New User - Questions prior to first installation

[ToastyTheEel 1]

I've received a code that will allow me a three-day trial of AirVPN; thank you very much.  I plan on using it starting Thursday when I have a day or two off and have enough time to put AirVPN through it's paces on my network to make sure I can figure everything out prior to purchasing a subscription for the year. 

 

My plan is to install AirVPN on my Asus RT-AC56U router which supports OpenVPN, so that the traffic from my Raspberry Pi Kodi boxes, Roku boxes, a Win7laptop, and Android tablets is all routed through the VPN.  We don't use Netflix or Hulu, but we DO use Amazon Prime video and our cable television company's streaming app on our Rokus instead of cable boxes (we're on a basic cable TV tier.. only the main local networks).

 

Since, if I understand AirVPN's installation allowances correctly, a subscription allows me to install it on up to three devices, I'd also like to install it on a laptop and on one Android tablet for use when traveling and having to use public wifi connections. 

 

Knowing the answer to the following questions would be very helpful prior to giving this a trial run:

 

1.  If AirVPN is installed on my router, then I'm assuming that it should NOT also be running on the laptop or tablet when those are on my home wifi network.  True?

 

2.  I've read a lot of posts here on the forums from users who can't connect to the internet once they disconnect from AirVPN.  I've also read the posted solutions and understand them, but I haven't seen any specifically referencing turning AirVPN on and off at the ROUTER.  If I need to disable AirVPN on my router in order to view Amazon Prime video, local cable TV app, or log into my IP provider's webmail client (that didn't work behind a freebie vpn I tried a few months ago), would that be as simple as throwing the "VPN On/Off" button on my router's settings page, or would I also have to address resetting DNS servers and DHCP settings every time, too?

 

3.  I probably won't have the opportunity to try AirVPN from a remote location, i.e., away from my home network.  I have NO experience with that; my solution in the past to the pitfalls of public wifi has been either "don't use it," or at least "NEVER log into anything, buy anything, or check our bank accounts."  Will AirVPN remove those concerns?

 

Thanks so much.. look forward to hearing back from you folks.  I've got a lot of machine-building experience, am just scratching the surface of Linux via Ubuntu on one old desktop and LibreElec on the Pis, and have managed to setup a few networks successfully using static IPs, Mac filters, and a couple other things.  Compared to most of the posters here, I'm an idiot, but an obsessive one.  Point me in the right direction, and I'll learn.. :0)

 

Thanks so much in advance,

 

TTE

[LZ1 672]

Hello!

 

Welcome to AirVPN!

 

1. True. Unless you want to run them.
2. Yep it can get tough, thus try accessing things via the client first, before trying the router path. Easily disabling is not guaranteed and depends on the software and/or your setup. Expect difficulty.
3. VPNs guard against insecure WiFi, that is the point of a secure tunnel.

 

The rest you can find in my guide.

[ToastyTheEel 1]

LZ1,

 

Thanks so much for taking the time to reply.  Believe me, I've poured over your excellent guide a time or three already.. .  It will be by my side on Thursday when I put this thing through a bunch of tests.  I've read a couple tutorials on the Asus site, too, re/ VPN usage on the RT-ac56U and they make it sound pretty darn simple. 

 

If it'd be valuable to anyone (other newbies and those even greener than myself in terms of networking experience), I'd be happy to do a write up of the installation process from a new-to-vpn-er's point of view once I've done it.  It might appeal to non-technical folks, just because I don't know most of technical terms anyway! 

 

Best to you, and thanks again for your reply and for all your work on the guide.

[LZ1 672]

I think the community would always appreciate a new guide - I know I certainly would . So if you do make one, hit me up and I'll reference it for others to find. Goodness knows we could always use a new guide aimed at newcomers.

 

Thank you, take care, I hope you enjoy AirVPN :].