OpenVPN Clients - Error Connecting

[Skeptical.me]

Hi,

I'm not sure whats going on here, but I cannot connect to any VPN server. There appears to be an "error connecting", this happens even after reinstalling the .ovpn file.

This isn't an issue of username or password being wrong. They are the correct details. I receive the same result with 3 different VPN services.

Dec  3 14:36:49 custom_script: Running /jffs/scripts/service-event (args: start vpnclient3)
Dec  3 14:36:49 ovpn-client3[7238]: WARNING: --keysize is DEPRECATED and will be removed in OpenVPN 2.6
Dec  3 14:36:49 ovpn-client3[7238]: OpenVPN 2.4.9 arm-buildroot-linux-gnueabi [SSL (OpenSSL)] [LZO] [LZ4] [EPOLL] [MH/PKTINFO] [AEAD] built on Aug 14 2020
Dec  3 14:36:49 ovpn-client3[7238]: library versions: OpenSSL 1.1.1g  21 Apr 2020, LZO 2.08
Dec  3 14:36:49 ovpn-client3[7239]: WARNING: --ns-cert-type is DEPRECATED.  Use --remote-cert-tls instead.
Dec  3 14:36:49 ovpn-client3[7239]: NOTE: the current --script-security setting may allow this configuration to call user-defined scripts
Dec  3 14:36:49 ovpn-client3[7239]: Outgoing Control Channel Authentication: Using 512 bit message hash 'SHA512' for HMAC authentication
Dec  3 14:36:49 ovpn-client3[7239]: Incoming Control Channel Authentication: Using 512 bit message hash 'SHA512' for HMAC authentication
Dec  3 14:36:49 ovpn-client3[7239]: TCP/UDP: Preserving recently used remote address: [AF_INET]45.56.149.9:1195
Dec  3 14:36:49 ovpn-client3[7239]: Socket Buffers: R=[524288->1048576] S=[524288->1048576]
Dec  3 14:36:49 ovpn-client3[7239]: UDP link local: (not bound)
Dec  3 14:36:49 ovpn-client3[7239]: UDP link remote: [AF_INET]45.56.149.9:1195
Dec  3 14:36:49 ovpn-client3[7239]: TLS: Initial packet from [AF_INET]45.56.149.9:1195, sid=d64d2707 cdf4d760
Dec  3 14:36:49 ovpn-client3[7239]: WARNING: this configuration may cache passwords in memory -- use the auth-nocache option to prevent this
Dec  3 14:36:50 ovpn-client3[7239]: VERIFY OK: depth=1, C=VG, ST=BVI, O=ExpressVPN, OU=ExpressVPN, CN=ExpressVPN CA, emailAddress=support@expressvpn.com
Dec  3 14:36:50 ovpn-client3[7239]: VERIFY OK: nsCertType=SERVER
Dec  3 14:36:50 ovpn-client3[7239]: VERIFY OK: depth=0, C=VG, ST=BVI, O=ExpressVPN, OU=ExpressVPN, CN=Server-3286-0a, emailAddress=support@expressvpn.com
Dec  3 14:36:50 ovpn-client3[7239]: Control Channel: TLSv1.3, cipher TLSv1.3 TLS_AES_256_GCM_SHA384, 2048 bit RSA
Dec  3 14:36:50 ovpn-client3[7239]: [Server-3286-0a] Peer Connection Initiated with [AF_INET]45.56.149.9:1195
Dec  3 14:36:51 ovpn-client3[7239]: SENT CONTROL [Server-3286-0a]: 'PUSH_REQUEST' (status=1)
Dec  3 14:36:51 ovpn-client3[7239]: AUTH: Received control message: AUTH_FAILED
Dec  3 14:36:51 ovpn-client3[7239]: SIGTERM[soft,auth-failure] received, process exiting
Dec  3 14:37:18 rc_service: httpds 1249:notify_rc start_vpnclient2
Dec  3 14:37:18 custom_script: Running /jffs/scripts/service-event (args: start vpnclient2)
Dec  3 14:37:18 ovpn-client2[7329]: WARNING: --keysize is DEPRECATED and will be removed in OpenVPN 2.6
Dec  3 14:37:18 ovpn-client2[7329]: OpenVPN 2.4.9 arm-buildroot-linux-gnueabi [SSL (OpenSSL)] [LZO] [LZ4] [EPOLL] [MH/PKTINFO] [AEAD] built on Aug 14 2020
