Can't get LAN to route out OpenVPN tunnel

guido666

I'm running pfSense 2.4.4, and I followed a couple guides. I've looked over several other guides, which are nearly identical (and I tried any differences).

I set up the OpenVPN client, and the status says it is up. It lists a Virtual Address that looks good.
I created an interface to the ovpnc1.
I copied all the manual Outbound NAT rules, and set the copies to use the VPN's interface.
I made a LAN firewall rule to route all 192.168.1.0/24 traffic to the VPN interface gateway. (I've tried a bunch of different settings in this rule, just to make sure, such as moving it to the bottom vs top, setting the source to LAN Net or an alias, etc.).
In the firewall system logs I see traffic matching the rule (e.g. Rule = " LAN TRAFFIC –> VPN ")
WhatIsMyIP checks show I'm still coming out my ISP's IP.
Dashboard traffic graphs shows no throughput on the VPN interface... it's all on the WAN.
I've tried disabling the standard LAN Net allow rule, and it cuts the connection to the internet.

Is there something else I can try or check?

guido666

It won't let me post a link to the guide I followed (marks it as spam, what a pain...), but it's on ExpressVPN's site, "How to set up pfSense with ExpressVPN (OpenVPN)"

Rico

Follow the netgate hangout and you will be fine: https://www.netgate.com/resources/videos/openvpn-as-a-wan-on-pfsense.html

-Rico

guido666

@rico Thanks, I'll go through that now.

guido666

SOLUTION FOUND:

In the video, around the 32m:23s mark, the presenter says that after assigning the OpenVPN to an interface, it will disrupt the internal workings and to "give it a kick" by editing and resaving the OpenVPN config.

https://youtu.be/lp3mtR4j3Lw?t=1943

I did that, and started the OpenVPN service again, and it instantly started sending traffic out the VPN like it should. "What's My IP" confirms it.

Geez, I spent several hours scouring every setting in every config page I touched, checking logs, looking for where I went made a typo or missed something. Everything was perfect. For the record, I assume a reboot would have fixed it too, since it would have restarted the connection.

Rico

Yes a reboot would have the same effect.

-Rico

Derelict

Yes. Every guide that is worth using will say that assigning an interface needs an OpenVPN instance restart.

guido666

@derelict Perhaps idealistically, but I read numerous guides for setting up OpenVPN on pfSense and not a single one mentioned it. Even the video only mentioned it as an interesting tip (which suggests it's not an obvious or well known point). Either way, I'm glad I know now. Hopefully the pfSense developers will add a way for it to restart it automatically.

Derelict

Probably not.