Multiple simultaneous tunnels.

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Tom.Richardson
OpenVpn Newbie
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Joined: Mon Sep 26, 2022 1:29 pm

Multiple simultaneous tunnels.

Post by Tom.Richardson » Mon Sep 26, 2022 1:36 pm

I found the following article on the OpenVPN forum:
viewtopic.php?t=22036
But it talks about using TAP interfaces, which the Android API does not support:
https://openvpn.net/faq/why-does-the-ap ... e-tunnels/

So does the first article apply to the Android version of OpenVPN Connect?
ie. Is it possible to create multiple tunnels simultaneously with Android OpenVPN Connect?
If so, how?

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openvpn_inc
OpenVPN Inc.
Posts: 1332
Joined: Tue Feb 16, 2021 10:41 am

Re: Multiple simultaneous tunnels.

Post by openvpn_inc » Mon Sep 26, 2022 2:39 pm

Hello Tom.Richardson,

On Windows, macOS, and Linux, it is possible to have multiple VPN TAP adapters and multiple connections can work there. Even so OpenVPN Connect will not do it because it is designed to allow only one connection on purpose (to avoid people inadvertently creating insecure or broken situations when doing multiple connections to different VPN servers that give conflicting routing instructions). On Android and iOS it is not possible to have more than one connection due to the limitation in its VPN API to have only one VPN connection active.

To use multiple connection on Windows, macOS, or Linux though, you'd need to use an alternative client like OpenVPN GUI or TunXTen or Viscosity or Tunnelblick or something of the likes, or the standard OpenVPN2 or OpenVPN3 Linux client for Linux which already supports this out-of-the-box.

So no, it is not possible to have multiple connections with Android OpenVPN Connect, for 2 reasons. OpenVPN Connect is designed for one connection and the VPN API on Android only allows one connection.

Kind regards,
Johan
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Tom.Richardson
OpenVpn Newbie
Posts: 2
Joined: Mon Sep 26, 2022 1:29 pm

Re: Multiple simultaneous tunnels.

Post by Tom.Richardson » Tue Sep 27, 2022 12:25 am

Thanks for clearing this up Johan.
Appreciate it.

Regards,

Tom

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openvpn_inc
OpenVPN Inc.
Posts: 1332
Joined: Tue Feb 16, 2021 10:41 am

Re: Multiple simultaneous tunnels.

Post by openvpn_inc » Wed Sep 28, 2022 5:47 pm

Hello Tom,

Glad to clarify.

Have a nice day,
Johan
Image OpenVPN Inc.
Answers provided by OpenVPN Inc. staff members here are provided on a voluntary best-effort basis, and no rights can be claimed on the basis of answers posted in this public forum. If you wish to get official support from OpenVPN Inc. please use the official support ticket system: https://openvpn.net/support

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