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    PfSense + Plex Media Server + PIA…Can it be done??

    Scheduled Pinned Locked Moved General pfSense Questions
    13 Posts 3 Posters 6.8k Views
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    • W
      Wolf666
      last edited by

      You can fulfill your requirements better with pfSense than with any other consumer box running DD-WRT. I know very well DD-WRT

      I have a similar configuration (check my signature). My Plex Server runs on NAS, Plex in under VPN (AirVPN) and can be reached from outside via an AirVPN public ip (they offer a DDNS service as well) and dedicated port (yes, AirVPN offers port forwarding service, too).

      pfSense manage accesses via IP/Aliases (not MAC), so you need to be ready for that. I suggest you to make some test on a VM before doing that in production.

      Modem Draytek Vigor 130
      pfSense 2.4 Supermicro A1SRi-2558 - 8GB ECC RAM - Intel S3500 SSD 80GB - M350 Case
      Switch Cisco SG350-10
      AP Netgear R7000 (Stock FW)
      HTPC Intel NUC5i3RYH
      NAS Synology DS1515+
      NAS Synology DS213+

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      • J
        JimPhreak
        last edited by

        @Wolf666:

        You can fulfill your requirements better with pfSense than with any other consumer box running DD-WRT. I know very well DD-WRT

        I have a similar configuration (check my signature). My Plex Server runs on NAS, Plex in under VPN (AirVPN) and can be reached from outside via an AirVPN public ip (they offer a DDNS service as well) and dedicated port (yes, AirVPN offers port forwarding service, too).

        pfSense manage accesses via IP/Aliases (not MAC), so you need to be ready for that. I suggest you to make some test on a VM before doing that in production.

        Someone else mentioned AirVPN yesterday to me as well that they do static port forwarding (unlike PIA which does dynamic so it changes each time you disconnect).  I'm definitely going to look at them.

        As for the managing access to my network, you mentioned I can only do it by IP/Alias.  Is there anyway to do it by domain name?  I'm just thinking I could have my users configured DDNS for their home networks since that's easy enough.  Otherwise everytime their ISP changes their IP they'd lose access.

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        • W
          Wolf666
          last edited by

          @JimPhreak:

          Someone else mentioned AirVPN yesterday […]

          It was me….in Plex Forum.

          I don't think you can manage access using domain, take a look to the Captive Portal features.

          Modem Draytek Vigor 130
          pfSense 2.4 Supermicro A1SRi-2558 - 8GB ECC RAM - Intel S3500 SSD 80GB - M350 Case
          Switch Cisco SG350-10
          AP Netgear R7000 (Stock FW)
          HTPC Intel NUC5i3RYH
          NAS Synology DS1515+
          NAS Synology DS213+

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          • J
            JimPhreak
            last edited by

            @Wolf666:

            @JimPhreak:

            Someone else mentioned AirVPN yesterday […]

            It was me….in Plex Forum.

            I don't think you can manage access using domain, take a look to the Captive Portal features.

            Oh haha, what up!

            I will take a look at the captive portal features.  I'm assuming if you're suggesting it that you can setup captive portal that doesn't require login?

            Also, side note in regards to AirVPN…What kind of speeds do you get connecting to their servers?

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            • W
              Wolf666
              last edited by

              I am not skilled with captive portal, I don't use it.
              Regarding AirVPN, I have a poor 20/1 line, and I can connect to their servers at that speed (minus natural overhead), they don't apply any filter or throttle.

              Modem Draytek Vigor 130
              pfSense 2.4 Supermicro A1SRi-2558 - 8GB ECC RAM - Intel S3500 SSD 80GB - M350 Case
              Switch Cisco SG350-10
              AP Netgear R7000 (Stock FW)
              HTPC Intel NUC5i3RYH
              NAS Synology DS1515+
              NAS Synology DS213+

              1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
              • J
                JimPhreak
                last edited by

                @Wolf666:

                I am not skilled with captive portal, I don't use it.
                Regarding AirVPN, I have a poor 20/1 line, and I can connect to their servers at that speed (minus natural overhead), they don't apply any filter or throttle.

                Ahhh.  I asked them for a trial so I can test my 150/75 connection.

                How do you manage to have Plex working with 1Mbps upload speed?  I imagine the upload speeds I get with AirVPN will be a big factor for whether or not I decide to go with them.

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                • W
                  Wolf666
                  last edited by

                  I am a home user, I don't stream outside my LAN….my upload requiremts are pretty low. In any case I am waiting for fiber.....100/10 is enough.
                  Please let me know how will go with AirVPN.

                  Modem Draytek Vigor 130
                  pfSense 2.4 Supermicro A1SRi-2558 - 8GB ECC RAM - Intel S3500 SSD 80GB - M350 Case
                  Switch Cisco SG350-10
                  AP Netgear R7000 (Stock FW)
                  HTPC Intel NUC5i3RYH
                  NAS Synology DS1515+
                  NAS Synology DS213+

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                  • J
                    JimPhreak
                    last edited by

                    @Wolf666:

                    I am a home user, I don't stream outside my LAN….my upload requiremts are pretty low. In any case I am waiting for fiber.....100/10 is enough.
                    Please let me know how will go with AirVPN.

                    If you don't stream outside your LAN, why did you port forward through AirVPN for Plex?

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                    • W
                      Wolf666
                      last edited by

                      I stream only mp3, not videos, and only 1 user….me. The rest of my family enjoy local stream, movie, cartoons, etc etc.... :P

                      Modem Draytek Vigor 130
                      pfSense 2.4 Supermicro A1SRi-2558 - 8GB ECC RAM - Intel S3500 SSD 80GB - M350 Case
                      Switch Cisco SG350-10
                      AP Netgear R7000 (Stock FW)
                      HTPC Intel NUC5i3RYH
                      NAS Synology DS1515+
                      NAS Synology DS213+

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                      • J
                        JimPhreak
                        last edited by

                        @Wolf666:

                        I stream only mp3, not videos, and only 1 user….me. The rest of my family enjoy local stream, movie, cartoons, etc etc.... :P

                        Ahhhhh I see, that makes sense.  Well it's just good to know that you were able to get your server accessible over your WAN but hiding it via AirVPN.  I'm going to have to investigate what kind of speeds I can get through them because my server is consistently serving 5-6 users and I have a 75Mbps upload connection.

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                        • Q
                          q54e3w
                          last edited by

                          With appropriate hardware you see a 10%hit on your non vpn throughput
                          I'm on a 120/10 and see 111/9 usually aes256 blah blah aes-ni on a c2758 board etc

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                          • J
                            JimPhreak
                            last edited by

                            @irj972:

                            With appropriate hardware you see a 10%hit on your non vpn throughput
                            I'm on a 120/10 and see 111/9 usually aes256 blah blah aes-ni on a c2758 board etc

                            Right.  I've got a c2558 board and think I'll be OK in that regard.  I'm more concerned with the speed of the Air VPN servers.

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