VPNMON VPNMON-R3 v1.3.6 -Oct 12, 2024- Monitor WAN/Dual-WAN/OpenVPN Health & Reset Multiple OpenVPN Connections (Now available in AMTM!)

[betovanbuuren]

Most likely! Have not put it through any of its VPN paces yet. Do let us know if you're willing to try!

Installed via AMTM in BE98Pro, i have one client with ovpn, and another with Wireguard, but seems this can only see open vpn clients? When enabling wireguard one, it does not show anything, when enabling ovpn, it shows correctly, i assume is this as design?

 

[Viktor Jaep]

Installed via AMTM in BE98Pro, i have one client with ovpn, and another with Wireguard, but seems this can only see open vpn clients? When enabling wireguard one, it does not show anything, when enabling ovpn, it shows correctly, i assume is this as design?

Correct... It only works with OpenVPN at the moment. Glad to know it works on the GT-BE98_Pro!

 

[igo]

(Maybe due to the update Firmware:3004.388.8)
but, sorry to say: just dissapointing - completely useless!

It does NOT work with "OpenVPN" Connections. It might however work with some specific VPN providers. But not with the one I did configure in ASUS menu.
As all of a sudden VPNMON 2 did constantly reset my VPN connections, so i did try VPNMON 3
It didnt even make it to the menu... just hangs. Once did show me VPN connection "Healh" as a failure, even VPN was working fine. Seems programmed really buggy. Sorry to say, for me it is useless.

VP2 is still as an option in AMTM install menu, but not just wont do. Same with manuel install. - disfunctional - which is sad, as it was working fine till now.
- Game over for a previous usfull script, really disapointing.
I really hope u can create a "universal" funtional connection monitor as before, maybe even with VPN and Wireguard connections. However, thanks for the past good tool.

 

[Viktor Jaep]

(Maybe due to the update Firmware:3004.388.8)
but, sorry to say: just dissapointing - completely useless!

It does NOT work with "OpenVPN" Connections. It might however work with some specific VPN providers. But not with the one I did configure in ASUS menu.
As all of a sudden VPNMON 2 did constantly reset my VPN connections, so i did try VPNMON 3
It didnt even make it to the menu... just hangs. Once did show me VPN connection "Healh" as a failure, even VPN was working fine. Seems programmed really buggy. Sorry to say, for me it is useless.

VP2 is still as an option in AMTM install menu, but not just wont do. Same with manuel install. - disfunctional - which is sad, as it was working fine till now.
- Game over for a previous usfull script, really disapointing.
I really hope u can create a "universal" funtional connection monitor as before, maybe even with VPN and Wireguard connections. However, thanks for the past good tool.

Sorry you feel that way, but it's been working perfectly fine for literally years for me running 2 simultaneous OpenVPN connections... using 2 different VPN providers. Tested with up to 5 for days. VPNMON-R3 does away with reliance on specific VPN provider APIs and frees you up to use your own server lists. Sounds like you've got some things to sort out on your end.

And just in case you weren't aware, VPNMON-R2 was sunset about 6 months ago.

 

[Rajjco]

Hello @Viktor Jaep any chance of making a Wireguard version of the script? My isp sadly started blocking Openvpn connections.

Would be nice to drop some .conf files with their keys and keep switching between them when wireguard goes down of course with email notification option.

 

[Viktor Jaep]

Hello @Viktor Jaep any chance of making a Wireguard version of the script? My isp sadly started blocking Openvpn connections.

Would be nice to drop some .conf files with their keys and keep switching between them when wireguard goes down of course with email notification option.

That has always been the plan, but I haven't gotten around to it yet to understand how wireguard functions compared to openvpn. I'm sure there will be a bunch of new NVRAM values as well that hopefully are comparable. It's definitely on my "to-do" list.

 

[Stephen Harrington]

It's definitely on my "to-do" list.

Another vote for adding WireGuard if it ever took your fancy!
I miss VPNMON since I also did the switch from OpenVPN - in my use case it increased throughput markedly for NordVPN.

 

[iTyPsIDg]

@Viktor Jaep - Do you have a recommendation on how to perform the initial VPN configuration given this change in 3004.388.8?

  - CHANGED: Removed stop/start and "Start with WAN" buttons from
             OpenVPN clients.  There is now just a single
             "Enable" option, which will immediately start the
             client when applying changes, and will also start it
             automatically when WAN comes up.  This is to reduce
             confusion, better integrate into SDN, and match how
             WireGuard clients already worked.

- https://www.snbforums.com/threads/asuswrt-merlin-3004-388-8-is-now-available.91069/

I used to leave "Start with WAN" off and let your script handle it. I'm not sure if that is the best option any longer.

 

[Viktor Jaep]

@Viktor Jaep - Do you have a recommendation on how to perform the initial VPN configuration given this change in 3004.388.8?

