Today, we saw the proper way to change OpenVPN server IP, common problems, and how our Support Engineers fix it.In this blog article we are going to discuss about How to setup OpenVPN on Windows Server 2019. Doing it in the right way can avoid OpenVPN configuration errors.
In a nutshell, changing the OpenVPN server IP address involves a series of steps. If there are DNS resolution issues, we suggest customers to correct it at their end.Īgain, to avoid such DNS resolution problems, we always lower the DNS TTL value for the OpenVPN server hostname before switching the IP address. Here, our Support Engineers begin the investigation by checking the IP address to which the OpenVPN server resolves to. Therefore, even when the OpenVPN server IP changes, there is no need for modification at the client-side.īut, if the OpenVPN server hostname do not resolve to the new IP address, it can create problems. Some VPN providers allow clients to connect to a hostname instead of an IP address. etc/init.d/openvpn restartĪgain, DNS can cause problems with the VPN connection after server IP change.
Then to fix the problem, we had to execute OpenVPN restart commands in the following order. That’s why our Dedicated Engineers first checked and ensured that the new IP address is not overridden later in the configuration file. Normally, this can happen when there are references to old IP in any of the OpenVPN configuration files. Recently, one of our customers reported that even after setting the new IP address and restarting, OpenVPN was still showing the old IP address. OpenVPN still listening to old IP address Now, let’s take a look at the common OpenVPN problems that our Support Engineers see.ġ. When the server is running again, it will have the new OpenVPN server IP address.Ĭommon errors with OpenVPN IP address changeĪlthough the steps to change server IP looks pretty straight forward, we often find customers finding problems with it. In order for network settings changes to take effect, we reboot the server. Then, we click on the “Network Tab” and then on “Address”. Here, to change the OpenVPN server IP address, our Support Engineers first log in to the Appliance Management web interface. That’s where the web-based interface helps.
In a more simple way, it will be ideal to reconfigure the VPN server and then reissue the client configuration using the openvpn-install.sh too.Īt times, manual modification of the files can be tedious. We substitute it with the new IP address and its subnet mask.įinally, we restart OpenVPN service on the server and that’s it. Here, the IP 18.xx.yy.105 is the new IP address of the server.įurther, to modify the range of IP addresses assigned by the VPN server, we edit the line. This should reflect in the entry remote 18.xx.yy.105 1194 When there is no such directive, then the server will listen on all IPs of all interfaces.įurther, it requires modification in the client configuration xxx.ovpn file too. For this, we first check the IP address using: ip addr | grep inetĪlso to check if the port is ready, we check with netstat -lpan | grep :1194 So we have to change this entry with the new IP address.īefore adding the new IP, we verify that the IP listens fine on the server. There will be an entry “ local x.x.x.x” that specifies the IP on which the VPN server should listen. To change the OpenVPN server IP, our Dedicated Engineers modify the OpenVPN server configuration file at /etc/openvpn/nf Now, let’s take a look on how our Support Engineers change the OpenVPN server IP.
This can be done either from OpenVPN admin panel or from the command line. In OpenVPN, the change of server IP address is really critical and involves multiple steps. This may be due to factors like preferred network range, easy remembrance and so on. Similarly, some customers prefer to have a specific IP address on their OpenVPN server. As a result, he had to make a change to his OpenVPN server IP address. And, he was left with new pubic IP address. Recently, one of our customers was changing their backbone internet provider. When do we change OpenVPN server IP address?īefore we proceed further, let’s have a look at the typical scenarios in which there is a need to change OpenVPN server IP. Today, we’ll see how our Dedicated Engineers effectively change the OpenVPN server IP address without breaking the network. That’s why, we often get queries from our customers in Managed VPN Services regarding modifying OpenVPN setup in the correct way. Unfortunately, wrong steps during IP change can even break the network. Network changes like switching internet providers often involves changing OpenVPN server IP address too. And, it depends largely on your network properties. OpenVPN helps in securing network data transfer.