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

    OpenVPN Client disconnects every few seconds - ExpressVPN

    OpenVPN
    6
    9
    5.3k
    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.
    • D
      dvs23
      last edited by

      Hey!

      I have a problem with my OpenVPN client on my pfSense 2.4.1-RELEASE firewall, running on an Up Squared. The client (seemingly successful) connects to some ExpressVPN server, but disconnects every few seconds ending in huge packet losses etc.

      Log:

      Nov 11 01:18:19 	openvpn 	49480 	PO_WAIT[3,0] fd=7 rev=0x00000004 rwflags=0x0002 arg=0x00000004 [scalable]
Nov 11 01:18:19 	openvpn 	49480 	SCHEDULE: schedule_find_least NULL
Nov 11 01:18:19 	openvpn 	49480 	PO_CTL rwflags=0x0001 ev=7 arg=0x00000004
Nov 11 01:18:19 	openvpn 	49480 	PO_WAIT[3,0] fd=7 rev=0x00000001 rwflags=0x0001 arg=0x00000004 [scalable]
Nov 11 01:18:19 	openvpn 	49480 	MANAGEMENT: CMD 'status 2'
Nov 11 01:18:19 	openvpn 	49480 	SCHEDULE: schedule_find_least NULL
Nov 11 01:18:19 	openvpn 	49480 	PO_CTL rwflags=0x0002 ev=7 arg=0x00000004
Nov 11 01:18:19 	openvpn 	49480 	PO_WAIT[3,0] fd=7 rev=0x00000004 rwflags=0x0002 arg=0x00000004 [scalable]
Nov 11 01:18:19 	openvpn 	49480 	SCHEDULE: schedule_find_least NULL
Nov 11 01:18:19 	openvpn 	49480 	PO_CTL rwflags=0x0001 ev=7 arg=0x00000004
Nov 11 01:18:19 	openvpn 	49480 	PO_WAIT[3,0] fd=7 rev=0x00000011 rwflags=0x0001 arg=0x00000004 [scalable]
Nov 11 01:18:19 	openvpn 	49480 	PO_DEL ev=7
Nov 11 01:18:19 	openvpn 	49480 	MANAGEMENT: Client disconnected
Nov 11 01:18:19 	openvpn 	49480 	SCHEDULE: schedule_find_least NULL
Nov 11 01:18:19 	openvpn 	49480 	PO_CTL rwflags=0x0001 ev=4 arg=0x00000004
Nov 11 01:18:19 	openvpn 	6074 	MANAGEMENT: Client connected from /var/etc/openvpn/client2.sock
Nov 11 01:18:19 	openvpn 	6074 	MANAGEMENT: CMD 'state 1'
Nov 11 01:18:19 	openvpn 	6074 	MANAGEMENT: CMD 'status 2'
Nov 11 01:18:19 	openvpn 	6074 	MANAGEMENT: Client disconnected
Nov 11 01:18:20 	openvpn 	49480 	PO_WAIT[2,0] fd=4 rev=0x00000001 rwflags=0x0001 arg=0x00000004 [scalable]
Nov 11 01:18:20 	openvpn 	49480 	MULTI: REAP range 160 -> 176
Nov 11 01:18:20 	openvpn 	49480 	MANAGEMENT: Client connected from /var/etc/openvpn/server1.sock
Nov 11 01:18:20 	openvpn 	49480 	SCHEDULE: schedule_find_least NULL
Nov 11 01:18:20 	openvpn 	49480 	PO_CTL rwflags=0x0002 ev=7 arg=0x00000004
Nov 11 01:18:20 	openvpn 	49480 	PO_WAIT[3,0] fd=7 rev=0x00000004 rwflags=0x0002 arg=0x00000004 [scalable]
Nov 11 01:18:20 	openvpn 	49480 	SCHEDULE: schedule_find_least NULL
Nov 11 01:18:20 	openvpn 	49480 	PO_CTL rwflags=0x0001 ev=7 arg=0x00000004
Nov 11 01:18:20 	openvpn 	49480 	PO_WAIT[3,0] fd=7 rev=0x00000001 rwflags=0x0001 arg=0x00000004 [scalable]
Nov 11 01:18:20 	openvpn 	49480 	MANAGEMENT: CMD 'status 2'
Nov 11 01:18:20 	openvpn 	49480 	SCHEDULE: schedule_find_least NULL
Nov 11 01:18:20 	openvpn 	49480 	PO_CTL rwflags=0x0002 ev=7 arg=0x00000004
Nov 11 01:18:20 	openvpn 	49480 	PO_WAIT[3,0] fd=7 rev=0x00000004 rwflags=0x0002 arg=0x00000004 [scalable]
Nov 11 01:18:20 	openvpn 	49480 	SCHEDULE: schedule_find_least NULL
Nov 11 01:18:20 	openvpn 	49480 	PO_CTL rwflags=0x0001 ev=7 arg=0x00000004
Nov 11 01:18:20 	openvpn 	49480 	PO_WAIT[3,0] fd=7 rev=0x00000001 rwflags=0x0001 arg=0x00000004 [scalable]
Nov 11 01:18:20 	openvpn 	49480 	MANAGEMENT: CMD 'quit'
Nov 11 01:18:20 	openvpn 	49480 	PO_DEL ev=7
Nov 11 01:18:20 	openvpn 	49480 	MANAGEMENT: Client disconnected
Nov 11 01:18:20 	openvpn 	49480 	SCHEDULE: schedule_find_least NULL
Nov 11 01:18:20 	openvpn 	49480 	PO_CTL rwflags=0x0001 ev=4 arg=0x00000004
Nov 11 01:18:30 	openvpn 	49480 	MULTI: REAP range 176 -> 192
Nov 11 01:18:30 	openvpn 	49480 	MULTI TCP: multi_tcp_action a=TA_TIMEOUT p=0
Nov 11 01:18:30 	openvpn 	49480 	MULTI TCP: multi_tcp_dispatch a=TA_TIMEOUT mi=0x00000000
Nov 11 01:18:30 	openvpn 	49480 	MULTI TCP: multi_tcp_post TA_TIMEOUT -> TA_UNDEF
Nov 11 01:18:30 	openvpn 	49480 	SCHEDULE: schedule_find_least NULL
Nov 11 01:18:41 	openvpn 	49480 	MULTI: REAP range 192 -> 208
Nov 11 01:18:41 	openvpn 	49480 	MULTI TCP: multi_tcp_action a=TA_TIMEOUT p=0
Nov 11 01:18:41 	openvpn 	49480 	MULTI TCP: multi_tcp_dispatch a=TA_TIMEOUT mi=0x00000000
Nov 11 01:18:41 	openvpn 	49480 	MULTI TCP: multi_tcp_post TA_TIMEOUT -> TA_UNDEF
Nov 11 01:18:41 	openvpn 	49480 	SCHEDULE: schedule_find_least NULL

