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    Working on getting OpenVPN server bridging to fly.

    Scheduled Pinned Locked Moved OpenVPN
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    • I
      Icidic
      last edited by

      I hate to bump an already huge topic, but, can I confirm that pfSense with OpenVPN Bridge Mode ONLY appears to kernel hang when CARP is involved?  Or does it hang regardless of whether the pfSense machine is CARP aware or not?

      Thanks :).

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      • R
        razor2000
        last edited by

        @Icidic:

        I hate to bump an already huge topic, but, can I confirm that pfSense with OpenVPN Bridge Mode ONLY appears to kernel hang when CARP is involved?  Or does it hang regardless of whether the pfSense machine is CARP aware or not?

        Thanks :).

        I will add that without CARP on, I have no stability problems or kernel hangs with OpenVPN bridging enabled.  My pfsense based alix board currently has an uptime of 8 days and 2 hours.  Hope this helps…

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        • valnarV
          valnar
          last edited by

          Is there a set of instructions from start to finish that will accomplish this Layer-2 bridge over the Internet on pfSense boxes?

          Thanks.

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          • B
            bviper47
            last edited by

            I would also like to know if there is a full set of instructions for this.

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            • valnarV
              valnar
              last edited by

              I managed to get a L2 bridge working with DD-WRT on a pair of old Linksys WRT54G routers following this:
              http://www.dd-wrt.com/wiki/index.php/OpenVPN_-_Site-to-Site_Bridged_VPN_Between_Two_Routers
              I will try it on a couple pfSense boxes next, but I assume it would operate the same way.

              I also wonder if it would have the same limitations, which I discovered is a low 'high end' frame or packet size.  If you ping across the tunnel and set the don't-fragment-bit, the largest packet allowed will be 1342 bytes.  1343 fails without fragmentation.  Of course, IP can normally handle this, but I need L2 connectivity for non-IP protocols which have no knowledge of fragments.

              Since my underlying protocol can't fragment it's own frame, is there a way to make pfSense fragment the packet after encapsulation with this OpenVPN/Bridge method?  Because after you add all the L3 & VPN overhead, it's quite easy to exceed the MTU allowed over the Internet, resulting in dropped packets (frames) at the source.

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              • T
                tekkon
                last edited by

                I am on pfSense 1.21 final. I tried the OpenVPN bridging instructions over at this link:
                http://doc.pfsense.org/index.php/VPN_Capability_OpenVPN#OpenVPN_Client_Bridging

                The part where entering

                "server-bridge 172.16.11.1 255.255.255.0 172.16.11.128 172.16.11.150"

                in the 'Custom Option' box within OpenVPN's server settings didn't work.

                I got the following error in my OpenVPN log:

                "openvpn[15315]: Options error: --server and --server-bridge cannot be used together"

                Since the '–server' option cannot co-exist with the '--server-bridge' option, which part of '/etc/inc/openvpn.inc' should I manually edit out the '--server' option?

                Another part of the instruction that didn't work in 1.21 is where it instruct to enter

                <earlyshellcmd>ifconfig bridge0 create</earlyshellcmd>
<earlyshellcmd>ifconfig bridge0 addm em2 up</earlyshellcmd>
<shellcmd>ifconfig bridge0 addm tap0</shellcmd>

                in '/conf/config.xml' didn't load after a reboot. I had to manually execute it in cli to get the result.

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                • T
                  tehryan
                  last edited by

                  i get the same error

                  "openvpn[15315]: Options error: –server and --server-bridge cannot be used together"

                  however i did manage to bridge the connections together in the config.xml file - it loads fine for me and shows up in the gui that it's learning, however the above error has me stumped as well

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                  • J
                    jmserrano
                    last edited by

                    Quote the text in http://doc.pfsense.org/index.php/VPN_Capability_OpenVPN#OpenVPN_Client_Bridging

                    "Check off "Use Static IPs". This seems like a misnomer, but we're working around the way pfSense is currently coded. Don't worry, you'll still assign IP's from the server. "