  - CHANGED: Removed stop/start and "Start with WAN" buttons from
             OpenVPN clients.  There is now just a single
             "Enable" option, which will immediately start the
             client when applying changes, and will also start it
             automatically when WAN comes up.  This is to reduce
             confusion, better integrate into SDN, and match how
             WireGuard clients already worked.

- https://www.snbforums.com/threads/asuswrt-merlin-3004-388-8-is-now-available.91069/

I used to leave "Start with WAN" off and let your script handle it. I'm not sure if that is the best option any longer.

Yep! All my VPN slots are set for dont enable, or whatever the new setting is now. Still works the same, and the script starts/stops slots as normal.

 

[iTyPsIDg]

Yep! All my VPN slots are set for dont enable, or whatever the new setting is now. Still works the same, and the script starts/stops slots as normal.

Thank you!

 

[igo]

Sorry you feel that way, but it's been working perfectly fine for literally years for me running 2 simultaneous OpenVPN connections... using 2 different VPN providers. Tested with up to 5 for days. VPNMON-R3 does away with reliance on specific VPN provider APIs and frees you up to use your own server lists. Sounds like you've got some things to sort out on your end.

And just in case you weren't aware, VPNMON-R2 was sunset about 6 months ago.

Version 2.63 is the last functioning version of the script. Neither 2.64 or 2.65 do function as doesn't R3.

AMTM should offer pull version 2.63 of R2 (now 2.65, dysfunctional) now we just get a useless error message there. R3 can be useful for other purposes too, but not for me. So actually both should be available.

Last working version of R2 Script for any VPN service (not only NordVPN...)

curl --retry 3 "https://raw.githubusercontent.com/ViktorJp/VPNMON-R2/master/vpnmon-r2-2.63.sh" -o "/jffs/scripts/vpnmon-r2.sh" && chmod 755 "/jffs/scripts/vpnmon-r2.sh"

 

[Viktor Jaep]

Version 2.63 is the last functioning version of the script. Neither 2.64 or 2.65 do function as doesn't R3.

Hate to tell you this, but there is no functional difference between 2.63 and 2.64/65. The latter versions just contain some extra lines of code to steer people towards VPNMON-R3 when it starts up, adds some nags, and for new installs, prevents the script from running. But the guts/engine remains the same.

AMTM should offer pull version 2.63 of R2 (now 2.65, dysfunctional) now we just get a useless error message there. R3 can be useful for other purposes too, but not for me. So actually both should be available.

Last working version of R2 Script for any VPN service (not only NordVPN...)

It has already been decided to sunset VPNMON-R2. @thelonelycoder will be removing the option to install R2 from AMTM in the near future. I have tested VPNMON-R3 with 5 different VPN providers without issue. I'm not sure what particular use case you have that makes it impossible to use.

 

[iTyPsIDg]

That has always been the plan, but I haven't gotten around to it yet to understand how wireguard functions compared to openvpn. I'm sure there will be a bunch of new NVRAM values as well that hopefully are comparable. It's definitely on my "to-do" list.

I don't know if this will help for testing WireGuard (IIRC you use Nord and another service); however, I found this today: https://gist.github.com/bluewalk/7b3db071c488c82c604baf76a42eaad3

 

[igo]

Hate to tell you this, but there is no functional difference between 2.63 and 2.64/65. The latter versions just contain some extra lines of code to steer people towards VPNMON-R3 when it starts up, adds some nags, and for new installs, prevents the script from running. But the guts/engine remains the same.


It has already been decided to sunset VPNMON-R2. @thelonelycoder will be removing the option to install R2 from AMTM in the near future. I have tested VPNMON-R3 with 5 different VPN providers without issue. I'm not sure what particular use case you have that makes it impossible to use.

whatever you changes where. 2.65 doesn't function! Not at all!
And R3 has a different functionality and doesn't work as before / not at all for my regular VPN provider. might work for ur NordVPN.

 

[bibikalka]

@Viktor Jaep

Installed R3 1.3.5 today, some feedback/questions.

1) When I reconnect to vpnmon+screen, it keeps resizing my Putty window to 40 columns. I like to keep it a lot wider by default. Experiment, putty window is 141x33. Reopening screen resizes to 80x33. And I cannot see the header, since the original screen started bigger!
I sorted this one out - The feature is called "remote terminal resizing", and it can be disabled at Configuration -> Terminal -> Features -> Disable remote-controlled terminal resizing

2) Is there a way to put the log file vpnmon-r3.log elsewhere? I don't want it to hit the internal flash:
/jffs/addons/vpnmon-r3.d . If I put it on USB, I can let it grow indefinitely. It could check the path on USB such as in /opt/var/log, and if that does not exist, revert back to /jffs for logging.

3) if I configure it to monitor a connection that's dead because that single server is bad, and it has no server list, I cannot seem to be able to enter the menu. It keeps trying to restart, and it does not watch the key strokes.

4) So far it seems good - I started VPN client with a dead server, and vpnmon did find the working one, and connected to it.

