How does the OpenVPN client locate the OpenVPN server

[tutitech]

Hi everyone, this is a very basic issue which I do not understand yet. I hope someone can draw some light on this.

After configuring the OpenVPN server I made an export for clients, but I did not remember entering any information regarding the public ip address of the actual computer where PFSense and OpenVPN server are running. How does the client locate the OpenVPN server?

[jptech]

There's a setting for it (see the attached screenshot).  By default it gets the interface IP and adds it to the exported .ovpn file as the remote directive.  Your interface is probably the WAN, so look in your .ovpn files for a line that has something like:

remote 192.0.2.254 1194

…but with your WAN IP rather than 192.0.2.254.

[Derelict]

In the client export utility you choose what to use as the remote server. I like to use a FQDN so if I change IP addresses the clients follow along.