VPN question, or how to get a single WiFi device to seem to be in the UK
I have a Kobo eReader which connects to a local network by WiFi. It uses the connection to download books (surprise) and also to do other things with my library on-line account. All very well when I'm in the UK but for (stupid?) reasons known only to themselves the Kobo/Overdrive/Library software and connections work only when the Kobo is connected to a UK IP address. So, when I'm trotting around the world, or more likely when I'm sitting in my little boat in France, I can't get the Kobo to update even though I have books available at the library. What makes it even sillier is that I *can* read the books on my laptop, even when connected from France, so it's not an issue about "you can't read that book in France" it's just a quirk of the eReader software. Anyway, down to the question, what's the simplest way to get a connection to the eReader such that the library/Overdrive software will think it's in the UK? I can see that it *could* be done with two VPN aware routers, one in the UK (I have Drayteks at home which can do VPN) and one here on the boat. However that does seem a rather heavyweight solution just to connect a single WiFi device. (and I don't have a VPN capable router here at the moment though in the longer term I could bring one out) Is there any other way of doing it (VPN or not, ssh maybe)? I already use an ssh proxy occasionally to allow my laptop to seem to be in the UK so I can connect to my NHS Doctor site (silly restriction again!). However I can't do this (so easily) with the eReader because it's basically a 'closed' system with just the eReader software in it. Any bright ideas anyone? -- Chris Green
On Fri, Jan 24, 2020 at 09:59:55AM +0000, Chris Green wrote:
I have a Kobo eReader which connects to a local network by WiFi. It uses the connection to download books (surprise) and also to do other things with my library on-line account.
All very well when I'm in the UK but for (stupid?) reasons known only to themselves the Kobo/Overdrive/Library software and connections work only when the Kobo is connected to a UK IP address.
So, when I'm trotting around the world, or more likely when I'm sitting in my little boat in France, I can't get the Kobo to update even though I have books available at the library. What makes it even sillier is that I *can* read the books on my laptop, even when connected from France, so it's not an issue about "you can't read that book in France" it's just a quirk of the eReader software.
Anyway, down to the question, what's the simplest way to get a connection to the eReader such that the library/Overdrive software will think it's in the UK?
I can see that it *could* be done with two VPN aware routers, one in the UK (I have Drayteks at home which can do VPN) and one here on the boat. However that does seem a rather heavyweight solution just to connect a single WiFi device. (and I don't have a VPN capable router here at the moment though in the longer term I could bring one out)
Is there any other way of doing it (VPN or not, ssh maybe)? I already use an ssh proxy occasionally to allow my laptop to seem to be in the UK so I can connect to my NHS Doctor site (silly restriction again!). However I can't do this (so easily) with the eReader because it's basically a 'closed' system with just the eReader software in it.
Any bright ideas anyone?
I see I asked something similar a while ago, I still haven't got around to doing anything though! Sorry for the repeat but any further ideas would still be useful. I was going to try TunnelBear VPN but then realised it needs a smart phone (unless there's a laptop version) and I don't use a smartphone any more. -- Chris Green
On Fri, Jan 24, 2020 at 10:08:02AM +0000, Chris Green wrote:
On Fri, Jan 24, 2020 at 09:59:55AM +0000, Chris Green wrote:
I have a Kobo eReader which connects to a local network by WiFi. It uses the connection to download books (surprise) and also to do other things with my library on-line account.
All very well when I'm in the UK but for (stupid?) reasons known only to themselves the Kobo/Overdrive/Library software and connections work only when the Kobo is connected to a UK IP address.
So, when I'm trotting around the world, or more likely when I'm sitting in my little boat in France, I can't get the Kobo to update even though I have books available at the library. What makes it even sillier is that I *can* read the books on my laptop, even when connected from France, so it's not an issue about "you can't read that book in France" it's just a quirk of the eReader software.
Anyway, down to the question, what's the simplest way to get a connection to the eReader such that the library/Overdrive software will think it's in the UK?
I can see that it *could* be done with two VPN aware routers, one in the UK (I have Drayteks at home which can do VPN) and one here on the boat. However that does seem a rather heavyweight solution just to connect a single WiFi device. (and I don't have a VPN capable router here at the moment though in the longer term I could bring one out)
Is there any other way of doing it (VPN or not, ssh maybe)? I already use an ssh proxy occasionally to allow my laptop to seem to be in the UK so I can connect to my NHS Doctor site (silly restriction again!). However I can't do this (so easily) with the eReader because it's basically a 'closed' system with just the eReader software in it.
Any bright ideas anyone?
I see I asked something similar a while ago, I still haven't got around to doing anything though! Sorry for the repeat but any further ideas would still be useful.
I was going to try TunnelBear VPN but then realised it needs a smart phone (unless there's a laptop version) and I don't use a smartphone any more.
