Unable to see Flex 6500 on PC Laptop when using OpenVPN

Reggie

I am using an ASUS RT-AC86U with OpenVPN.  I can connect to the VPN via my iPad from a T-Mobile and use the my Flex 6500; however, I can't see the radio when I use SmartSDR on a PC laptop connecting to the VPN from a T-Mobile phone.  The laptop connects to the VPN and gets an address. 

I tried port forwarding ports 4491 and 4492 on the router, manually assigning and IP address to the Flex, and turning off the firewall on the laptop.

Any suggestions to resolve this issue?

Thanks,

Reggie

Mike va3mw

Reggie

I don't have a simple answer, but if the laptop isn't seeing the radio, then I suspect you aren't get a L2 connection.  

Is the VPN'd IP address of the laptop on the same subnet as the radio?  It has to be.  Something like 192.168.1.****.

Mike va3mw

K1VL

Reggie,

I would guess your OpenVPN is configured as a routed VPN. It needs to be setup as a bridged VPN in order to work with SmartSDR. Check the OpenVPN configuration file it should have a "dev tap" statement to be a bridge. A "dev tun" statement means a routed VPN. Perhaps there is an OpenVPN wizard built into the Asus router. You will need to have OpenVPN configured in bridged mode.

You should not need to open any special ports on the router specific to SmartSDR for a remote VPN to work. Typically OpenVPN uses port 1194 which tends to be configured along with OpenVPN.

Carmine W1EQX

Jim Gilliam

Be sure you have OpenVPN configured as TAP (not TUN) on your router. Using the ASUS 86U and very very impressed with it.

Jim, K6QE

Reggie

When I configure the router for TAP, the iPad states IOS doesn't support TAP-based tunnels. 

When connecting the laptop to the VPN, the connection was refused. 

Reggie

K1VL

Reggie,

I did a bit of research for you and confirmed the built in iOS client will not connect to OpenVPN in bridged mode.

Is there an L2TP VPN server service that can be configured on the Asus router? I am not familiar with the firmware. If not, you may need to adopt a 3rd party firmware that supports L2TP server or build up a SoftEther server on a PC or Pi device inside your network to serve up a L2TP VPN. I use SoftEther for remote access in that manner -not native to the router- and it works well. I also use a permanent, always on, site to site (router to router) bridged mode OpenVPN between my main house and remote shack 150 miles away. I never need to fire up a VPN client as the two networks are always linked, available and act as one wide area network.

Carmine W1EQX

Ken - NM9P

As Carmine said, a lot of folks are using SoftEther either on their shack computers or on a Raspberry Pi.  A few are even flashing their router with DD-WRT and putting SoftEther on their routers.  

Ria - N2RJ, Howard - KY6LA, and Chris - K6OZY, are some of the SoftEther gurus on the Community.  There are others, too, but these three seem to be the most prolific commenters.

Ken - NM9P

K1VL

SoftEther works nicely with the native iOS VPN client in L2TP mode. No need to install a third party app to make it work. 

Carmine W1EQX

Mike va3mw

I only use a Maestro remote. 100% Softether. Mike va3mw

Reggie

If I install Softether on a PC Tablet, will it allow connections to both Windows 10 and an iPad or will have the same issue selecting between TUN and TAP for the interface device?

Reggie

KY6LA_Howard

SoftEther does not need TUN or TAP. It's so much easier to use