3

I have an issue with my Linux-based server regarding VPN and port forwarding. I am also a beginner is this area, so forgive me for any mistake.

First, let me describe you the infrastructure. I have a Linux VPS server (S1) with openvpn properly configured, and a machine with Linux (C1) also with openvpn properly configured. THe are connected using port number 1194. This is basically the scheme:

    S1
    [ip: X.X.X.221]
    [tun0 ip: 10.8.0.1]

    C1
    [ip: Y.Y.Y.19]
    [tun0 ip: 10.8.0.6]

When I say it is all properly configured is because I can successfully ping 10.8.0.1 from C1.

Now, it comes the problem... I have a service P1 running on port 1800 in S1, and a client for that service in C1. I can successfully give the IP address X.X.X.221:1800 to the client in C1, but I want the client to acess P1 via VPN connection. Is that a way to do it?

At first I thought this was simply a port forwarding problem, and all I needed to do was to forward every request from port 1194 to port 1800, and I found this command to do it (btw, venet0 is my interface):

    iptables -t nat -A PREROUTING -i venet0 -p udp --dport 1194 -j REDIRECT --to-port 1800

But this won't work.

Any help? Thanks :)


EDIT1:

Result of issuing netstat -rn and 10.8.0.6 in S1:

    Kernel IP routing table
    Destination     Gateway         Genmask         Flags   MSS Window  irtt Iface
    10.8.0.2        0.0.0.0         255.255.255.255 UH        0 0          0 tun0
    10.8.0.0        10.8.0.2        255.255.255.0   UG        0 0          0 tun0
    0.0.0.0         0.0.0.0         0.0.0.0         U         0 0          0 venet0

    traceroute to 10.8.0.6 (10.8.0.6), 30 hops max, 60 byte packets
     1  10.8.0.6 (10.8.0.6)  116.769 ms  119.000 ms  120.618 ms

Result of issuing netstat -rn and traceroute 10.8.0.1 in C1:

    Kernel IP routing table
    Destination     Gateway         Genmask         Flags   MSS Window  irtt Iface
    0.0.0.0         192.168.1.254   0.0.0.0         UG        0 0          0 eth0
    10.8.0.1        10.8.0.5        255.255.255.255 UGH       0 0          0 tun0
    10.8.0.5        0.0.0.0         255.255.255.255 UH        0 0          0 tun0
    192.168.1.0     0.0.0.0         255.255.255.0   U         0 0          0 eth0

    traceroute to 10.8.0.1 (10.8.0.1), 30 hops max, 38 byte packets
     1  10.8.0.1 (10.8.0.1)  83.825 ms  83.639 ms  86.877 ms

EDIT 2:

Configuration file for S1 (I believe what starts with a ; is not considered):

    ;local a.b.c.d
    port 1194
    proto udp
    dev tun
    ;dev-node MyTap
    ca ca.crt
    cert server.crt
    key server.key  # This file should be kept secret
    dh dh2048.pem
    server 10.8.0.0 255.255.255.0
    ifconfig-pool-persist ipp.txt
    ;server-bridge 10.8.0.4 255.255.255.0 10.8.0.50 10.8.0.100
    ;push "route 192.168.10.0 255.255.255.0"
    ;push "route 192.168.20.0 255.255.255.0"
    ;client-config-dir ccd
    ;route 192.168.40.128 255.255.255.248
    ;client-config-dir ccd
    ;route 10.9.0.0 255.255.255.252
    ;learn-address ./script
    push "dhcp-option DNS 8.8.8.8"
    push "dhcp-option WINS 8.8.4.4"
    ;client-to-client
    ;duplicate-cn
    keepalive 10 120
    ;tls-auth ta.key 0 # This file is secret
    ;cipher BF-CBC        # Blowfish (default)
    ;cipher AES-128-CBC   # AES
    ;cipher DES-EDE3-CBC  # Triple-DES
    comp-lzo
    ;max-clients 300
    user root
    group root
    persist-key
    persist-tun
    status openvpn-status.log
    ;log         openvpn.log
    ;log-append  openvpn.log
    verb 3
    ;mute 20

