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    Keeping the same DHCP server address

    Scheduled Pinned Locked Moved OpenVPN
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    • M
      mickey dam
      last edited by

      Is there a way to make OVPN supply the same address for the DHCP server for all connections?  One day it will be 10.0.8.5, the next it will be 10.0.8.9.  Thanks for any help.

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      • V
        viragomann
        last edited by

        What is the problem with this behavior? That is the default way, where each client get his on VPN subnet.

        However, if you prefer the other way set the check at "Topology" on OVPN servers tab.

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        • M
          mickey dam
          last edited by

          @viragomann:

          What is the problem with this behavior? That is the default way, where each client get his on VPN subnet.

          However, if you prefer the other way set the check at "Topology" on OVPN servers tab.

          Thanks for your reply, viragomann.  The company where I work uses only Windows 7 on the desktop and Win7 by default treats the OVPN connection as a Public network, so no access to network resources, internet, etc. is available.  I found a workaround for this by setting the Default Gateway to be the OVPN DHCP server address under the TCP/IPv4 config for the client's TAP-Windows Adapter.  After doing this, Windows allows you to designate the OVPN connection as a Work Network.  Unfortunately, the next time you connect via OVPN it seems the DHCP server address changes, so you're back to square one, needing to re-config the Default Gateway again.

          Is there a simpler way to make Windows always accept an OVPN connection as a Work Network?  Sorry if this is a newbie question and thanks for any help.

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          • M
            mickey dam
            last edited by

            I think I just fixed my problem.  I added push "route-metric 512";push "route 0.0.0.0 0.0.0.0" to the Advanced Configuration.  The TAP adapter now receives a default gateway address and Windows is happy.

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            • johnpozJ
              johnpoz LAYER 8 Global Moderator
              last edited by

              Windows marking the network as public has nothing to do with outbound access, the windows firewall would block inbound access sure.

              As to pushing your openvpn connection as default, this is just a check mark in the openvpn setup - see attached.

              gatewayopenvpn.png
              gatewayopenvpn.png_thumb

              An intelligent man is sometimes forced to be drunk to spend time with his fools
              If you get confused: Listen to the Music Play
              Please don't Chat/PM me for help, unless mod related
              SG-4860 24.11 | Lab VMs 2.8, 24.11

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              • M
                mickey dam
                last edited by

                @johnpoz:

                Windows marking the network as public has nothing to do with outbound access, the windows firewall would block inbound access sure.

                As to pushing your openvpn connection as default, this is just a check mark in the openvpn setup - see attached.

                Hi johnpoz!  Yes, I do have that checked off.

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                • johnpozJ
                  johnpoz LAYER 8 Global Moderator
                  last edited by

                  well then your route should be pushed.. You might need to run the openvpn gui connection as admin to allow it to set routes.  I don't push my default through my connection, but all my other routes to my networks get pushed just fine.

                  An intelligent man is sometimes forced to be drunk to spend time with his fools
                  If you get confused: Listen to the Music Play
                  Please don't Chat/PM me for help, unless mod related
                  SG-4860 24.11 | Lab VMs 2.8, 24.11

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                  • M
                    mickey dam
                    last edited by

                    @johnpoz:

                    well then your route should be pushed.. You might need to run the openvpn gui connection as admin to allow it to set routes.  I don't push my default through my connection, but all my other routes to my networks get pushed just fine.

                    Ahh, right.  I'll give run as admin a shot.  Thanks!

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                    • M
                      mickey dam
                      last edited by

                      Thanks johnpoz, running as admin is necessary, but I still need to configure the client TAP adapter so that the Default Gateway is the same address as the DHCP server.  If I don't do this, the client can't access network resources by their host names.  Pinging remote host IP works fine.  Pinging by host name is no go unless I config the TAP adapter accordingly.
                      Pushing  "route-metric 512";push "route 0.0.0.0 0.0.0.0" only made Windows happy about accepting the connection as a Work network, it didn't resolve the client-to-host-name issue.  It seems the only way this can work is to make sure the TAP's Default Gateway is the same addy as the DHCP server supplied by OVPN.  Is there a way to reliably push this to the client?  I'd really like to avoid the manual fiddly work on the client side if I can avoid it.

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                      • johnpozJ
                        johnpoz LAYER 8 Global Moderator
                        last edited by

                        are you using tap or tun?  As to host name resolution that would be dns.. I resolve my home machines juts fine when I vpn in - and that has nothing to do with default route or any routes.  It has to do if you hand out what dns to use, etc.

                        this is from my work box, that I am currently vpn'd into my home network from.

                        C:>nslookup
                        Default Server:  pfsense.local.lan
                        Address:  192.168.1.253

                        i5-w7.local.lan
                        Server:  pfsense.local.lan
                        Address:  192.168.1.253

                        Name:    i5-w7.local.lan
                        Address:  192.168.1.100

                        exit

                        An intelligent man is sometimes forced to be drunk to spend time with his fools
                        If you get confused: Listen to the Music Play
                        Please don't Chat/PM me for help, unless mod related
                        SG-4860 24.11 | Lab VMs 2.8, 24.11

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                        • M
                          mickey dam
                          last edited by

                          I'm using tun.  Re: host name resolution, I'm having OVPN hand out our workplace DNS servers to the clients.  I verified that the client TAP adapter knows of our DNS servers by running ipconfig /all.  This VPN is for accessing our workplace network.

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                          • johnpozJ
                            johnpoz LAYER 8 Global Moderator
                            last edited by

                            Well if your doing queries to your dns that has the name resolution you want then that is all you should need.  Can you query the dns you hand out.. Your not trying to do broadcast for netbios names are you?

                            An intelligent man is sometimes forced to be drunk to spend time with his fools
                            If you get confused: Listen to the Music Play
                            Please don't Chat/PM me for help, unless mod related
                            SG-4860 24.11 | Lab VMs 2.8, 24.11

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                            • M
                              mickey dam
                              last edited by

                              @johnpoz:

                              Well if your doing queries to your dns that has the name resolution you want then that is all you should need.  Can you query the dns you hand out.. Your not trying to do broadcast for netbios names are you?

                              I do have OVPN enabled for netbios over tcp/ip, type:bnode.  Could this be where it's hosing up?  Ok to turn it off?

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                              • johnpozJ
                                johnpoz LAYER 8 Global Moderator
                                last edited by

                                your not going to broadcast over segments anyway.  You would have to tap to be able to broadcast.

                                An intelligent man is sometimes forced to be drunk to spend time with his fools
                                If you get confused: Listen to the Music Play
                                Please don't Chat/PM me for help, unless mod related
                                SG-4860 24.11 | Lab VMs 2.8, 24.11

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                                • M
                                  mickey dam
                                  last edited by

                                  @johnpoz:

                                  your not going to broadcast over segments anyway.  You would have to tap to be able to broadcast.

                                  I just turned off the netbios option and my test client works as expected.  fist pump

                                  Thanks again for your help, johnpoz!

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                                  • M
                                    mickey dam
                                    last edited by

                                    And I forgot to mention, before testing the client I removed the default gateway addy from the TAP adapter.  Even though Windows moved the connection to Public, I could still access what I needed to on our work network.

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