Has Spectrum Cable Internet started blocking inbound traffic

[pete_c]

Don't remember anymore. Age thing.

I did utilize Smoothwall for many years before PFSense. I switched to PFSense cuz Smoothwall (free version) did not allow for dual WAN use.

I did document my hardware builds for PFSense here on Cocoontech in 2013.

 

[sic0048]

I've not dug any hole here. I think the issue here is that you guys have not brushed up on the latest offerings from Ubiquiti and you are stuck on how "traditional" VPN's work. The Teleport VPN does use Wireguard for protocol and encryption, but it DOES NOT require any incoming port to be opened - and no, they don't open it for you.

Again, anytime a VPN connection works without opening a port somewhere in your network scheme means that the company is using a server (Tailscale calls it a "relay") somewhere else in the world to make those connections. This means your traffic does not travel "directly" between your network and remote device. It MUST pass through another company's server/relay to work.

If you place convenience over security, then by all means use those services. But don't think that they are as secure as hosting your own VPN service because they are not. By using these types of services, your connection is only as secure as the company that is operating those servers/relays and you have no control or oversight of those devices. This also means you don't know what really happens to your data while passing through those company's servers/relays. I'm sure they all say it's secure and encrypted, but unlike hosting your own VPN service, you have no way of knowing for sure. Google has proven that "data" is an extremely valuable resource and companies are keen on gathering as much data about you as possible. Even if they don't go as far as monitoring your actual data being passed between the two devices, they absolutely are gathering other data about you. A self hosted VPN service does away with ALL of this.