Stuck on "Export OpenVPN configuration file"

[cowst]

Once I connect and go to vpn server, the client config file is not generated and it is spinning on "Initialinzing the settings of OpenVPN server now, please wait a few minutes to let the server to setup completed before VPN clients establish the connection.

"

changing settings and applying fixes that, but the server is already running and I can connect, so I think it is just a UI issue.

 

[RMerlin]

Once I connect and go to vpn server, the client config file is not generated and it is spinning on "Initialinzing the settings of OpenVPN server now, please wait a few minutes to let the server to setup completed before VPN clients establish the connection.

"

changing settings and applying fixes that, but the server is already running and I can connect, so I think it is just a UI issue.

Yes, it's an old issue where the flag stays in "initializing" mode, so the UI never updates. It's uncommon and random, so I've never been able to track it down.

 

[cowst]

Thanks.
I'll let you know if it looks reproducible here, since it happened already 3 times

 

[john9527]

Thanks.
I'll let you know if it looks reproducible here, since it happened already 3 times

Try not making any changes to your wireless setting prior to starting the VPN server and I think it will work then.

@RMerlin - At least on my fork, it was restart_wireless that was resetting the status flag. (Took me two tries to get it fixed right )

 

[cowst]

No changes at all.
After a week not connecting to the router at all, I logged in, went to VPN, openvpn servers, and there it was,loading forever

 

[coco.kung]

I have the same issue on my RT-AC66U-B1, 384_14_2, I have reset my router via GUI, clean NVRAM, downgrade to 384.13, all of this is not working.

2.4G/5G WiFi is disabled on my router, and openvpn-server1 is on, asus DDNS is on, firewall is keep default.

 

[CaptainSTX]

Yes, it's an old issue where the flag stays in "initializing" mode, so the UI never updates. It's uncommon and random, so I've never been able to track it down.

Both on 14 & 15alpha firmware I have a continuously spinning circle. I have been running 15alpha for thirteen days. I have remotely signed into the VPN server almost daily and the server works fine. It is a distraction that I just choose to ignore.

The Open VPN server does flood the system log with entries as it constantly tries to start.

 

[MysticGold04]

I'm having the same issue on the latest 385 alpha for ac68u. Anyone know where the ovpn file the router generates is located? I need it to import into my client.

 

[elorimer]

I'm having the same issue on the latest 385 alpha for ac68u. Anyone know where the ovpn file the router generates is located? I need it to import into my client.

/etc/openvpn/server1 or server2

Not experiencing this on my 86U on latest .15 alpha.

 

[MysticGold04]

I was able to find the client.ovpn file and copy it off of the router. Thank you!
I tested the connection, and the server does work. Hopefully there is a way to fix the issue in the GUI.

 

[martinr]

On my RT-AC68U running 384.14 I’ve also just seen this. In fact, I arrived at this thread whilst searching the message in the gui. (Remote location right now)

I have found that turning off the server in the gui and then turning it back on solves the problem, at least for a reasonable length of time (ie at least enough to comfortably export a config file). So not a problem at all, and the router gui is perfectly accessible remotely.

 

[CaptainSTX]

I have found that turning off the server in the gui and then turning it back on solves the problem, at least for a reasonable length of time (ie at least enough to comfortably export a config file). So not a problem at all, and the router gui is perfectly accessible remotely.

Yes it stops the spinning wheel for awhile at least long enough to download the configuration but then as you said it starts spinning again. I don't care about the spinning but it fills the log up as it is constantly trying to complete a process that is already working fine.

 

[martinr]

Yes it stops the spinning wheel for awhile at least long enough to download the configuration but then as you said it starts spinning again. I don't care about the spinning but it fills the log up as it is constantly trying to complete a process that is already working fine.

I see what you mean. I’ve never seen this before; at first sight, it seems my Server 1 might be more prone to it than Server 2. But I’ll have to keep a close eye on it to see if any patterns emerge.

 

[martinr]

Yes it stops the spinning wheel for awhile at least long enough to download the configuration but then as you said it starts spinning again. I don't care about the spinning but it fills the log up as it is constantly trying to complete a process that is already working fine.

Do you find that your system messages fills with OpenVPN details even when all is working as normal, no swirling circles on either server and the Export config file button is visible (and you have a device connected to the server)? Both servers have been behaving properly for several hours now, but the System Messages log is full of OpenVPN data. I have to admit that I rarely look at the logs - only if something is amiss, a real rarity on an RT-AC68U - so I not at all familiar with what’s normal and what isn’t.

 

[CaptainSTX]

Do you find that your system messages fills with OpenVPN details even when all is working as normal, no swirling circles on either server and the Export config file button is visible (and you have a device connected to the server)? Both servers have been behaving properly for several hours now, but the System Messages log is full of OpenVPN data. I have to admit that I rarely look at the logs - only if something is amiss, a real rarity on an RT-AC68U - so I not at all familiar with what’s normal and what isn’t.

