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    Tutorial: Configuring pfSense as VPN client to Private Internet Access

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    • P
      plainzwalker
      last edited by

      Quick questions since I am still doing my research. If I wanted my VPN service (PIA) to use a different set of DNS servers, to prevent DNS leak, would it be possible? If so how would I go about setting this up? Or would pfsense as a whole have to use only one set of dns servers?

      Sorry, still learning and haven't been able to get any hands on yet.

      Thank you

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      • Z
        zax123
        last edited by

        @kintaroju:

        great tutorial you guys have. I have a more complicated situation that I have been trying to get setup.

        Having TWO openVPN client setup via PIA.

        So the idea is this, based on IP range 192.168.0.2-192.168.0.20 it'll go to PIA USA west

        The based on IP range 192.168.0.21-192.168.0.40 it'll go to PIA Canada

        Then the remaining IP 192.168.0.41-192.168.0.254 will be on the WAN.

        I've tried to follow the instructions before and just add a 2nd VPN client accordingly, but everything just default to the PIA USA West, is there anything I could be missing?

        Hi there,

        Not sure if you solved your problem, but if you haven't passed "route-nopull" as an advanced option to the OpenVPN client, that might be your problem.  I wanted to selectively send some of my LAN clients to VPN and others not, and had to pass this option as it stopped OpenVPN from generating a default (0.0.0.0) route in my routing tables.

        Good luck!

        Rob

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        • T
          t3kka
          last edited by

          First a huge thanks to the OP for providing this.  Exactly what I was looking for.

          Second - and please bear with me as I'm new to pfSense - what is the best way to have ALL communication to the internet shut-off if for whatever reason the VPN becomes disconnected? Or maybe this is already going to occur because of the NAT rules defined?

          Thanks for clarification.

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          • DerelictD
            Derelict LAYER 8 Netgate
            last edited by

            I have found the best way to do this is to edit the firewall rules that policy route traffic over the VPN.  Configure them to add a mark like VPN_ONLY.

            Create an interface group for all your WAN interfaces.

            Create a floating rule on the wan interface group direction out.  Make it a Reject rule, Quick, matching any traffic with mark VPN_ONLY.

            vpn_block_float.png
            vpn_block_float_mark.png
            vpn_block_float.png_thumb
            vpn_block_float_mark.png_thumb

            Chattanooga, Tennessee, USA
            A comprehensive network diagram is worth 10,000 words and 15 conference calls.
            DO NOT set a source address/port in a port forward or firewall rule unless you KNOW you need it!
            Do Not Chat For Help! NO_WAN_EGRESS(TM)

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            • B
              boowii
              last edited by

              Hi Everyone.
              I have the service up and running but for some reason i am not getting a IP address?
              what have i missed?

              cheers

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              • G
                ghanem
                last edited by

                Hey friends
                Can i make a vpn in pfsense firewall between the admin in my LAN to connect 2 dedicated servers with 2 public address x.x.x.x / x.x.x.x
                its urgent thanks for your answer :)

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                • DerelictD
                  Derelict LAYER 8 Netgate
                  last edited by

                  Hey friends
                  Can i make a vpn in pfsense firewall between the admin in my LAN to connect 2 dedicated servers with 2 public address x.x.x.x / x.x.x.x
                  its urgent thanks for your answer :)

                  Start another thread.

                  Chattanooga, Tennessee, USA
                  A comprehensive network diagram is worth 10,000 words and 15 conference calls.
                  DO NOT set a source address/port in a port forward or firewall rule unless you KNOW you need it!
                  Do Not Chat For Help! NO_WAN_EGRESS(TM)

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                  • U
                    User1503
                    last edited by

                    Hey Derelict thanks for answering my other questiond.  My problem is..uh, I'm not the sharpest at learning; I can follow tutorials (and even wrote some for wireless) and what I need is another tutorial for setting up NAT (or LAN?) rules.  I followed this VPN tutorial and everything is running great!  But like other's have asked, I need to have 1,2 or maybe only 3 IP's (computers) use the VPN, and all other bypass the VPN and go straight to the local internet.  So the answer's I've read of 'create a Lan rule for xxx' are nice and I'm sure easy for some, but I don't know HOW to do that?  I made some LAN rules, but it blocked everything and so I just removed them.  Therefore, if you, or anyone, knows of another tutorial of 'How to create a rule for 1 IP to bypass the VPN' I sure would appreciate a link.  I can follow directions and be successful (driving, making coffee, buying groceries) but I don't know the 'how-to' of pfSense rules.  Thanks!

