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    OpenVPN on pfSense - Installation guide for (Windows) Dummies :-) (road-warrior)

    Scheduled Pinned Locked Moved OpenVPN
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    • X
      Xefan
      last edited by

      This is a great manual. It worked well for me. Thanks a lot!

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      • K
        kjurkic
        last edited by

        Sorry, but this tutorial did NOT work for me :-[

        after 3 tries, I printed it out and checked off the steps as I performed them (now 4th try), and even disabled the f/w on my winXP client, and still no joy.

        pfsense 1.2.2 which is LAN f/w, DHCP server, and openvpn gate.
        Winxp, SP3, latest openvpn client, firewall disabled….

        On the client log, this is all i get:
        Thu Sep 10 17:14:17 2009 OpenVPN 2.1_rc19 i686-pc-mingw32 [SSL] [LZO2] [PKCS11] built on Jul 16 2009
        Thu Sep 10 17:14:17 2009 NOTE: OpenVPN 2.1 requires '–script-security 2' or higher to call user-defined scripts or executables
        Thu Sep 10 17:14:17 2009 LZO compression initialized
        Thu Sep 10 17:14:17 2009 Control Channel MTU parms [ L:1542 D:138 EF:38 EB:0 ET:0 EL:0 ]
        Thu Sep 10 17:14:17 2009 Data Channel MTU parms [ L:1542 D:1450 EF:42 EB:135 ET:0 EL:0 AF:3/1 ]
        Thu Sep 10 17:14:17 2009 Local Options hash (VER=V4): '41690919'
        Thu Sep 10 17:14:17 2009 Expected Remote Options hash (VER=V4): '530fdded'
        Thu Sep 10 17:14:17 2009 Socket Buffers: R=[8192->8192] S=[8192->8192]
        Thu Sep 10 17:14:17 2009 UDPv4 link local: [undef]
        Thu Sep 10 17:14:17 2009 UDPv4 link remote: 142.25.56.3:1194
        Thu Sep 10 17:14:17 2009 TLS: Initial packet from 142.25.56.3:1194, sid=8cfa3413 d6470101
        Thu Sep 10 17:14:17 2009 VERIFY OK: depth=1, /C=CA/ST=BC/L=Bamfield/O=BMSC/CN=openvpnbmsc/emailAddress=admin@bms.bc.ca
        Thu Sep 10 17:14:17 2009 VERIFY OK: nsCertType=SERVER
        Thu Sep 10 17:14:17 2009 VERIFY OK: depth=0, /C=CA/ST=BC/O=BMSC/CN=server/emailAddress=admin@bms.bc.ca

        On this same firewall, as a test I was able to copy the certs from an older openvpn install at another org, and the client keys for same, and it DID connect, but any NEW clients created even using the older certgen, refused to work. Its all very puzzling… ???

        regards
        Ken

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        • C
          charneval
          last edited by

          how can I copy the file certificate.crt (the file in my openvpn/easy-rsa/keys) in the format x.509 insite the windows?
          In your guide you sayd:

          Now you need to have access to some of the files created in c:\programfiles\openvpn
          easy-rsa\keys (mentioned in #12)
          23) Copy the WHOLE content of ca.crt into the "CA certificate" window
          24) Copy the WHOLE content of server.crt into the "Server Certificate" window
          25) Copy the WHOLE content of server.key into the "Server Key" window
          26) Copy the WHOLE content of dh1024.pem into the "DH parameters" window

          Can you help me?

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          • M
            mnovotny
            last edited by

            Right-click on file, Open With, Notepad or something similar.

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            • T
              the_true_way
              last edited by

              Thank you very mutch!!

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              • U
                Unlogic
                last edited by

                Great guide, got OpenVPN up and running in 30 minutes!

                Together with OpenVPN GUI this is a really slick solution, compared to using port forwards in spaghetti like soup which is inevitable if you have many machines behind a NAT router.

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                • U
                  Unlogic
                  last edited by

                  A little hint to those following this guide and then proceeding to setup their own WINS server in order to access machines by computer name instead of IP.

                  By default the Windows XP firewalls limits printer and file sharing access to the local subnet which causes trouble when you have a road warrior style setup with two subnets.

                  To allow file and printer sharing from other subnets follow the steps in this guide: http://www.dharwadkar.com/weblog/firewall_block

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                  • E
                    eihcet
                    last edited by

                    Going to read some more docs, but if anyone feels like answering…

                    1. If I put the 'extra option' for password in the cert when generating does that require the client to also use a password when connecting,or can I set that somewhere else?

