Hi there, First off, thank you for your support! I got a reply to my last post within a day :) I'm trying to setup an OpenVPN server on my Windows Seven box. OS: Windows Seven Ultimate DD-wrt: v24-sp2 router: Asus RT-N16 After a few tires and quite a bit of research and troubleshooting, I finally followed all the steps to create cert authority, server and client certificates no problem. I also successfully generated the Diffie-Hellman params and HMAC signature. The port forwarding and dynamic dns and so on is also set up properly. However, when I tried to start the server: ("right-click on the .ovpn file & hit 'start OpenVPN on this file'), I got: [color=#0040FF]"Options warning: Bad backslash ('\') usage in C:\Program Files\OpenVPN\config\se rver.ovpn:24: remember that backslashes are treated as shell-escapes and if you need to pass backslash characters as part of a Windows filename, you should use double backslashes such as "c:\\openvpn\\static.key" Use --help for more information. Press any key to continue..." [/color] After changing the backslashes to double backslashes in the server.ovpn file and trying again I got: [color=#0040FF]Options error: --server directive network/netmask combination is invalid Use --help for more information. Press any key to continue...[/color] Unfortunately, I'm stuck. Have searched a lot, but couldn't find a solution..Please help!! Thank you very much in advance!

trouble starting the server!

parachuter2b

Sorry, we encountered an error while displaying this content. If you're a user, please try again later. If you're an administrator, take a look in your Flarum log files for more information.

janjust

does the config file contain full paths to the certificate and key? can you try it without? openvpn picks up anything that is in the "config" directory

parachuter2b

janjust wrotedoes the config file contain full paths to the certificate and key? can you try it without? openvpn picks up anything that is in the "config" directory

Yes, they had full paths:
ca "C:\\Program Files\\OpenVPN\\easy-rsa\\keys\\ca.crt"

cert "C:\\Program Files\\OpenVPN\\easy-rsa\\keys\\server.crt"

key "C:\\Program Files\\OpenVPN\\easy-rsa\\keys\\server.key" # Never take this file off the server.

dh "C:\\Program Files\\OpenVPN\\easy-rsa\\keys\\dh2048.pem"

I just changed them to:
ca ca.crt

cert server.crt

key server.key # Never take this file off the server.

dh dh2048.pem

but still get the exact same error.

Here's a complete copy of my server.ovpn:
### SERVER CONFIG FILE ###

# lines starting with # or ; will not be read by OpenVPN

local 192.168.1.139 #### CHANGE. This is the IP address of the real (not tun/tap) network interface of the server. Find it using 'run > cmd > ipconfig'.

port 11967 #### CHANGE. This is the port the service will listen on. See 'Configure your Router' section for recommendation.

proto udp

mssfix 1400

push "dhcp-option DNS 8.8.8.8" #### CHANGE. Replace the Xs with the IP address of the DNS for your home network (usually your ISP's DNS).

#push "dhcp-option DNS X.X.X.X" #### CHANGE (OPTIONAL). A second DNS server. If you have one, remove the #.

dev tap

#dev-node MyTAP #### CHECK. If you renamed your TAP interface or have more than one TAP interface, remove the # and change "MyTAP" to its name.

ca ca.crt

cert server.crt

key server.key # Never take this file off the server.

dh dh2048.pem

tls-auth ta.key 0 # 'ta.key' must be in the config folder.

server 192.168.1.139 255.255.255.0 #### CHECK. Assigns the virtual IP address and subent to the VPN. Make sure you add this to your Router (section 4i).

ifconfig-pool-persist ipp.txt

push "redirect-gateway def1" # This will force the clients to use the home network's internet connection

keepalive 10 120

cipher AES-128-CBC # Connection will be encrypted with AES 128-bit.

comp-lzo

max-clients 100 #### CHECK. Assigns the maximum number of clients here, change according to your setup.

persist-key

persist-tun

status openvpn-status.log

verb 1 # This sets how detailed the log file will be. 0 causes problems and higher numbers can give you more detail for troubleshooting.

Thanks!

janjust

ah, that won't work (now that I see the full paths).

It is best to copy the key files to the "C:\Program Files\OpenVPN\config" directory; it is better to not directly point to the 'easy-rsa' directory. So copy over
* ca.crt
* server.crt
* server.key
* dh2048.pem
to the config directory and try again.

parachuter2b

Thank you again!

