Remote-access Guide

remote access vpn pfsense

by Gerson Dooley Published 2 years ago Updated 1 year 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 ProtonVPN on pfSense?

Step Two: Configure the OpenVPN Client

  • General Information. Server host or address: Enter the IP address of the server you wish to connect to. ...
  • User Authentication Settings. Note: These settings require your ProtonVPN OpenVPN credentials, which are different from your regular ProtonVPN login credentials.
  • Cryptographic Settings. TLS Key: Paste the key from the OpenVPN configuration file. ...

How do I configure pfSense as an outbound VPN client?

  • Navigate to System > Routing, Static Routes tab
  • Click Add
  • Configure the routes as follows: Destination network The VPN provider peer endpoint IP address. For this example, 86.106.143.236. ...
  • Click Save

How to configure OpenVPN client perfectly on pfSense?

  • You must bridge the client TAP interface with the LAN-connected NIC on the client.
  • You must manually set the IP/netmask of the TAP interface on the client.
  • You must configure client-side machines to use an IP/netmask that is inside of the bridged subnet, possibly by querying a DHCP server on the OpenVPN server side of the VPN.

How to restart OpenVPN in pfSense?

To reboot from the console:

  • Access the console menu locally or via SSH with an admin-level account ( admin, root, or another privileged account using sudo ).
  • Enter the menu option which corresponds with Reboot system (e.g. 5)
  • Press Enter
  • Enter the letter which corresponds with the desired Reboot Method
  • Press Enter

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Can pfSense be 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 access my pfSense remotely?

To enable the service, log into the web interface of the pfSense router.Access the advanced settings page in the system menu.Check the box labeled 'Enable Secure Shell'Change the default port by entering a new port number in the 'SSH Port' box.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?

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 OPNsense better than pfSense?

Comparison Results: OPNsense ultimately won out in this comparison. Our reviewers agree that OPNsense is easy to install and easy to use, while pfSense was less so. One area where pfSense did come out on top was in the free support category. To learn more, read our detailed OPNsense vs.

How do I remotely access pfSense SSH?

Enable SSH via GUINavigate to System > Advanced, Admin Access tab.Check Enable Secure Shell.Set SSHd Key Only to Public Key Only to allow only key-based SSH authentication.Enter a port number in SSH Port if the SSH daemon should listen on a non-default port. Leave the field blank for the daemon to use port 22.Click Save.

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.

How does OpenVPN work on 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)

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.

Which is better IPSec or OpenVPN?

IPSec with IKEv2 should in theory be the faster than OpenVPN due to user-mode encryption in OpenVPN however it depends on many variables specific to the connection. In most cases it is faster than OpenVPN. When used in its default UDP mode on a reliable network OpenVPN performs similarly to IKEv2.

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 is WireGuard VPN protocol?

Wireguard is the Best VPN Protocol WireGuard is a new open-source VPN protocol that uses state-of-the-art cryptography and aims to outperform the existing VPN protocols like IPsec and OpenVPN. It was originally released for the Linux kernel, but is now cross-platform and can be widely deployable.

How do I access pfSense console?

PFSense - Enable Console Login Open a browser software, enter the IP address of your Pfsense firewall and access web interface. The Pfsense web interface should be presented. On the prompt screen, enter the Pfsense Default Password login information. After a successful login, you will be sent to the Pfsense Dashboard.

How do I access pfSense GUI?

To reach the GUI, follow this basic procedure:Connect a client computer to the same network as the LAN interface of the firewall. This computer may be directly connected with a network cable or connected to the same switch as the LAN interface of the firewall. ... Enter the default credentials in the login page: username.

How do I connect to pfSense WAN?

Connecting your new pfSense router to the networkUnpack the box and take out the router.Connect the network cables. Unless you specified otherwise, device will come pre-configured with Port 0 as WAN and port 1 as LAN. ... Connect the power adapter. ... APU board is booting. ... Connect to the web interface.

What is the default username and password for pfSense?

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

Remote access VPN setup on pfSense

pfSense is a great way to secure your network. One of the best things about pfSense is that it also includes OpenVPN for remote access (or site-to-site VPNs but we’re not going to cover that in this article. Setting up a remote access VPN is very simple to do and I’ll explain some of the features.

Setting up a Certificate CA

In order to issue certificates, which OpenVPN needs, we need to be able to generate those. To do that, we need a CA. Setting up a CA in pfSense is really easy. Just go to the System > Cert. Manager menu. Once there, click “New” under the CAs tab. You’ll see a screen similar to this. Just fill it out like this:

Generating a VPN certificate

When you go to the certificates tab you’ll probably see that you already have a certificate for the web interface. This cert won’t work for OpenVPN, so we need to make a new one. Click the New button at the bottom of the page to get started.

Setting up an OpenVPN server

First things first, we need a server configured that we can connect to. Get started by going to the VPN menu and selecting OpenVPN.

What is OpenVPN export package?

The OpenVPN Client Export Package allows exporting configurations formatted for a wide variety of platforms. It also allows exporting a pre-packaged Windows installer executable which includes the configuration bundled inside for a painless client installation.

What is the default port for SSL?