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                    • DerelictD
                      Derelict LAYER 8 Netgate
                      last edited by

                      Create an IP alias called vpn_hosts or something Firewall > Aliases

                      Add the IP addresses that you want to be forwarded through the VPN

                      Look at the first post in this thread.  Find the section called Routing.

                      The walkthrough changes the LAN IPv4 Rule so it forwards all of LAN Net to PIAVPN_VPN4.  You want to make a rule just like it but ABOVE it with the source network set to the alias instead of LAN net.  Then change the LAN net rule back to Gateway: default

                      Chattanooga, Tennessee, USA
                      A comprehensive network diagram is worth 10,000 words and 15 conference calls.
                      DO NOT set a source address/port in a port forward or firewall rule unless you KNOW you need it!
                      Do Not Chat For Help! NO_WAN_EGRESS(TM)

                      1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                      • U
                        User1503
                        last edited by

                        Thanks for the steps.  I just can't get it to work.  I either have  No outbound connection; Everything thru VPN; or Everything Open, not vpn'd.  The IP's are set in the 'VPN Out IPs' and the gateway is 'default' under the 2nd LAN rule.  Just not getting it I suppose.  Thanks for the help.

                        PIA_VPN_AliasIP_rules.jpg
                        PIA_VPN_AliasIP_rules.jpg_thumb

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                        • DerelictD
                          Derelict LAYER 8 Netgate
                          last edited by

                          That should work.  You sure PIA is up when you try?  Did you clear states?

                          Chattanooga, Tennessee, USA
                          A comprehensive network diagram is worth 10,000 words and 15 conference calls.
                          DO NOT set a source address/port in a port forward or firewall rule unless you KNOW you need it!
                          Do Not Chat For Help! NO_WAN_EGRESS(TM)

                          1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                          • B
                            bj24
                            last edited by

                            I have very similar set up and same issues.

                            As I have it set up now, everything goes through the VPN. All I want is 192.168.0.102 to go on the VPN, all other traffic through ISP.

                            What have I got wrong here?

                            pfsens.jpg_thumb
                            pfsens.jpg

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                            • DerelictD
                              Derelict LAYER 8 Netgate
                              last edited by

                              Probably a default route from the VPN provider.

                              on 2.2, check Don't pull routes in the OpenVPN client config.  on 2.1.5 add route-nopull; to the advanced section.

                              Chattanooga, Tennessee, USA
                              A comprehensive network diagram is worth 10,000 words and 15 conference calls.
                              DO NOT set a source address/port in a port forward or firewall rule unless you KNOW you need it!
                              Do Not Chat For Help! NO_WAN_EGRESS(TM)

                              1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                              • B
                                bj24
                                last edited by

                                Derelict thanks for the reply,

                                I seem to of messed something up. :-[ :-[

                                A few questions:
                                1. Every time I enable and disable the VPN Client (which I do a lot while trying to set this up) it gives me a new IP which I then have to add to the firewall rules, is there a easier way of doing this?

                                2. I seem to of lost ability to have traffic go through the VPN (I could once have all or nothing), I can see small amount of traffic on the VPN but when I check my IP I get my ISPs. What did I do?

                                3. What did checking "Don't add/remove routes" do?

                                I seem to go one step forward and two steps back every time I make a change on this.

                                Thanks,

                                1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                • DerelictD
                                  Derelict LAYER 8 Netgate
                                  last edited by

                                  What rules are you talking about?  You don't need to care what address they give you.  That's the PIAVPN_V4 address and all pfSense does is NAT to it.  That can change all the time.  You are concerned with your client's LAN address that doesn't change unless you change it (presuming it's static or at least a DHCP Static Mapping which is advisable when you start policy routing based on the source address.

                                  Many VPN providers push a default route to you so all your traffic gets sent through them.  Checking that box adds route-nopull; to your client configuration which tells the client to ignore all the routes pushed to you.  This leaves it up to you to policy route the traffic you want to go to the VPN.