I just sorted it out. stupid mistake! I was using my server's ip as start of the range:
server 192.168.1.139 255.255.255.0

Now, the server connects no problem!
So I tethered my phone to connect my two laptops to it and run tests:

1. Lenovo. OS: Win Seven Ultimate
2. Asus. OS: Win 8

Both clients do connect to the server (or at least the OpenVPN says so), but
the Lenovo has no internet connection and the Asus, though connected to the internet, doesn't show a different global IP.

Here's the IP of the Asus before and after connecting to the OpenVPN server:

IP Information: 199.119.232.226
ISP: Globalive Wireless Management Corp.
Organization: Globalive Wireless Management Corp.
Services: Suspected Network Sharing Device
City: Toronto
Region: Ontario
Country: Canada

Two more things:
1. I disabled the firewall momentarily on both the server and the Lenovo just to rule out the possibility. No change.
2. The Lenovo connects to a StrongVPN OpenVPN server no problem.

I am going to post what ipconfig gives me on both machines before & after connecting to openvpn (not sure if it's gonna help though?)

I'm running out of ideas. What else should I check for? Thank you for your time again!!!!

Lenovo before connecting to OpenVPN:

Windows IP Configuration

Ethernet adapter Local Area Connection 3:

Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Link-local IPv6 Address . . . . . : fe80::b990:7cf3:4348:ac47%16
IPv4 Address. . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.10.2
Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.128
Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . :

Wireless LAN adapter Wireless Network Connection:

Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Link-local IPv6 Address . . . . . : fe80::bdf0:a7b3:681b:a5df%13
IPv4 Address. . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.43.9
Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.0
Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.43.1

Ethernet adapter Local Area Connection:

Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected
Connection-specific DNS Suffix . : wireless.utoronto.ca

Tunnel adapter isatap.wireless.utoronto.ca:

Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected
Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :

Tunnel adapter isatap.{FDE6457B-0A62-49C5-9760-C080A123566D}:

Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected
Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :

Tunnel adapter Teredo Tunneling Pseudo-Interface:

Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
IPv6 Address. . . . . . . . . . . : 2001:0:5ef5:79fd:2073:2ac7:3f57:f5fd
Link-local IPv6 Address . . . . . : fe80::2073:2ac7:3f57:f5fd%14
Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : ::

Tunnel adapter isatap.{28F9D4EC-5F4F-46E3-BDA5-A5D0522DA30D}:

Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected
Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :

Lenovo after connecting to OpenVPN:

Windows IP Configuration

Ethernet adapter Local Area Connection 3:

Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Link-local IPv6 Address . . . . . : fe80::b990:7cf3:4348:ac47%16
IPv4 Address. . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.10.2
Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.128
Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . :

Wireless LAN adapter Wireless Network Connection:

Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Link-local IPv6 Address . . . . . : fe80::bdf0:a7b3:681b:a5df%13
IPv4 Address. . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.43.9
Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.0
Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.43.1

Ethernet adapter Local Area Connection:

Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected
Connection-specific DNS Suffix . : wireless.utoronto.ca

Tunnel adapter isatap.wireless.utoronto.ca:

Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected
Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :

Tunnel adapter isatap.{FDE6457B-0A62-49C5-9760-C080A123566D}:

Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected
Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :

Tunnel adapter Teredo Tunneling Pseudo-Interface:

Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
IPv6 Address. . . . . . . . . . . : 2001:0:5ef5:79fd:2073:2ac7:3f57:f5fd
Link-local IPv6 Address . . . . . : fe80::2073:2ac7:3f57:f5fd%14
Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : ::

Tunnel adapter isatap.{28F9D4EC-5F4F-46E3-BDA5-A5D0522DA30D}:

Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected
Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :

Asus before connect to OpenVPN:

Windows IP Configuration

Ethernet adapter Local Area Connection:

Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected
Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :

Ethernet adapter Bluetooth Network Connection:

Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected
Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :

Wireless LAN adapter Local Area Connection* 11:

Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected
Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :

Ethernet adapter Ethernet:

Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected
Connection-specific DNS Suffix . : WDS01.COM

Wireless LAN adapter Wi-Fi:

Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Link-local IPv6 Address . . . . . : fe80::adf5:2da0:f72d:2e90%12
IPv4 Address. . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.43.130
Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.0
Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.43.1

Tunnel adapter Local Area Connection* 13:

Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected
Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :

Tunnel adapter Teredo Tunneling Pseudo-Interface:

Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
IPv6 Address. . . . . . . . . . . : 2001:0:9d38:6ab8:a2:3297:3888:171d
Link-local IPv6 Address . . . . . : fe80::a2:3297:3888:171d%19
Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : ::

Tunnel adapter isatap.{1166AC31-5AE6-44B4-B8CC-D147C5BCA01C}:

Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected
Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :

Asus after connect to OpenVPN:

Windows IP Configuration

Ethernet adapter Local Area Connection:

Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Link-local IPv6 Address . . . . . : fe80::d0dd:ae92:cf0a:6c7f%20
IPv4 Address. . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.10.2
Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.128
Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . :

Ethernet adapter Bluetooth Network Connection:

Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected
Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :

Wireless LAN adapter Local Area Connection* 11:

Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected
Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :

Ethernet adapter Ethernet:

Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected
Connection-specific DNS Suffix . : WDS01.COM

Wireless LAN adapter Wi-Fi:

Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Link-local IPv6 Address . . . . . : fe80::adf5:2da0:f72d:2e90%12
IPv4 Address. . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.43.130
Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.0
Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.43.1

Tunnel adapter Local Area Connection* 13:

Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected
Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :

Tunnel adapter Teredo Tunneling Pseudo-Interface:

Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
IPv6 Address. . . . . . . . . . . : 2001:0:4137:9e76:202b:1d4c:3888:171d
Link-local IPv6 Address . . . . . : fe80::202b:1d4c:3888:171d%19
Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : ::

Tunnel adapter isatap.{1166AC31-5AE6-44B4-B8CC-D147C5BCA01C}:

Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected
Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :

Tunnel adapter isatap.{A2729BBC-3A7E-403C-A2CB-3B88C1409E9C}:

Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected
Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :

parachuter2b

sorry I made a mistake with lenovo's ipconfig log. I'm going to post the correct logs below.
Also, I thought it would help to clarify that there was no IP conflict, as the laptops didn't connect to the OpenVPN server at the same time.

Thanks!

Lenovo before connecting to the OpenVPN:

Windows IP Configuration

Ethernet adapter Local Area Connection 3:

Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected
Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :

Wireless LAN adapter Wireless Network Connection:

Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Link-local IPv6 Address . . . . . : fe80::bdf0:a7b3:681b:a5df%13
IPv4 Address. . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.43.9
Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.0
Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.43.1

Ethernet adapter Local Area Connection:

Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected
Connection-specific DNS Suffix . : wireless.utoronto.ca

Tunnel adapter isatap.{28F9D4EC-5F4F-46E3-BDA5-A5D0522DA30D}:

Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected
Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :

Tunnel adapter isatap.{FDE6457B-0A62-49C5-9760-C080A123566D}:

Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected
Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :

Tunnel adapter Teredo Tunneling Pseudo-Interface:

Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
IPv6 Address. . . . . . . . . . . : 2001:0:9d38:953c:345f:5e98:3888:1718
Link-local IPv6 Address . . . . . : fe80::345f:5e98:3888:1718%14
Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : ::

Tunnel adapter isatap.wireless.utoronto.ca:

Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected
Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :

Lenovo after connecting to the OpenVPN:

Windows IP Configuration

Ethernet adapter Local Area Connection 3:

Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Link-local IPv6 Address . . . . . : fe80::b990:7cf3:4348:ac47%16
IPv4 Address. . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.10.2
Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.128
Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . :

Wireless LAN adapter Wireless Network Connection:

Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Link-local IPv6 Address . . . . . : fe80::bdf0:a7b3:681b:a5df%13
IPv4 Address. . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.43.9
Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.0
Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.43.1

Ethernet adapter Local Area Connection:

Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected
Connection-specific DNS Suffix . : wireless.utoronto.ca

Tunnel adapter isatap.{28F9D4EC-5F4F-46E3-BDA5-A5D0522DA30D}:

Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected
Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :

Tunnel adapter isatap.{FDE6457B-0A62-49C5-9760-C080A123566D}:

Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected
Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :

Tunnel adapter Teredo Tunneling Pseudo-Interface:

Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
IPv6 Address. . . . . . . . . . . : 2001:0:9d38:953c:c5d:36c3:3f57:f5fd
Link-local IPv6 Address . . . . . : fe80::c5d:36c3:3f57:f5fd%14
Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : ::

Tunnel adapter isatap.wireless.utoronto.ca:

Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected
Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :