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    Client VPN is closing its connection randomly

    Scheduled Pinned Locked Moved OpenVPN
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    • J
      jonny.b74 @mcury
      last edited by jonny.b74

      @mcury
      same message as before.. see the times 18:06 connected -18:22 disconnected
      Feb 15 18:22:56 openvpn 39332 [openvpn2.vpnunlimitedapp.com] Inactivity timeout (--ping-exit), exiting
      Feb 15 18:06:35 openvpn 39332 Initialization Sequence Completed

      And this happens while i am using the connection

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      • M
        mcury Rebel Alliance @jonny.b74
        last edited by mcury

        @jonny-b74 This problem happens if you have a client behind pfense constantly using the VPN?

        Connect the pfsense to the VPN again, and in a computer behind pfsense, keep pinging 8.8.8.8 or any other IP in the internet to confirm if the VPN will drop.

        The error is indicating inactivity timeout, which shouldn't be happening with the ping 5 value.
        I wonder if pfsense is pinging the server.. and which source IP would be using to do it..

        Did you create the openvpn interface? I suspect that this could be the problem..
        Can you capture packets in the openvpn interface to confirm if the ping 5 is working?

        Edit: If you didn't create the openvpn, here is a how to:
        https://docs.netgate.com/pfsense/en/latest/vpn/openvpn/assign.html#figure-assign-openvpn-interface

        By the way, this is just a guess..

        dead on arrival, nowhere to be found.

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        • J
          jonny.b74 @mcury
          last edited by jonny.b74

          @mcury
          Just tried that cannot ping 8.8.8.8 i can surf the web though

          My gateway status
          KEEPSOLID_US_VPNV4 10.200.0.45 8.8.8.8 38.059ms 3.084ms 0.0% Online Interface KEEPSOLID_US_VPNV4 Gateway

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          • M
            mcury Rebel Alliance @jonny.b74
            last edited by mcury

            @jonny-b74 Google is probably blocking VPN known IP addresses..
            Keep browsing the internet, this would achieve the same goal of the ping to Google..

            Or find another IP that is accepting your ping requests and set a constant ping to it.. in Windows it would be ping IP -t

            In Linux just ping IP

            dead on arrival, nowhere to be found.

            J 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
            • J
              jonny.b74 @mcury
              last edited by

              @mcury

              just dropped again
              Feb 15 18:58:32 openvpn 40886 SIGTERM[soft,ping-exit] received, process exiting
              Feb 15 18:58:32 openvpn 40886 PID packet_id_free
              Feb 15 18:58:32 openvpn 40886 /usr/local/sbin/ovpn-linkdown ovpnc1 1500 1625 10.200.0.46 10.200.0.45 init
              Feb 15 18:58:32 openvpn 40886 Closing TUN/TAP interface
              Feb 15 18:58:32 openvpn 40886 /sbin/route delete -net 128.0.0.0 10.200.0.45 128.0.0.0
              Feb 15 18:58:32 openvpn 40886 /sbin/route delete -net 0.0.0.0 10.200.0.45 128.0.0.0
              Feb 15 18:58:32 openvpn 40886 /sbin/route delete -net 66.23.205.226 99.227.40.1 255.255.255.255
              Feb 15 18:58:32 openvpn 40886 /sbin/route delete -net 10.200.0.1 10.200.0.45 255.255.255.255
              Feb 15 18:58:32 openvpn 40886 TCP/UDP: Closing socket
              Feb 15 18:58:32 openvpn 40886 PID packet_id_free
              Feb 15 18:58:32 openvpn 40886 PID packet_id_free
              Feb 15 18:58:32 openvpn 40886 PID packet_id_free
              Feb 15 18:58:32 openvpn 40886 PID packet_id_free
              Feb 15 18:58:32 openvpn 40886 PID packet_id_free
              Feb 15 18:58:32 openvpn 40886 PID packet_id_free
              Feb 15 18:58:32 openvpn 40886 PID packet_id_free
              Feb 15 18:58:32 openvpn 40886 SSL alert (write): warning: close notify
              Feb 15 18:58:32 openvpn 40886 PID packet_id_free
              Feb 15 18:58:32 openvpn 40886 TIMER: coarse timer wakeup 30 seconds
              Feb 15 18:58:32 openvpn 40886 [openvpn2.vpnunlimitedapp.com] Inactivity timeout (--ping-exit), exiting
              Feb 15 18:58:32 openvpn 40886 ENCRYPT TO: 48000008 27bfd656 56a640ad 529d804c 5a1d8b5e 47e7e55b 03cba599 b459272[more...]

