refuses to accept openvpn client private key

[eak]

I had been using ASUSwrt-Merlin 374.40. I had to reboot, and when I did I noticed my OpenVPN client1 would not start. The log file showed an error message about a missing private key, which was strange, because it was working before the reboot. I checked the GUI, and the private key file was blank. I uploaded the .ovpn file again, but the private key remained blank. I cut and pasted the private key, but it remains blank after I close the key window. So I upgraded to 374.42 and I found the same behavior. I checked that the private key is less than the 3499 limit (it is less than 2500 bytes). So now I am stumped as to what could be wrong. There are no error messages in the system log. client2 is working fine. Could the router be out of memory to hold my private key? What can I check (e.g. with ssh?) to help determine the problem?

Suggestions eagerly awaited, as right now I'm dead in the water without my client1 VPN.

 

[ParanoiA]

Are you exporting the default vpn config to use or are you changing all the keys to custom ones? I'm pretty sure if you upload a private key it needs all the other certs to match. U can't just change the private key only.

 

[eak]

No, that's not the problem, but thanks for the suggestion ParanoiA.

My RT-AC66U often wedges after too much configuration, and I have to do a factor reset, and then start again. I just did that after entering too many wireless mac filters. I then uploaded the same .ovpn file as before, and this time it worked. So I continue to feel my hypothesis about running out of memory somewhere is at the basis of this.

I do have several .CFG files that will reliably wedge the RT-AC66U on upload, since I do a save after various configuration steps. When I enter too much, things work, I do a save, and then it fails on reboot or .CFG upload. However, there are secret keys and such in these .CFG files, so I don't want to post them...

If anyone can suggest things to check with ssh to test that configuration hasn't put the device into a non-restartable state, I would appreciate it.

 

[RMerlin]

No, that's not the problem, but thanks for the suggestion ParanoiA.

My RT-AC66U often wedges after too much configuration, and I have to do a factor reset, and then start again. I just did that after entering too many wireless mac filters. I then uploaded the same .ovpn file as before, and this time it worked. So I continue to feel my hypothesis about running out of memory somewhere is at the basis of this.

I do have several .CFG files that will reliably wedge the RT-AC66U on upload, since I do a save after various configuration steps. When I enter too much, things work, I do a save, and then it fails on reboot or .CFG upload. However, there are secret keys and such in these .CFG files, so I don't want to post them...

If anyone can suggest things to check with ssh to test that configuration hasn't put the device into a non-restartable state, I would appreciate it.

The first thing to check is the amount of available nvram, under tools -> Sysinfo. Avoid getting close to 60 KB out of 64 KB of used nvram, or you might potentially run into issues where you settings might get corrupted.

 

[eak]

thank you

Thank you RMerlin, I am now at 61562 bytes, so I guess I have to stop configuring now