                    2. How do I add (what is the starting point, I don't need a step by step...): additional clients now that the server part is all setup and I can connect with the first client.  I think I can figure it out... just asking in case it's a quick reply someone can share.

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                    • F
                      Frewald
                      last edited by

                      @eihcet:

                      1. If I put the 'extra option' for password in the cert when generating does that require the client to also use a password when connecting,or can I set that somewhere else?

                      I would like to know how to prompt the users for a password before connecting, as well :)

                      @eihcet:

                      1. How do I add (what is the starting point, I don't need a step by step…): additional clients now that the server part is all setup and I can connect with the first client.   I think I can figure it out... just asking in case it's a quick reply someone can share.

                      Look in the very bottom of the guide - it says "small update" and describes exactly what you are looking for :)

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                      • T
                        trentdk
                        last edited by

                        NOTE: Local Network: There is a note saying you have to save the settings before you can edit the local network text field; in pfSense 1.2.3, that field becomes editable after changing Authentication Method to PKI.

                        pfSense 2.0 BETA at home, pfSense 1.2.3 at work

                        1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                        • T
                          torontob
                          last edited by

                          Hi,

                          Thanks for the guide. I am trying to create the server.crt with command "build-key-server.bat server" and everything seems to be fine except for /keys/server.crt is empty (0 bytes). How can this be? I am using cmd.exe with Administrative privileges.

                          Any input please?

                          Thanks

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                          • T
                            torontob
                            last edited by

                            Anything guys?

                            Thanks

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                            • C
                              Coldaddy
                              last edited by

                              I will add my thanks to the many you have helped…Thank you for the very helpful guide!!

                              I am confused about one point...On my client PC I install OpenVPN and walk through the steps (cert creation, etc.).  After I have pasted the certs into the pfSense interface do I still need the full OpenVPN software installed on the PC?  Can I uninstall it and only install the OpenVPN Client software (pointing to the configuration file created during the steps)?

                              Thanks for any/all feedback.

                              Steve

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                              • T
                                torontob
                                last edited by

                                Wanted to add that the instruction worked for me using CentOS and not Windows 7 as server.crt was coming out as an empty file.

                                Thanks for the post.

                                1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                • K
                                  keeper 0
                                  last edited by

                                  @torontob:

                                  Hi,

                                  Thanks for the guide. I am trying to create the server.crt with command "build-key-server.bat server" and everything seems to be fine except for /keys/server.crt is empty (0 bytes). How can this be? I am using cmd.exe with Administrative privileges.

                                  Any input please?

                                  Thanks

                                  Delete first the old generated files. And try to run again the build-key-server.bat server.

                                  Hope this help

                                  1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                  • T
                                    torontob
                                    last edited by

                                    Nah. That doesn't help. I did the key generation on a CentOS server and it worked fine.

                                    1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                    • S
                                      soricel_z
                                      last edited by

                                      @torontob:

                                      Nah. That doesn't help. I did the key generation on a CentOS server and it worked fine.

                                      Dear all I am new in PfSense and openVPN.
                                      First thank you a lot for the openVPN guide. Maybe is not the right place here to discuss this but here is the problem:
                                      I installed PfSense with the embedded openVPN server.
                                      I previously generated the certificates un an Ubuntu machine with a compiled openVPN server and I "copy - paste" them into the PfSense interface.
                                      The only problem is that the server works fine but with only one client. (the acces in the network is granted, everything works fine, tunnel is stable)
                                      When the second client try to connect the same IP address will be provided by the server and the first client is kiked off (with "connection was lost").
                                      I tryed to generate more certificates for diferent clients, but the certifiates seems not to have any relation to the IPs.
                                      IP pool for the VPN is 172.16.0.0/24 and the address 172.16.0.6 is the only address given to the clients.
                                      Thanks, Robert

                                      1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                      • C
                                        chunger
                                        last edited by

                                        @soricel_z:

                                        @torontob:

                                        Nah. That doesn't help. I did the key generation on a CentOS server and it worked fine.

