Problems installing Buffered VPN to my ASUS RT-AC87U with merlin

[YYCuser]

I have an ASUS RT-AC87U router with the most recent Merlin firmware installed. I just signed up for a VPN service from Buffered, and I have been trying to follow the instructions to Install the OpenVPN within my router. Can't get it to work. I can get the OpenVPN connection to work, it says its connected fine, but I don't have internet access. I disconnect the OpenVPN and the internet is back. I then tried connecting to the Google DNS instead of automatically, and still have issues. (BTW, I have had a VPN installed there and working fine from PrivateInternetAccess, but since they are blocked by Netflix I an trying alternates).
I have been in discussion with their "support" guy, but he is basically just telling me to follow the instructions, no real help there. I'm ready to try someone else with a better support desk, but thought I would post this there in case someone smart can assist me.
I have attached a PDF that includes screenshots of as many config screen as I could think of, and a log file to show the setup as it sits right this minute, nothing different other than I have disabled the VPN for get internet back.
Any suggestions appreciated.

 

[yorgi]

I have an ASUS RT-AC87U router with the most recent Merlin firmware installed. I just signed up for a VPN service from Buffered, and I have been trying to follow the instructions to Install the OpenVPN within my router. Can't get it to work. I can get the OpenVPN connection to work, it says its connected fine, but I don't have internet access. I disconnect the OpenVPN and the internet is back. I then tried connecting to the Google DNS instead of automatically, and still have issues. (BTW, I have had a VPN installed there and working fine from PrivateInternetAccess, but since they are blocked by Netflix I an trying alternates).
I have been in discussion with their "support" guy, but he is basically just telling me to follow the instructions, no real help there. I'm ready to try someone else with a better support desk, but thought I would post this there in case someone smart can assist me.
I have attached a PDF that includes screenshots of as many config screen as I could think of, and a log file to show the setup as it sits right this minute, nothing different other than I have disabled the VPN for get internet back.
Any suggestions appreciated.

Right of the bat you should disable UPnP and take out aggressive mode use normal instead.
WAN NAT PASSTHROUGH disable everything there.
For IP POOL Start 192.168.1.100 IP pool end 192.168.1.254

You have everything but the VPN client in that PDF so maybe upload a image of your VPN client so we can see if there is a setting missing.

 

[YYCuser]

Thanks, I will get on those changes ASAP.
These are the setup docs available via the company.

https://buffered.com/support/how-to-setup-buffered-vpn-on-a-dd-wrt-router/
https://buffered.com/support/setup-buffered-vpn-tomato-enabled-router/
I wasn't sure which one exactly I was to use, so I tried the info contained within both, but nothing worked.

For your reply "WAN NAT PASSTHROUGH disable everything there." I was unsure about the reason for disabling. I (mistakenly?) thought I needed to enable these to allow the VPN connection to apply to my appleTV for Netflix. If its not too much trouble maybe you can explain to me the reason for either disabling or enabling? Thanks so much.

I have included the VPN *.OVPN information I have chosen to use in the txt file. If there are any other files, screenshots I have missed please let me know and I will provide.

 

[yorgi]

Thanks, I will get on those changes ASAP.
These are the setup docs available via the company.

https://buffered.com/support/how-to-setup-buffered-vpn-on-a-dd-wrt-router/
https://buffered.com/support/setup-buffered-vpn-tomato-enabled-router/
I wasn't sure which one exactly I was to use, so I tried the info contained within both, but nothing worked.

For your reply "WAN NAT PASSTHROUGH disable everything there." I was unsure about the reason for disabling. I (mistakenly?) thought I needed to enable these to allow the VPN connection to apply to my appleTV for Netflix. If its not too much trouble maybe you can explain to me the reason for either disabling or enabling? Thanks so much.

I have included the VPN *.OVPN information I have chosen to use in the txt file. If there are any other files, screenshots I have missed please let me know and I will provide.

This should be the way you configure your client.