Well, if anyone is interested, I've managed it as follows:- Set up my laptop as a WiFi hotspot, Network Manager can do it though it's a bit convoluted and difficult to turn on and off. I've used nmcli which seems a bit more direct. Install a little daemon called redsocks, this redirects TCP connections to a proxy, i.e. when someone connects to the laptop hotspot redsocks grabs the connection and feeds it on to.... An ssh proxy, standard stuff 'ssh -fC2qTnN -D 8080 <host>' ... and finally some iptables stuff to do NAT, I think. The whole is strung together as a script:- # # # # Disconnect any existing WiFi # nmcli device disconnect wlp4s0 # # # Activate the WiFi hotspot # nmcli radio wifi on nmcli connection up 'WiFi Hotspot' # # # Set up Socks proxy. Firefox can use this proxy directly as well. # ssh -fC2qTnN -D 8080 <user@host> # # # Now do iptables configuration so WiFi connections get to redsocks # sudo iptables -F sudo iptables -t nat -F sudo iptables -t nat -A PREROUTING -s 10.42.0.0/24 -p tcp -j REDIRECT --to-ports 12345 Quite simple when you know how! (there's a little configuration of redsocks to but it's quite easy) -- Chris Green
** Chris Green <cl@isbd.net> [2020-01-26 17:22]:
On Fri, Jan 24, 2020 at 10:08:02AM +0000, Chris Green wrote:
On Fri, Jan 24, 2020 at 09:59:55AM +0000, Chris Green wrote:
I have a Kobo eReader which connects to a local network by WiFi. It uses the connection to download books (surprise) and also to do other things with my library on-line account.
All very well when I'm in the UK but for (stupid?) reasons known only to themselves the Kobo/Overdrive/Library software and connections work only when the Kobo is connected to a UK IP address.
So, when I'm trotting around the world, or more likely when I'm sitting in my little boat in France, I can't get the Kobo to update even though I have books available at the library. What makes it even sillier is that I *can* read the books on my laptop, even when connected from France, so it's not an issue about "you can't read that book in France" it's just a quirk of the eReader software.
Anyway, down to the question, what's the simplest way to get a connection to the eReader such that the library/Overdrive software will think it's in the UK?
I can see that it *could* be done with two VPN aware routers, one in the UK (I have Drayteks at home which can do VPN) and one here on the boat. However that does seem a rather heavyweight solution just to connect a single WiFi device. (and I don't have a VPN capable router here at the moment though in the longer term I could bring one out)
Is there any other way of doing it (VPN or not, ssh maybe)? I already use an ssh proxy occasionally to allow my laptop to seem to be in the UK so I can connect to my NHS Doctor site (silly restriction again!). However I can't do this (so easily) with the eReader because it's basically a 'closed' system with just the eReader software in it.
Any bright ideas anyone?
I see I asked something similar a while ago, I still haven't got around to doing anything though! Sorry for the repeat but any further ideas would still be useful.
I was going to try TunnelBear VPN but then realised it needs a smart phone (unless there's a laptop version) and I don't use a smartphone any more.
Well, if anyone is interested, I've managed it as follows:-
Set up my laptop as a WiFi hotspot, Network Manager can do it though it's a bit convoluted and difficult to turn on and off. I've used nmcli which seems a bit more direct.
Install a little daemon called redsocks, this redirects TCP connections to a proxy, i.e. when someone connects to the laptop hotspot redsocks grabs the connection and feeds it on to....
An ssh proxy, standard stuff 'ssh -fC2qTnN -D 8080 <host>'
... and finally some iptables stuff to do NAT, I think.
The whole is strung together as a script:-
# # # # Disconnect any existing WiFi # nmcli device disconnect wlp4s0 # # # Activate the WiFi hotspot # nmcli radio wifi on nmcli connection up 'WiFi Hotspot' # # # Set up Socks proxy. Firefox can use this proxy directly as well. # ssh -fC2qTnN -D 8080 <user@host> # # # Now do iptables configuration so WiFi connections get to redsocks # sudo iptables -F sudo iptables -t nat -F sudo iptables -t nat -A PREROUTING -s 10.42.0.0/24 -p tcp -j REDIRECT --to-ports 12345
Quite simple when you know how! (there's a little configuration of redsocks to but it's quite easy)
-- Chris Green
_______________________________________________ main@lists.alug.org.uk http://www.alug.org.uk/ https://lists.alug.org.uk/mailman/listinfo/main Unsubscribe? See message headers or the web site above! ** end quote [Chris Green]
You may like to take a look at one of the GL.iNet travel routers. I picked up a Mango a while back. It is powered via a micro USB connection, so you can use your laptop USB, a car adapter for a 12V supply or a dedicated 'charger'. It has a number of VPN service providers built in, or OpenVPN and being based on OpenWrt you can add something else from the OpenWrt packages (I'll have to get it hooked up to my StrongSwan unless I switch to Wireguard soon. It has an addtional GUI to the Luci provided by OpenWrt which is simpler to use for the basics, and is quite tiny at 5.8 x 5.8 x 2.5 cm. I picked mine up on a deal from Amazon, at the moment it is full price at £19.65 which still isn't a fortune! I've been quite impressed, and one of our local LUG members liked it enough to get one and is now playing around with the OpenWrt install as the modifications are on Github. Links: Affiliate: https://amzn.to/37EsTcC (forgotten I had one!) Non affiliate: https://www.amazon.co.uk/GL-iNet-GL-MT300N-V2-Converter-Pre-installed-Perfor... (if preferred) -- Paul Tansom | Aptanet Ltd. | https://www.aptanet.com/ | 023 9238 0001 ============================================================================= Registered in England | Company No: 4905028 | Registered Office: Ralls House, Parklands Business Park, Forrest Road, Denmead, Waterlooville, Hants, PO7 6XP
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