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How to Set Up OpenVPN on Linux
OpenVPN is a popular open-source VPN solution that enables secure point-to-point or site-to-site connections in routed or bridged configurations. This tutorial will guide you through the process of installing and configuring OpenVPN on a Linux server.
Prerequisites
- A server running a Linux distribution (Ubuntu, CentOS, or Debian).
- Root or sudo privileges on the server.
- Basic knowledge of terminal commands.
1. Installing OpenVPN
To install OpenVPN, use the following commands based on your distribution:
- For Ubuntu:
sudo apt update sudo apt install openvpn easy-rsa -y - For CentOS:
sudo yum install epel-release -y sudo yum install openvpn easy-rsa -y - For Debian:
sudo apt update sudo apt install openvpn easy-rsa -y
2. Setting Up the Public Key Infrastructure (PKI)
The next step is to set up the PKI to manage the keys used for encryption. Create a directory for the PKI files:
make-cadir ~/openvpn-ca
cd ~/openvpn-caOpen the vars file to configure the CA details:
nano varsCustomize the variables according to your desired settings. Then, run the following commands to build the CA:
. ./vars
./clean-all
./build-ca3. Generating Server and Client Certificates
To generate certificates for the server:
./build-key-server serverThen generate Diffie-Hellman parameters:
./build-dhNext, generate a certificate for a client (replace client1 with your desired client name):
./build-key client14. Configuring the OpenVPN Server
Navigate to the OpenVPN directory and create a configuration file for the server:
sudo nano /etc/openvpn/server.confHere’s an example configuration:
port 1194
proto udp
dev tun
ca ca.crt
cert server.crt
key server.key
dh dh2048.pem
server 10.8.0.0 255.255.255.0
ifconfig-pool-persist ipp.txt
push "redirect-gateway def1 bypass-dhcp"
push "dhcp-option DNS 8.8.8.8"
push "dhcp-option DNS 8.8.4.4"
keepalive 10 120
cipher AES-256-CBC
user nobody
group nogroup
persist-key
persist-tun
verb 3Save and close the file.
5. Starting the OpenVPN Server
To start the OpenVPN server using the configuration file, run:
sudo systemctl start openvpn@serverTo enable the service to start on boot:
sudo systemctl enable openvpn@server6. Configuring the Client
Copy the necessary certificates and keys to your client device. You will need:
ca.crtclient1.crtclient1.key
Create a client configuration file:
client dev tun proto udp remote your_server_ip 1194 resolv-retry infinite nobind user nobody group nogroup persist-key persist-tun remote-cert-tls server cipher AES-256-CBC verb 3<ca>-----BEGIN CERTIFICATE----- (Your CA Certificate) -----END CERTIFICATE-----</ca><cert>-----BEGIN CERTIFICATE----- (Your Client Certificate) -----END CERTIFICATE-----</cert><key>-----BEGIN PRIVATE KEY----- (Your Client Key) -----END PRIVATE KEY-----</key>
7. Connecting to the VPN
To connect to your OpenVPN server, run the following command on your client:
sudo openvpn --config client.ovpnMake sure you replace client.ovpn with the path to your client's configuration file.
8. Conclusion
By following this guide, you have successfully set up OpenVPN on Linux. This VPN will provide secure remote access to your network. Make sure to explore OpenVPN's features and configurations to maximize your setup!
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