Remote-access Guide

openvpn remote access server setup wizard pfsense

by Ashton Konopelski III Published 2 years ago Updated 2 years ago
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The OpenVPN wizard on pfSense® software is a convenient way to setup a remote access VPN for mobile clients. The wizard configures all of the necessary prerequisites for an OpenVPN remote access server: An authentication source (Local, RADIUS server, or LDAP server) A certificate authority (CA)Jun 21, 2022

Full Answer

How to set up an OpenVPN server?

  • Find and note down your public IP address
  • Download openvpn-install.sh script
  • Run openvpn-install.sh to install OpenVPN server
  • Connect an OpenVPN server using iOS/Android/Linux/Windows client
  • Verify your connectivity

How to install and configure OpenVPN on Windows 10?

  • Click Network > VPN .
  • Activate the desired VPN.
  • To download the configuration file, click Download in the Acces section.
  • Save the zip file. ...
  • Extract the zip file to the desired folder.
  • Open the folder you extracted the configuration files into.

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Where is OpenVPN Server config file?

Windows Client

  1. Navigate to the OpenVPN config folder. C:\Program Files\OpenVPN\config\
  2. Create a new folder (optional) and an OpenVPN configuration file ( er.ovpn ).
  3. Transfer the certificates and client key files from the EdgeRouter /config/auth directory to the OpenVPN client.

How to connect to free VPN Server?

  • Download the configuration files for your VPN clients (devices like Windows, macOS, and smartphones) from the router’s control panel.
  • Unzip the files and copy them over (wirelessly or using a USB cable) to the VPN client folder on the device you wish to connect to the VPN.
  • Connect to the VPN (away from your home network) and test for any leaks.

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How do I connect to pfSense OpenVPN?

OpenVPN ruleFrom the menus at the top of the screen, select Firewall > Rules.Select the OpenVPN sub-menu.Click the Add button to create a new rule at the top of the list.Set the Address Family to IPv4 + IPv6 if your system is using both IPv4 and IPv6. ... Set the Protocol field to Any.Set the Source to Network.More items...•

Is OpenVPN on pfSense free?

Secure Remote Network Access Using OpenVPN Since pfSense is open source and available for free this project won't cost you anything to complete.

How do I add a VPN to pfSense?

1:5023:01Tutorial: pfsense OpenVPN Configuration For Remote Users 2020YouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipSo we're gonna walk you through how the wizard works and that's the easiest way to get started withMoreSo we're gonna walk you through how the wizard works and that's the easiest way to get started with Open VPN I've already got some other advanced videos and your to do some really tricky things with

How do I connect to a remote server using OpenVPN?

How to Add Remote Users On OpenVPN CloudCreate an OpenVPN Cloud account.Add a new Network in the OpenVPN Cloud Administration portal.Install the connector software from this network on a computer in the business network (shown above)Connect the connector to the business's private OpenVPN Cloud network.More items...

Is WireGuard better than OpenVPN?

WireGuard offers a more reliable connection for mobile users than OpenVPN because it handles network changes better. OpenVPN adds a data overhead of up to 20%, whereas WireGuard uses just 4% more data (compared with not using a VPN). VPN services need to include mitigations to ensure user privacy when using WireGuard.

Does pfSense have a VPN?

pfSense® software offers several VPN options: IPsec, OpenVPN, WireGuard and L2TP. This section provides an overview of VPN usage, the pros and cons of each type of VPN, and how to decide which is the best fit for a particular environment.

How do I download OpenVPN from pfSense?

OpenVPN Client Export PackageNavigate to System > Packages, Available Packages tab.Locate the OpenVPN Client Export package in the list.Click. Install next to that package listing to install.Click. Confirm to confirm the installation.

What can OpenVPN do?

It can be used to connect multiple different networks together in a site-to-site setup. Access Servers can be connected with each other to give access to resources or VPN clients. Basically, if it can be routed, the OpenVPN Access Server should be able to handle it.

Does pfSense support WireGuard?

WireGuard is available as an experimental add-on package on pfSense Plus 21.05, pfSense CE 2.5. 2, and later versions.

How do I connect to a remote server?

Remote Desktop to Your Server From a Local Windows ComputerClick the Start button.Click Run...Type “mstsc” and press the Enter key.Next to Computer: type in the IP address of your server.Click Connect.If all goes well, you will see the Windows login prompt.

Where is OpenVPN config file?

Getting the sample config filesthe sample-config-files directory of the OpenVPN source distribution.the sample-config-files directory in /usr/share/doc/packages/openvpn or /usr/share/doc/openvpn if you installed from an RPM or DEB package.More items...

Is OpenVPN Access Server free?

OpenVPN Access Server is free to install and use for 2 simultaneous VPN connections for testing purposes. The OpenVPN community and the OpenVPN Inc. team work together to provide a robust and transparent security product.

What is OpenVPN pfSense?

