OpenVPN client

This article relies on the following:

Accessing web interface / command-line interface
Managing configs / packages / services / logs

This how-to describes the method for setting up OpenVPN client on OpenWrt.
Follow OpenVPN server for server setup and OpenVPN extras for additional tuning.

Encrypt your internet connection to enforce security and privacy.
- Prevent traffic leaks and spoofing on the client side.
Bypass regional restrictions using commercial providers.
- Escape client side content filters and internet censorship.
Access your LAN services remotely without port forwarding.

Install the required packages.

# Install packages
opkg update
opkg install openvpn-openssl

Consider VPN network as public. Assign VPN interface to WAN zone to minimize firewall setup.

# Configure firewall
uci rename firewall.@zone[0]="lan"
uci rename firewall.@zone[1]="wan"
uci del_list firewall.wan.device="tun+"
uci add_list firewall.wan.device="tun+"
uci commit firewall
service firewall restart

Save your client profile to configure VPN service.

# Save VPN client profile
umask go=
cat << EOF > /etc/openvpn/client.conf
COPY_PASTE_CLIENT_PROFILE_HERE
EOF
service openvpn restart

Specify credentials for commercial provider and configure dynamic connection if necessary.

Establish the VPN connection. Verify your routing with traceroute and traceroute6.

traceroute openwrt.org
traceroute6 openwrt.org

Check your IP and DNS provider.

Collect and analyze the following information.

# Restart services
service log restart; service openvpn restart; sleep 10
 
# Log and status
logread -e openvpn; netstat -l -n -p | grep -e openvpn
 
# Runtime configuration
pgrep -f -a openvpn
ip address show; ip route show table all
ip rule show; ip -6 rule show; nft list ruleset
 
# Persistent configuration
uci show network; uci show firewall; uci show openvpn
head -v -n -0 /etc/openvpn/*.conf

OpenVPN client

Introduction

Goals

Command-line instructions

1. Preparation

2. Firewall

3. VPN service

Testing

Troubleshooting