AC68U Merlin 386.11, 386.12 OVPN Server Connects but no data throughput

[SunSkyPi]

Hello Forum,

Have been running AC68U Merlin 386.7 as OVPN Server for over a year no problems, working great; upgraded to 386.11 and OVPN connects fine but no data throughput. Tried upgrading to 386.12 same issue. Did factory reset on 386.12 and stuck with all default values and new ovpn config file to clients, same issue, ovpn connects fine but no data through.

For clients, use Android, Chromebook (android), Windows, and ddwrt clients and they all work fine on Merlin 386.7 ovpn server. Have updated clients to latest OVPN or ddwrt and all work fine on 386.7, but not the later releases 386.11 and 386.12.

All clients also work fine on other OVPN servers on other devices (including ddwrt, netgear OEM routers, etc.) something changed in Merlin between 386.7 to later versions, I saw where some ovpn variables where deprecated but since I did a reset and made new ovpn client config files, don't think that would be an issue.

Please let me know if anyone has any ideas or suggestions

Thank you so much

 

[L&LD]

Did you choose the 2048-bit encryption when you set them up?

Did you also format the JFFS partition and/or check the 'Initialize all settings...' box when you did the reset?

Have you tried flashing the latest 386.12_2 final (and fully resetting the router afterward too)?

 

[ColinTaylor]

Disable compression.

Openvpn connected but no wan/lan traffic

I used openvpn in several merlin routers with no problem , last one was rt-ac3100 Now I upgraded to rt-ac5300 and I am having troubles. My Asus is behind my ISP modem,and UDP openvpn port is forwarded I try to connect with my android phone, and I connect. I see my connected phone in the vpn...

www.snbforums.com

 

[SunSkyPi]

Did you choose the 2048-bit encryption when you set them up?

Did you also format the JFFS partition and/or check the 'Initialize all settings...' box when you did the reset?

Have you tried flashing the latest 386.12_2 final (and fully resetting the router afterward too)?

Hi L&LD,

Thanks so much for your reply!

1) Set up Server 2 with 2048, and also after resetting setup VPN again with 2048, no difference.

2) I set reboot with 'Format JFSS' checked yes, reboot a 2nd time, and each time I do a reset check 'Initialize all settings...' box , no change still on 386.12. JFSS seemed to have plenty of space 2.06 / 62.75 MB before and after format, no difference.

3) another reset, flash 386.12.2, reset, setup VPN all default, no difference, same issue.

Tested a new Win client, and it loads just a little data through VPN but then no more throughput after that.

It is so close to working, OVPN connects just fine, just no data throughput. This is an AC68P didn't think that would make a difference though.

Just to make sure nothing was amiss with setup outside router (it is behind COX ISP Gateway) dropped a ASUS AC68U 386.7 behind, it works like a charm. Not sure what else to try other than rolling back to 386.7.

May try taking my other AC68U 386.7 and going to 386.12.2 and see if same result.

Any other ideas?

Thank you again for your help.
SSP

 

[L&LD]

Just to double-check, you did create, export, and then import that new OpenVPN file to the client device you want to test with (I'm sure you did...). And then connect with that device outside of your network too, correct?

Are you importing an old backup config file to configure the router? If so, don't.

If you're doing a manual configuration to secure the router and connect to your ISP, what other features, or options, are you changing past defaults?

Do you have a true Public WAN when your router is online?

 

[freddy2000]

Hello Forum,

Have been running AC68U Merlin 386.7 as OVPN Server for over a year no problems, working great; upgraded to 386.11 and OVPN connects fine but no data throughput. Tried upgrading to 386.12 same issue. Did factory reset on 386.12 and stuck with all default values and new ovpn config file to clients, same issue, ovpn connects fine but no data through.

For clients, use Android, Chromebook (android), Windows, and ddwrt clients and they all work fine on Merlin 386.7 ovpn server. Have updated clients to latest OVPN or ddwrt and all work fine on 386.7, but not the later releases 386.11 and 386.12.

All clients also work fine on other OVPN servers on other devices (including ddwrt, netgear OEM routers, etc.) something changed in Merlin between 386.7 to later versions, I saw where some ovpn variables where deprecated but since I did a reset and made new ovpn client config files, don't think that would be an issue.

Please let me know if anyone has any ideas or suggestions

Thank you so much

I upgraded ASUS RT-AC86U remotely to 386.12.2 yesterday. The OpenVPN server cannot maintain the tunnel after a few minute and I had to reboot the server. It has been fine with all previous versions of Merlin firmware until this upgrade. I cannot remotely down grade the firmware now. Has anyone come across the same issue?