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              • J
                jonny.b74
                last edited by jonny.b74

                running a ping in the background now.. will test and report

                M 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                • J
                  jonny.b74
                  last edited by jonny.b74

                  Interface setting
                  7b420767-1692-4144-ba5d-a87605f2ea94-image.png

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                  • M
                    mcury Rebel Alliance @jonny.b74
                    last edited by

                    @jonny-b74 said in Client VPN is closing its connection randomly:

                    running a ping in the background now.. will test and report

                    In theory, with the ping happening, the connection won't ping-exit anymore

                    https://openvpn.net/community-resources/reference-manual-for-openvpn-2-4/

                    –inactive n [bytes]
                    Causes OpenVPN to exit after n seconds of inactivity on the TUN/TAP device. The time length of inactivity is measured since the last incoming or outgoing tunnel packet. The default value is 0 seconds, which disables this feature.If the optional bytes parameter is included, exit if less than bytes of combined in/out traffic are produced on the tun/tap device in n seconds.
                    In any case, OpenVPN’s internal ping packets (which are just keepalives) and TLS control packets are not considered “activity”, nor are they counted as traffic, as they are used internally by OpenVPN and are not an indication of actual user activity.
                    
                    –ping n
                    Ping remote over the TCP/UDP control channel if no packets have been sent for at least n seconds (specify –ping on both peers to cause ping packets to be sent in both directions since OpenVPN ping packets are not echoed like IP ping packets). When used in one of OpenVPN’s secure modes (where –secret, –tls-server, or –tls-client is specified), the ping packet will be cryptographically secure.This option has two intended uses:
                    (1) Compatibility with stateful firewalls. The periodic ping will ensure that a stateful firewall rule which allows OpenVPN UDP packets to pass will not time out.
                    
                    (2) To provide a basis for the remote to test the existence of its peer using the –ping-exit option.
                    
                    –ping-exit n
                    Causes OpenVPN to exit after n seconds pass without reception of a ping or other packet from remote. This option can be combined with –inactive, –ping, and –ping-exit to create a two-tiered inactivity disconnect.For example,
                    openvpn [options…] –inactive 3600 –ping 10 –ping-exit 60
                    
                    when used on both peers will cause OpenVPN to exit within 60 seconds if its peer disconnects, but will exit after one hour if no actual tunnel data is exchanged.
                    

                    dead on arrival, nowhere to be found.

                    J 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                    • J
                      jonny.b74 @mcury
                      last edited by

                      @mcury
                      here is my states table (1st line is 8.8.8.8 monitor ip, second line is my ping running)
                      14067598-57b8-4266-944d-b5887a1f84ba-image.png

                      connection is solid so far, let me stop the other 2nd line ping in the background

                      thanks for the link , I did read that man page, so what do i do to keep ping alive or why does the monitor ip ping not keep alive?

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                      • M
                        mcury Rebel Alliance @jonny.b74
                        last edited by mcury

                        @jonny-b74 said in Client VPN is closing its connection randomly:

                        here is my states table (1st line is 8.8.8.8 monitor ip, second line is my ping running)

                        If Google is blocking pings from your VPN IP, I would change the VPN monitor IP, choose one that replies back.

                        thanks for the link , I did read that man page, so what do i do to keep ping alive or why does the monitor ip ping not keep alive?

                        Change your VPN monitor IP as per my comment above.
                        I suppose that the ping 5 setting needs an openvpn interface in pfsense, to source that ping.. I see that you created one, lets see how it goes.

                        dead on arrival, nowhere to be found.

                        J 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                        • J
                          jonny.b74 @mcury
                          last edited by

                          @mcury

                          Just to clarify , in my states image above it shows monitor ip icmp working, is that using my WAN interface to monitor the VPN? and hence it is not blocked

                          not sure how to source a ping on the openvpn Interface and would you recommend that to run infinitely?

                          i have tried a few monitor ip's 1.1.1.1 etc did not help keep connection alive

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                          • J
                            jonny.b74
                            last edited by jonny.b74

                            do i need any firewall rules on my openvpn interface ?
                            edit: did not make any difference adding any rules
                            75bd8f29-b5ea-4229-9ba6-d699e1b81346-image.png

                            I am using a vlans interface with gateway keepsolid_v4 and has allow all
                            My computer is connected to the vlan and can surf the openvpn for that 10 mins

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                            • M
                              mcury Rebel Alliance @jonny.b74
                              last edited by

                              @jonny-b74 Your image is showing interface KEEPSOLID_US as the source, so how you have replies from 8.8.8.8 and the ping you tried earlier didn't work?

                              I would confirm if 8.8.8.8 is reachable through the VPN by pinging it directly, you can use a computer that is set to go out through the VPN, so you wouldn't need to choose any source interface in pfsense..
                              Just make sure that the computer is indeed being routed through the VPN..

                              dead on arrival, nowhere to be found.

