VPN Server for Catalina

[jpsmith76]

So, I have always run a MacMini as my home server. It serves a variety of uses (HomeBridge, Plex, Channels DVR, etc). Well, last week the trusty 2011 died, so I picked up a used 2012 to replace it. (I was on a tight budget with the rest of the family thinking we don't really need a server)

That being said, I used to use macOS Server to run a VPN Server so I could connect when away from home to my network. The VPN Server was removed in the version of macOS that runs on Catalina.

What is your recommendation on a VPN server for Catalina? Are there any free solutions that are decent?

I am almost purely an Apple house, with my router being a Time Capsule, so I can't just set it up in the router.

 

[Marco Klobas]

I used to use iVPN. Unfortunately, since Catalina it's no more compatible.

Now I use OpenVPN Enabler.

 

[bogdanw]

From the alternatives suggested by Apple (https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT208312), I see WireGuard as the fastest, but probably difficult to configure; OpenVPN as slow and kind of obsolete; SoftEther VPN as having the best documentation https://www.softether.org/4-docs/2-howto

 

[jpsmith76]

In case anyone runs across this thread in the future:

I ended up going with SoftEther.

A couple of things to note:
1. The GUI Mac app for configuration is 32 bit, so it won't run on Catalina. Easy enough to run it on a family member's Win10 laptop and just enter the IP address of the VPN server to configure.
2. They recommend using a separate Ethernet connection for the bridge adapter, but it is supposed to work if you only have one connection. I could authenticate but never connect to network resources using this setup, so I threw in a USB to GigE adapter I had laying around, gave it an IP and all works well.

 

[ilandmac]

Hi JP,

I use Cisco IPSec

Worked well for me fo the last 15 tears ;-)