IE and BI alerts stopped when OpenVPN running

Burner

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Okay now that I've invested in a new ASUS router and have OpenVPN running how do I get my internet and SMS alerts working again. If I turn off the VPN the problem is resolved but that's not a fix. I've seen posts out there before with the same problem but can't find them now. Would someone point me in the right direction please.... Thanks!!
 

wittaj

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You should only need to be using OpenVPN when away from home and logging back in to your system...

Do you have it somehow configured such that your BI computer can only see the internet when OpenVPN is on all the time even when home? That would be a setup when someone is trying to connect two different locations to the same spot.
 

SpacemanSpiff

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Okay now that I've invested in a new ASUS router and have OpenVPN running how do I get my internet and SMS alerts working again. If I turn off the VPN the problem is resolved but that's not a fix. I've seen posts out there before with the same problem but can't find them now. Would someone point me in the right direction please.... Thanks!!
As wittaj mentioned, openVPN allows you connect to your BI server on your home network FROM the Internet (not at home).

You mentioned 'If I turn off the VPN...' on what device are your preforming this action? BI Server? Mobile device?
 

Burner

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You should only need to be using OpenVPN when away from home and logging back in to your system...

Do you have it somehow configured such that your BI computer can only see the internet when OpenVPN is on all the time even when home? That would be a setup when someone is trying to connect two different locations to the same spot.
wittaj I can only access the internet when openvpn is off. I was under the impression openvpn was supposed to run 24/7. okay if openvpn is off everything runs just like it did before. Good deal thanks!!
 

Burner

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As wittaj mentioned, openVPN allows you connect to your BI server on your home network FROM the Internet (not at home).

You mentioned 'If I turn off the VPN...' on what device are your preforming this action? BI Server? Mobile device?
SpacemanSpiff I was turning off vpn on my BI server. I believe its working the way its supposed to ... I thought leaving openvpn on 24/7 would make your server more secure. I was having a problem with unknown connections in yhe middle of the night. All that stopped after running vpn 24/7. Thanks!!
 

SpacemanSpiff

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SpacemanSpiff I was turning off vpn on my BI server. I believe its working the way its supposed to ... I thought leaving openvpn on 24/7 would make your server more secure. I was having a problem with unknown connections in yhe middle of the night. All that stopped after running vpn 24/7. Thanks!!
When my 'puter connects to the office via VPN, the system is unable to browse the Internet (via web browser). It is isolated from everything except systems/services at work. The router at work is the VPN server in this scenario, home machine is the vpn client.

What components of openVPN did you install on your BI server, the VPN client? Also, what model ASUS router did you purchase?
 

Mike A.

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Depends how you set it up.

Search for "OpenVPN hairpinning"
 

SpacemanSpiff

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Depends how you set it up.

Search for "OpenVPN hairpinning"
Correct, Mike A.. The handful that I've experienced have all had their default settings to what I described previously. Symptoms OP described seem to fit, initially.
 

Burner

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When my 'puter connects to the office via VPN, the system is unable to browse the Internet (via web browser). It is isolated from everything except systems/services at work. The router at work is the VPN server in this scenario, home machine is the vpn client.

What components of openVPN did you install on your BI server, the VPN client? Also, what model ASUS router did you purchase?
I loaded the openvpn client... ASUS RT-AX86U Got it @ Micro Center they were the only place that actually had one. About $40 less than most other places.
 

wittaj

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Yeah, you do not need OpenVPN client on your BI machine. You simply enable it in the router.

That is probably why you were having problems - in your instance the BI machine needed OpenVPN running and connected to your phone. You accidentally set it up like you are trying to connect two separate locations together into one location securely.

I would suggest deleting the OpenVPN client from the BI server and enabling OpenVPN in the router. You want to OpenVPN when away from home onto your home network (router), not just the BI Computer.
 

SpacemanSpiff

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Yeah, you do not need OpenVPN client on your BI machine. You simply enable it in the router.

That is probably why you were having problems - in your instance the BI machine needed OpenVPN running and connected to your phone. You accidentally set it up like you are trying to connect two separate locations together into one location securely.

I would suggest deleting the OpenVPN client from the BI server and enabling OpenVPN in the router. You want to OpenVPN when away from home onto your home network (router), not just the BI Computer.
+1

If you have not done so already... ASUS provides the info on how to set up a VPN server on ASUS router on their FAQ pages.

When away from home, you'll use the VPN client installed/configured on your mobile device to connect to the VPN server service running on your ASUS. Once the connection is established, you'll be able to access services/servers on your home network (LAN)
 
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Burner

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Thank you guys for the help. I'll have to look over the "how to guide" and see what's up with that. I'm sure I have openvpn turned on the router. It might be a few days before I can look into this.... I've got a lot on my plate right now..... Thanks again
 

wittaj

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Yeah, you may have it running on the router and the BI computer, so hopefully just eliminating it from the BI computer will make everything work as it should!
 

Frankenscript

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Thank you guys for the help. I'll have to look over the "how to guide" and see what's up with that. I'm sure I have openvpn turned on the router. It might be a few days before I can look into this.... I've got a lot on my plate right now..... Thanks again
I recently bought a new router and went through the Open VPN setup, then settled it in for clients that might be away from my LAN and need to connect. Flag me if I can be of any help.

I'll underscore what was said above, that once Open VPN is running on your router, no devices that are on your LAN need to have an OpenVPN client running. Only devices outside your LAN should have this set up. For example, my cell phone has the Open VPN client and when I want to connect to the cameras when I am away from home, I turn on the OpenVPN client. Suddenly my phone thinks it's on my home LAN and can access my BI server. Similarly I have a laptop that I routinely use away from home (well, not so much during Covid) and it is configured with OpenVPN so that if I'm "sitting in a coffee shop on public wifi" (yeah, right) I could connect in and effectively be on my LAN.
 

ptzman

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I recently bought a new router and went through the Open VPN setup, then settled it in for clients that might be away from my LAN and need to connect. Flag me if I can be of any help.

I'll underscore what was said above, that once Open VPN is running on your router, no devices that are on your LAN need to have an OpenVPN client running. Only devices outside your LAN should have this set up. For example, my cell phone has the Open VPN client and when I want to connect to the cameras when I am away from home, I turn on the OpenVPN client. Suddenly my phone thinks it's on my home LAN and can access my BI server. Similarly I have a laptop that I routinely use away from home (well, not so much during Covid) and it is configured with OpenVPN so that if I'm "sitting in a coffee shop on public wifi" (yeah, right) I could connect in and effectively be on my LAN.
What is the AUS router model that you have? Thanks
 
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