I told you to disable everything in WANT NAT passthrough because none of those protocols have anything to do with VPN or anything else you need. Why make the router work more. keep the cpu for features you need and shut off features you will never use.
You can enable them all if you feel more comfortable

I hope this helps you out.
if you are still having problems please upload a jpg file of your vpn client and blur out any personal info.

in case you cant read the custom configurations from the image here is what they should be

remote-cert-tls server
ping 5
ping-restart 30
sndbuf 640000
rcvbuf 640000
explicit-exit-notify 3
route-gateway dhcp

 

[YYCuser]

Thank you for the assistance thus far. After the changes I can't connect to the VPN, but since its not connected my internet is working. (and all NAT pass-throughs have been disabled )
This is the error I get when applying the settings outlined within your screenshot, and I have changed the custom config from the recommended info from the vendor to your settings. . I tried to get the entire VPN config screen in the shot. I have included a few screenshots to show how the setup is now, according to your advice.

 

[YYCuser]

I just had a thought. My home network consists of: Cable line from the cable company, going into a cable modem/router from the cable company (Wi-Fi disabled Cisco DPC3825 DOCSIS 3.0 Data Gateway), and then goes to my ASUS RT-AC87U Wi-Fi router that manages all the Wi-Fi traffic which I want on VPN. Could there be a conflict between the cable company router settings and the settings in my ASUS router? Here are some screenshots from the Cisco cable modem as-is, with the ASUS wi-fi router settings as shown in previous post..

 

[yorgi]

Thank you for the assistance thus far. After the changes I can't connect to the VPN, but since its not connected my internet is working. (and all NAT pass-throughs have been disabled )
This is the error I get when applying the settings outlined within your screenshot, and I have changed the custom config from the recommended info from the vendor to your settings. . I tried to get the entire VPN config screen in the shot. I have included a few screenshots to show how the setup is now, according to your advice.

View attachment 6407 View attachment 6408 View attachment 6409 View attachment 6410 View attachment 6411

From what i see on the VPN status page you are connected properly to the VPN and there is data that is being transmited so you dont have a problem with the ASUS router and it connecting to the VPN.
From what I see you have a problem with the 2 routers.
You cannot have DHCP enabled in both routers. only one router can do DHCP.
So start with disabling dhcp on the cisco and I think you should be in business.
everything looks good and your VPN is up and running.
Disable the VPN passthrough on your cisco router. Once again you are not running Ipspec or PPTP so you don't need them enabled.
Let me know if that worked for you.

 

[YYCuser]

So the tech help from buffered VPN finally replied to be as we have been going back and forth and asked me to do this. To put in DNS address of 10.8.0.1 in this location.
I have no idea how or why, but after trying this (and leaving the Cisco router as-is) my VPN is connected, Internet is up, and my IP shows a US location.
I probably won't mess with the Cisco router since it's running now, and I'm mystified as to how that worked, but I'm happy. The settings you provided were a big help in getting me running.

Thanks again for your thorough investigation! I really appreciate the time you spent on this.

 

[yorgi]

So the tech help from buffered VPN finally replied to be as we have been going back and forth and asked me to do this. To put in DNS address of 10.8.0.1 in this location.View attachment 6418
I have no idea how or why, but after trying this (and leaving the Cisco router as-is) my VPN is connected, Internet is up, and my IP shows a US location.
I probably won't mess with the Cisco router since it's running now, and I'm mystified as to how that worked, but I'm happy. The settings you provided were a big help in getting me running.

Thanks again for your thorough investigation! I really appreciate the time you spent on this.

Did you Disable DHCP on your cisco router?
When you have 2 DCHP servers nothing works right.
Once you disable the DHCP server on the cisco the DNS will automatically work.
Your VPN was working.
You won't have to put 10.8.0.1 in your DNS.

 

[yorgi]

also in that image your IP pool is not set right.
set it like this.
starting address 192.168.1.100
ending address 192.168.254

 

[YYCuser]

Ok great. I will get that changed and check tonight. Thanks!!

 

[YYCuser]

All is right with the world! I disabled DHCP in my cable modem, deleted the 10.8.0.1 in the ASUS DNS settings, and it all works well. Man I hate networking stuff. I could not have done it without your help. Heartfelt thanks.