The OpenVPN wizard on pfSense® software is a convenient way to setup a remote access VPN for mobile clients. The wizard configures all of the necessary prerequisites for an OpenVPN remote access server: An authentication source (Local, RADIUS server, or LDAP server) A certificate authority (CA) A server certificate.

Does pfSense support WireGuard?

WireGuard is available as an experimental add-on package on pfSense Plus 21.05, pfSense CE 2.5. 2, and later versions.

What is the default password for pfSense?

The default credentials for a pfSense® software installation are: Username. admin. Password.

What can OpenVPN do?

It can be used to connect multiple different networks together in a site-to-site setup. Access Servers can be connected with each other to give access to resources or VPN clients. Basically, if it can be routed, the OpenVPN Access Server should be able to handle it.

How to configure OpenVPN on PfSense?

The simplest way to configure OpenVPN on pfSense is to use the built in VPN configuration wizard. The wizard will guide you through the process of creating a certificate authority, issuing a server certificate, and configuring the OpenVPN server settings.

What is the local network address for pfSense?

Enter the address of the network that clients will connect to in the local network box. By default pfSense uses 192.168.1.0/24 as the local network so most users will enter that as the network address unless they specified a different network.

How to start VPN configuration?

To start the configuration open the VPN menu in the web interface and select OpenVPN, then click on the wizards tab.

Where to enter DNS server?

If you are also using pfSense as your local DNS server you would enter the local address of the pfSense firewall (usually 192.168.1.254). If you are using separate DNS servers you can enter them here as well.

How long has Sam been working with PfSense?

Sam has over 10 years of experience working with pfSense firewalls and has written over 30 articles on the subject.

What is the protocol for OpenVPN?

In most cases, this will be the external-facing interface (WAN) which is connected to the internet. The recommended protocol for most users is UDP on IPV4.

How long does a certificate last in OpenVPN?

Again you will need to select a key size that meets your security needs and CPU resources. The default certificate lifetime is 3650 days (10 years).

1. OpenVPN Server Setup

The easiest way to set up OpenVPN is by using the OpenVPN wizard. It will guide you through most of the process.

2. Client Export Package & User Accounts - How to Set Up OpenVPN on pfSense

Ensure that you install the openvpn-client-export package from the Package Manager ( System > Package Manager > Available Packages ).

3. OpenVPN Client Configuration

Now that the client export tool and user account are created, we can proceed in exporting our configuration file.

4. Conclusion - How to Set Up OpenVPN on pfSense

This tutorial showed how to set up OpenVPN on pfSense. Fortunately, by using the wizard and client-export tools, the process to set up a OpenVPN on pfSense is relatively straight forward. You can now create as many users as you’d like, export their own configuration file and they will be able to connect to your VPN server!

What is OpenVPN Connect?

The OpenVPN connect application provides OpenVPN functionality for a number of platforms. Install this on your device to provide the means to process .ovpn files.

What port is OpenVPN on?

We will now open a port on our firewall to allow access to the OpenVPN server which is running on port 443.

What is the default port for OpenVPN?

Now we’ll create the OpenVPN server which remote devices will connect to. We will change from the default port of 1194 to 443 as this port is often closed on remote networks.

What is NAT in VPN?

NAT is needed to convert your inbound devices private local IP address (192.168.200.0/24) to the global registered address space. We’ll set this up for our multiple VPN_WAN gateways, if you are only using a single VPN gateway, you’ll only need one of these three rules.

Can you create an interface based on OpenVPN?

We can now create an interface based on the OpenVPN server we just created.

Do you need a revocation list for remote access?

You’ll need a revocation list for if/when you need to expire any certificates you create. Although this isnt required to get our remote access working, its trivial to create so we may as well.

Can OpenVPN accept multiple certificates?

We will now create a client certificate for an iOS device. Although you can set OpenVPN up to accept the same certificate from multiple clients its a less secure solution and not my preferred option. This option allows you to specify a certificate per user or client and provides the ability to expire a single certificate to revoke access at any time.

What is OpenVPN Access Server?

OpenVPN Access Server provides web services to run both the Admin Web UI and the Client UI. The Client UI provides your users with pre-configured VPN clients, which simplifies the process of connecting to your VPN server.

What is the OpenVPN admin manual?

For more information about each Admin Web UI section, refer to the OpenVPN Access Server Admin Manual, which provides details about the different configuration options through your Admin Web UI portal as well as details on typical network configurations.

How to know if VPN is on or off?

The Status Overview section indicates whether the VPN server is currently on or off. If it’s on, you can click on Stop the Server to stop the OpenVPN daemons. If the server is off, you can click on Start the Server to start the OpenVPN daemons.

Which protocol is better for OpenVPN?

The protocol used for the OpenVPN tunnel itself — UDP is generally the better choice here.

Can I sign in to the admin web UI with the OpenVPN username?

With the password set, you can sign in to the Admin Web UI with the openvpn username.

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