Configuration file for C1

    client
    remote 176.9.192.221 1194
    ca ca.crt
    cert client.crt
    key client.key
    cipher BF-CBC
    comp-lzo
    dev tun
    proto udp
    nobind
    persist-key
    persist-tun
    user root
    group root
18
  • 2
    ping is deceptive sometimes. Use tracert or traceroute. You may need to print/review your entire IPTables or routing table as well. If you set up a VPN, it's generally for a whole subnet or a distinct system, not port specific. You can identify the port you use for the VPN, but that's also going to be the port all future communication uses (including other ports), because all data will now traverse through that port (including port 1800). What's most likely happening is your routing table doesn't know the proper path to take.
    – CIA
    May 27, 2015 at 17:37
  • So... if I have a VPN, how can I access the services in the network where the VPN is connected? Example: If I have a printer connected to S1, how do I access it via VPN? May 27, 2015 at 17:46
  • The same way you would locally (on the S1's network), so long as you have the proper routes in place. That's how VPN works; (simplified) it makes two networks communicate as if they were on the same network.
    – CIA
    May 27, 2015 at 17:48
  • Well, then I guess that is my problem... How to have proper routes. May 27, 2015 at 17:51
  • Dump your static routes with netstat -rn then paste the results in your question for both systems. Also do a tracert or traceroute from both systems and post those up as well.
    – CIA
    May 27, 2015 at 17:53

3 Answers 3

0

You could manually remove the existing static routes on C1 for 10.8.0.1 and 10.8.0.5; example:

route del -net 10.8.0.1 gw 10.8.0.5 netmask 255.255.255.255 dev tun0

Then add a new route on C1 using:

route add -net 10.8.0.1 gw 10.8.0.6 netmask 255.255.255.255 dev tun0

See if that works. Remember to keep track of your old routes, in case you need to re-add them. This should fix your VPN routing issue.

Your other issue is that your VPN network can't talk to the network where the OpenVPN's server's NIC sits on. You can fix this by adding a new static route on each side for those networks.

On C1:

route add -net X.X.X.221 gw 10.8.0.6 netmask 255.255.255.255 dev tun0

On S1:

route add -net Y.Y.Y.19 gw 10.8.0.6 netmask 255.255.255.255 dev tun0

Note: I wouldn't recommend this unless you can revert your changes; in case it doesn't work.

You can also try using the push route option in your OpenVPN config. For example:

push "route  X.X.X.221 255.255.255.0"

Lastly, if none of that works, you can try adding something in your IPTABLES to forward the traffic from your VPN network (NAT) to your local network on S1. Something like:

iptables -t nat -A POSTROUTING -j MASQUERADE
iptables -t nat -A PREROUTING -s 10.8.0.6 -p tcp --dport 1800 -j DNAT --to-destination X.X.X.221:1800
1
  • Thanks you, it worked perfectly! :D (sorry for the delay, I was away for a few days...) Jun 1, 2015 at 21:23
0

So your service S1 must be listening on the VPN IP, 10.8.0.1, and your client C1 need to connect to 10.8.0.1:1800 ... as long as your VPN if fully working.

2
  • I connected the client C1 to 10.8.0.1:1800, but it was not enough to make it work... How can I make C1 use P1 through the VPN, given that the only thing I can provide to C1 is an IP and a port? May 28, 2015 at 17:09
  • I mixed up a bit, sorry ... You connect your VPN (you said it works) and then the server application listen on 10.8.0.1:1800 and then the client software connects on 10.8.0.1:1800 ... May 28, 2015 at 22:42
0

It seems like your S1 service config not listening tun interface. There is no problem with routing. What is your service ? Can you show config of it ? Anyway - try
telnet 10.8.0.1 1800 on S1 telnet X.x.x.221 1800 on S1. If you will receive an answer in one of cases - search problem in service config file.

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