Asus Router App over VPN

[nihon]

Hi
I have a strange issue that I cannot explain. The Asus router App works fine on my internal network. But if I connect to my network over Asus Merlin VPN the app does no longer work. Accessing the router' webpage on 192.168.1.1 works fine though over VPN. (I push Lan to VPN clients and I redirect all traffic over VPN from my phone)

How could this happen should I not be in the Lan completely over VPN?
Any idea how to solve it?

I dont want to open up router admin login page (port 80) over WAN. I prefer to VPN into my Lan instead.

 

[oversim]

Maybe it's an app limitation... it's using only wifi interface...

 

[martinr]

Does it detect the presence of your remote, home router when on the VPN but simply fails to log in? Is the VPN going via 3g or are you connected wirelessly to a router on an away-from-home network?

I can't get the app to work on my LAN, let alone remotely. It detects the router but I get a permanent swirling circle after attempting to log in.

As the app represents another source of entry into your router, if I were you, I'd be happy it works on the LAN and only on the LAN. You still have the tradional web gui access via the VPN, should you need to fiddle remotely.

 

[nihon]

Thanks
1. Even if I connect over wireless for the VPN it does not work.
2. Yes the web browser works over VPN. I just found it strange that the App does not as VPN should be just as being on the LAN. But indeed the VPN subnet differs. Maybe the app reconnects back and cannot reach the VPN subnet. But if one push LAN to VPN I thought routing should allow bothway communication between LAN and VPN subnets....maybe I have misunderstood this.

Just find the APP faster to use from a phone than the web GUI.

Does it detect the presence of your remote, home router when on the VPN but simply fails to log in? Is the VPN going via 3g or are you connected wirelessly to a router on an away-from-home network?

I can't get the app to work on my LAN, let alone remotely. It detects the router but I get a permanent swirling circle after attempting to log in.

As the app represents another source of entry into your router, if I were you, I'd be happy it works on the LAN and only on the LAN. You still have the tradional web gui access via the VPN, should you need to fiddle remotely.

 

[martinr]

My guess is that the app doesn't realise you want it to ignore the local router your device is directly connected to, i.e. that you want it to detect the router at the end of the tunnel. I suspect that if the local router were an Asus router, the app would detect it. I don't know how you'd tell the app to skip the local router and find the one at the end of the tunnel. When I select "I want to set up a new router" I get the impression the app only looks inside the connected wifi network.

You could email Mike Pan, the developer and get the definitive answer.

 

[Michel Hoogland]

I got it worked by ....

Go to advanged settings (OpenVpn Server) and select Manage Client specific options and select client <>client

 

[sl4fko]

Does not work for me. I enabled advanced settings and turned on the settings mentioned above. Still can not access my router via OpenVPN...

Should I export ovpn profile again? Or disable and enable the OpenVPN feature?

 

[martinr]

Does not work for me. I enabled advanced settings and turned on the settings mentioned above. Still can not access my router via OpenVPN...

Should I export ovpn profile again? Or disable and enable the OpenVPN feature?

you could try and do as you suggested but I think it’ll be a waste of time. I ran a test: I can connect my iPhone to my router using a TCP vpn connection whilst on the LAN, and, the asus router app works then (an OpenVPN connection on UDP won’t establish on the LAN).. If I then go remote using 4G and the same OpenVPN server, the app doesn’t work. I understand you find that irritating; I don’t know if it’s a security feature but I find it reassuring, not that I use the app. Then again, you still have access to the router when remotely connected by OpenVPN via your browser.

 

[jksmurf]

Sorry to drag up an old thread, but I have the exact same issue as the OP, using either OpenVPN or WG VPN, can access GUI perfectly and Remote Desktop etc; but the Router App does not seem to want to show a connection over the VPN; with one caveat, "sometimes" it seems to work, espeicaly after I try using the GUI. I do not have the Apps "remote access" function enabled (security), as I thought the whole point of using the VPN is that it is if you were there inside your own network.

Mostly it says "unable to reach" and "Unable to use Remote connection" (even though I can get there via the GUI, perfectly well, each time).

RT-AC86U Pro (trying it out) with OpenVPN and WG Set up on Router, using an asuscomm.com address as DDNS.

Did anyone get their heads around this behaviour / change a setting that worked all the time?

I haven't tried that Client to Client setting above and by @bbunge suggested here yet, but that seems only for OpenVPN; is there a similar setting for Wireguard?

k.

[EDIT]; In this thread @Tech9 suggested the App connectivity was flaky when the WiFi was weak; what I didn't mention above was that while I was testing this new Router thing I left the 3 x Antennas off (for accidental damage control), and I thought they would have zero effect on a VPN which all goes via the WAN/LAN over Fibre/Ethernet. If @Tech9 is correct, it seems a weird thing to cause a remote app 50km away not to work, but I can at least check it out.

 

[JGodfrey82]

Sorry to drag up an old thread, but I have the exact same issue as the OP, using either OpenVPN or WG VPN, can access GUI perfectly and Remote Desktop etc; but the Router App does not seem to want to show a connection over the VPN; with one caveat, "sometimes" it seems to work, espeicaly after I try using the GUI. I do not have the Apps "remote access" function enabled (security), as I thought the whole point of using the VPN is that it is if you were there inside your own network.

Mostly it says "unable to reach" and "Unable to use Remote connection" (even though I can get there via the GUI, perfectly well, each time).

RT-AC86U Pro (trying it out) with OpenVPN and WG Set up on Router, using an asuscomm.com address as DDNS.

Did anyone get their heads around this behaviour / change a setting that worked all the time?

I haven't tried that Client to Client setting above and by @bbunge suggested here yet, but that seems only for OpenVPN; is there a similar setting for Wireguard?

k.

[EDIT]; In this thread @Tech9 suggested the App connectivity was flaky when the WiFi was weak; what I didn't mention above was that while I was testing this new Router thing I left the 3 x Antennas off (for accidental damage control), and I thought they would have zero effect on a VPN which all goes via the WAN/LAN over Fibre/Ethernet. If @Tech9 is correct, it seems a weird thing to cause a remote app 50km away not to work, but I can at least check it out.

I found this same issue with the latest firmware, I regularly use the app/web gui remotely on openvpn and since 388.2 it has quit, I just rolled back to 388.1b3 and its back working perfectly.

 

[jksmurf]

I found this same issue with the latest firmware, I regularly use the app/web gui remotely on openvpn and since 388.2 it has quit, I just rolled back to 388.1b3 and its back working perfectly.

Oh... meh.

Did you happen to try either of the solutions from @Tech9 or @bbunge?

I tried the Client to Client setting suggested by bbunge and even exported the OVPN configuration again but no dice - didn’t help.

k.

 

[Tech9]

I have an RT-AX86U router running Asuswrt 388_22525 - Asus App for iOS has no issues through OpenVPN server.

 

[jksmurf]

I have an RT-AX86U router running Asuswrt 388_22525 - Asus App for iOS has no issues through OpenVPN server.

Thank you, so for you, the updated F/W fixed the issues you previously experienced?
Seems like JGodfrey82 and me (on 388.2_2 Merlin) still have issues.