I don't know when the last time it wasn't spinning. As with you I don't study my logs daily only if I think that might give some clue to some malfunction so I don't know if it writes anything to the log when the server thinks it is connected as I recently cleared the logs. Currently with it spinning the VPN server writes twenty one lines to my log every two minutes. My understanding is that the logs clear themselves when they reach a certain size.

The server is working perfectly and several devices connect to it on a daily basis. I use the server almost daily to connect to the Internet when using WiFi hot spots on my phone so as to reduce the danger of man in the middle attacks.

I wish the wheel would stop spinning and the VPN server would stop writing to the log but I don't want to break the server and then have to go through the process exporting a new ovpn file to the several clients that connect remotely unless it is a 100% guaranteed solution.

 

[elorimer]

I have the spinner but nothing in the log. What gets written?

 

[martinr]

I have the spinner but nothing in the log. What gets written?

Attached is a sample of what gets written in my System Messages log, as you asked.

Sorry for the delay. Couldn't find the log file and couldn't highlight the system messages from the webui except in Chrome on Windows.

As noted earlier, my Server 2 seems to be behaving itself, but Server 1 ends up with the swirling circle. Nevertheless, my System Messages log is full of entries like the selection attached. OpenVPN is working perfectly on both servers. And if I'd been paying attention to logfiles, I'd know if it was normal for me. But it does not look as if the swirling circle is contributing entries to the System Messages log: Server 2 has no swirling circle and yet my log is full of Server 2 entries.


@CaptainSTX
Are my entries similar to yours where you say in Post #7 "The Open VPN server does flood the system log with entries as it constantly tries to start.", because if they are then I don't think the swirling circle is to blame.

