parallel connections

Official client software for OpenVPN Access Server and OpenVPN Cloud.
Post Reply
user3245
OpenVpn Newbie
Posts: 4
Joined: Thu Apr 14, 2022 9:14 pm

parallel connections

Post by user3245 » Thu Apr 14, 2022 9:21 pm

I'd like to have parallel sessions, so two simultaneously connected VPNs. Which traffic goes where will be controlled by routes.

I understand that I have to install an additional TAP, but all instructions I can find seem to relate to pre V3. How can I install an additional TAP?

If the 2nd TAP is installed, how can I assign the additional TAP to the VPN connection in the ovpn file?

Thanks

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

Re: parallel connections

Post by TinCanTech » Thu Apr 14, 2022 11:23 pm

Which version would you be using ?

user3245
OpenVpn Newbie
Posts: 4
Joined: Thu Apr 14, 2022 9:14 pm

Re: parallel connections

Post by user3245 » Fri Apr 15, 2022 9:41 am

I'm using the latest version for Windows - 3.3.6

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

Re: parallel connections

Post by openvpn_inc » Thu Apr 21, 2022 10:28 am

Hello user3245,

OpenVPN Connect v2 and OpenVPN Connect v3 have been designed to allow only 1 active VPN tunnel at a time. This is mainly because it is an end user program where almost exclusively the users of it require access to just 1 VPN server at a time, and allowing multiple connections active at the same time has a high risk of causing routing conflicts.

An example of a conflict - for example a user might connect to a company server that also redirects all Internet traffic to provide end user device security, and at the same time the user might be connected to a VPN that also redirects all Internet traffic for anonimization or protection purposes. Which one does the Internet go through now? That depends on the situation. It can cause unwanted situations that most end users do not know or notice because they are not network specialists.

Power users (should) know how to avoid this problem. By for example having specific routes set up and using full-tunnel on one VPN server and split-tunnel on another. And for those power users there are for example Tunnelblick, TunxTen, OpenVPN GUI, and other applications, which do allow the creation and use of multiple VPN tunnels simultaneously. So if you need this then there are options available for you. Most likely you found instructions for OpenVPN GUI as that one does need additional TAP drivers installed to allow multiple simultaneous connections.

Kind regards,
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

user3245
OpenVpn Newbie
Posts: 4
Joined: Thu Apr 14, 2022 9:14 pm

Re: parallel connections

Post by user3245 » Fri Apr 29, 2022 4:39 pm

Thanks Johan,
I searched for OpenVPN GUI and found the 2.5.6 community edition. Installed and I can connect.
BTW I had issues with the current 3.3.6 (2752) client: remote connections timed out after 2 minutes, this works fine with 2.5.6

But still I haven't figured how to install a 2nd tab. Even after installing 2.5.6 I don't find addtap.bat nor %PROGRAMFILES%\Tap.

Any idea?

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

Re: parallel connections

Post by TinCanTech » Fri Apr 29, 2022 4:57 pm

There is a menu item: TAP Utilities or something like that.

Edit: Windows menu item: TAP Utilities or something

:mrgreen:

user3245
OpenVpn Newbie
Posts: 4
Joined: Thu Apr 14, 2022 9:14 pm

Re: parallel connections

Post by user3245 » Fri Apr 29, 2022 8:03 pm

Ahh, it's not a menu item in the OpenVPN GUI, but a separate Utilities folder in the start menu.
Thanks!

Post Reply