P.S. I am hoping that by continuous ping this utility will help me to keep the VPN connection alive when the device is dormant.

 

[Viktor Jaep]

1) When I reconnect to vpnmon+screen, it keeps resizing my Putty window to 40 columns. I like to keep it a lot wider by default. Experiment, putty window is 141x33. Reopening screen resizes to 80x33. And I cannot see the header, since the original screen started bigger!
I sorted this one out - The feature is called "remote terminal resizing", and it can be disabled at Configuration -> Terminal -> Features -> Disable remote-controlled terminal resizing

As you probably found, VPNMON-R3 doesn't force anything on any local terminals when it comes to sizing. You get what you get. I use a variety of different SSH terminals, and PuTTY is the only one that I've set a larger window size by default, because I was getting tired of manually having to enlarge the window each time.

2) Is there a way to put the log file vpnmon-r3.log elsewhere? I don't want it to hit the internal flash:
/jffs/addons/vpnmon-r3.d . If I put it on USB, I can let it grow indefinitely. It could check the path on USB such as in /opt/var/log, and if that does not exist, revert back to /jffs for logging.

At the moment, no. Unless you manually edit the script to point it to a different path/location... but that would be overridden next time a script update comes out. I've heard of others hooking it into scribe to offload some of these logs into a different logging tool... but that's at your own risk.

3) if I configure it to monitor a connection that's dead because that single server is bad, and it has no server list, I cannot seem to be able to enter the menu. It keeps trying to restart, and it does not watch the key strokes.

When it tries to reset this connection, it should give you a 5 second window to edit the settings right before the reset occurs, and get to the screen to monitor/unmonitor different VPN slots. Highly recommend having a list for each slot you want to monitor so it has a backup to connect to.

 

[bibikalka]

As you probably found, VPNMON-R3 doesn't force anything on any local terminals when it comes to sizing. You get what you get. I use a variety of different SSH terminals, and PuTTY is the only one that I've set a larger window size by default, because I was getting tired of manually having to enlarge the window each time.

At the moment, no. Unless you manually edit the script to point it to a different path/location... but that would be overridden next time a script update comes out. I've heard of others hooking it into scribe to offload some of these logs into a different logging tool... but that's at your own risk.
...

The issue is that Putty was resizing to a smaller size than what I already had - but that Putty option fixed that.

I did edit the script manually, to save the log to /opt/var/log. It was easy! I have a flaky VPN (fastestvpn), so it seems to lose connection A LOT. Lots of logging is being created, so good to keep that on the attached SSD.

Overall, I am very impressed with VPNMON-R3 operation! It does what it claims to do, and flaky VPNs can be easily upgraded to much higher quality of connection than otherwise! Many thanks for having the idea, and implementing it!

 

[bibikalka]

@Viktor Jaep

Btw, what do 2 numbers mean in the ping string? See this "[0049.179]" below.

I am running 2 connections to the same VPN, and allow the 2nd one to roam between more servers which are potentially slower. That's if connection #1 has issues with its shorter list of faster servers.

  VPNMON-R3 - v1.3.5                  (S)how/(H)ide Operations Menu               Sun Sep 29 14:12:14 CDT 2024

  Slot | Mon |  Svrs  | Health | VPN State    | Public VPN IP   | Ping-->VPN | City Exit / Time
-------|-----|--------|--------|--------------|-----------------|------------|---------------------------------
  VPN1 | [X] | [0004] | [ OK ] | Connected    | 037.120.157.250 | [0049.179] | Miami: 0d 22h:56m
  VPN2 | [X] | [0007] | [ OK ] | Connected    | 037.120.157.250 | [0050.190] | Miami: 0d 15h:49m
  VPN3 | [ ] | [0000] | [n/a ] | Disconnected | [n/a]           | [n/a]      | [n/a]
  VPN4 | [ ] | [0000] | [n/a ] | Disconnected | [n/a]           | [n/a]      | [n/a]
  VPN5 | [ ] | [0000] | [n/a ] | Disconnected | [n/a]           | [n/a]      | [n/a]
-------|-----|--------|--------|--------------|-----------------|------------|---------------------------------

  4s / 6% [e=Exit] [Selection?  ]

 

[Ripshod]

Btw, what do 2 numbers mean in the ping string? See this "[0049.179]" below.

The two zeros are just leading zeros, ie 0049.179 equals 49.179ms, leading to a maximum 9999.999ms. The leading zeros may have been necessary at the time but I'm sure there can be changes to remove them. Same goes, I assume, for the leading zero(s) in the IPv4 octets(?).

 

[Viktor Jaep]

The two zeros are just leading zeros, ie 0049.179 equals 49.179ms, leading to a maximum 9999.999ms. The leading zeros may have been necessary at the time but I'm sure there can be changes to remove them. Same goes, I assume, for the leading zero(s) in the IPv4 octets(?).

It's to help with spacing, and keep the table lined up.