Need help setting up on Windows 7

GregJ

Hi all,

I am trying to set up an OpenVPN server on Windows 7 Ultimate 64-bit with a simple static setup, but am having trouble because of my lack of a networking background. I'm hoping I will be able to use 2 different clients out on the Internet with the same general static key as my server, but I haven't gotten that far yet. Unfortunately, online help for setting this up on Windows is nearly nonexistant. I also haven't found an explanation, even for a Linux installation, of how to use OpenVPN without the reader having a significant networking background (to understand what OpenVPN is doing and what the network traffic will be, anyway). Can someone examine what I have so far and see if you can recommend fixes?

* My static key was created with openvpn --genkey --secret MyNet_OpenVPN_Static.key
* The TUN Networking Interface for Windows is installed as "My-Net" with the following displayed as status: Network cable unplugged, TAP-Win32 Adapter V9.
* My home router is between my server and the Internet.
* It appears that I have opened port 1194 on my router. It gives a status of Application Type = "PPTP virtual private network," Protocol UDP, Port 1194. I have unblocked Ping.
* I am using a service that records my server's IP address when it boots up. It provides a DNS server that points a domain to that address.
* I have created a Windows Firewall Inbound Rule for UDP, Local port 1194, and Remote port "all ports." I checked the "Enabled" checkbox. The other settings are as permissive as allowed. It is set to block edge traversal. No outbound rule.

Contents of MyServerConfig.conf:
proto udp
dev tun
ifconfig-pool-persist "D:\\Users\\OpenVPN Config\\ipp.log"
ifconfig 10.8.0.1 10.8.0.2
keepalive 10 120
secret "D:\\Users\\OpenVPN Config\\MyNet_OpenVPN_Static.key"
log "D:\\Users\\OpenVPN Config\\openvpn.log"
log-append "D:\\Users\\OpenVPN Config\\openvpn.log"
verb 3
mute 20

Contents of MyClientConfig.conf (the use of which has not yet come into play):
dev tun
proto udp
remote StaticDomainNameOfMyRouter.com 1194
nobind
persist-key
persist-tun
ifconfig 10.8.0.2 10.8.0.1
secret "H:\\OpenVPN Config\\MyNet_OpenVPN_Static.key"
verb 3
mute 20

I tried to start OpenVPN (not installed as a service) with:
openvpn MyServerConfig.config

I got this error (log file contents with verb 9):
Options error: --ifconfig-pool/--ifconfig-pool-persist requires --mode server
Use --help for more information.
Sun Apr 22 08:37:10 2012 us=754000 Closing Win32 semaphore 'openvpn_netcmd'

krzee

you want --server to have multiple clients
ifconfig how you are using it is for a static-key setup, which can not have multiple clients

GregJ

Thanks, I will work on that for a few days. Right now the server won't even run, however.

krzee

turn it down to verb 5 and post your log

GregJ

Aha, that request is priceless. It implies you don't see anything obviously wrong with the setup in my original post. At verb 5, running command line "openvpn MyServerConfig.ovpn" (same as what I did orginally in spite of erroneously posting "openvpn MyServerConfig.config"):

Options error: --ifconfig-pool/--ifconfig-pool-persist requires --mode server
Use --help for more information.

Thanks for helping me with this!

krzee

no, it didnt imply that, i just like to start with the logs
i dont use static-key setups, so the logs would tell us the problem 😉
and now that i look back, you found the needle in the haystack in verb 9 even lol

remove this:

ifconfig-pool-persist "D:\\Users\\OpenVPN Config\\ipp.log"