"client -> Connect" fails

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larry.menard
OpenVpn Newbie
Posts: 5
Joined: Sun Apr 15, 2018 6:37 pm

"client -> Connect" fails

Post by larry.menard » Sat Apr 21, 2018 5:19 pm

Greetings.

Semi-newbie alert. I'm new to OpenVPN, and not particularly skilled regarding VPN in general, but have been around networking for decades (very familiar with TCP, UDP, firewalls, routers, DNS, DHCP, etc.).

I have just installed OpenVPN on my Windows 10 desktop (32-bit, if that matters), and configured it as described in the HOWTO page (https://openvpn.net/index.php/open-sour ... howto.html) . For the purposes of initial testing, I am trying to connect to the server from a client on the same system.

The firewall in my router has port 1194 open for both TCP and UDP.

In my Windows Defender Firewall I have added Incoming Rules for port 1194 (both TCP and UDP), and I have added "openvpn.exe" to the list of allowed applications (probably redundant, but worth a try).

So I think I have covered all the bases.

I am attempting to connect using the OpenVPN GUI.

When I click on "server -> Connect", it connects fine.

When I click on "client -> Connect", the connect fails with:
TLS Error: TLS key negotiation failed to occur within 60 seconds (check your network connectivity)
TLS Error: TLS handshake failed
When I shut down my Windows Defender Firewall completely, the error changes to:
read UDP: Unknown error (code=10054)

That change in behaviour when I shut down Windows Defender Firewall completely seems to imply that it is involved somehow, but I'm not sure if it is making things better or worse.

I've checked all the FAQs I can find, and I am still at a loss to explain why I can't connect.

Am I missing something?

Any help would be appreciated. Thanks in advance.
Last edited by larry.menard on Sat Apr 21, 2018 8:53 pm, edited 1 time in total.

larry.menard
OpenVpn Newbie
Posts: 5
Joined: Sun Apr 15, 2018 6:37 pm

"client -> Connect" fails

Post by larry.menard » Sat Apr 21, 2018 8:52 pm

My apologies, I just noticed that the Subject of this topic does not represent the current problem at all. It reflects a previous problem that I had (but had since figured out). I have now corrected it.

TinCanTech
OpenVPN Protagonist
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Joined: Fri Jun 03, 2016 1:17 pm

Re: "client -> Connect" fails

Post by TinCanTech » Sat Apr 21, 2018 9:47 pm


larry.menard
OpenVpn Newbie
Posts: 5
Joined: Sun Apr 15, 2018 6:37 pm

Re: "client -> Connect" fails

Post by larry.menard » Sun Apr 22, 2018 1:10 pm

As promising and popular as OpenVPN seems to be, it also seems to suffer from serious documentation issues. Specifically, the sheer volume of information that is really not helpful at all. Some of it might be helpful, but to find it you have to wade through volumes of useless stuff.

I do understand that VPN can be a complicated concept, but I would think that what I am trying to do is a pretty basic and simple scenario, so it must have been done many times before, and therefore be clearly and simply documented. I have in fact found some third-party articles that do describe clearly and simply how to do this, and I have done everything they say, so AFAIK I have done everything right, but yet it is not working.

I apologize if I sound preachy or pretentious, but I have a very busy life, and unfortunately don't have any more time to spend on this. Thanks for your help in the past TCT.

TinCanTech
OpenVPN Protagonist
Posts: 11137
Joined: Fri Jun 03, 2016 1:17 pm

Re: "client -> Connect" fails

Post by TinCanTech » Mon Apr 23, 2018 1:04 am

I wuz just pondering what software i was running ..

Code: Select all

openvpn --version
then i remembered .. i don''t \ care

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novaflash
OpenVPN Inc.
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Re: "client -> Connect" fails

Post by novaflash » Mon Apr 23, 2018 9:11 am

Well, that's not very productive, TinCanTech.

larry.menard, I understand you are frustrated, but VPN by itself is terribly complicated due to everything involved around it, and the fact that we're dealing with an encryption program, and cryptography is simply one of the most complex things that exists in computerland. And since it's open source OpenVPN exists for a ton of platforms and systems and therefore documentation can be found everywhere and nowhere.

However, you are currently posting on the OpenVPN Access Server board on this forum. And you are using the open source version. So it would make sense to post in one of the open source boards on this forum instead of on this board.

With that out of the way, codes like 10016 and 10054 are common network code errors on Windows, not even related to OpenVPN itself. Windows Socket Error 10054 indicates that the connection was forcibly closed by the other side. This commonly indicates a problem with a firewall or a security program that blocks stuff. That you allowed traffic through Windows Firewall apparently was not enough. I would suggest that you try to temporarily disable or remove any and all programs that have anything to do with securing your network traffic, as that is apparently where the issue exists, according to this error.

When you get to an actual OpenVPN error message, that's where we can help. But so far you seem to have hit some weird firewall thing with the error 10054 thing. I find it odd that with it 'disabled' you run into a firewall issue. Makes me wonder what the hell it's doing when it's 'working'.

The TLS error you saw, that's a real OpenVPN error message. And that indicates there is something wrong with your TLS handshake. And it is a very generic error which is hard to diagnose because of the nature of how this works. You could first of all make sure you use the latest version of the software, and that if you use the tls-auth function that you have the key direction set properly and that you have the correct TLS key on both server and client. And if possible, try it without tls-auth and see if it works then. Documentation for open source is here:
https://community.openvpn.net/openvpn/w ... n24ManPage
I'm still alive, just posting under the openvpn_inc alias now as part of a larger group.

TinCanTech
OpenVPN Protagonist
Posts: 11137
Joined: Fri Jun 03, 2016 1:17 pm

Re: "client -> Connect" fails

Post by TinCanTech » Mon Apr 23, 2018 11:18 am

TinCanTech wrote:
Mon Apr 23, 2018 1:04 am
I wuz just pondering what software i was running ..

Code: Select all

openvpn --version
then i remembered .. i don''t \ care
novaflash wrote:
Mon Apr 23, 2018 9:11 am
that's not very productive, TinCanTech
Considering the complete lack of information or effort by the OP followed by the pretentious critique ..

My comment is 100% accurate .. and it wasn't intended to be helpful :P

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