New to OpenVPN have questions about connection

knoll126 · 2018-05-18T04:30:05.682Z

Hi,

I am really new to VPNs and running OpenVPN. I purchased a VPN earlier this week and am able to use it fine running as a program on my PC and Mac. I really need it to run via a router in order to use Roku and my Xbox One. My main use for the VPN is streaming. I purchased GL-MT300N-V2 and it arrived today. After a lot of trouble shooting and reinstalling and installing frimware, I have it setup to use my VPN account on the router. The problem is that nothing loads, even though the router says it is connected. I use the same server as the program on my PC uses to get what I want to stream to work, but when I use that server on the router it doesn’t load any web pages. Any ideas on what I am missing?

Hopefully the image appears below showing what the router is saying that it is connected.

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Thank you,
Noel

motley · 2018-05-18T06:20:36.286Z

Nothing loads mean no internet access at all?

1 - there used to be a step to setup DNS in the NordVPN guide for GL-iNet products, that step is no longer there and I think you still need it for various reasons…In your GL-iNet device home page, click on the globe with DHCP, then DNS settings, key in 103.86.89.100 and 103.86.99.100 (latest DNS), enable both DNS options, apply and save. These steps will get rid of your custom DNS message in the picture. At the end, go to ipleak.net to make sure you are VPN protected, NordVPN home page should also tell you if you are protected or not.

2 - If you are using firmware 2.27, you may want to boot the device for changes to take effect, slugguish response and various issues. I had this problem and reverted back to 2.264, and disable auto firmware update.

3 - MT300N-V2 averages ~10Mbits/sec with NordVPN, AR300M averages ~12Mbits/sec, and BL1300 averages ~24Mbits/sec, assuming you are connected to an optimal VPN server, go to NordVPN home page and click on server at the top and there you can find an optimal server base on you IP address provided by your ISP. Also, UDP is slightly faster than TCP, and primarily, the VPN speed is a function of the CPU power to handle the encryption/decryption

4 - NordVPN support has incredible service, and they stay with you until you resolve your issue, just login and go to their support webpage and at the bottom right is a chat icon for you to start a session.

5 - Not all websites accept VPN connections, I have problem Amazon, and absolutely no connect with my bank

Johnex · 2018-05-19T13:51:46.580Z

Motley is partly right, but i think you should use the DNS via the VPN if possible, not set the dns manually.

You can follow this thread about the DNS over VPN:

AR750 as OpenVPN client, no DNS for far network Technical Support for Routers

The strange thing is that both files contain the dns i want to use. I do notice however that it only shows numbers, and no text before it. I think normally it says nameserver before the dns. Maybe it’s something to do with my firewall, or the missing nameserver text, idk. I’ll try to play around some more and see what i can find out. Edit: can anyone using this script confirm if both files are the same for them? And if the entries contain any text before them? Is there a way to modify the scri…

knoll126 · 2018-05-19T17:31:02.805Z

Thanks guys. Using NordVPN DNS that they have worked. Johnex if you can explain if using the address the motley suggested is different than what you are saying that would be great. More information the better.

Thanks.

Johnex · 2018-05-19T18:02:17.339Z

What can happen is that NordVPN changes their DNS ip without warning, and you either end up with no connection, or in worst case the IP is given to an attacker, and you are now using a DNS that is insecure.
You will have to be constantly checking to make sure the DNS is up to date, even motley is hinting at that “103.86.89.100 and 103.86.99.100 (latest DNS)”

For both convenience and safety, you can let the VPN serve you the DNS ip, and you don’t have to worry about that.

The link i gave you in the other post is just 2 scripts that run on VPN connection and disconnection, changing the linux DNS to the VPN one supplied automatically for you. Scroll to the bottom of that thread for the copy paste solution.

motley · 2018-05-20T17:27:53.418Z

ok, here is the latest scope from what I know…

The old Nordvpn DNS addresses…162.242.211.137 (Texas) & 78.46.223.24 (Germany) are both visible to ipleak.net test even when VPN is enabled.

The new DNS addresses recommended by Nordvpn are 103.86.89.100 & 103.86.99.100 are from Australia and Singapore, are invisible to ipleak.net test with VPN enabled, but visible when VPN is off. The latest Nordvpn DNS addresses are from Nordvpn DD-WRT router setup guide webpage.

Johnex · 2018-05-20T17:37:11.212Z

I would still not try to find the latest DNS on my own and let the VPN send it to me on connection, but you guys can do as you like

motley · 2018-05-20T18:12:39.970Z

The input of DNS addresses are required by Nordvpn per setup guideline back in Feb 2018. I verified that there is no DNS address in any of the Nordvpn configuration files I am using for VPN servers up to us2000.nordvpn.com.tcp, if I don’t input the Nordvpn DNS address, ipleak.net spews out leak error.