Dec  3 14:37:18 ovpn-client2[7329]: library versions: OpenSSL 1.1.1g  21 Apr 2020, LZO 2.08
Dec  3 14:37:18 ovpn-client2[7330]: WARNING: --ns-cert-type is DEPRECATED.  Use --remote-cert-tls instead.
Dec  3 14:37:18 ovpn-client2[7330]: NOTE: the current --script-security setting may allow this configuration to call user-defined scripts
Dec  3 14:37:18 ovpn-client2[7330]: Outgoing Control Channel Authentication: Using 512 bit message hash 'SHA512' for HMAC authentication
Dec  3 14:37:18 ovpn-client2[7330]: Incoming Control Channel Authentication: Using 512 bit message hash 'SHA512' for HMAC authentication
Dec  3 14:37:18 ovpn-client2[7330]: TCP/UDP: Preserving recently used remote address: [AF_INET]185.209.179.245:1195
Dec  3 14:37:18 ovpn-client2[7330]: Socket Buffers: R=[524288->1048576] S=[524288->1048576]
Dec  3 14:37:18 ovpn-client2[7330]: UDP link local: (not bound)
Dec  3 14:37:18 ovpn-client2[7330]: UDP link remote: [AF_INET]185.209.179.245:1195
Dec  3 14:37:19 ovpn-client2[7330]: TLS: Initial packet from [AF_INET]185.209.179.245:1195, sid=55c69f22 8d544b58
Dec  3 14:37:19 ovpn-client2[7330]: WARNING: this configuration may cache passwords in memory -- use the auth-nocache option to prevent this
Dec  3 14:37:22 ovpn-client2[7330]: VERIFY OK: depth=1, C=VG, ST=BVI, O=ExpressVPN, OU=ExpressVPN, CN=ExpressVPN CA, emailAddress=support@expressvpn.com
Dec  3 14:37:22 ovpn-client2[7330]: VERIFY OK: nsCertType=SERVER
Dec  3 14:37:22 ovpn-client2[7330]: VERIFY OK: depth=0, C=VG, ST=BVI, O=ExpressVPN, OU=ExpressVPN, CN=Server-8859-0a, emailAddress=support@expressvpn.com
Dec  3 14:37:22 ovpn-client2[7330]: Control Channel: TLSv1.3, cipher TLSv1.3 TLS_AES_256_GCM_SHA384, 2048 bit RSA
Dec  3 14:37:22 ovpn-client2[7330]: [Server-8859-0a] Peer Connection Initiated with [AF_INET]185.209.179.245:1195
Dec  3 14:37:23 ovpn-client2[7330]: SENT CONTROL [Server-8859-0a]: 'PUSH_REQUEST' (status=1)
Dec  3 14:37:24 ovpn-client2[7330]: AUTH: Received control message: AUTH_FAILED
Dec  3 14:37:24 ovpn-client2[7330]: SIGTERM[soft,auth-failure] received, process exiting
Dec  3 14:41:09 rc_service: httpds 1249:notify_rc start_vpnclient2
Dec  3 14:41:09 custom_script: Running /jffs/scripts/service-event (args: start vpnclient2)
Dec  3 14:41:09 ovpn-client2[9545]: WARNING: --keysize is DEPRECATED and will be removed in OpenVPN 2.6
Dec  3 14:41:09 ovpn-client2[9545]: OpenVPN 2.4.9 arm-buildroot-linux-gnueabi [SSL (OpenSSL)] [LZO] [LZ4] [EPOLL] [MH/PKTINFO] [AEAD] built on Aug 14 2020
Dec  3 14:41:09 ovpn-client2[9545]: library versions: OpenSSL 1.1.1g  21 Apr 2020, LZO 2.08
Dec  3 14:41:09 ovpn-client2[9546]: WARNING: --ns-cert-type is DEPRECATED.  Use --remote-cert-tls instead.
Dec  3 14:41:09 ovpn-client2[9546]: NOTE: the current --script-security setting may allow this configuration to call user-defined scripts
Dec  3 14:41:09 ovpn-client2[9546]: Outgoing Control Channel Authentication: Using 512 bit message hash 'SHA512' for HMAC authentication
Dec  3 14:41:09 ovpn-client2[9546]: Incoming Control Channel Authentication: Using 512 bit message hash 'SHA512' for HMAC authentication
Dec  3 14:41:09 ovpn-client2[9546]: TCP/UDP: Preserving recently used remote address: [AF_INET]185.209.179.245:1195