The default port is 389 for standard TCP connections, and 636 for SSL. Transport. This can be set to TCP - Standard for unencrypted connections, or SSL - Encrypted for secure connections. A standard connection may be sufficient at least for local servers or initial testing.

What is VPN in PfSense?

There are several VPN options available in pfSense software, such as. IPsec. OpenVPN. SSH tunneling. Once a VPN is in place, reach the GUI safely using a local address on the firewall, such as the LAN IP address. The exact details vary depending on the VPN configuration.

How to restrict management access to a port?

To restrict management access first ensure the LAN rules allow access to the port used for the GUI. This depicts the default LAN rule, which allows access to the web interface. If a restrictive ruleset is in place on the LAN, make sure it permits access to the web interface before continuing. Now disable the anti-lockout rule.

What is an alias in a firewall?

1. Example alias for networks allowed to access management interface. 2. Example alias for ports allowed to access management interface. Now add a firewall rule allowing the sources defined in the management alias to the destination of the firewall, with the port used or alias created for those using multiple ports.

Can I remotely administer a firewall?

Several ways exist to remotely administer a firewall running pfSense® software that come with varying levels of recommendation. They all work, but their use may vary for any number of reasons (Client restrictions, corporate policies, etc.)

What port is OpenVPN on?

This section will configure a secure OpenVPN server running on port 443 rather than the default OpenVPN port of 1194. This reduces the likelihood of a remote network preventing access to your local infrastructure because port 1194 is not permitted or open.

What is NAT in VPN?

NAT is needed to convert private local IP addresses ( 192.168.200.0/24) to the global address space for broadcast on the internet. This section will illustrate how to configure this for our VPN_WAN gateway (or gateways if you have already followed my multiple-VPN failover guide).

How does VPN work?

How it works. The goal is to offer a VPN solution for travelling or teleworking users allowing them to have secure access to the company’s LAN. These users can use a computer or a smartphone to connect. In all cases, they will use an OpenVPN client.

How to add a group to OpenVPN?

Go on “Groups” tab, then click on the “+ Add” button at the bottom right. Give the name you want to the group. In our case we choose “OpenVPN-users”. Then click on the “Save” button. Once done, come back on the “Users” tab, then click on the “+ Add” button. The fields to be filled in are the following:

Is OpenVPN compatible with Mac?

OpenVPN = the perfect solution for home-office users. OpenVPN is easy to implement and is compatible with all types of platforms (Windows, Mac, Android, iOS, …) This article does not cover site-to-site mode configuration of OpenVPN (shared key or X.509).

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.

What is remote access VPN?

A remote-access VPN requires the employee’s device to be equipped with client software which communicates with the VPN gateway, authenticates you as a remote user, and creates a secure tunnel between the employee device to the LAN.

What is VPN in the internet?

What is a VPN? A Virtual Private Network (VPN) provides secure network connections to traverse a public network, like the Internet. VPNs encrypt your internet traffic and conceal your online identity in real-time, making it more difficult for third parties to track your online activity or steal your data.

What is VPN gateway?

For businesses, remote-access VPNs enable employees working anywhere to securely connect to the company’s local area network (LAN) via a VPN gateway, as if the employee was physically or wirelessly plugged into the LAN.

Why is VPN important?

significantly improves security posture. Business, Education, Government. A VPN is an essential tool for keeping organizations protected from data breaches.

Why do people use OpenVPN?

Many home users use OpenVPN at home to provide secure access to their home network as well as privacy on public networks. Remote Workers. Remote working creates a security risk in many ways, including giving cybercriminals new attack paths. Hackers can intercept unencrypted connections, for example.

Why should businesses use VPN?

Businesses, in particular, should use an enterprise VPN to support employee remote access, invoke access control to authenticate and authorize users, and help prevent attacks designed to tamper with, lock up, or steal sensitive business data. Service Providers.

What is IPsec used for?

It helps keep data sent over public networks secure. IPsec is often used to set up VPNs, where it both encrypts IP packets and authenticates the source from where the packets originated.

What is pfSense package?

pfSense provides a package called openvpn-client-export which creates preconfigured OpenVPN profiles for you to download containing all the VPN settings and the user certificate if one is used. For Windows users it also allows you to download an OpenVPN client installer which will automatically install the OpenVPN client application and configure it with the VPN settings. This step is optional as you could configure the client settings manually but in most cases, doing it will simplify deployment.

How to verify VPN connection?

You can verify this by moving to a different network, either public WiFi or a mobile hotspot and opening your firewall’s LAN IP address in a web browser. If everything is working you will see the pfSense login page.

What port does OpenVPN use?

The other setting you may wish to change is the listening port. By default OpenVPN listens on port 1194 in either UDP or TCP mode. You can change the port if you wish, either based on personal preference or if you are on a network which blocks VPN traffic or outbound ports.

What is IPv6 tunnel?

The tunnel network is the network that the members of the tunnel will use.

Is OpenVPN a functional client?

Currently a functional client for Windows does exist but it is pre-alpha meaning not all features are present and stability cannot be guaranteed. OpenVPN solves these problems as it is an older VPN protocol with good cross-platform support and full support for DHCP and per-user logins.

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