---
title: Wireless Routers and VPNs
published: 2015-07-30
---

I've been playing around with [OpenWrt](https://openwrt.org) and 
[Freifunk](http://freifunk.net/). There are special OpenWrt images 
for Freifunk. They are slightly modified vanilla OpenWrt 
images. They include for instance [OpenVPN](https://openvpn.net/). 
The interesting approach here is that all traffic from the access point will be 
routed over the VPN, thus eliminating the liability for the provider of the 
access point: the traffic of the users on the Freifunk access point cannot 
(easily) be linked back to the ISP of the user. Especially in Germany this is
[important](http://www.zdnet.com/article/file-sharing-in-germany-could-the-cost-of-getting-caught-be-about-to-come-down/)
if you want to share your Internet connection.

The Freifunk images also support mesh networking, so it becomes possible to 
connect to Freifunk if your own router can connect to another Freifunk access
point and relay the traffic. This way it is possible to make a mesh, and only
one of the access points in the mesh needs to have an actual Internet 
connection that then can be shared. Brilliant!

I used the 
[TP-Link TL-WR703N](http://wiki.openwrt.org/toh/tp-link/tl-wr703n) 
for Freifunk. It is not "officially" supported, but it was very easy to 
generate an image for it. It is a bit tricky to get working as there is only
one ethernet port on the WR703N which is configured by default as the LAN 
port. It should be configured as the WAN port, perhaps I can modify the 
profile of the Freifunk firmware a bit to make it act as the WAN port by 
default.

### eduroam

This could also have a wider application, for example for [eduroam](https://eduroam.org).
Together with [eduVPN](https://wiki.surfnet.nl/display/eduvpn/eduVPN) it makes for a compelling use case to use 
for instance the WR703N, available for less than $25 to promote eduroam 
everywhere from your home to libraries and cafes around the city. Minimal 
investment, great benefit for students and researchers!