                    It's very important. 'server' directive dissapear from config file

                    Regards

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                    • T
                      tehryan
                      last edited by

                      i've gone back to trying to get this to work again

                      i've got a perfectly working tunnel using the site-to-site using pki tutorial above in the stickys - i redirect gateway so all traffic goes through the tunnel, i'd like to have the client computers DHCP over the tunnel if thats even possible, right now if i traceroute from the client side i get the pfsense box on the client, so 192.168.4.1, then i get the tunnel, 192.168.5.1, i then get the server box 192.168.1.1 and then its outside network - if i can remove most of those steps although unnessary it'd be nice

                      i've clicked the static ip box now and i no longer get that error but i get something else now- keep in mind my tunnel works perfect before i add the custom options  - dev tap0; server-bridge 192.168.1.1 255.255.255.0 192.168.1.128 192.168.1.150

                      my server box has a lan ip of 192.168.1.1; client box is 192.168.4.1 and the tunnel is 192.168.5.0/

                      here's the new errors i get
                      Feb 2 22:40:33 openvpn[19541]: XX.XX.XX.XXX:1194 Re-using SSL/TLS context
                      Feb 2 22:40:33 openvpn[19541]: XX.XX.XX.XXX:1194 WARNING: 'dev-type' is used inconsistently, local='dev-type tap', remote='dev-type tun'
                      Feb 2 22:40:33 openvpn[19541]: XX.XX.XX.XXX:1194 WARNING: 'link-mtu' is used inconsistently, local='link-mtu 1573', remote='link-mtu 1541'
                      Feb 2 22:40:33 openvpn[19541]: XX.XX.XX.XXX:1194 WARNING: 'tun-mtu' is used inconsistently, local='tun-mtu 1532', remote='tun-mtu 1500'
                      Feb 2 22:40:33 openvpn[19541]: XX.XX.XX.XXX:1194 [Client2] Peer Connection Initiated with XX.XX.XX.XXX:1194

                      here are the custom options on my server  - route 192.168.3.0 255.255.0.0;route 192.168.4.0 255.255.0.0;push "route 192.168.1.0 255.255.0.0";push "redirect-gateway dev1";dev tap0;server-bridge 192.168.1.1 255.255.255.0 192.168.1.128 192.168.1.150

                      192.168.3.0 is the first client, my client is actually the 2nd

                      once again, if i remove everything after push redirect-gateway dev1 and unclick the static ip box my tunnel works perfect… i've gotta be missing something or over complicating it anyway

                      is it even possible to dhcp over a tunnel?

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                      • T
                        tehryan
                        last edited by

                        now i'm getting this nonsense

                        openvpn[48446]: WARNING: Since you are using –dev tap, the second argument to --ifconfig must be a netmask, for example something like 255.255.255.0. (silence this warning with --ifconfig-nowarn)

                        ... i've done everything to follow every possible instruction... i must be getting instructions messed up and have an option clicked somewhere... i've spent coutless hours on this... i dont know what i'm doing wrong

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                        • GruensFroeschliG
                          GruensFroeschli
                          last edited by

                          One one site you're using a tap interface and on the other side a tun interface.

                          You need a tap interface on both sides.

                          A bridge transfers ethernet-packets. Meaning you can transfer everything which is an ethernetframe. (including everything which is NOT IP based).
                          A tun-interface is an IP routing interface. Meaning you can only transfer IP-frames.

                          Feb 2 22:40:33  openvpn[19541]: XX.XX.XX.XXX:1194 WARNING: 'dev-type' is used inconsistently, local='dev-type tap', remote='dev-type tun'
                          Feb 2 22:40:33  openvpn[19541]: XX.XX.XX.XXX:1194 WARNING: 'link-mtu' is used inconsistently, local='link-mtu 1573', remote='link-mtu 1541'
                          Feb 2 22:40:33  openvpn[19541]: XX.XX.XX.XXX:1194 WARNING: 'tun-mtu' is used inconsistently, local='tun-mtu 1532', remote='tun-mtu 1500'
                          says exactly that:
                          You have tap on ones side and tun on the other side.
                          Since the IP-header counts as payload in ethernetframes (with a bridge –> tap-interface)
                          You also get MTU inconsistency messages.

                          We do what we must, because we can.

                          Asking questions the smart way: http://www.catb.org/esr/faqs/smart-questions.html

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                          • T
                            tehryan
                            last edited by

                            sorry yea i fixed that by putting dev tap0 on both sides… the how-to never says that but i found it in the openvpn faq on its web-site - now i'm getting the ifconfig trouble

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                            • GruensFroeschliG
                              GruensFroeschli
                              last edited by

                              Which ifconfig troubles exactly?
                              In your specific commands you have a lot of route commands (and redir).
                              These commands are for a routed enviroment (aka with tun interfaces).
                              In a bridged interface if the traffic is allowed by the firewall it will just flow to the other side.
                              Think of the bridge as a cable between two switches, with the pfSenses being the switches.
                              (although you do get filtering abilities on this bridge).

