How I setup remote desktop using VPN

The scenario was this: I wanted to connect to my validator nodes in home network while on vacation at Kradan Beach. Unfortunately, my fiber optic ISP didn’t offer much support for IPv4, IPv6, or DDNS configurations, which made things pretty challenging. To be honest, I wasn’t even sure if what I was trying to do was feasible. As I got into the setup, it quickly proved to be more complex than I initially thought.

So, I began researching the best approach to set this up, and here’s the most feasible option I found:

1. Set up DDNS and port forwarding to my server. (As I mentioned, this was challenging because my ISP doesn’t fully support it)
2. Set up a VPN server and connect to my home network, then configure port forwarding to my home network.
3. Similar to Option 2, but without port forwarding. Instead, set up my remote laptop or iPad to connect to the VPN, then access my home network.

Option 1 turned out to be unworkable, so I shifted my focus to Options 2 and 3. Option 2 is somewhat similar to Option 1, as the goal was to establish an entry point by using my VPS as a middleman to access my home network. However, this approach comes with some security risks; it could be vulnerable to outside attacks. In my research, I found that security experts strongly advise against exposing remote desktop ports to the public, as they’re among the most targeted entry points for hackers. On top of that, any connection between my iPad or remote laptop and my home computer wouldn’t be encrypted. While not exactly in plain text, it still presents a risk of interception. I recommend watching this YouTube video to understand how easily hackers can access your computer through Remote Desktop services.

These security concerns led me to focus on Option 3. My plan was to first connect to a VPN and then use that secure connection to access my home computer, which stays connected to another VPN. This way, my home computer must always be connected to the VPN server, ensuring a stable, encrypted connection pathway without exposing any direct remote access.

Setting VPN Server

I previously wrote an article on setting up a VPN server for port forwarding to your home network. If you haven’t set it up yet, I recommend checking it out.

Don’t Have a Fixed IP at Home for Running a Node? A Step-by-Step Guide to Get It with a VPS

After setting up your VPN server, all you need to do is create VPN client profiles for your target server and the iPad or laptop you’re using for remote connection. Once the VPN client is set up on the target server, you might need to configure tunnel splitting to maximize network efficiency. This setup ensures that only the RDP traffic uses OpenVPN, while other traffic utilizes the local network. Check the article below:

How I optimize all 19 nodes traffic with a VPN server

To be honest, this approach was very quick for me to set up since I already had a VPN server in place. Compared to working around my ISP’s DDNS and port forwarding limitations, this method was much faster and more secure. Hope everyone enjoys reading!