implementation is great, you are not device dependant, and this

small USB box can do faster crypto than an average iOS/Android device.

Ofcourse you can also connect a laptop or a whole LAN behind it, a RaspPI can handle

a stable OpenVPN link with SHA1+AES256 (AirVPN) at about 2-4Mbit (300-500KBps).

 

 

 

 

Also, read this post with live benchmarks:

http://www.tuug.fi/~toni/blog/?p=69

 

Just beware that the wifi traffic to and from the router will be the weakspot here so if your planning on writing anything critical of the gov. you may want to check the shrubs first...