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    v21.02 Broke all ExpressVPN Gateways

    Scheduled Pinned Locked Moved OpenVPN
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    • T
      thaddeusf
      last edited by

      I've once again done a complete fresh install.

      If I set it up as a pricey Linksys router, it seems to be stable.

      I don't yet know what specific configuration causes it to fall over.

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      • B
        bod
        last edited by

        Yep - With Gateway monitoring enabled on my Private Internet Access VPN it takes multiple OpenVPN service restarts to get it working. Anything from 1 to 10.

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        • viktor_gV
          viktor_g Netgate
          last edited by

          Try to install the System Patches pkg https://docs.netgate.com/pfsense/en/latest/development/system-patches.html
          and apply Patch ID 969574b6dbb124e98595ca537c0d176d908707d0

          See https://redmine.pfsense.org/issues/11448

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          • B
            bod
            last edited by

            Thanks - didn't resolve the issue with Gateway Action. If I have Gateway Action enabled it fails to connect randomly.

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            • T
              thaddeusf @viktor_g
              last edited by

              @viktor_g Unfortunately this does not fix the problem

              Additionally I've manually loaded the identical configuration on an x86 pfsense system and it has the same problem of failed gateway monitoring.

              Please prioritize - I cannot imaging this is not effecting quite a number of upgraders.

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              • T
                thaddeusf
                last edited by

                I have done another completely clean install and this time it is the 2.5 pfsense community edition on a ProtectLI.

                The bottom line is that I can create an ExpressVPN interface but the Gateway to the interface if marked 'Offline, Packetloss: 100%"

                A monitor IP is listed and is the same as the Gateway IP.

                If I turn Gateway monitoring off (system/routing/gateways) in the configuration of the ExpressVPN interface, the entire firewall stops passing traffic.

                This is not precisely the same behavior I saw on the SG-3100, but it's close. The 3100 would start passing traffic with gateway monitoring off, but the performance would tank.

                This is pretty obviously a bug. Is there additional information (logs, etc) I can provide?

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                • B
                  bcruze @thaddeusf
                  last edited by

                  https://openvpn.net/community-downloads/

                  Under important notices states it pretty clear

                  The service providers are at fault not Netgate

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                  • T
                    thaddeusf @bcruze
                    last edited by

                    @bcruze
                    The only thing I am complaining about is that Netgate is not making 2.4.5 available for the SG-3100 when I specifically requested it.

                    It was my own damn fault for rashly upgrading it.

                    What could possibly be a valid reason not making it available?

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                    • B
                      bod
                      last edited by

                      Well looks like I found the solution with regards to Private Internet Access. A user has found that using the config below will work. I have even turned gateway monitoring on and multiple service restarts and it works everytime.

                      https://www.privateinternetaccess.com/forum/discussion/38389/aes-256-gcm-with-asus-wrt-merlin-386-1-final-on-pia#latest

                      Force AES-256-GCM
                      Put in "NCP-disable" in Custom Options.

                      Will let you know tomorrow if it's all still going well.

                      B T 2 Replies Last reply Reply Quote 0
                      • B
                        bcruze @bod
                        last edited by

                        @bod said in v21.02 Broke all ExpressVPN Gateways:

                        Well looks like I found the solution with regards to Private Internet Access. A user has found that using the config below will work. I have even turned gateway monitoring on and multiple service restarts and it works everytime.

                        https://www.privateinternetaccess.com/forum/discussion/38389/aes-256-gcm-with-asus-wrt-merlin-386-1-final-on-pia#latest

                        Force AES-256-GCM
                        Put in "NCP-disable" in Custom Options.

                        Will let you know tomorrow if it's all still going well.

                        its been posted a few times it will work. then speeds will go to a grinding halt. my previous provider would also work for a while. but if I restarted the tunnel. or rebooted the router it stopped working again. please let us know either way

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                        • T
                          thaddeusf @bod
                          last edited by

                          @bod

                          With my configuration, I see:

                          • GCM only does not successfully connect.
                          • If I include 'ncp-disable' in the custom, it seems to stop OpenVPN at load (which is confusing, but I've not had time to research)

                          Really interested to hear your results and compare.

