Noob Needs Help [Solved]
First off, I am absolutely scared to ask for help here. Why? Because I am so dumb (re VPN) that I am afraid people here won't have the patience to assist. It sucks too because I am actually pretty good with computers. Just not when it comes to networking.
So, I am going to try to give as much detail as I feel comfortable with. Also, please know that I have spent hours and hours and hours searching and reading and watching videos and whatnot. Posting here was truly a last resort.
OS: Mac OS 10.13.5 (current)
ISP: Comcast
Router: ASUS
Client (main): PIA Mac App
Client: PIA iOS App
I do not have an issue connecting to the internet when VPN is on. That isn't what this post is about.
I know there is a way to put PIA on the ASUS, but I have shied away from that because I am not the only one that uses this network and I just don't want to do anything that might effect the other person. My main purpose is to protect my internet activities on my iMac. The device I am typically on. I like to leave the VPN on all the time. I don't do bitTorrents or stuff like that, I just don't care to be spied upon.
Additionally, I do have a NAS device. It is pretty much just a storage device, but I do also run Plex. I have no issues connecting to the NAS nor to Plex when on VPN. (AWESOME). I don't use the NAS to get on the internet or do anything else. Storage and Plex so no need I can see to connect to PIA. (Correct me if I should be aware of something).
The point: When connected to PIA, I can't connect to the Comcast Cable Modem nor the ASUS router. I read a post on here about needing to map via routing tables but I got lost at map. My local network is assigned by the ASUS. Wifi on the modem is disabled. I am in the 192.168... IP's for local devices. The modem is at a 10.0.... address.
It appears that when connected to PIA, my iMac's IP becomes 10.SOMETHING as it changes but always starts with a 10.
So I basically understand why I can't connect to the ASUS or Modem. So the map concept kinda makes sense in the sense I figure I got to tell things where to look.... so to speak. At the same time, I don't get why I can connect to the NAS, but I am not complaining.
The final thing: One thing I have been striving for since I heard about that VPN Filter malware, was to ensure that my NAS is as secure as it can be, meaning, I do see a potential benefit to a VPN, but maybe I have it wrong. What I would like is to be able to connect to it remotely when not at home (redundant I know). I would like to be able to come in from the internet and connect to my local network as I am right here now.
My NAS is a QNAP and if I could disconnect the myqnapcloud thing but still be able to get to files securely, that would be a dream come true. I can't even figure out how to turn off the ports on the QNAP. I really don't want it to connect to the outside world except to get updates. So if it was only on the LAN and I could come into the network as if I was here, then that would be ideal as long as I don't break PLEX.
I have a port forward on my modem to my router to my NAS for Plex and I don't use the standard ports. I am assuming that remote connections to PLEX are acting as if I am on the local network. BUT TO BE CLEAR, I am not asking for Plex support!!!
Final Final Thing: One reason that I have had the goal of not allowing the NAS to connect to the outside world is that I have found outbound connection attempts from it in the ASUS connection logs. It tries to connect to some linode.com and some chinanet thing. I don't know why, but appears the linode stuff might be related to Plex and the chinanet thing might have been something related to Download station (which I don't use and don't have active) and/or UPnP which I disabled finally today as I realized I didn't need it. I did also add firewall blocks to these IPs as well.
Anyway... Connecting to modem and router while on VPN. Desire to connect to NAS securely as if I was local. Bonus if I can keep it off the internet otherwise (and still update it).
Thank you so much! I don't mind links to read, but they would need to be pretty specific for me to get it probably. Like I said, I have spent all day reading and trying to understand.
PS - It only gave me a few options of where I could post this so I picked Mac because that is my main computer.
So, I am going to try to give as much detail as I feel comfortable with. Also, please know that I have spent hours and hours and hours searching and reading and watching videos and whatnot. Posting here was truly a last resort.
OS: Mac OS 10.13.5 (current)
ISP: Comcast
Router: ASUS
Client (main): PIA Mac App
Client: PIA iOS App
I do not have an issue connecting to the internet when VPN is on. That isn't what this post is about.
