Netgate Discussion Forum
    • Categories
    • Recent
    • Tags
    • Popular
    • Users
    • Search
    • Register
    • Login

    Can only connect to VPN from internal network not from External

    Scheduled Pinned Locked Moved OpenVPN
    16 Posts 2 Posters 415 Views
    Loading More Posts
    • Oldest to Newest
    • Newest to Oldest
    • Most Votes
    Reply
    • Reply as topic
    Log in to reply
    This topic has been deleted. Only users with topic management privileges can see it.
    • johnpozJ
      johnpoz LAYER 8 Global Moderator @evang
      last edited by

      @evang well looks like you ran through the wizard a few times - see multiple copies of the rule.. but notice the 0 / 0 B that means pfsense never saw any traffic that matched it..

      Since your top rfc1918 rule has seen a lot of traffic on it 74MB, I take it pfsense is behind a nat? Not sure why else it would be seeing so much rfc1918 traffic on its wan?

      If pfsense wan is not public, ie behind some nat router then you would have to make sure your router in front of pfsense forwards the traffic to pfsense wan IP.

      Does pfsense wan have a rfc1918 address on it, 10.x or 172.16-31.x or 192.168.x -- or maybe a cgnat range 100.64-127.x ?

      An intelligent man is sometimes forced to be drunk to spend time with his fools
      If you get confused: Listen to the Music Play
      Please don't Chat/PM me for help, unless mod related
      SG-4860 24.11 | Lab VMs 2.8, 24.11

      E 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
      • E
        evang @johnpoz
        last edited by

        @johnpoz
        Hey John,

        Here is a crude drawing of my network topology. In this case would I need to have my router forward the traffic from the router to my pfsense box?

        Also not too sure how to answer this

        "Does pfsense wan have a rfc1918 address on it, 10.x or 172.16-31.x or 192.168.x -- or maybe a cgnat range 100.64-127.x ?"

        Where would I find this information

        Topology.png

        johnpozJ 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
        • johnpozJ
          johnpoz LAYER 8 Global Moderator @evang
          last edited by

          @evang said in Can only connect to VPN from internal network not from External:

          Where would I find this information

          look on pfsense wan interface - what does it show.. You can either see it on the interfaces widget on the main page, or under status interfaces

          public.jpg

          But from a drawing showing ROUTER in front of pfsense I would bet large some of money you have private IP on pfsense wan.

          An intelligent man is sometimes forced to be drunk to spend time with his fools
          If you get confused: Listen to the Music Play
          Please don't Chat/PM me for help, unless mod related
          SG-4860 24.11 | Lab VMs 2.8, 24.11

          E 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
          • E
            evang @johnpoz
            last edited by

            @johnpoz

            This is what I have for that interface

            Screenshot 2024-10-05 at 11.36.12 AM.png

            johnpozJ 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
            • johnpozJ
              johnpoz LAYER 8 Global Moderator @evang
              last edited by

              @evang as I thought that is a rfc1918 address 192.168.x.x - so unless you forward port 1194 on that router in front of pfsense that has your public IP on it to this 192.168.x.x of pfsense. Pfsense would never see any traffic to allow for making a openvpn connection on port 1194

              It might be better to remove that router from your network.. If it is providing wifi, move it to be behind pfsense and just use it as an Access Point.

              Users also confuse modem and gateway, if that device you call is actually a gateway and not a true say cable modem only and a gateway that is a modem/router combo then you could be behind 2 nats before pfsense wan IP.

              An intelligent man is sometimes forced to be drunk to spend time with his fools
              If you get confused: Listen to the Music Play
              Please don't Chat/PM me for help, unless mod related
              SG-4860 24.11 | Lab VMs 2.8, 24.11

              E 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
              • E
                evang @johnpoz
                last edited by

                @johnpoz

                I may take your advice on moving the router behind it but I may do that later down the road. I went into my router settings and found the port forwarding settings. Does this look correct?

                Screenshot 2024-10-05 at 12.36.54 PM.png

                johnpozJ 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                • johnpozJ
                  johnpoz LAYER 8 Global Moderator @evang
                  last edited by

                  @evang yeah that should work.. As long as this router actually has a public IP on its wan, and not behind another nat device that your calling a modem on your drawing.. and that 192.168.x.x address is pfsense wan IP.

                  btw little reason to hide a rfc1918 address.. They do not route on the internet, and everyone uses them as well.

                  For example my lan is 192.168.9.0/24 with my pc on 192.168.9.100 and pfsense IP is 192.168.9.253 - is there something you could glean from that info? That would give any clue to where I am at? Might as well tell you I live on the planet earth ;)

                  An intelligent man is sometimes forced to be drunk to spend time with his fools
                  If you get confused: Listen to the Music Play
                  Please don't Chat/PM me for help, unless mod related
                  SG-4860 24.11 | Lab VMs 2.8, 24.11

                  E 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                  • E
                    evang @johnpoz
                    last edited by

                    @johnpoz

                    You are 100% correct that would not provide any insight at all lol, Still learning so forgive me.
                    How would I verify if my router has a public IP? I have a netgear router

                    johnpozJ 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                    • johnpozJ
                      johnpoz LAYER 8 Global Moderator @evang
                      last edited by johnpoz

                      @evang you should be able to look on your netgear router gui for its wan info.. What is the model number of the thing your calling a modem in your drawing.. From the model number can tell you if just a modem, or a gateway (modem/router combo) for example I have a arris S33 it just a cable modem.. not nat.

                      Another way to tell if that device is a gateway - does it have more than 1 ethernet ports.. Some new modems have 2, mine has 1 1ge and another 2.5ge interface.. But if it has like 4 or something that yeah its a gateway and just not a modem.

                      An intelligent man is sometimes forced to be drunk to spend time with his fools
                      If you get confused: Listen to the Music Play
                      Please don't Chat/PM me for help, unless mod related
                      SG-4860 24.11 | Lab VMs 2.8, 24.11

                      E 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                      • E
                        evang @johnpoz
                        last edited by

                        @johnpoz

                        My modem is a Netgear CM700. I think it is just a modem so no NAT. I am not seeing in the settings where the public IP of my Router is

                        johnpozJ 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                        • johnpozJ
                          johnpoz LAYER 8 Global Moderator @evang
                          last edited by

                          @evang what netgear is it? yeah a cm700 is just a modem.. So the netgear should have public on it.. If you go to like whats my IP that should be what your public is so yeah setting the port forward on there should work - if your ddns is pointing to the correct IP.

                          An intelligent man is sometimes forced to be drunk to spend time with his fools
                          If you get confused: Listen to the Music Play
                          Please don't Chat/PM me for help, unless mod related
                          SG-4860 24.11 | Lab VMs 2.8, 24.11

                          E 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                          • E
                            evang @johnpoz
                            last edited by

                            @johnpoz

                            I got it working now! Thank you so much! So, lessons learned here. If I want to access resources behind a router, I will need to use port forwarding in order to properly route the traffic to that machine. Correct?

                            johnpozJ 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                            • johnpozJ
                              johnpoz LAYER 8 Global Moderator @evang
                              last edited by

                              @evang yeah and you have 2 nat routers so you would have to port forward twice if you have something behind pfsense

                              An intelligent man is sometimes forced to be drunk to spend time with his fools
                              If you get confused: Listen to the Music Play
                              Please don't Chat/PM me for help, unless mod related
                              SG-4860 24.11 | Lab VMs 2.8, 24.11

                              1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                              • First post
                                Last post
                              Copyright 2025 Rubicon Communications LLC (Netgate). All rights reserved.