Issues with FiOS OpenVPN

[jwpettit]

Got my server up and running over the weekend! I've already been on the forums asking questions about time machine functionality. And now I have more questions!

I connected to my neighbor's wifi to test out the OpenVPN and before I could even get a drive mapped the VPN quit. It continued to drop and reconnect every 5-10 seconds or so. I saw on the wiki (http://wiki.amahi.org/index.php/OpenVPN) that due to the microscopic NAT tables in Verizon's Actiontec (garbage) routers this is a frequent occurrence. Has anybody else run into this, Or can anybody confirm for sure that this is the cause? Is there a workaround? I'm looking at some Westell Verizon routers on evilbay which are pretty cheap and gamers say they have a much larger, or normal sized NAT table.

My lan is based off a Linksys wrt160n but the Verizon router is the modem and the Linksys is in the Actiontec's DMZ.

[bigfoot65]

Have you tried any other VPN client. Sometimes the client is the issue. If you have a Windows system, recommend you try HDAConnect. There is a link for it in the wiki.

http://wiki.amahi.org/index.php/VPNWindows

You might also consider trying IPSec VPN vs OpenVPN on the HDA. Many have had success with it.

[jwpettit]

I have a mac so my testing was done through Tunnelblick. I tried using HDA connect on my work computer but it couldn't establish a connection so I'm assuming something's blocked at work. I can try it through a virtual machine on my MacBook. Would possibly the IPsec setup work differently?

[bigfoot65]

Understand. It is possible that IPSec VPN may work, but I cannot confirm. I have used it in the past with no issues.

There is some guidance in the wiki you can try or the one-click app.

http://wiki.amahi.org/index.php/IPSEC/L2TP_VPN_Server

http://wiki.amahi.org/index.php/IPsec_VPN

https://www.amahi.org/apps/ipsec-vpn

[jwpettit]

Thanks for the help. I had been thinking I would eventually get the IPsec app since I would rather connect directly from the vpn client built into OSX rather than use an open source one. Maybe I'll try that tonight, see if I have any better luck with it.

[jwpettit]

I got the IPSec and from my brief testing it seemed to work. I also tried the customized Windows app in my virtual Windows machine and that seemed to work without a hitch as well.

[bigfoot65]

Awesome! Glad to hear you got it working.