                              J 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                              • J
                                jonny.b74 @mcury
                                last edited by jonny.b74

                                @mcury said in Client VPN is closing its connection randomly:

                                @jonny-b74 Your image is showing interface KEEPSOLID_US as the source, so how you have replies from 8.8.8.8 and the ping you tried earlier didn't work?

                                I would confirm if 8.8.8.8 is reachable through the VPN by pinging it directly, you can use a computer that is set to go out through the VPN, so you wouldn't need to choose any source interface in pfsense..

                                8.8.8.8 is not reachable from my computer via the vpn ... apologies it just did

                                Just make sure that the computer is indeed being routed through the VPN..

                                M 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                • M
                                  mcury Rebel Alliance @jonny.b74
                                  last edited by mcury

                                  @jonny-b74 said in Client VPN is closing its connection randomly:

                                  8.8.8.8 is not reachable from my computer via the vpn ... apologies it just did

                                  If the ping is working , OK, but note that Google drops some ICMP packets, at least they used to drop.

                                  Based on your ping/ping-exit config, if no packets sent/received for at least 5 seconds, one ping would be sent, and if this ping is not replied by remote 6 times in a roll (5 x 6 = 30), a ping-exit will happen..

                                  So, keep using the computer for at least 30 minutes, just use the VPN, to confirm if it will drop..
                                  Then report back

                                  You can leave a ping running to 8.8.8.8 from this computer, check if you have drops..

                                  dead on arrival, nowhere to be found.

                                  J 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                  • J
                                    jonny.b74 @mcury
                                    last edited by

                                    @mcury

                                    vpn just dropped aroung 20 mins total time
                                    Feb 15 20:02:49 openvpn 35548 SIGTERM[soft,ping-exit] received, process exiting

                                    I was running ping 8.8.8.8 in the background

                                    M 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                    • M
                                      mcury Rebel Alliance @jonny.b74
                                      last edited by mcury

                                      hm, that is really strange, ping,soft-exit, received..

                                      It seems that they are dropping you, and it's not your side (pfsense), that is dropping the connection..

                                      Are you sure that you have the most up to date ovpn file? Try to check if they have a newer version.. Do they have a guide to connect pfsense or any other client to their servers?
                                      Somehow they are saying that you are not using the tunnel, so they drop the connection for inactivity..

                                      do i need any firewall rules on my openvpn interface ?

                                      No, delete any rule from the openvpn interface, that would disrupt the reply-to to work.
                                      Leave only the rules in the KEEPSOLID interface you created..

                                      dead on arrival, nowhere to be found.

                                      J 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                      • J
                                        jonny.b74 @mcury
                                        last edited by

                                        @mcury

                                        They said they are not dropping me, i cannot be sure of that statement from them

                                        Yes it generates the config.ovpn file with a cert and key only for me everytime using their guide

                                        I have tried many of their servers various us, japan does not hold for more that 10-30 mins

                                        Their other protocols "L2TP" in pfsense work

                                        Works in windows openvpn client software with no changes direct import.

                                        Not sure why in pfsense Openvpn it drops for this provider, other provider i tested with works OOB

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                                        • M
                                          mcury Rebel Alliance @jonny.b74
                                          last edited by mcury

                                          @jonny-b74 Well, unfortunately I don't know either..

                                          If it works in Windows, and not in pfsense, maybe there is a difference in the openvpn version, or maybe you are not importing all the .opvn settings to pfsense..

                                          I would edit the .opvn file in Windows, and try to configure exactly as it is in the pfsense, are you using the custom options in pfsense?

                                          Edit: You can set a higher debug level in the openvpn configuration to see more details about the problem

                                          dead on arrival, nowhere to be found.

                                          J 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                          • J
                                            jonny.b74 @mcury
                                            last edited by jonny.b74

                                            @mcury said in Client VPN is closing its connection randomly:

                                            @jonny-b74 Well, unfortunately I don't know either..

                                            If it works in Windows, and not in pfsense, maybe there is a difference in the openvpn version, or maybe you are not importing all the .opvn settings to pfsense..

                                            I would edit the .opvn file in Windows, and try to configure exactly as it is in the pfsense, are you using the custom options in pfsense?

                                            I am using the settings from their config file and many combinations as such,
                                            I have edited the config.ovpn in pfsense directly and pasted the entire config file in there run the openvpn daemon manually in shell

                                            here are their settings

                                            reneg-sec 0
                                            persist-tun
                                            persist-key
                                            ping 5
                                            ping-exit 30
                                            comp-lzo no
                                            remote-random
                                            remote-cert-tls server
                                            auth-nocache
                                            route-metric 1
                                            cipher AES-256-CBC
                                            auth sha512

                                            Edit: tired with debug level 11 in openvpn pfsense not more details only the extra around the close time was was the SSL alert (write): warning: close notify

                                            M 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
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