Use iOS settings to connect to my OpenVPN server

[Panja]

I have been running OpenVPN for several years now, alsway via the OpenVPN app on my iOS device.
But I would like to use the iOS settings app to be able to handle my VPN connections.
I know this is possible, but I can't seem to get this to work.
Every time I press connect in the settings app it does not connect to my OpenVPN server.
(I can disconnect my VPN sessions in the settings app though...)

Any help is appreciated!

[bbuckm]

I don’t think the built-in VPN client in iOS can handle OpenVPN. It works well for IKEv2. Haven’t tried any of the others.

[Panja]

It should work as it’s mentioned in the OpenVPN help on iOS. But I can’t get it to work.

Can OpenVPN profiles be connected from the Settings App?

A: Yes, starting with iOS 8. Note that, if you are using 1.2.5 or older, only autologin profiles (i.e. profiles that don't require credential entry) can be launched using this mechanism. Starting with version 1.2.6, also profiles using a PKCS#12 bundle stored in the iOS keychain can be connected from the Settings.

[johnsoninnyc]

Odd it's not working. This has always worked for me since it was released as a feature and across all versions of the openvpn app thru the current. i use an autologin tun / routed setup ie with no extra pass phrase etc.

have you tried wipe and reinstall/&setup of the openvpn app, with a reset network settings in between ?

[zzyzx]

Just noticed this thread after I posted about a similar, but opposite issue for me. I can connect fine through iOS settings, but the app does not work at all.

[bbuckm]

It may depend on your authentication and security options. I tested with username/password authentication with tls-crypt security. OpenVPN Connect can connect, but the iOS 11 built-in Settings app can’t. The OpenVPN Connect log file included:

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SSL Handshake: TLSv1.2/TLS-ECDHE-RSA-WITH-AES-256-GCM-SHA384

Maybe that also conflicts with the capabilities of the Settings app.

[zzyzx]

After a few tests, I'm pretty sure bbuckm is correct that it is your security options. The Settings app cannot handle username/password authentication, but does fine if you are using a keyfile instead.

[brlandy]

I am having this same problem on my iPad, but not my iPhone. Both are configured identically, use certificates, and can connect via the OpenVPN connect app. But only the iPhone can connect using the iOS Settings app.

The server log indicates the iPad isn't returning it's certificate when using the settings app. I have the certificate correctly imported using the ".ovpn12" extension, and have the ca and tls-crypt certificates embedded in the profile.

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OpenSSL: error:140360C7:SSL routines:ACCEPT_SR_CERT:peer did not return a certificate
TLS_ERROR: BIO read tls_read_plaintext error
TLS Error: TLS object -> incoming plaintext read error
TLS Error: TLS handshake failed

I tried deleting the certificate and profile, uninstalling the app, resetting the iPad's network settings, then reinstalling and reconfiguring the app.

[Burai]

Same here. It works on one iPhone but not another and I'm getting exactly the same error as brlandy. Again both are configured identically.

I do have a hunch why it doesn't work:

At one point I had to perform a "Reset Network Settings" on the now failing iPhone consequently it lost the PKCS12 package from the keychain, so I reimported it. Since then it refuses to connect via the Settings app but works fine from the OpenVPN app.

It must be that iOS is now somehow unable to locate the PKCS12 in the keychain. I have tried deleting the config, removing the app, resetting the network again, and then reinstalling and importing the certificate but it resuses to work.