Travel Easy With VPN
“To expect the unexpected shows a thoroughly modern intellect”
The quote comes from Oscar Wilde and was said over a century ago. Unfortunately, modern intellect dictates the need for a backup plan in our extremely limited world. The Internet was supposed to be a source of freedom of speech and a free space from government communication. And the authorities turned it into a terrifying propaganda tool.
The solution is not simple. However, we can get a breath of fresh air with a basic VPN. I’m not a fan of difficult solutions. Complexity always brings problems and frailness.
Today I want to share with you an easy way to set up a VPN for home/travel with the following steps:
- N300 Mini Wireless Router — 34.90€
- Amnezia VPN — Free
- Is*hosting VPS — 5€ per month
The most important part of the article is the router. And I don’t want to beat around the bush and I’m going to share the kill-features straight away:
- Size - 6x6cm
- Laptop USB power compatible
- Wireguard & OpenVPN clients with integrated providers
- Internet Kill Switch, no VPN — no internet
- Cable, Wifi, Tethering and 3g/4g Modem connectivity
The router is the perfect fit for traveling. It’s easy to set up and doesn’t require an extra plug. All you need to do before your trip is pre-set up your VPN client, enable Internet Kill Switch and that’s it.
Most of the time my personal work setup looks like this: laptop, router and iPhone with hotspot.
If you prefer to use one of the configured VPN providers, there is nothing more to read. You just need to follow the pre-set instructions and enjoy privacy during your trip.
Personal VPN server is a bit more complicated to configure, but nothing impossible. The correct tooling makes the configuration smooth and simple. I have tried several approaches like, manual VPN server setup, semi-automated and fully automated. The last option is the most suitable for majority of VPN users. And lately I use Amnezia for personal server setup.
Amnezia VPN — simple and free app to run a self-hosted VPN with high privacy requirements
The installation requires to download the Amnezia app, and follow detailed instructions for initial setup. Amenzia doesn’t provide own hosting solution therefore we are required to host our own server with publicly available VPS providers. I personally use Is*hosting as it has hight region selection variety. The step by step hosting guide is available here.
After finishing setup guide you will need to setup you router with your personal VPN server configuration.
And that’s all. Your personal VPN server and router VPN client are ready to give you back your privacy.
In conclusion I would like to say, VPN is turning from nice to have to must to have tool in our life. Due to new technology, aggressive marketing and world situation — privacy becomes luxury. And I hope this article will help you take back your privacy in a simple, effective and affordable way.