Thanks!

 

[ColinTaylor]

@SunSkyPi

Disable compression.

Openvpn connected but no wan/lan traffic

I used openvpn in several merlin routers with no problem , last one was rt-ac3100 Now I upgraded to rt-ac5300 and I am having troubles. My Asus is behind my ISP modem,and UDP openvpn port is forwarded I try to connect with my android phone, and I connect. I see my connected phone in the vpn...

www.snbforums.com

 

[lazyme]

I had similar issue. For me changing server setup from UDP to TCP solved the problem

 

[SunSkyPi]

Just to double-check, you did create, export, and then import that new OpenVPN file to the client device you want to test with (I'm sure you did...). And then connect with that device outside of your network too, correct?

Are you importing an old backup config file to configure the router? If so, don't.

If you're doing a manual configuration to secure the router and connect to your ISP, what other features, or options, are you changing past defaults?

Do you have a true Public WAN when your router is online?

Thanks all for replies!

Hi L&LD,
yes, new ovpn files;
yes, connect outside network;
no, do not import config file, re-config by scratch,
not changing past defaults, and from factory reset only changes are LAN and time zone

Hi Colin,
Comp has been disabled on server and clients

All,
What I have done is take another AC68U 386.7 and put it in same position as the 386.12.2 and send it up through the versions, here are the test results for ovpn:

386.7 Pass (as expected)
386.9 Pass
386.10 Fail

So, when I bring another router up through the versions something breaks at 386.10, below is the change log for 386.10:

386.10 (10-Mar-2023)
- NOTE: 386_xx releases are only for Wifi 5 (AC) models.
- NEW: Added Site Survey page under Network Tools tab.
(RT-AC86U/GT-AC2900).
- UPDATED: dnsmasq to 2.89.
- UPDATED: openvpn to 2.6.0.
- UPDATED: openssl to 1.1.1t.
- UPDATED: miniupnpd to 2.3.3.
- UPDATED: Asus security daemon updated to 2.0 engine (patch
from Asus)
- CHANGED: Moved WiFi Radar and Site Survey to the
Network Tools tab
- CHANGED: Disabled auto logout on System Log and
Wireless Log pages.
- CHANGED: Reduced EDNS packet size from 1280 to 1232
bytes in dnsmasq, to better work with some
upstream servers not fully supporting EDNS0.
- FIXED: NTP redirection wouldn`t work properly with
Guest Network, removed redirection for these.
- FIXED: Added missing Tools icon on ROG UI (icon
contributed by Cody).
- FIXED: RT-AC68U may crash when using Media Bridge mode
with a specific SSID length (patch from Asus)

At least narrowed down to version that seems to be causing the ovpn break. Maybe is it the OVPN 2.6.0?

I have other ddwrt ovpn 2.6.6 servers that my clients connect to with no issues.

Hi lazyme,
Interesting when I switch to TCP on VPN it works! Albeit at half to 1/4 the speed of UDP on 386.9. I'll try the Original router, call it Router A, on 386.12.2 and see if that will work. Stay tuned...And voila, ovpn works on Router A on 386.12.2, but the speed is much slower, so may still roll back to 386.9 so can use UDP.

So now thanks to lazyme's suggestion to switch to TCP at least can get ovpn working on 386.12.2.

But now the question is why can't use UDP on versions 386.10 and forward? Anybody have ideas on that?

Thanks to all in advance for any help.

 

[lazyme]

BTW

At least narrowed down to version that seems to be causing the ovpn break. Maybe is it the OVPN 2.6.0?

I have other ddwrt ovpn 2.6.6 servers that my clients connect to with no issues.

Hi lazyme,
Interesting when I switch to TCP on VPN it works! Albeit at half to 1/4 the speed of UDP on 386.9. I'll try the Original router, call it Router A, on 386.12.2 and see if that will work. Stay tuned...And voila, ovpn works on Router A on 386.12.2, but the speed is much slower, so may still roll back to 386.9 so can use UDP.

So now thanks to lazyme's suggestion to switch to TCP at least can get ovpn working on 386.12.2.

But now the question is why can't use UDP on versions 386.10 and forward? Anybody have ideas on that?

Thanks to all in advance for any help.

I had an issue on AX88U on 3004.388.4 actually, which has OpenVPN 2.6.5, so it seems not related to the particualr OpenVPN build

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