I am looking to add a VPN to my home network (Comcast/Xfinity). I have a Comcast-issued router (ARRIS Group, Inc. TG1682G) and I’m not clear if I can and/or how to config the router, or if there is another route to take.
I have actually been wondering about this too. My mom has a TV that can get Netflix through a Comcast box, but the tv itself doesn’t connect to the internet. I’m wondering if I connect a vpn to the router if she can access Netflix libraries from other countries like I can on my PS4. Does this work?
The best solution here would be to stop renting your cable modem from Comcast and use your own cable modem and router.
With your own devices you could easily do what you would like to do.
I know enough about VPN to be dangerous. My goal is to go VPN in order to use MLB.tv so I can watch home games for the Cubs.
My understanding - right or wrong - is that current Comcast-provided router is not VPN compliant. Then I looked at this vid:
Which looks like connecting a VPN router daisy-chained off the main router. Again…I am in over my head for the most part with this, and am trying to figure the cleanest way to get this done.
The Comcast DVR (TV box: with or without recording functionality) has its own built-in cable modem. Basically this means the TV box is a fully functional computer with its own dedicated internet connection (different IP address from home router/WiFi because the TV box has its own modem that is separate and isolated from your internet modem/router combo.) Comcast TV box has a separate modem for internet connection just like your neighbor’s house. You cannot add a VPN to your TV box any easier than you could add one to your neighbor’s WiFi router without their permission. Simply put: you cannot use a VPN with your Comcast TV box. The simplest way around this would be to run Netflix on an Android based TV box (eBay) that you have root access to and you can run a VPN with netflix on that. This Android TV box would connect to your (Comcast) internet router to access the internet. Since it’s your box, you control it and you could add a VPN. The Comcast TV box is owned by Comcast and they control it, not you. You could probably hack the TV box in order to run a VPN on… but this would be against Comcast’s ToS (possibly illegal) and probably not very easy to do. I wouldn’t even try without solid knowledge of Linux bootloader and operating system. Yes, Comcast TV boxes run a Linux kernel. They probably have locked bootloaders that verify the boot image has been signed by Comcast, making this near impossible.
Thanks!
Any brand/model suggestions?
The best way is to buy your own cable modem and a separate router (make sure this router supports VPN, or get one that you can flash with DD-WRT.) I was wrong below where I said most Comcast supported cable routers (RG: Residential Gateways) support VPN. It looks like most of them do not support VPN. But you can buy a router (without a modem) that supports VPN. Either use your current Arris as your modem, or buy a Motorola Surfboard modem and have a separate modem/router so that you’re not paying for Comcast’s RG. You would call Comcast to setup your new Surfboard modem (these are common good cable modems) and then that modem connects into your router (which runs VPN.)
The very best page with the very best recommendations you could find somewhere on Comcast’s website.
Why? Because of federal law, all ISP providers are required to provide an alternative and recommendations to renting their own devices.
If you cannot find that page, then just call their helpdesk and have them email you the link (they are required to do this by federal law as well).
You then could go to your local Best Buy (and prices there could be even cheaper than on Amazon/Ebay and no waiting) and get your cable modem.
Then for the router … you could shop around, getting the one which would best match your needs.
Remember, if you do this on your own (like setting up a VPN), you would need to replace that one Comcast device with two devices: cable modem and router.
So in theory I could use my Comcast Arris strictly as the primary modem, connected to a separate router that would be VPN-compliant?