VPN server on 2 RT-AC86Us with AiMesh

[sellick]

Hi Guys,

Having difficulty setting up a VPN server on my RT-AC86U. There's 2 devices connected by AiMesh (if that matters).

I've followed the advice on port fowarding, but I'm a bit confused which IP addresses to use?

https://www.asus.com/support/FAQ/1033906

It seems we want to use the WAN IP address as the port fowarded with external port 1194 for UDP.

And we want the external public IP address to attempt to connect to the VPN.

But I can't connect to the public IP address with OpenVPN!

If I try connecting to the WAN IP on the same network, that works. But if I move to the outside world, that can't see my WAN IP (obviously) so it stops working.

Please help!

 

[L&LD]

Are you using DDNS? Unless you have a static public IP address, that is required.

 

[sellick]

I'm not using DDNS because I'm just trying to test it with minimum configuration. The external IP address doesn't change often (broadband Internet) but it can.

I should be able to get it working without DDNS and then add it later, no?

 

[ColinTaylor]

If the VPN server is running on your primary router (i.e. the one with the public IP address) you don't need any port forwarding at all. The Asus instructions you were looking at are for a different kind of setup than you have.

Check that the WAN IP address shown on the router matches the public IP address reported from a site like canyouseeme.org.

 

[sellick]

If the VPN server is running on your primary router (i.e. the one with the public IP address) you don't need any port forwarding at all. The Asus instructions you were looking at are for a different kind of setup than you have.

Check that the WAN IP address shown on the router matches the public IP address reported from a site like canyouseeme.org.

WAN IP does NOT match public IP.

Forgot to mention that I'm running Dual WAN in fail over mode.

What should I do!?

 

[L&LD]

Post 2.

 

[sellick]

Post 2.

Sorry, what?

 

[L&LD]

@sellick you need a DDNS set up so that your IP at any given time will resolve to your router.

 

[sellick]

@sellick you need a DDNS set up so that your IP at any given time will resolve to your router.

it gives this warning on the DDNS setup - not sure if important:

• The wireless router currently uses a private WAN IP address.
• This router may be in the multiple-NAT environment and DDNS service cannot work in this environment.

Following the instructions here it says:
https://www.asus.com/support/FAQ/1034294

Requirements:

1. Make sure that you already use a public WAN IP.

which is in contrast to the first warning of using a private WAN

 

[ColinTaylor]

WAN IP does NOT match public IP.

There is another router between the internet and your primary Asus router. In other words you have a double-NAT setup. You need to resolve this.

What is the WAN port of your Asus plugged into? Is it an ISP-supplied router? If so you need to change it from "router mode" to "bridge mode", if that's possible.

 

[sellick]

There is another router between the internet and your primary Asus router. In other words you have a double-NAT setup. You need to resolve this.

What is the WAN port of your Asus plugged into? Is it an ISP-supplied router? If so you need to change it from "router mode" to "bridge mode", if that's possible.

ISP-supplied modem/router is plugged into the WAN port of the Asus.

If so you need to change it from "router mode" to "bridge mode", if that's possible.

change to bridge mode on the ISP modem/router? it's a Bell homehub 3000. not sure how to change it.

 

[L&LD]

https://www.nigelayen.com/technology/setting-up-home-hub-3000-and-my-own-wifi-router/

 

[ColinTaylor]

change to bridge mode on the ISP modem/router? it's a Bell homehub 3000. not sure how to change it.

I don't know anything about the homehub 3000. You'll have to search for the information.

 

[sellick]

upon reading the homehub settings I thought I was toast - way too complicated.

But I actually got it working! The WAN IP matches the public IP, VPN worked and I'm creating a DDNS.

Thanks for pointing me in the right direction, guys.

@L&LD @ColinTaylor