                              We do what we must, because we can.

                              Asking questions the smart way: http://www.catb.org/esr/faqs/smart-questions.html

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                              • T
                                tehryan
                                last edited by

                                okay - with these custom options i get this log

                                route 192.168.3.0 255.255.0.0;route 192.168.4.0 255.255.0.0;push "route 192.168.1.0 255.255.0.0";push "redirect-gateway def1";dev tap0;server-bridge 192.168.1.1 255.255.255.0 192.168.1.150 192.168.1.165

                                Feb 3 11:38:41 openvpn[49146]: OpenVPN 2.0.6 i386-portbld-freebsd7.0 [SSL] [LZO] built on Nov 9 2008
                                Feb 3 11:38:41 openvpn[49146]: WARNING: file '/var/etc/openvpn_server0.key' is group or others accessible
                                Feb 3 11:38:41 openvpn[49146]: WARNING: Since you are using –dev tap, the second argument to --ifconfig must be a netmask, for example something like 255.255.255.0. (silence this warning with --ifconfig-nowarn)
                                Feb 3 11:38:41 openvpn[49146]: gw 192.168.2.1
                                Feb 3 11:38:41 openvpn[49146]: OpenVPN ROUTE: OpenVPN needs a gateway parameter for a –route option and no default was specified by either --route-gateway or --ifconfig options
                                Feb 3 11:38:41 openvpn[49146]: OpenVPN ROUTE: failed to parse/resolve route for host/network: 192.168.3.0
                                Feb 3 11:38:41 openvpn[49146]: OpenVPN ROUTE: OpenVPN needs a gateway parameter for a –route option and no default was specified by either --route-gateway or --ifconfig options
                                Feb 3 11:38:41 openvpn[49146]: OpenVPN ROUTE: failed to parse/resolve route for host/network: 192.168.4.0
                                Feb 3 11:38:41 openvpn[49146]: TUN/TAP device /dev/tap0 opened
                                Feb 3 11:38:41 openvpn[49146]: /sbin/ifconfig tap0 192.168.5.1 netmask 192.168.5.2 mtu 1500 up
                                Feb 3 11:38:41 openvpn[49146]: /etc/rc.filter_configure tap0 1500 1573 192.168.5.1 192.168.5.2 init
                                Feb 3 11:38:41 openvpn[49160]: UDPv4 link local (bound): [undef]:1194
                                Feb 3 11:38:41 openvpn[49160]: UDPv4 link remote: [undef]
                                Feb 3 11:38:41 openvpn[49160]: Initialization Sequence Completed

                                if i remove all but dev tap0;server-bridge 192.168.1.1 255.255.255.0 192.168.1.150 192.168.1.165

                                i get this in the log

                                Feb 3 12:06:11 openvpn[52031]: OpenVPN 2.0.6 i386-portbld-freebsd7.0 [SSL] [LZO] built on Nov 9 2008
                                Feb 3 12:06:11 openvpn[52031]: WARNING: file '/var/etc/openvpn_server0.key' is group or others accessible
                                Feb 3 12:06:11 openvpn[52031]: WARNING: Since you are using –dev tap, the second argument to --ifconfig must be a netmask, for example something like 255.255.255.0. (silence this warning with --ifconfig-nowarn)
                                Feb 3 12:06:11 openvpn[52031]: TUN/TAP device /dev/tap0 opened
                                Feb 3 12:06:11 openvpn[52031]: /sbin/ifconfig tap0 192.168.5.1 netmask 192.168.5.2 mtu 1500 up
                                Feb 3 12:06:11 openvpn[52031]: /etc/rc.filter_configure tap0 1500 1573 192.168.5.1 192.168.5.2 init
                                Feb 3 12:06:12 openvpn[52044]: UDPv4 link local (bound): [undef]:1194
                                Feb 3 12:06:12 openvpn[52044]: UDPv4 link remote: [undef]
                                Feb 3 12:06:12 openvpn[52044]: Initialization Sequence Completed

                                this is the entry i'm referring too

                                Feb 3 12:06:11 openvpn[52031]: WARNING: Since you are using –dev tap, the second argument to --ifconfig must be a netmask, for example something like 255.255.255.0. (silence this warning with --ifconfig-nowarn)

                                i'm not sure how to go about it

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