VPN server won't start

[Sas]

When I try to configure a vpn server for OpenVPN, it comes up with the following message and then never starts:

Initialinzing the settings of OpenVPN server now, please wait a few minutes to let the server to setup completed before VPN clients establish the connection.

I have tried turning it on and off, changing settings, trying servers 1 and 2, etc. It never completes initializing, and never starts.

I am running an RT-AC86U with the latest firmware 384.18. The last messages I have in the system log are:

Jul 22 06:39:22 rc_service: httpds 10599:notify_rc restart_chpass;restart_vpnserver1
Jul 22 06:39:22 custom_script: Running /jffs/scripts/service-event (args:  1)
Jul 22 06:40:22 rc_service: httpds 10599:notify_rc restart_chpass;restart_vpnserver1
Jul 22 06:40:22 custom_script: Running /jffs/scripts/service-event (args:  5)
Jul 22 06:41:13 rc_service: httpds 10599:notify_rc restart_chpass;restart_vpnserver1
Jul 22 06:41:13 custom_script: Running /jffs/scripts/service-event (args:  0)
Jul 22 06:41:13 rc: received unrecognized event: 0
Jul 22 06:42:34 rc_service: httpds 10599:notify_rc stop_vpnserver1
Jul 22 06:42:34 custom_script: Running /jffs/scripts/service-event (args:  1)
Jul 22 06:43:18 rc_service: httpds 10599:notify_rc restart_chpass;restart_vpnserver2

 

[elorimer]

Look here: https://www.snbforums.com/threads/openvpn-server-not-starting-on-merlin.55984/post-478923

 

[Sas]

Thanks for the tip, it led to a solution. It was a very strange thing, the restore buttons in the admin would not erase my router. I had to use the trick of holding the wps button for 20 seconds on startup to really reset it. Then I restored my config file. Then I was able to start my openvpn server. Then I restored my JFFS partition. And now, everything seems to be working normally.

 

[bbunge]

Thanks for the tip, it led to a solution. It was a very strange thing, the restore buttons in the admin would not erase my router. I had to use the trick of holding the wps button for 20 seconds on startup to really reset it. Then I restored my config file. Then I was able to start my openvpn server. Then I restored my JFFS partition. And now, everything seems to be working normally.

Holding the WPS button for 20 seconds is not right for the AC86U.

See: https://www.asus.com/support/FAQ/1039078

 

[Sas]

Interesting. It still worked for some reason, after all the restore button pushing in the interface did not. Maybe simply power cycling after the restore button failure in fact cleared it. In any event, it definitely reset to the setup after that. (My prev device was a 68u and that wps button thing definitely reset it, so I assumed it was the same on the 86u. Thanks for pointing out that it is different for this model)

 

[Sas]

Ah, I just read your link, and that reboot after holding the wps button is probably what cleared it as per that description.