Jan 22 00:10:50 RT-AC68U-C760 ovpn-server1[30622]: 141.226.***.254:5320 VERIFY OK: depth=1, C=TW, ST=TW, L=Taipei, O=ASUS, CN=RT-AC68U, emailAddress=me@myhost.mydomain
Jan 22 00:10:50 RT-AC68U-C760 ovpn-server1[30622]: 141.226.***.254:5320 VERIFY OK: depth=0, C=TW, ST=TW, L=Taipei, O=ASUS, CN=client, emailAddress=me@myhost.mydomain
Jan 22 00:10:50 RT-AC68U-C760 ovpn-server1[30622]: 141.226.***.254:5320 peer info: IV_GUI_VER=net.openvpn.connect.ios_3.1.1-2819
Jan 22 00:10:50 RT-AC68U-C760 ovpn-server1[30622]: 141.226.***.254:5320 peer info: IV_VER=3.git::2ae73415
Jan 22 00:10:50 RT-AC68U-C760 ovpn-server1[30622]: 141.226.***.254:5320 peer info: IV_PLAT=ios
Jan 22 00:10:50 RT-AC68U-C760 ovpn-server1[30622]: 141.226.***.254:5320 peer info: IV_NCP=2
Jan 22 00:10:50 RT-AC68U-C760 ovpn-server1[30622]: 141.226.***.254:5320 peer info: IV_TCPNL=1
Jan 22 00:10:50 RT-AC68U-C760 ovpn-server1[30622]: 141.226.***.254:5320 peer info: IV_PROTO=2
Jan 22 00:10:51 RT-AC68U-C760 ovpn-server1[30622]: 141.226.***.254:5320 PLUGIN_CALL: POST /usr/lib/openvpn-plugin-auth-pam.so/PLUGIN_AUTH_USER_PASS_VERIFY status=0
Jan 22 00:10:51 RT-AC68U-C760 ovpn-server1[30622]: 141.226.***.254:5320 TLS: Username/Password authentication succeeded for username '*****iphone5s'
Jan 22 00:10:51 RT-AC68U-C760 ovpn-server1[30622]: 141.226.***.254:5320 Control Channel: TLSv1.2, cipher TLSv1.2 ECDHE-RSA-AES256-GCM-SHA384, 1024 bit RSA
Jan 22 00:10:51 RT-AC68U-C760 ovpn-server1[30622]: 141.226.***.254:5320 [client] Peer Connection Initiated with [AF_INET6]::ffff:141.226.***.254:5320
Jan 22 00:10:51 RT-AC68U-C760 ovpn-server1[30622]: client/141.226.***.254:5320 MULTI_sva: pool returned IPv4=10.8.0.2, IPv6=(Not enabled)
Jan 22 00:10:51 RT-AC68U-C760 ovpn-server1[30622]: client/141.226.***.254:5320 MULTI: Learn: 10.8.0.2 -> client/141.226.***.254:5320
Jan 22 00:10:51 RT-AC68U-C760 ovpn-server1[30622]: client/141.226.***.254:5320 MULTI: primary virtual IP for client/141.226.***.254:5320: 10.8.0.2
Jan 22 00:10:51 RT-AC68U-C760 ovpn-server1[30622]: client/141.226.***.254:5320 PUSH: Received control message: 'PUSH_REQUEST'
Jan 22 00:10:51 RT-AC68U-C760 ovpn-server1[30622]: client/141.226.***.254:5320 SENT CONTROL [client]: 'PUSH_REPLY,route 192.168.10.0 255.255.255.0 vpn_gateway 500,dhcp-option DNS 192.168.10.1,redirect-gateway def1,route-gateway 10.8.0.1,topology subnet,ping 15,ping-restart 60,ifconfig 10.8.0.2 255.255.255.0,peer-id 0,cipher AES-128-GCM' (status=1)
Jan 22 00:10:51 RT-AC68U-C760 ovpn-server1[30622]: client/141.226.***.254:5320 Data Channel: using negotiated cipher 'AES-128-GCM'
Jan 22 00:10:51 RT-AC68U-C760 ovpn-server1[30622]: client/141.226.***.254:5320 Outgoing Data Channel: Cipher 'AES-128-GCM' initialized with 128 bit key
Jan 22 00:10:51 RT-AC68U-C760 ovpn-server1[30622]: client/141.226.***.254:5320 Incoming Data Channel: Cipher 'AES-128-GCM' initialized with 128 bit key
Jan 22 00:10:58 RT-AC68U-C760 ovpn-server1[30622]: client/141.226.***.254:5320 SIGTERM[soft,remote-exit] received, client-instance exiting
Jan 22 00:11:46 RT-AC68U-C760 ovpn-server2[28944]: 141.226.***.254:5432 TLS: Initial packet from [AF_INET]141.226.***.254:5432, sid=baa9d827 0320d6ed
Jan 22 00:11:47 RT-AC68U-C760 ovpn-server2[28944]: 141.226.***.254:5432 VERIFY OK: depth=1, C=TW, ST=TW, L=Taipei, O=ASUS, CN=RT-AC68U, emailAddress=me@myhost.mydomain
Jan 22 00:11:47 RT-AC68U-C760 ovpn-server2[28944]: 141.226.***.254:5432 VERIFY OK: depth=0, C=TW, ST=TW, L=Taipei, O=ASUS, CN=client, emailAddress=me@myhost.mydomain
Jan 22 00:11:47 RT-AC68U-C760 ovpn-server2[28944]: 141.226.***.254:5432 peer info: IV_GUI_VER=net.openvpn.connect.ios_3.1.1-2819
Jan 22 00:11:47 RT-AC68U-C760 ovpn-server2[28944]: 141.226.***.254:5432 peer info: IV_VER=3.git::2ae73415
Jan 22 00:11:47 RT-AC68U-C760 ovpn-server2[28944]: 141.226.***.254:5432 peer info: IV_PLAT=ios
Jan 22 00:11:47 RT-AC68U-C760 ovpn-server2[28944]: 141.226.***.254:5432 peer info: IV_NCP=2
Jan 22 00:11:47 RT-AC68U-C760 ovpn-server2[28944]: 141.226.***.254:5432 peer info: IV_TCPNL=1
Jan 22 00:11:47 RT-AC68U-C760 ovpn-server2[28944]: 141.226.***.254:5432 peer info: IV_PROTO=2
Jan 22 00:11:47 RT-AC68U-C760 ovpn-server2[28944]: 141.226.***.254:5432 PLUGIN_CALL: POST /usr/lib/openvpn-plugin-auth-pam.so/PLUGIN_AUTH_USER_PASS_VERIFY status=0
Jan 22 00:11:47 RT-AC68U-C760 ovpn-server2[28944]: 141.226.***.254:5432 TLS: Username/Password authentication succeeded for username '***ipadpro'