I know there is a way to put PIA on the ASUS, but I have shied away from that because I am not the only one that uses this network and I just don't want to do anything that might effect the other person. My main purpose is to protect my internet activities on my iMac. The device I am typically on. I like to leave the VPN on all the time. I don't do bitTorrents or stuff like that, I just don't care to be spied upon.
Additionally, I do have a NAS device. It is pretty much just a storage device, but I do also run Plex. I have no issues connecting to the NAS nor to Plex when on VPN. (AWESOME). I don't use the NAS to get on the internet or do anything else. Storage and Plex so no need I can see to connect to PIA. (Correct me if I should be aware of something).
The point: When connected to PIA, I can't connect to the Comcast Cable Modem nor the ASUS router. I read a post on here about needing to map via routing tables but I got lost at map. My local network is assigned by the ASUS. Wifi on the modem is disabled. I am in the 192.168... IP's for local devices. The modem is at a 10.0.... address.
It appears that when connected to PIA, my iMac's IP becomes 10.SOMETHING as it changes but always starts with a 10.
So I basically understand why I can't connect to the ASUS or Modem. So the map concept kinda makes sense in the sense I figure I got to tell things where to look.... so to speak. At the same time, I don't get why I can connect to the NAS, but I am not complaining.
The final thing: One thing I have been striving for since I heard about that VPN Filter malware, was to ensure that my NAS is as secure as it can be, meaning, I do see a potential benefit to a VPN, but maybe I have it wrong. What I would like is to be able to connect to it remotely when not at home (redundant I know). I would like to be able to come in from the internet and connect to my local network as I am right here now.
My NAS is a QNAP and if I could disconnect the myqnapcloud thing but still be able to get to files securely, that would be a dream come true. I can't even figure out how to turn off the ports on the QNAP. I really don't want it to connect to the outside world except to get updates. So if it was only on the LAN and I could come into the network as if I was here, then that would be ideal as long as I don't break PLEX.
I have a port forward on my modem to my router to my NAS for Plex and I don't use the standard ports. I am assuming that remote connections to PLEX are acting as if I am on the local network. BUT TO BE CLEAR, I am not asking for Plex support!!!
Final Final Thing: One reason that I have had the goal of not allowing the NAS to connect to the outside world is that I have found outbound connection attempts from it in the ASUS connection logs. It tries to connect to some linode.com and some chinanet thing. I don't know why, but appears the linode stuff might be related to Plex and the chinanet thing might have been something related to Download station (which I don't use and don't have active) and/or UPnP which I disabled finally today as I realized I didn't need it. I did also add firewall blocks to these IPs as well.
Anyway... Connecting to modem and router while on VPN. Desire to connect to NAS securely as if I was local. Bonus if I can keep it off the internet otherwise (and still update it).
Thank you so much! I don't mind links to read, but they would need to be pretty specific for me to get it probably. Like I said, I have spent all day reading and trying to understand.
PS - It only gave me a few options of where I could post this so I picked Mac because that is my main computer.
Comments
Ideally, if someone has some ideas on the perfect setup, let me hear it. I know the QNAP has QVPN, but honestly I couldn't figure it out (wasn't trying to do it with PIA though). Just if you can, explain to me how it is going to work because right now everything is assigned by the ASUS.
Or if putting PIA on the ASUS is the smartest option, and it won't mess anything up for the other person, then let me know that. Seriously, I want to learn and I want to hear what is truly the best setup for what I want to accomplish. My only other fear with using the router is what happens when the firmware is updated? Maybe it doesn't matter because the router has a VPN section with OPENVPN. (Honestly, its sounding like I should just use the ASUS).
Oh and speed is important! Im getting pretty darn good connection speeds with the PIA App. So, Id like to not kill my speed with whatever I do.
I know I know... PICKY!
Why the turnaround? At some point last night (from watching a YT vid) it finally sunk in that there are clients and servers. It's not like I didn't know that already, but it wasn't clicking. Once it clicked, I realized I just needed a server here to connect to. That would give me the access I wanted.
Anyway... This is solved!