                                  Chattanooga, Tennessee, USA
                                  A comprehensive network diagram is worth 10,000 words and 15 conference calls.
                                  DO NOT set a source address/port in a port forward or firewall rule unless you KNOW you need it!
                                  Do Not Chat For Help! NO_WAN_EGRESS(TM)

                                  1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                  • B
                                    bj24
                                    last edited by

                                    I will attach what I think might be useful, let me know if anything else is needed.

                                    I also noticed when I check the gateway that the VPN shows online but then quickly goes offline after enabling. Any thoughts on that?

                                    2.jpg
                                    2.jpg_thumb

                                    1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                    • DerelictD
                                      Derelict LAYER 8 Netgate
                                      last edited by

                                      Which rule do you think you have to change?  What, exactly, is the problem?

                                      Chattanooga, Tennessee, USA
                                      A comprehensive network diagram is worth 10,000 words and 15 conference calls.
                                      DO NOT set a source address/port in a port forward or firewall rule unless you KNOW you need it!
                                      Do Not Chat For Help! NO_WAN_EGRESS(TM)

                                      1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                      • B
                                        bj24
                                        last edited by

                                        I have to disable that top rule to reply.

                                        When all the rules are enabled, on the BJENVY pc, it doesn't seem to have internet for some time, then it comes for a few seconds, I can check the ip and it is my WAN IP and then it stops responding.

                                        Should I be concerned about the Gateway showing offline?

                                        scratching my head… ???

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                                        • U
                                          User1503
                                          last edited by

                                          Thanks to Derelict for keeping me at it.  I got the separate IP's working out thru the VPN and all others thru normal gateway/router. 
                                          bj24 - Follow the steps in Derlict's post for making an alias.  Add the IP's you want going out thru the VPN to it.  Give it a name like 'IPs_Out_VPN' or something you will recognize. 
                                          Then go to Firewall-Rules-Lan
                                          Click the plus to create a new rule based on LAN net
                                          Action=Pass, Interface=LAN, TCP/IP=IPv4, Protocol=any, Source=Type:Single host or alias, Address: IPs_Out_VPN; Destination=any, Description=LAN PIA_VPN Specific IP address Out
                                          Advanced features:  Gateway=PIAVPN_VPN4-some.ip. (this should be in the list if you followed the tutorial)
                                          Save, Apply Changes
                                          In Firewall: Rules - LAN  Click the rule you just made in the checkbox on the left;  Then point at the Arrow to the right of the LAN net rule, and move your IP out rule above it.  It should now be the first rule.
                                          Go to Status-Services, Restart DHCP, Restart OpenVPN.
                                          Give your computers 1-2 minutes to get a refreshed IP and see if your computers are running thru the interface you want.
                                          **** Mine Didn't*** Because I had to go change this:
                                          Firewall-Rules-LAN
                                          Choose your IPv4 LAN net (gateway should be '*')  click Edit
                                          Advanced features - Gateway:  Choose 'WAN_DHCP - 192.168.x.x' 
                                          Save- Apply changes. 
                                          Go to Status-Services, Restart DHCP, Restart OpenVPN.
                                          Give your computers 1-2 minutes to get a refreshed IP and see if your computers are running thru the interface you want.
                                          If all works, save this to your notepad along with the tutorial and you're good to go! 
                                          Let me know if you need the individual steps for making the Alias list, it's pretty straightforward but until you do it you can be poking around. 
                                          Thanks Derelict and others for getting us going!

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                                          • B
                                            bj24
                                            last edited by

                                            This is very frustrating.

                                            I have it as you two have said as far as I can tell and it does not work as expected.

                                            Should I be concerned that the Gateway for the VPN shows offline?!

                                            What logs should I be looking at or screens? I have found another laptop to use as a tester so I stop losing internet when I test on myself. I have added its IP to the list with a Alias of IPs_Out_VPN.
                                            I have made a Lan rule with the Gateway selected to use the VPN.

                                            I restarted the 2 services.

                                            I test the computer, it still has my ISPs IP address and after a less than 2 minutes internet stops completely on it.

                                            Should I start to suspect PIA? Like I've wondered, the Gateway keeps going from online to offline.

                                            puzzled….

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