Jan 22 00:11:47 RT-AC68U-C760 ovpn-server2[28944]: 141.226.***.254:5432 Control Channel: TLSv1.2, cipher TLSv1.2 ECDHE-RSA-AES256-GCM-SHA384, 1024 bit RSA
Jan 22 00:11:47 RT-AC68U-C760 ovpn-server2[28944]: 141.226.***.254:5432 [client] Peer Connection Initiated with [AF_INET]141.226.***.254:5432
Jan 22 00:11:47 RT-AC68U-C760 ovpn-server2[28944]: client/141.226.***.254:5432 MULTI_sva: pool returned IPv4=10.16.0.2, IPv6=(Not enabled)
Jan 22 00:11:47 RT-AC68U-C760 ovpn-server2[28944]: client/141.226.***.254:5432 MULTI: Learn: 10.16.0.2 -> client/141.226.***.254:5432
Jan 22 00:11:47 RT-AC68U-C760 ovpn-server2[28944]: client/141.226.***.254:5432 MULTI: primary virtual IP for client/141.226.***.254:5432: 10.16.0.2
Jan 22 00:11:47 RT-AC68U-C760 ovpn-server2[28944]: client/141.226.***.254:5432 PUSH: Received control message: 'PUSH_REQUEST'
Jan 22 00:11:47 RT-AC68U-C760 ovpn-server2[28944]: client/141.226.***.254:5432 SENT CONTROL [client]: 'PUSH_REPLY,route 192.168.10.0 255.255.255.0 vpn_gateway 500,dhcp-option DNS 192.168.10.1,redirect-gateway def1,route-gateway 10.16.0.1,topology subnet,ping 15,ping-restart 60,ifconfig 10.16.0.2 255.255.255.0,peer-id 0,cipher AES-128-GCM' (status=1)
Jan 22 00:11:47 RT-AC68U-C760 ovpn-server2[28944]: client/141.226.***.254:5432 Data Channel: using negotiated cipher 'AES-128-GCM'
Jan 22 00:11:47 RT-AC68U-C760 ovpn-server2[28944]: client/141.226.***.254:5432 Outgoing Data Channel: Cipher 'AES-128-GCM' initialized with 128 bit key
Jan 22 00:11:47 RT-AC68U-C760 ovpn-server2[28944]: client/141.226.***.254:5432 Incoming Data Channel: Cipher 'AES-128-GCM' initialized with 128 bit key
Jan 22 00:11:54 RT-AC68U-C760 ovpn-server2[28944]: client/141.226.***.254:5432 Connection reset, restarting [0]
Jan 22 00:11:54 RT-AC68U-C760 ovpn-server2[28944]: client/141.226.***.254:5432 SIGUSR1[soft,connection-reset] received, client-instance restarting
Jan 22 00:11:58 RT-AC68U-C760 ovpn-server2[28944]: TCP connection established with [AF_INET]141.226.***.254:5435
Jan 22 00:11:58 RT-AC68U-C760 ovpn-server2[28944]: 141.226.***.254:5435 TLS: Initial packet from [AF_INET]141.226.***.254:5435, sid=19d99329 37c94355
Jan 22 00:11:58 RT-AC68U-C760 ovpn-server2[28944]: 141.226.***.254:5435 VERIFY OK: depth=1, C=TW, ST=TW, L=Taipei, O=ASUS, CN=RT-AC68U, emailAddress=me@myhost.mydomain
Jan 22 00:11:58 RT-AC68U-C760 ovpn-server2[28944]: 141.226.***.254:5435 VERIFY OK: depth=0, C=TW, ST=TW, L=Taipei, O=ASUS, CN=client, emailAddress=me@myhost.mydomain
Jan 22 00:11:58 RT-AC68U-C760 ovpn-server2[28944]: 141.226.***.254:5435 peer info: IV_GUI_VER=net.openvpn.connect.ios_3.1.1-2819
Jan 22 00:11:58 RT-AC68U-C760 ovpn-server2[28944]: 141.226.***.254:5435 peer info: IV_VER=3.git::2ae73415
Jan 22 00:11:58 RT-AC68U-C760 ovpn-server2[28944]: 141.226.***.254:5435 peer info: IV_PLAT=ios
Jan 22 00:11:58 RT-AC68U-C760 ovpn-server2[28944]: 141.226.***.254:5435 peer info: IV_NCP=2
Jan 22 00:11:58 RT-AC68U-C760 ovpn-server2[28944]: 141.226.***.254:5435 peer info: IV_TCPNL=1
Jan 22 00:11:58 RT-AC68U-C760 ovpn-server2[28944]: 141.226.***.254:5435 peer info: IV_PROTO=2
Jan 22 00:11:58 RT-AC68U-C760 ovpn-server2[28944]: 141.226.***.254:5435 PLUGIN_CALL: POST /usr/lib/openvpn-plugin-auth-pam.so/PLUGIN_AUTH_USER_PASS_VERIFY status=0

By the way is there an easier way to copy/download the System Messages log? I searched through all the directories on the router (for *log*) in Notepad++ and didn't find anything.

 

[CaptainSTX]

By the way is there an easier way to copy/download the System Messages log? I searched through all the directories on the router (for *log*) in Notepad++ and didn't find anything.

Just click save at the bottom of the log page and it downloads it as a text file.

 

[CaptainSTX]

I have the spinner but nothing in the log. What gets written?

Here is another three page example of what gets written. It is just a small sample. Between 07:53 and 13:31 hours my router's log contained 81 pages of entries most of which deal with the VPN server. During this period two separate devices successfully connected to VPN server 1.

 

[martinr]

Just click save at the bottom of the log page and it downloads it as a text file.

I don't see it on mine, I think because I'm running Scribe and uiScribe. (I had a vague memory of using that Save button; must have been before I installed Scribe.)