"VPN CLient" settings are "sticky"

[smallnet]

Wondering if you can help me fix something.

I have a RT-AC68P and running Merlin and also some of the addons: Diversion, Skynet, and dnscrypt. I have a couple of other units of same model running as AI Mesh nodes.

I successfully set up a VPN server on the main router and can log into the router using OpenVPN. (Just saying that this works, the VPN Server settings work).

Now the problem:

A long time ago I had PIA (Private Internet Access) and used it. Now, when I go to the "VPN Client" tab, I can see some of my old settings from that time years ago (as expected).

My issue: I cannot change them!

Pressing the "Default" and "Apply" button on the bottom of the VPN Client tab cycles the services, but the settings, e.g. "Description" or "Server Address and Port" are still the same and so are the other options.
I also tried to put in a manual entry for "Description" or "Server Address and Port", then pressed "Apply" and after the router cycled, the old settings are still the same. The new ones do not stick.

So it looks like all the settings in the "VPN Client" tab are not controlled by that GUI (the https://192.168.1.1:8443/Advanced_OpenVPNClient_Content.asp) anymore.

What can be the issue? How can I trouble-shoot it?

 

[eibgrad]

Just a guess, but the key statement for me was "I can see some of my old settings from that time years ago (as expected)."

That suggests to me that you've been continuously updating the firmware without doing a factory reset (thus clearing nvram) and reconfiguration from scratch for a very long time. And while you might get away w/ that firmware upgrade strategy when upgrading for one or two versions, over the long run it can come back to bite you, as the code changes eventually get out-of-sync w/ the settings in nvram.

My advice? Do a factory reset and start w/ a clean slate, manually adding back your changes. Something *everyone* should do from time to time, even when things *appear* to be ok.

 

[L&LD]

I agree a factory reset (M&M Config, see link in my signature below) may be the true answer here.

But before doing that, test with a different browser or by fully flushing the browser cache too.

Sometimes using 'incognito' or 'InPrivate' browsing helps too if the issue is cached (old/stale) pages.

 

[smallnet]

Thanks, I will need to do a reset and start from scratch after all. I have done that but "cheated" by loading a previously saved configuration.

 

[L&LD]

Loading a previously saved config is equivalent to not doing the full reset in the first place.

Any luck with clearing the browser cache?

 

[john9527]

Check and see if browser autofill or a password manager is playing games with you....

 

[smallnet]

Loading a previously saved config is equivalent to not doing the full reset in the first place.

Any luck with clearing the browser cache?

OMG, yes!!!!!

I used a completely different browser (one I never use, Edge) and it showed correctly that the settings were already cleared to their defaults. Thank you!!!

And for anyone using Chrome and hesitant to clear browser cache, you can clear cache for only your router's website.

1. Go to your router's IP address as if you need to log in.
2. Rightly click anywhere empty on the page itself and select "Inspect". The Inspect menu opens up on the side, but ignore it.
3. On your browser's URL bar, right-click on your browser's "Reload" button.
4. From the 3-item menu select "Hard Reload and Clear Cache."
5. Log out (if you need to), and log back into the Router.