VPN USAGE

I will appreciate it if anyone can give me guidance on using VPN. I have Nord VPN and on some internet sites I get the message "ERR Connection Refused" or when attempting to make some card transaction's I am refused. At the moment I have Nord's software installed so it is easy to temporarily turn the VPN off. I am thinking of installing the VPN at the router level so how would I be able to easily switch it on and off at the router?

Edited by Robbob9 (Thu 04-Nov-21 12:23:01)

For the majority of routers you're going to have to login to the web interface to temporarily disable the VPN.

Card payments failing while using a VPN is normal. It's a security measure.

Some details on what router you are using might help.

I have a new MikroTic hAPapac2 which I have still to set up.

I use site-to-site VPNs on my MT routers, however they simply start on router reboot and otherwise auto-restart if the connection or VPN is interrupted.

If you wanted to save logging into the router each time to activate/deactivate the VPN, you may be able to use something like a windows powershell script from your local machine to automate the task. Then just call the script as needed.

Sites giving 'connection refused' can only be accessed from within a set country ( Some BBC content is an example) . Your VPN moves you out of that country as far as the website is concerned. Card transactions are similar as the provider thinks someone is trying to defraud you. (Sometimes sales tax/VAT can also be different depending on the country you appear to be in).

If you have an advanced router you could setup policy routing so only the things you care about get routed over the VPN and everything else gets routed over your ISP connection. You wouldn't need to switch it off/on all of the time then.

Now can have both at same time. Some devices connect as ISP and others as VPN. Yes best both worlds. It dosn't matter what software you router uses.

You need another computer, Raspberry Pi (RPi) would be ideal.

Here is old'ish video but will explane it and is still valied. You will have change from PIA to NordVPN.

YouTube: Novaspirit Tech - Raspberry Pi VPN router w/ PIA

Thank you for your answers, it seems ironic (but now understandable) that it is not usable for financial transactions where security is at its most importance.

The most convenient place from which to switch it on and off for me will therefore be the toolbar. I suppose having it located within the router is more for business users with a number of desks connected to the internet.

In reply to a post by Robbob9:

Thank you for your answers, it seems ironic (but now understandable) that it is not usable for financial transactions where security is at its most importance.

Which ISP are you using? If you don't trust them for some reason maybe you need to move. I don't see how using a VPN from you home connection is any more secure than connecting direct.

And if the endpoint of the VPN is in another country then a lot of legal protections such as data protection and GDPR may not apply.