Is OpenVPN right for this?

domainret

Here is the problem...

Verizon Wireless uses NAT which won't let anyone connect to a device on the Verizon Wireless network, but that device can connect to anything else.

I have a few IP cameras at a summer house that I would like to access, so I've built a custom SOCKS proxy client that connects to a bridge, and a seperate proxy server that is at the summer house that connects to the bridge as well. The bridge relays data from the client to the server and I'm able to access the cameras. The bridge keeps the connections open indefinitely.

However, some cameras use ActiveX, Java or Quicktime addons which won't work with SOCKS proxies but will work with a VPN.

So my question is... Is there a way to install and configure OpenVPN in "bridge" mode on a bridge server which will relay the data to the summer house OpenVPN VPN server which has an established socket connection with the bridge?

I'm sorry if I posted this in the wrong section.

Thanks,
Lima

ecrist

You shouldn't need a bridged-vpn, but just a regular routed VPN, set up in such a way that the remote user (you) can access the cameras directly. Generally, you accomplish this with a remote VPN server, have a router at the remote home connect as a client and setup an iroute for the home's network.

These links might help you get started:

16:05:19 <@ecrist> !iroute
16:05:20 <@vpnHelper> "iroute" is does not bypass or alter the kernel's routing table, it allows openvpn to know it should handle the routing when the kernel points to it but the network 
                      is not one that openvpn knows about. This is only needed when connecting a LAN which is behind a client, and therefor belongs in a ccd entry. Also see !route and 
                      !ccd
16:05:22 <@ecrist> !route
16:05:23 <@vpnHelper> "route" is (#1) http://www.secure-computing.net/wiki/index.php/OpenVPN/Routing or https://community.openvpn.net/openvpn/wiki/RoutedLans (same page mirrored) if you 
                      have lans behind openvpn, read it DONT SKIM IT or (#2) READ IT DONT SKIM IT! or (#3) See !tcpip for more info about a more basic networking guide or (#4) See 
                      !serverlan or !clientlan for steps and troubleshooting flowcharts for LANs
16:05:24 <@vpnHelper> behind the server or client

No reason for bridging, as it's not ethernet frames that you need.

domainret

Thanks for the great info!

So that I understand correctly. You're saying that I can use a server at say datacenter1 (DC1), install OpenVPN on it, then have the remote-house machine connect to it as a client. Once the machine connects though, how do I access it from my primary location which is not yet connected to the VPN (my current PC)?

Also, you mentioned "have a router at the remote home connect as a client and setup an iroute for the home's network"... but I don't think the router would support connecting to a custom VPN.

Thanks,
Lima