      It is not a problem of my internet connection - when I use the config of ExpressVPN on a computer in the network (with disabled VPN client on my pfSense firewall), there are no disconnects.

      /var/etc/openvpn/client2.conf:

      dev ovpnc2
verb 3
dev-type tun
dev-node /dev/tun2
writepid /var/run/openvpn_client2.pid
#user nobody
#group nobody
script-security 3
daemon
keepalive 10 60
ping-timer-rem
persist-tun
persist-key
proto udp4
cipher AES-256-CBC
auth SHA512
up /usr/local/sbin/ovpn-linkup
down /usr/local/sbin/ovpn-linkdown
local 192.168.0.17
tls-client
client
lport 0
management /var/etc/openvpn/client2.sock unix
remote germany-frankfurt-1-ca-version-2.expressnetw.com 1195
auth-user-pass /var/etc/openvpn/client2.up
auth-retry nointeract
ca /var/etc/openvpn/client2.ca 
cert /var/etc/openvpn/client2.cert 
key /var/etc/openvpn/client2.key 
tls-auth /var/etc/openvpn/client2.tls-auth 1
ncp-ciphers AES-256-GCM:AES-128-GCM
comp-lzo adaptive
resolv-retry infinite
route-nopull
fast-io
persist-key
persist-tun
remote-random
pull
tls-client
verify-x509-name Server name-prefix
ns-cert-type server
key-direction 1
route-method exe
route-delay 2
tun-mtu 1500
fragment 1300
mssfix 1450
verb 3
sndbuf 524288
rcvbuf 524288

      OVPN from ExpressVPN:

      dev tun
fast-io
persist-key
persist-tun
nobind
remote germany-frankfurt-1-ca-version-2.expressnetw.com 1195

remote-random
pull
comp-lzo
tls-client
verify-x509-name Server name-prefix
ns-cert-type server
key-direction 1
route-method exe
route-delay 2
tun-mtu 1500
fragment 1300
mssfix 1450
verb 3
cipher AES-256-CBC
keysize 256
auth SHA512
sndbuf 524288
rcvbuf 524288
auth-user-pass

      Guide I followed for setting the stuff up:
      https://www.expressvpn.com/support/vpn-setup/pfsense-with-expressvpn-openvpn/

      What else do you need?

      Thanks in advance

      dvs23

      1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
      • T
        tagit446
        last edited by

        I'm having the exact same problem. ExpressVPN directed me to the pfSense forum.. so they have no idea. They said their setup guide was written by one of their customers.

        1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
        • D
          dvs23
          last edited by

          Someone any idea how to solve this? Or at least what's the problem here?

          1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
          • jimpJ
            jimp Rebel Alliance Developer Netgate
            last edited by 

            Nov 11 01:18:20 	openvpn 	49480 	MANAGEMENT: Client disconnected

            That does not mean openvpn disconnected. That means that the GUI status page or widget probed the openvpn service and then disconnected from the management interface. Your logs are probably too verbose to see what's actually happening. Turn down the logging to verb 3 or 4, and ignore any line with MANAGEMENT in it.

            I know your config claims it's only using verb 3 but that looks like a lot higher log detail than 3.

            Remember: Upvote with the 👍 button for any user/post you find to be helpful, informative, or deserving of recognition!

            Need help fast? Netgate Global Support!

            Do not Chat/PM for help!

            1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
            • D
              dimangelid
              last edited by

              @dvs23:

              Someone any idea how to solve this? Or at least what's the problem here?

              I had similar issues from 2.3 versions, I also had disconnects from my computer. not with expressvpn but with another provider.

              The disconnects disappeared when I disabled gateway monitoring both at my default gateway and the VPN gateway.

              Login to your pfSense and visit System/Routing/Gateways. Click the edit button at your default gateway and at your VPN gateway and put a tick on "Disable Gateway Monitoring" and "Disable Gateway Monitoring Action" . Save your settings and reboot your router in order to make sure that they are applied.

              B A 2 Replies Last reply Reply Quote 1
              • D
                dvs23
                last edited by

                Wow! That's it! Previously I had huge packet loss rates (50% and more), nor everything seems to be fine (means not a single packet lost after 100 pings :))) Thank you!!
                I will send ExpressVPN a link to this thread so they know it's not really their fault :)

                1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                • B
                  bill209 @dimangelid
                  last edited by

                  @dimangelid wowowowow! after fighting this issue over and over, going through many connection how-to's, and seeking help from forums - this was the answer!!!
                  thank you for taking the time to post this very helpful hint!

                  bill

                  D 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 1
                  • D
                    dimangelid @bill209
                    last edited by

                    @bill209 said in OpenVPN Client disconnects every few seconds - ExpressVPN:

                    @dimangelid wowowowow! after fighting this issue over and over, going through many connection how-to's, and seeking help from forums - this was the answer!!!
                    thank you for taking the time to post this very helpful hint!

                    bill

                    @bill209 I am happy that i helped after 4 years!! I had completely forgotten that i had responded in this thread :P

                    1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                    • A
                      armandolopezo @dimangelid
                      last edited by

                      @dimangelid it also worked for me, thank you very much have a good day.

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