OpenVPN Support Forum

I am new to OpenVPN and Ubuntu so please bear with me.

I tried to install OpenVPN access server from the terminal via the instructions on the OpenVPN site, but at the end it didn't install and said error: can't locate package openvpn-as. Is this because I am using Ubuntu 22.04 and the instructions on the OpenVPN site were for Ubuntu 20? What can I do?

Second, isn't OpenVPN a protocol? Why do I need an online access server account through OpenVPN that limits me to 2 free connections? Since I am self-hosting the server, why is the number of VPN connections limited? Does any of the information from my VPN sessions go through OpenVPN online rather than directly between my client and my self-hosted server? Is there a way to bypass the two free connections and bypass any connection to OpenVPN.net/com by just implementing OpenVPN as a protocol on my server rather than having to set up an online account with OpenVPN? What's the point of a VPN between a private self-hosted server and another computer if everything has to go through OpenVPN.net/com?

Thank you for your help.

Ok, as I said I am new to OpenVPN. May you please tell me where I should post this to receive help with my questions. I am not sure, but it seems to me this is the right place to be posting a question like this.
Thanks.

No problem, moved.

queubufor wrote: ↑

Mon Feb 21, 2022 12:16 am

I am new to OpenVPN and Ubuntu so please bear with me.

I tried to install OpenVPN access server from the terminal via the instructions on the OpenVPN site, but at the end it didn't install and said error: can't locate package openvpn-as. Is this because I am using Ubuntu 22.04 and the instructions on the OpenVPN site were for Ubuntu 20? What can I do?

Ubuntu 22.04 will be release on April 21, 2022. Since I am responding in Feb 2022, it hasn't been officially finalized and released yet. Until then most software vendors treat the Ubuntu release as a moving target and do not start the process of supporting it yet.

OpenVPN Access Server was updated to support 20.04 in August 2020. It is likely that OpenVPN Access Server will support Ubuntu 22.04 again around August (give or take a month).

For using OpenVPN Access Server, either reinstall the server with Ubuntu 20.04 or install KVM/QEMU and install Ubuntu 20.04 on KVM on your Ubuntu 22.04 system. Otherwise, wait until around August if you really want to use OpenVPN Access Server on Ubuntu 22.04.

queubufor wrote: ↑

Mon Feb 21, 2022 12:16 am

Second, isn't OpenVPN a protocol?

OpenVPN at this point probably can be considered four different things:

(1) The OpenVPN protocol

(2) OpenVPN Community Edition version 2 which implements the client and server of the protocol

(3) OpenVPN 3 client library rewritten in C++ (this is the basis for the OpenVPN Connect clients)

(4) OpenVPN Access Server

queubufor wrote: ↑

Mon Feb 21, 2022 12:16 am

Why do I need an online access server account through OpenVPN that limits me to 2 free connections?
Since I am self-hosting the server, why is the number of VPN connections limited?

Access Server provides the web interface and commercial support that community edition doesn't. OpenVPN Community Edition does not limit you to 2 free connections but if you use Access Server then there is a per connection licensing cost.

queubufor wrote: ↑

Mon Feb 21, 2022 12:16 am

Does any of the information from my VPN sessions go through OpenVPN online rather than directly between my client and my self-hosted server?

No. The data in the VPN session goes direct between the client and the self-hosted server.

queubufor wrote: ↑

Mon Feb 21, 2022 12:16 am

Is there a way to bypass the two free connections and bypass any connection to OpenVPN.net/com by just implementing OpenVPN as a protocol on my server rather than having to set up an online account with OpenVPN?

Sure, here is one blog article on using OpenVPN Community Edition on Ubuntu 22.02:
https://computingforgeeks.com/easy-way- ... on-ubuntu/

If that fits your needs and you don't require any commercial support then feel free to try that.

queubufor wrote: ↑

Mon Feb 21, 2022 12:16 am

What's the point of a VPN between a private self-hosted server and another computer if everything has to go through OpenVPN.net/com?

Again, OpenVPN Access Server does not pass everything through OpenVPN.net. You seem to be confusing self-host OpenVPN Access Server with the cloud host OpenVPN Cloud service. OpenVPN Cloud does pass everything through the OpenVPN Cloud service so you don't need a self-hosted server. But it is a completely different service/product than OpenVPN Access Server.

Hopefully this clears things up but if I just confused you more, feel free to ask.

Wow, great response.

One last question, is it possible to use Mac rather than Linux.

The website helps push enterprise users/businesses toward being able to find the commercial product/services first.

The "Community" option is still available in the menus but has a higher learning curve for actual use.

In terms of self-hosting the community edition as a server on Mac, I think this is the article you are looking for:
https://tunnelblick.net/cServer.html

Currently the OpenVPN Access Server product is not available to run directly on Mac OS X. But if you want to try it, you should be able to use OpenVPN AS from inside VirtualBox on Mac OS X.