No access to USB HDD with VPN server (BE88u), internal HDD´s from Server and RDP works without problems

[Denny_m]

Hello.

I bought the ASUS BE88U as a successor to my AX86U.

I have everything set up now and everything works great except for one problem.

If I'm outside the WiFi and connect to the Open VPN server via my smartphone, I can access my home server and the HDDs connected to it and also the remote desktop.

Internet access via the active Open VPN client also works.

But I cannot access the HDD connected via USB via SMB.

When I'm at home there are no problems with the WiFi.

This worked without any problems with the ASUS RT-AX86U.

Can anyone say what this could be?

Firmware is: 3006.102.3

Best regards

 

[jzchen]

*Current router is GT-BE98 Pro*

I have not tried to access anything on my local network from the WAN side. If I wanted to I would create a VPN for example using ASUS Instant Guard then try to access the USB HDD, as the router will show it "thinks" you are local.

I have had trouble over the years accessing the USB HDD via Samba (is that what you mean by SMB?) even on my local LAN. I ever since enable Guest Login for it, (and ASUSwrt always shows a tiny blinking warning in the upper right that this is ill advised,) but that is what I always do since.

If you somehow get a pop-up asking for login credentials, while it is technically supposed to be the same as what you set up to log into ASUSwrt, it is sometimes just admin admin. (This can pop up even with Guest login enabled from experience)....

 

[Denny_m]

Hello.

Sorry for the late reply.
So far I have never had any problems with access with the AX86u. That's why it should actually work here without any problems.

My setup currently looks like this:

ISP -> Fritz.Box 5490 with port forwarding on the BE88u (is also set up on both devices)

I connect to the smartphone on the BE88u via OpenVPN server. The dial-in works without any problems.
In the OpenVPN server settings is:

Client will use VPN to access -> Both

If I set it to Internet, no devices on the network can be reached
With the LAN setting I can access the Internet and sometimes my LAN clients.

On Both I can only partially access the LAN clients.

Here is a list of what is available and what is not:

Windows Remote Desktop to the home server -> accessible
Network video recorder via APP -> accessible
Hard drives that are connected to the server via USB -> accessible via SMB
Hard drive connected to the BE88u -> not accessible
All devices can be reached via SSH (Rasperry Pi Pihole, TV receiver...)
No device can be reached via browser login to the web interface. Not even devices that can be reached via SSH.

Could it be that this is a bug?

With my AX86u everything worked without any problems.

 

[jzchen]

Bug, or security leak, I wouldn't know. I believe there was security issues with AiCloud and I suspect a more recent firmware patched it, but caused your issue.

It may take ASUS a while to fix and my goal is to suggest a temporary alternative...

 

[Denny_m]

Hello.

I've been testing a bit over the last few days and have found that the problem only occurs when I access the OpenVPN server with my smartphone via the mobile data connection...

As soon as I'm on any WiFi, I can easily access all of my devices in the home network with OpenVPN connected.

Could this be a problem with IPV6?
I only get an IPV6 address with my smartphone and I always have IPV4 on the WLAN.

I've already tested several settings in the ASUS router and unfortunately I couldn't get it right. It also doesn't work with IPV6 disabled.

 

[danno]

I am assuming when you are connected to WIFI that network is behind the VPN? I have the same issue trying to access a USB drive attached to our ASUS EBG15. I have tried both OpenVPN and Wireguard. It has been a while since I worked with this but I think I was able to FTP to the drive after that was set up but Samba was a no go.

 

[jzchen]

@danno Hmmm. What device are you trying to use remotely? Are you able to access it locally?

 

[danno]

@danno Hmmm. What device are you trying to use remotely? Are you able to access it locally?

The USB drive attached to the EBG15. I can access everything else remotely with the VPN up. There is no access to anything without the VPN. No port forwarding etc..
When attached to the LAN via wifi I can access the USB drive attached to the EBG15.

 

[jzchen]

I definitely botched the first part of that question....

I meant to ask if the device trying to access it remotely can access it on the LAN...

 

[danno]

I definitely botched the first part of that question....

I meant to ask if the device trying to access it remotely can access it on the LAN...

Yes. I can access the USB drive when connected on the LAN. The drive is available and I can map network drives to the folders on the USB drive with Windows 11.

 

[jzchen]

@danno Thanks for clarifying.

My EBG15 is currently an AP on my network...

I do have a 4 TB HDD connected to its USB. It is set to SMB share but FTP is toggled off on the ExpertWiFi App...

I have two older but Windows 11 laptops but I have never tried accessing from away...

 

[jzchen]

Do you use DDNS or have a Static IP?

 

[danno]

DDNS is active. As I said, I can access ipcams and other equipment from the WAN side with either OpenVPN or Wiregard VPNs active. The only thing I cannot access remotely with a VPN active is the USB drive.
BTW Sorry this thread has been hijacked. My thread is here -> https://www.snbforums.com/threads/usb-drive-not-discoverable-with-vpn-active.96515/#post-981375