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Kitsap's avatar
Kitsap
Master
May 22, 2023
Solved

Re: VPN connection errors R6700AX

brx,  Your original post and both of our replies has been removed.  No idea as to why.  Maybe FURRYe38 or michaelkenward or DarrenM can shed some light as to why.   I received an e-mail notificatio...
  • Kitsap's avatar
    Kitsap
    May 25, 2023

    BRX2 wrote:

    Kitsap:

    Thank you again.

    My original purpose was to use the free vpn that was supposed to be available via the Netgear R6700AX router - OpenVPN. To the best of what I can see via the openvpn GUI taskbar icon and status messages, I have never been connected to the openvpn nor have I ever seen the green dot in the icon for more than minute or 2. I have never been connected via the 192.168.1.1 web interface VPN client tab. My iphone, when using cell data, not wifi data, says it is connected to openvpn and I can see the mynetgear account information. That should have been perfect, but no browser even received webpages - I was in fact, not connected via cell data.

    You asked me to check NG wifi, and I did, posting that it works just fine - always did. The only big issue was that I did not know I had to use bridge mode. The set up was surprisingly easy and entirely done on the verizon 5G home internet gateway side. No bridging setup was performed via 192.168.1.1 for netgear.

    To the best of my knowlege, there is no wifi vpn working as I write this, as surfshark and proton vpns are not connected now and the openvpn gui usually says connecting or reconnecting now; not connected. I have tried several openvpn client script modifications suggested by others. There were fewer error messages, but no connection on the laptop.

     

    With the iphone using the NG R6700AX SSID 5GHz wifi connection, 192.168.1.1 looks fine, but the suggested UN and PW combo did not go through to get the openvpn connected. It never will when you are connected to your router via the Wi-Fi being broadcast by the router where your Open VPN server is running.  This combo did not work for vpn client area on the wifi connected laptop. However, laptop openvpn GUI does not show a green dot now and current state is: reconnecting.

     

    I am trying to connect to openvpn via the NG router and nothing indicates that I am connected to open vpn on the laptop. Is there some other means to connect to openvpn and to verify that connection? I would prefer to use the free openvpn with the router rather than paying for surfshark. Using cell data on the iphone, openvpn says I am connected, but no webpages populate - no connection to web data.

     

    I don't think I am trying to connect to my own server when at home - at least this was not my intention. The VPN client tab on netgear forces you to accept a purevpn server - I cannot explain the why or how of this. I did not sign up with purevpn. So perhaps this confuses things and might be best addressed by netgear folks.

     

    My best guess is that my issues relate to the openvpn script, as it seems a bit wonky, per postings by others and for some unknown reason I am having username and password issues - which was true before bridge mode was used. No doubt that some other hidden issue of other software could be a reason for this.

    THX

     

     


    You have your directions backwards.  The Open VPN server on your router can be configured to connect back to your router with a client device on the internet away from home.  While away from home if you have a phone or computer with the Open VPN client software installed, it is used via the internet to connect to your LAN and any devices you have connected to your LAN.  One direction to connect, from the outside to the inside.  The Surfshark or Pure VPN services allow you to connect to the internet from the inside over an encrypted connection.  These are pay services.

     

    We have run this thing in a circle a couple of times and you have not succeeded in grasping the concept.  There is no free Open VPN service that can be configured and used like Surfshark or Pure VPN.

     

    It is time for me to bow out.  Good luck.