RT-AC86U: run OpenVPN client when OpenVPN server is ON? (no active connections to it)

[deadwing]

Hi all

after years on official firmware, I decided to jump to Merlin and overall it seems better and more responsive (and definitely more updated!).

I do have a question though: I have on the router the OpenVPN server turned ON as sometimes I need to access my LAN and access internet through my home connection when I'm away (and it all works).

At the same time I have on the same router OpenVPN client configured with a couple of connections, as I need sometimes to connect the whole network via a couple of remote servers when I'm home.

Now...the problem is that if I have the OpenVPN server is turned ON (no connections to it) then the OpenVPN client on the same router doesn't work.

I can imagine there's some network routing getting mad...so I'm asking you guys: is there a solution to this? Any suggestion/help/link I can check to try and solve the problem? Or is basically impossible?

 

[skeal]

Hi all

after years on official firmware, I decided to jump to Merlin and overall it seems better and more responsive (and definitely more updated!).

I do have a question though: I have on the router the OpenVPN server turned ON as sometimes I need to access my LAN and access internet through my home connection when I'm away (and it all works).

At the same time I have on the same router OpenVPN client configured with a couple of connections, as I need sometimes to connect the whole network via a couple of remote servers when I'm home.

Now...the problem is that if I have the OpenVPN server is turned ON (no connections to it) then the OpenVPN client on the same router doesn't work.

I can imagine there's some network routing getting mad...so I'm asking you guys: is there a solution to this? Any suggestion/help/link I can check to try and solve the problem? Or is basically impossible?

Check the IP range used for said client and server. If you only see one of them on routing table page then that's probably the issue.

 

[skeal]

They can't be on the same subnet.

 

[deadwing]

Obviously...I should have know that!

Actually on the same router both the OpenVPN client and server were configured with the default 10.8, I changed the server to 10.9 and now at least it can be turned ON and the client works, thanks.

I tried then (just as a test) connecting from outside to my router's OpenVPN (turned ON) while the same router was connected via the internal OpenVPN client to another server, and that didn't work: connection to my own router's OpenVPN server was refused. It worked again when I disconnected the router's OpenVPN client.

I don't need it, but out of curiosity: is that because on the router both server and client use (again!) the same default port 1194?

 

[L&LD]

Obviously...I should have know that!

Actually on the same router both the OpenVPN client and server were configured with the default 10.8, I changed the server to 10.9 and now at least it can be turned ON and the client works, thanks.

I tried then (just as a test) connecting from outside to my router's OpenVPN (turned ON) while the same router was connected via the internal OpenVPN client to another server, and that didn't work: connection to my own router's OpenVPN server was refused. It worked again when I disconnected the router's OpenVPN client.

I don't need it, but out of curiosity: is that because on the router both server and client use (again!) the same default port 1194?

Yes, change the port number on one of them. 1195.

 

[Martineau]

Yes, change the port number on one of them. 1195.

VPN Servers and VPN Clients can and do use the same ports- by default usually 1194/1195

e.g. NVRAM defaults

nvram dump | grep -E "vpn.*[1-5]_p[o|r]" | sort

I suspect @deadwing may have the same issue reported here Can't connect to OpenVPN Server if VPN Client is UP

 

[deadwing]

VPN Servers and VPN Clients can and do use the same ports- by default usually 1194/1195

Yes I know that...but if in this case the router's openvpn server is actually connecting to another client on another machine, and the same router's openvpn client is connecting to the server on yet another machine..?

Will check that thread to see if I can find similarities and will test the port change asap so to report if that fixes it or not!

 

[deadwing]

UPDATE: I can confirm that changing ports doesn't work...if the router has a server turned ON, and the same router has the client actually connected to another server, then router's server doesn't respond.
As soon as I close the router's client connection, then the router's server responds and works.

 

[truglodite]

My router has an ovpn server and an ovpn client running, and both work as expected. I suspect the info Martineau posted above is relevant here. Have a peek at the logs on the ovpn client you are trying to connect to your router's server. You may find ddns errors. If so, verify your router client config (policy routing) using that link he posted.

 

[RMerlin]

then router's server doesn't respond.

Make sure you aren't using a policy that redirects your router trafic through the tunnel, cause that would make it impossible for your router to send trafic back to your connected client.

 

[#TY]

Add the following (but obviously with your IP info) to your OpenVPN client page.

See screenshot.

 

[deadwing]

Add the following (but obviously with your IP info) to your OpenVPN client page.

See screenshot.

Thanks a lot guys, again obvious solution but I didn’t think about it!

Makes perfect sense..and indeed solved the problem!

Now I can have the router’s openvpn client up and connected and running my lan through an external server, and at same time the router’s openvpn server up and accepting connections and running those through the original wan, so is all working!

I suppose if I add the router’s openvpn server subnet to the routes of the client, then if client is connected to an external server, any server connection will be routed via the client’s connection?

 

[#TY]

I suppose if I add the router’s openvpn server subnet to the routes of the client, then if client is connected to an external server, any server connection will be routed via the client’s connection?

You will have to wait for one of the big boys to answer this one

 

[Martineau]

UPDATE: I can confirm that changing ports doesn't work...

"Yes I know that..."

 

[#TY]

"Yes I know that..."

 

[Martineau]

I suppose if I add the router’s openvpn server subnet to the routes of the client, then if client is connected to an external server, any server connection will be routed via the client’s connection?

I know this too … openvpn server and client question ….wow 2 years ago when I posted the original solution.