Dec  3 14:41:09 ovpn-client2[9546]: Socket Buffers: R=[524288->1048576] S=[524288->1048576]
Dec  3 14:41:09 ovpn-client2[9546]: UDP link local: (not bound)
Dec  3 14:41:09 ovpn-client2[9546]: UDP link remote: [AF_INET]185.209.179.245:1195
Dec  3 14:41:09 ovpn-client2[9546]: TLS: Initial packet from [AF_INET]185.209.179.245:1195, sid=c8242c0a 15751b8f
Dec  3 14:41:09 ovpn-client2[9546]: WARNING: this configuration may cache passwords in memory -- use the auth-nocache option to prevent this
Dec  3 14:41:12 ovpn-client2[9546]: VERIFY OK: depth=1, C=VG, ST=BVI, O=ExpressVPN, OU=ExpressVPN, CN=ExpressVPN CA, emailAddress=support@expressvpn.com
Dec  3 14:41:12 ovpn-client2[9546]: VERIFY OK: nsCertType=SERVER
Dec  3 14:41:12 ovpn-client2[9546]: VERIFY OK: depth=0, C=VG, ST=BVI, O=ExpressVPN, OU=ExpressVPN, CN=Server-8859-0a, emailAddress=support@expressvpn.com
Dec  3 14:41:12 ovpn-client2[9546]: Control Channel: TLSv1.3, cipher TLSv1.3 TLS_AES_256_GCM_SHA384, 2048 bit RSA
Dec  3 14:41:12 ovpn-client2[9546]: [Server-8859-0a] Peer Connection Initiated with [AF_INET]185.209.179.245:1195
Dec  3 14:41:13 ovpn-client2[9546]: SENT CONTROL [Server-8859-0a]: 'PUSH_REQUEST' (status=1)
Dec  3 14:41:14 ovpn-client2[9546]: AUTH: Received control message: AUTH_FAILED
Dec  3 14:41:14 ovpn-client2[9546]: SIGTERM[soft,auth-failure] received, process exiting
Dec  3 14:41:50 WLCEVENTD: Auth 28:16:A8:33:8D:35
Dec  3 14:41:50 WLCEVENTD: Assoc 28:16:A8:33:8D:35
Dec  3 14:41:50 hostapd: eth7: STA 28:16:a8:33:8d:35 IEEE 802.11: associated
Dec  3 14:41:50 kernel: CFG80211-ERROR) wl_cfg80211_change_station : WLC_SCB_AUTHORIZE sta_flags_mask not set
Dec  3 14:41:51 hostapd: eth7: STA 28:16:a8:33:8d:35 RADIUS: starting accounting session C5E9FA48039A2EA6
Dec  3 14:41:51 hostapd: eth7: STA 28:16:a8:33:8d:35 WPA: pairwise key handshake completed (RSN)

 

[eibgrad]

Well to be more accurate, based on your syslog, it appears you are using the same *service* (ExpressVPN), but have tried two different servers (45.56.149.9 and 185.209.179.245). I'd far more concerned if multiple services (ExpressVPN, PIA, etc.) had actually failed w/ the same error.

Was this working until recently, or has this never worked?

Also, beware that sometimes VPN providers kick/keep ppl off servers by denying a valid authentication. Not all the time, but I have seen it happen. Try a little later or other servers, and suddenly you may find it works.

 

[darrecki]

I've got an old vpnsecure and new (1 week test) purevpn subscriptions and simply can not make any of them to work on merlin / stock.
On windows official openvpn app all I have to do is to upload ovpn file there, enter my username/password and all works straight away, so assumed it would be the same on the router. unfortunately it is not and i have no idea how to make it work. i do not want to buy every vpn subscription to test if it is working... can I ask for some guidance please?

 

[Skeptical.me]

Turns out my expressvpn subscription had actually run out, so I renewed it and it works fine LOL ... the reason Torguard didn't work was that there was a technical issue with my login details. Amazing that it all happened at once.