Ubuntu VPN WiFi Router Setup
Budget: $250 – $750 USD
I have an Ubuntu-based box with two physical interfaces: the wired port will face a public network, while the built-in Wi-Fi card (or any other you advise) will broadcast a private hotspot. I need that machine to behave as my main router, tunnelling every outgoing connection through a VPN so users on the Wi-Fi side enjoy secure browsing at all times.
Here is what I expect:
• The LAN interface pulls DHCP from the public line and forwards nothing until the VPN is up.
• The Wi-Fi interface advertises an SSID of my choice, hands out local addresses, and transparently pushes all traffic through the VPN tunnel (OpenVPN or WireGuard—whichever you feel delivers greater stability).
• NAT, DNS, and firewall rules must be configured so clients connect instantly without extra tweaks, and a fail-closed rule set should prevent leakage if the tunnel drops.
• Everything needs to auto-start at boot, with a concise script or systemd files plus a short README so I can reproduce the setup on another Ubuntu install.
If you have clever ideas—better throughput tuning, hostapd tweaks, or iptables tricks—I’m all ears. Once you can prove the hotspot reaches the internet and the public IP matches the VPN endpoint, the job is done.
Here is what I expect:
• The LAN interface pulls DHCP from the public line and forwards nothing until the VPN is up.
• The Wi-Fi interface advertises an SSID of my choice, hands out local addresses, and transparently pushes all traffic through the VPN tunnel (OpenVPN or WireGuard—whichever you feel delivers greater stability).
• NAT, DNS, and firewall rules must be configured so clients connect instantly without extra tweaks, and a fail-closed rule set should prevent leakage if the tunnel drops.
• Everything needs to auto-start at boot, with a concise script or systemd files plus a short README so I can reproduce the setup on another Ubuntu install.
If you have clever ideas—better throughput tuning, hostapd tweaks, or iptables tricks—I’m all ears. Once you can prove the hotspot reaches the internet and the public IP matches the VPN endpoint, the job is done.