AC-68U problems multiple vpn selection

[Rick Mathes]

I am running the latest Merlin version RT-AC68U_384.9 and it works perfectly if I only setup openvpn 1. If I setup a second for different routing location for a different device it usually will only run about a day and then it loses connection to my PIA vpn. I then have to manually start it again but within a day I am locked out of one of the vpn locations. Any suggestions?

 

[CaptainSTX]

I am running the latest Merlin version RT-AC68U_384.9 and it works perfectly if I only setup openvpn 1. If I setup a second for different routing location for a different device it usually will only run about a day and then it loses connection to my PIA vpn. I then have to manually start it again but within a day I am locked out of one of the vpn locations. Any suggestions?

PIA will only let you run one instance of a VPN on your router going to a specific port on their server.

They do have eleven port options available. In addition to running your primary client on port 1198 I had some success running Port 1197, UDP, AES-256-CBC, SHA256, ca.rsa.4096.crt. Some of the other eleven options are not supported by Merlin's firmware.

You probably should contact PIA support directly as with the move to Merlins 384.9 some things with the VPN setup changed slightly.

 

[Rick Mathes]

Okay thanks so much for the reply. I will contact pia. I thought I must be doing something wrong but looks maybe not.

 

[Rick Mathes]

Haven't heard back for PIA yet but have one setup on 1197 and second on 1198. We will see over the next day or so if one fails.

 

[CaptainSTX]

Haven't heard back for PIA yet but have one setup on 1197 and second on 1198. We will see over the next day or so if one fails.

I have no problems running on 1198 and my client using PIA's standard setup never seems to drop. On the other hand running the client on 1197 seemed to be more prone to fail. That was on an AC1900P. I haven't tried it on my new AC86.

Let me know how it works for you and some time in that not to distant future I may try 1197 again. Currently I have my second VPN client setup to run using an Astrill server which I only kick on when the wife wants to watch Swedish media.

 

[Rick Mathes]

I have always ran on 1197 before I tried multiple vpns and 1197 never failed. Time will tell. I am 68 and bored a lot of the time so this is more for fun than really something needed. Always mess with computers and electronics.

 

[ARKASHA]

Have anyone the same problem with PrivateVpn? I've a client running smoothly on 1194 but I fail on setting a second one on 1196.

edit: no, at the moment the first client stopped too, but I think it's a privatevpn problem, ...

 

[CaptainSTX]

Have anyone the same problem with PrivateVpn? I've a client running smoothly on 1194 but I fail on setting a second one on 1196.

edit: no, at the moment the first client stopped too, but I think it's a privatevpn problem, ...

Most/ every VPN provider offers service only on a port(s) that they support. PIA last time I checked offers their service on eleven predesignated ports. Each port requires different settings for encryption, compression, etc. You must match these variables and probably trying to force their server to match your client settings isn't going to work or work very well. PIA's goto primary port for connecting VPN clients is 1198. Using this port I have had open VPN tunnels up for weeks at a time.

 

[Rick Mathes]

Just an update. Pia support was no help except saying I can only do one port at a time. I tried again running two, one 0n 1198 and one on 1197 and within a day one was down again so I guess I can only run one at a time.

 

[CaptainSTX]

Just an update. Pia support was no help except saying I can only do one port at a time. I tried again running two, one 0n 1198 and one on 1197 and within a day one was down again so I guess I can only run one at a time.

After the online conversation I tried running a second connection on Port 1197 while running my primary on 1198. I could not find the ovpn file that PIA sent me previously for running on 1197. Using Merlin I changed the settings using a list I had from PIA for encryption, etc. While I could get the connection to start I could not get as far as pulling an IP.

I'm not sure where the problem is exactly. It could be that with with recent changes in 384.9 something needs to be tweaked to connect to Port 1197 as was the case with Port 1198, PIA has changed and isn't supporting 1197, I need another custom ovpn file, etc. I'm traveling now but when I get back I will contact PIA support and see if I can reach someone to create a newer ovpn file that will work on Port 1197.