Linux Networking Cookbook

9.6. Configuring the OpenVPN Server for Multiple Clients

Problem

You have your PKI (Public Key Infrastructure) all set up, and clients keys copied to your clients. Now, how do you configure your server and clients?

Solution

Follow these examples:

	## server3.conf
	local 192.168.3.10
	port 1194
	proto udp
	dev tun
	daemon
	server 10.0.0.0 255.255.255.0
	push "route 192.168.1.0 255.255.255.0"
	push "dhcp-option DNS 192.168.1.50"
	max-clients 25
	
	ca    /etc/openvpn/keys/ca.crt
	cert  /etc/openvpn/keys/xena.crt
	key  /etc/openvpn/keys/xena.key
	dh   /etc/openvpn/keys/dh1024.pem
	tls-auth /etc/openvpn/keys/ta.key 0

	cipher BF-CBC
	comp-lzo
	keepalive 10 120
	log-append  /var/log/openvpn.log
	status /var/log/openvpn-status.log
	ifconfig-pool-persist  /etc/openvpn/ipp.txt

	mute 20
	verb 4
	
	## client3.conf
	client
	pull
	dev tun
	proto udp
	remote 192.168.3.10 1194

	ca    /etc/openvpn/keys/ca.crt
	cert  /etc/openvpn/keys/xena.crt
	key  /etc/openvpn/keys/xena.key
	tls-auth /etc/openvpn/keys/ta.key 1

	cipher BF-CBC
	comp-lzo
	verb 4
	mute 20
	ns-cert-type server

Fire up OpenVPN in the usual way:

	root@xena:~# openvpn /etc/openvpn/server3.conf
	root@stinkpad:~# openvpn /etc/openvpn/client3.conf

Copy the client configuration file to as many Linux clients as you want and try connecting. Your OpenVPN server should welcome all of them.

Discussion

You now have an excellent, strong, genuine Virtual Private Network up and running. Now, your remote clients can access your network almost as if they were physically present. There are a few limitations: remote ...