Embedded DNS in the config file may be true for newer servers, and Nordvpn guideline for GL-iNET product has skipped the DNS address step within the last month or so, as compare to the guideline I followed back in Feb 2018 that told me to input the DNS manually.

Regardless of how you get the DNS address, I recommend you run ipleak.net test to make sure you have no leak.

Johnex · 2018-05-20T18:15:12.541Z

The DNS won’t be in the configuration. When OpenVPN connects, the other end will send all that extra data, including the DNS if the server broadcasts it.

It is this broadcast that the scripts use to set the DNS to the router after connection. The only way you will see this is to run the scripts on your end.

motley · 2018-05-20T18:27:05.114Z

That makes sense for Nordvpn to skip the DNS step in GL-iNET product if they push the DNS during connection, but does it mean that I need firmware 2.27 and newer to support that, since that does not work with 2.264 for me.

Johnex · 2018-05-20T18:31:05.812Z

I don’t think you understand how this works.
GL-iNet is not the one that made those scripts, it was the guys in the other thread. If GL-iNet will add it to the next firmware then ok. You won’t find it in any of the guides from either NordVPN or GL-iNet…

At the moment the only way you can do this is by following the other thread, doing the steps there and testing it.

It is not automatic until you do the steps, with any firmware!

motley · 2018-05-20T18:51:28.765Z

You are right that I don’t understand the exact detail of what needs to be done to achieve the automatic DNS, but having to run scripts is not all that appealing for average user,

Johnex · 2018-05-20T18:55:22.119Z

Ofc, but we are currently all shaping how the interface works by giving feedback to GL-iNet, this is why this forum exists. Im sure @alzhao will add this to the future firmware (it will be a bit changed than how it is now, some people have issues with the switch making multiple processes).

I posted that here just to help you and @knoll126 do it the right way (unfinished with no gui yet way).

In the next firmware or some future one there will probably just be a tickbox to select if you want automatic DNS from the VPN provider.

If you want the most secure way at the moment, you need to get your hands dirty at least a little

motley · 2018-05-20T19:00:51.623Z

Absolutely!!! Forums are there as feedback to improve products and make things more user friendly.

I have ASUS merlin router with VPN configured that is faster than BL1300, but I use GL-iNET for VPN usage because all it takes is choose a different VPN server and click apply, thats it!! Other routers with VPN are cumbersome and a dread to use if you have to change VPN server frequently.

Johnex · 2018-05-20T19:04:52.351Z

I use Asus Merlin as well, using it as the OpenVPN server, and the GL-iNet Mifi as the client. I’m doing the auto dns scripts on mine, i would recommend you to try it, works great

I don’t have NordVPN to test, so it is possible they are not transmitting the DNS over the link, that is why i wanted you to test it to see.

I use VPN when i travel, so i have access to my network and all the connected devices, plus the encryption.

Johnex · 2018-05-20T19:12:56.285Z

@motley My config in Asus Wrt, and just export client, add the scripts from the other thread and dns works as it should.

The config is sweet, lets you access both the local GL-iNet ip’s, but also the Asus ip’s and all the devices on the network. I have some servers, network printer and so on i can see remotely.

Setting network shares in windows using ip’s also makes this setup work on the asus wrt network “locally” and also via the VPN, without any changes.

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alzhao · 2018-05-21T09:56:49.818Z

Thanks for these guys. Nordvpn will be on top of our testing for DNS issue.

Johnex · 2018-05-23T13:20:36.522Z

Another user of NordVPN tested the scripts and they work fine, he get a DNS via the connection.

[GL-MT300N-V2] openVPN setup Technical Support for Routers

Thank you, now it works! If you don’t mind why you don’t recommend using nordVPN DNS? For my future reference: cat<<‘EOF’ >> /etc/openvpn/<YOUR_CLIENT_FILE_NAME>.ovpn script-security 2 up /etc/openvpn/updns down /etc/openvpn/downdns EOF cat<<‘EOF’ > /etc/openvpn/updns #!/bin/sh mv /tmp/resolv.conf.auto /tmp/resolv.conf.auto.hold echo $foreign_option_1 | sed -e ‘s/dhcp-option DOMAIN/domain/g’ -e ‘s/dhcp-option DNS/nameserver/g’ > /tmp/resolv.conf.auto echo $foreign_option_2 | sed -e ‘…

unlo · 2018-05-23T19:24:54.915Z

Open DNS and Google DNS are some options to consider.