NETGEAR is aware of a growing number of phone and online scams. To learn how to stay safe click here.
Forum Discussion
BR200 with OpenVPN setup is not working
I have a BR200 with 5.10.0.5 (latest) firmware. I am trying to enable OpenVPN. Does OpenVPN actually work in the BR200? I struggling and need some help. The GUI will not allow me to enable Open...
ticedoff8 wrote:
Does OpenVPN actually work in the BR200?
Yes, it does. But for the simplicity you are seeking apparently - click and play - it requires everything configured.
ticedoff8 wrote:
The GUI will not allow me to enable OpenVPN unless I also enable Dynamic DNS.
So just do it. you can register to as many DDNS providers you like, and have as many A-records pointing to your IP address as you want.
ticedoff8 wrote:
My dynamic DNS provider is not one of the 3 listed in the Dynamic DNS setup GUI (Netgear, No-IP or DYN). But my Dynamic DNS provider allows me to create my own hostname A-Records that all point back to my ISP address.
In the Dynamic DNS setup, I selected "Netgear" and in the question "Do you have a NETGEAR DDNS or a No-IP DDNS account?" I check the "No" box and leave all the other questions blank.
The simplified design does require one of the supported DDNS providers configured. On one hand for the pure DDNS, on the other hand to prepare the ready-to-play OpenVPN configuration you need to deploy to the OpenVPN client systems.
ticedoff8 wrote:
Next is the Open VPN setup.
This requires Dynamic DNS to be enabled and working
After I was able to get the Open VPN setup to be accepted, it seemed like I was done.
But now, when I go back to the OpenVPN setup screen, there are 4 endlessly spinning balls labeled "Loading" with all the boxes in a background "grayed out" mode.
Probably related to the omissions or fishy tricks from above.
I suggest to take the opportunity for registering and configuring the Netgear DDNS. Why ever, it requires a renewing every 30 days (No-IP does send you a reminder by E-Mail) so the account and name isn't lost.
This will lead to a Netgear DDNS (a special names supplied by No-IP) account and DDNS entry, and will allow the router configuring the OpenVPN client config.
Of course you can change the pre-configured OpenVPN config to point to your other DDNS name now, permitting there is another updater on your network keeping it up2date.
Now upload this config to your OpenVPN client systems - and you are ready to go.
"But for the simplicity you are seeking apparently - click and play - it requires everything configured"
What is "everything"? Besides setting up OpenVPN and enabling Dynamic DNS, what else is there?
The problem seems to be that the BR200 requires one of the three DDNS providers listed; otherwise, forgetaboutit.
And answering the question "Do you have a NETGEAR DDNS or a No-IP DDNS account?" with "No" isn't good enough.
"So just do it. you can register to as many DDNS providers you like, and have as many A-records pointing to your IP address as you want."
So just do it? But I already did it.
"The simplified design does require one of the supported DDNS providers configured. On one hand for the pure DDNS, on the other hand to prepare the ready-to-play OpenVPN configuration you need to deploy to the OpenVPN client systems."
Is there a more complex design for the BR200 that seamlessly supports using a paid-for DDNS service that is of my own choosing?
The one paid-for DDNS options that is supported by the BR200 is out of business. Which bugs me for other reasons - I used DynDNS as a paid service for several years to host my email server. Now they are gone.
"Probably related to the omissions or fishy tricks from above."
That deserves "-1 Kudos".
Fundamentally, what I am reading from this, is that I can break it by clicking the "wrong combination" of options. Even though one of the option may be broken (answering "No" to the question "Do you have a NETGEAR DDNS or a No-IP DDNS account?").
It seems that if I don't have an account on one of the three DDNS services provided in the GUI, using the OpenVPN is not going to work.
"I suggest to take the opportunity for registering and configuring the Netgear DDNS. Why ever, it requires a renewing every 30 days (No-IP does send you a reminder by E-Mail) so the account and name isn't lost."
So, what I am reading here is that is the BR200 is not really a solution for a small Business.
To host an email server or VPN based on a DDNS free service that relies on being reenabled every 30 days -otherwise, the link breaks- seems less than Business Ready.
It also seems like "fishy tricks" are required that also add complexity and unreliability to the solution.
Netgear should be better than this.
NETGEAR Academy
Boost your skills with the Netgear Academy - Get trained, certified and stay ahead with the latest Netgear technology!
Join Us!
