Just picked up a Slate Plus as I’ve been traveling quite a bit recently. I went with the Plus in part due to the listed speed using Wireguard. My mistake was that I didnt look into exactly how I’d be using the protocol.
My ExpressVPN subscription won’t work (getting ~25 mpbs down via OpenVPN), so I signed up for NordVPN thinking I could easily run Nordlynx on the router. Wrong. I’ve now read that this might work with access to a linux machine to create a config file, but not 100% reliable.
I’m hoping to see at least 100mbps down along with excellent streaming support. What VPN is best to pair with the Slate Plus?
With NordVPN, the best bet is to use the client app on the Connecting device, and configure that to NordLynx, also changing locations is much easier in the app, than on the router. Alternatively, you can set up a second GL.inet router at home, (connected to your Home Router) and run a wireguard server on that so that you can connect your Plus to it when travelling. This allows you to appear like you are working from your home IP. You will need to port forward on your home router, and ideally use DDNS (which is easy to set up on the Home based device). Once this is set up, you just modify the Wireguard config to use the DDNS address, and port, rather than the assigned IP by the server. This gives three options - when you need speed, use Nordlynx on the Device connecting, or your you personal Wireguard server, or a regular Ovpn Nord config where speed is not absolutely needed. Also if remember to set up VPN policies if you are using Nordlynx app on the connecting devices if you are using say and Open VPN service on the Plus, so that you don’t double VPN connect. The Policies are easy to set up to exclude the specific connecting devices by MAC address. Nord also has Google App for streaming devices such as Google Chromecast with TV, and that uses NordLynx
Try Mullvad VPN. Cheap and easy to configure
Signed up for Surfshark, generated a key pair for the Miami server since I’ll be in Mexico and need to show as being in the US for work. Downloaded file and dropped it into the router’s Wireguard setup screen, seems to work great and I’m getting about 100 mbps down. We’ll see how solid streaming is when I’m outside the US.
I’m new to using router-based VPNs, but it seems like it’d be necessary to generate a new key pair whenever I relocate to ensure I’ve got the best speed/latency. Not sure I’ve got that right, any tips are appreciated!
Proton VPN all the way. I just recently left PIA. They had a lot of broken features. With both I am able to hit servers that max out Wireguard speed. Proton is the last name in the VPN space that I trust. Seems nearly all of them are owned by a few companies. Not sure if they specifically have Florida servers though.
I get 30mbps down and 20mbps up using PIA VPN (WireGuard) on a Mango router.
I usually use Mullvad or Torguard on my Flint. Easily gets over 100 down. I did use NordVPN for a while and also got over 100 with it, but like you said, you need to generate the config file on a linux box first.
Mullvad. Dunno why anyone would consider anything else
I use torguard with flint and getting around 80Mbps (in my 100Mbps connection)…
I host my own wireguard vpn server on a $5 a month linode container. I like this much better than using a vpn service provider. I don’t get blocked by video and I get speeds about as fast as when I am not on it. From my laptop on my wifi and the vpn is around 230Mbps.
Thanks for the detail. In my case the work laptop is pretty locked down, so the VPN would need to be hardware vs. an app. The Wireguard server/client route would work if I had a home setup running, but I won’t while on this 6 month trip.
Surfshark seems to be what I’m looking for - speeds are around 4x what I’d gotten with OpenVPN.
I hadn’t heard of Mullvad but checked into it as it was a preconfigured option on the router. Most reviews mention that it’s not the best option for streaming. Since I plan to run all traffic through the router and want access to Netflix/Hulu/Prime/etc, I skipped over it.
How did streaming tv work on surfshark?
How did you get the conf file from PIA? I only found the OpenVPN ones on their site
For me, the streaming issues I read about steered me away from Mullvad. Plan is to run all traffic from laptops, phones, possibley TVs through the router. ExpressVPN has worked great for streaming outside the US via the client app - hopefully Surfshark is just as effective running through the Slate Plus.
does linode use residential IPs? How is it not getting blocked by video
Can you walk me through how you did it?
This seems like a super cool idea. I also use my VPN for torrents though, and in looking through a few linode threads, it seems that torrenting is not advised. I’m assuming too that being US-based they’d be logging IPs and retaining other data that more popular VPN providers would not. Is that accurate?
Looks like you are sorted. I agree it would be helpful if Nord published NordLynx Configs, but I do think their App is easier for quick changes of Servers/locations rather than faffing about with changing locations within the Router Admin settings. Cheers.
Mullvad is hot garbage for streaming, but most people in the VPN subs are here for the tinfoil hats—I mean privacy—rather than functional streaming. I guess because the Ven diagram of VPN users and pirating content is pretty much a circle.