                          I'm going to try to switch to L2TP/IPsec until this can be resolved.

                          ALSO, Netgate finally sent me the link to 2.4.5 for the SG-3100. While continuing research on the ProtectLI, I'm going to repair the ARM appliance.

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                          • T
                            thaddeusf
                            last edited by thaddeusf

                            I've made some progress today.

                            • I've been able to configure an L2TP/IPSec interface (with gateways) to the ExpressVPN server. It work as without any problem, but the performance is significantly slower not to mention with compromised security.

                            • I've been able to disable Gateway Monitoring on the OpenVPN to ExpressVPN interface. Apparently my previous attempts which proved unstable were caused by the interfaces being load balanced.

                            I've opened a ticket with ExpressVPN as well. Hopefully we'll make some progress.

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                            • B
                              bod
                              last edited by

                              Spoke too soon. The Watchdog service (Action) broke it.

                              No issues with throughput on AES-256-GCM. Still getting sustained 40mbps.

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                              • T
                                thaddeusf
                                last edited by

                                This post is deleted!
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                                • G
                                  guido666
                                  last edited by guido666

                                  I'm having a similar/related issue. After upgrading to 2.5, my traffic does not get routed out the VPN gateway. It hits the proper firewall rule, and gets passed, but it just doesn't go out the VPN gateway and instead goes out the WAN gateway.

                                  The VPN gateway (in Status) shows as "Offline, Packetloss: 100%".

                                  If I disable Gateway monitoring (System > Routing > Gateways) for the VPN gateway, the traffic instantly starts going through the VPN gateway correctly again (matching the same firewall rule).

                                  If related, I also get the 3 errors mentioned previously.
                                  Mar 11 01:03:28 openvpn 49069 Options error: option 'route' cannot be used in this context ([PUSH-OPTIONS])
                                  Mar 11 01:03:28 openvpn 49069 Options error: option 'dhcp-option' cannot be used in this context ([PUSH-OPTIONS])
                                  Mar 11 01:03:28 openvpn 49069 Options error: option 'redirect-gateway' cannot be used in this context ([PUSH-OPTIONS])

                                  GertjanG 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                  • GertjanG
                                    Gertjan @guido666
                                    last edited by

                                    @guido666

                                    Looks like you confirmed - see above - https://redmine.pfsense.org/issues/11448

                                    There is a patch already.
                                    Tried (try) it ?!!

                                    No "help me" PM's please. Use the forum, the community will thank you.
                                    Edit : and where are the logs ??

                                    G 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 1
                                    • G
                                      guido666 @Gertjan
                                      last edited by

                                      @gertjan

                                      Thanks! Patch applied, and traffic seems to be routing through the VPN correctly, even with Disable Gateway Monitoring unchecked.

                                      I've set the patch to auto-load. Once 2.5.1 comes out, and presumably includes the fix, will I need to disable it, and remove the patch at that point? I've never used this patch system before.

                                      GertjanG T 2 Replies Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                      • GertjanG
                                        Gertjan @guido666
                                        last edited by Gertjan

                                        @guido666 said in v21.02 Broke all ExpressVPN Gateways:

                                        and presumably includes the fix, will I need to disable it, and remove the patch at that point? I've never used this patch system before.

                                        The patcher checks the files it needs to patch, and if it can find specific lines it will change these for new lines, the patch.

                                        When you upgrade, and nothing was changed in the file(s) you patched, the patch still auto applies.
                                        If the patch is now included in the update, it can't find the same specific lines any more, as the source has changed.
                                        The patcher will try - and fail, which is ok, as the patch is needed any more / already there.

                                        It's a close "to set it and forget it system".

                                        No "help me" PM's please. Use the forum, the community will thank you.
                                        Edit : and where are the logs ??

                                        G 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 1
                                        • G
                                          guido666 @Gertjan
                                          last edited by

                                          @gertjan Thanks for your help.

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                                          • T
                                            thaddeusf @guido666
                                            last edited by

                                            @guido666

                                            This patch did not fix the problem for me.

                                            Will you send your custom settings?

                                            Thanks.

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