OpenVPN Client Doesn't Stay Active After Reboot

[Starbloom]

Using the latest firmware 380.68 on AC3100. The router is in "Repeater Mode", so it's not the usual setup. Activate the service "Client 1" OpenVPN profile and it connects. However, after reboot, it stays inactive.

Model RT-AC3100
Firmware Version 380.68
Firmware Build Fri Aug 18 21:40:59 UTC 2017 merlin@c46c964
Bootloader (CFE) 1.0.3.9

My AC87U as the main router doesn't have this issue and VPN reconnects after reboot. Any idea why? Thanks.

 

[Starbloom]

Confirmed the auto start with WAN script. So in repeater mode, no VPN client will start.

The workaround is to use custom script to check internet connection then start VPN Client from command line.

Could consider this as a future improvement.

 

[RMerlin]

In Repeater Mode VPN is not supported, as the implementation relies on the presence of separate WAN and LAN interfaces.

 

[Jack Yaz]

If it's in repeater mode why does it even need to connect to the VPN.it's just repeating the wireless from primary router that will handle the vpn.

 

[Starbloom]

That's a good question. In my case, the primary router is stable but a bit overwhelmed with VPN duty. The AC3100 has a good CPU and light load in its AP duty. Plus I have different VPN routes connecting to multiple data centers, so it's handy having always-on VPN routes available from my secondary router.

Here's the script:

/jffs/scripts/services-start

#!/bin/sh
exec /jffs/scripts/startopenvpn &

/jffs/scripts/startopenvpn

#!/bin/sh

while true; do
  sleep 10
  if ping -w 10 -c 10 www.google.com > /dev/null; then
    break;
  fi
done

logger -t "openvpn" "start vpnclient1"
service start_vpnclient1

 

[Jack Yaz]

That's a good question. In my case, the primary router is stable but a bit overwhelmed with VPN duty. The AC3100 has a good CPU and light load in its AP duty. Plus I have different VPN routes connecting to multiple data centers, so it's handy having always-on VPN routes available from my secondary router.

Here's the script:

/jffs/scripts# cat services-start

#!/bin/sh
exec /jffs/scripts/startopenvpn &

/jffs/scripts/startopenvpn

#!/bin/sh

while true; do
  sleep 10
  if ping -w 10 -c 10 www.google.com > /dev/null; then
    break;
  fi
done

logger -t "openvpn" "start vpnclient1"
service start_vpnclient1

But as a repeater surely it is incapable of actually routing anything to the VPN, since it has no concept of LAN and WAN? Unless I'm missing something

 

[Starbloom]

No it's a fully functioning router with nat & iptables capability. You do need to configure routes using scripts on the primary (and maybe the secondary if more than what OpenVPN can push), so each packet knows the proper gateway to use.

Primary: AC87U 1 VPN connection
Secondary: AC3100 3 VPN connections