                                        Dear all I am new in PfSense and openVPN.
                                        First thank you a lot for the openVPN guide. Maybe is not the right place here to discuss this but here is the problem:
                                        I installed PfSense with the embedded openVPN server.
                                        I previously generated the certificates un an Ubuntu machine with a compiled openVPN server and I "copy - paste" them into the PfSense interface.
                                        The only problem is that the server works fine but with only one client. (the acces in the network is granted, everything works fine, tunnel is stable)
                                        When the second client try to connect the same IP address will be provided by the server and the first client is kiked off (with "connection was lost").
                                        I tryed to generate more certificates for diferent clients, but the certifiates seems not to have any relation to the IPs.
                                        IP pool for the VPN is 172.16.0.0/24 and the address 172.16.0.6 is the only address given to the clients.
                                        Thanks, Robert

                                        I met the same problem,please give our some help for it ,tks

                                        1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                        • S
                                          soricel_z
                                          last edited by

                                          @chunger:

                                          @soricel_z:

                                          @torontob:

                                          Nah. That doesn't help. I did the key generation on a CentOS server and it worked fine.

                                          Dear all I am new in PfSense and openVPN.
                                          First thank you a lot for the openVPN guide. Maybe is not the right place here to discuss this but here is the problem:
                                          I installed PfSense with the embedded openVPN server.
                                          I previously generated the certificates un an Ubuntu machine with a compiled openVPN server and I "copy - paste" them into the PfSense interface.
                                          The only problem is that the server works fine but with only one client. (the acces in the network is granted, everything works fine, tunnel is stable)
                                          When the second client try to connect the same IP address will be provided by the server and the first client is kiked off (with "connection was lost").
                                          I tryed to generate more certificates for diferent clients, but the certifiates seems not to have any relation to the IPs.
                                          IP pool for the VPN is 172.16.0.0/24 and the address 172.16.0.6 is the only address given to the clients.
                                          Thanks, Robert

                                          I met the same problem,please give our some help for it ,tks

                                          I solved it: I made a "small" misstake when I generated the certificates for the clients. The parametrer "common-name" is the one wich makes the diference between the clients. Otherwise the server think that is the same client over and over again and offers the same IP.
                                          So you should put unique names here for the clients, not the same name as I did! It looks like different filenames for the generated keys did not make any difference between the clients.
                                          Thank you all for the support! All the best! Robert

                                          1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                          • C
                                            chunger
                                            last edited by

                                            I am a newbie ,when I build the second client key ,it always remind me it can't find the *.old file.  I don't know the use of the *.old。
                                            my first key works well,but I need create more client keys.  so pls help me find the reason,tks.

                                            I have copy the procedure of building the client key.

                                            I:\Program Files\OpenVPN\easy-rsa>build-key.bat
                                            Loading 'screen' into random state - done
                                            Generating a 1024 bit RSA private key
                                            ….....++++++
                                            ..........++++++
                                            writing new private key to 'keys.key'

                                            You are about to be asked to enter information that will be incorporated
                                            into your certificate request.
                                            What you are about to enter is what is called a Distinguished Name or a DN.
                                            There are quite a few fields but you can leave some blank
                                            For some fields there will be a default value,
                                            If you enter '.', the field will be left blank.

                                            Country Name (2 letter code) [US]:
                                            State or Province Name (full name) [CA]:
                                            Locality Name (eg, city) [SanFrancisco]:
                                            Organization Name (eg, company) [OpenVPN]:
                                            Organizational Unit Name (eg, section) []:
                                            Common Name (eg, your name or your server's hostname) []:vpn1
                                            Email Address [mail@host.domain]:chunger_qin@163.com

                                            Please enter the following 'extra' attributes
                                            to be sent with your certificate request
                                            A challenge password []:
                                            An optional company name []:
                                            Using configuration from openssl.cnf
                                            Loading 'screen' into random state - done
                                            Check that the request matches the signature
                                            Signature ok
                                            The Subject's Distinguished Name is as follows
                                            countryName          :PRINTABLE:'US'
                                            stateOrProvinceName  :PRINTABLE:'CA'
                                            localityName          :PRINTABLE:'SanFrancisco'
                                            organizationName      :PRINTABLE:'OpenVPN'
                                            commonName            :PRINTABLE:'vpn1'
                                            emailAddress          :IA5STRING:'chunger_qin@163.com'
                                            Certificate is to be certified until Sep  3 00:55:48 2020 GMT (3650 days)
                                            Sign the certificate? [y/n]:y

                                            1 out of 1 certificate requests certified, commit? [y/n]
                                            CERTIFICATION CANCELED
                                            can't find  I:\Program Files\OpenVPN\easy-rsa\keys*.old

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