VPN Server on TP-Link Archer C7 AC1750 running DD-WRT

VPN
1

Hello All

Before yesterday I had zero experience with DD-WRT, so I apologise in advance for my inexperience.

I purchased a second hand TP-Link Archer C7 AC1750 yesterday with the primary reason being to improve the Wi-Fi signal in my home over that offered by the Super Hub 3. A secondary reason I chose this router was that I believed that it could host a VPN on its stock firmware, since I have found instructions on how to set one up on this router on the TP-Link website. However, when I got the router, I couldn’t see the option that the manual alludes to on the router’s GUI. The router was already running the latest stock firmware when I got it, so that wasn’t the issue.

Having given up on the stock firmware, I decided to try DD-WRT. I have successfully deployed DD-WRT on to the router, but I can’t work out how to set up either a PPTP Server or an Open VPN Server. I have followed the Wiki but I reached a point where I couldn’t continue. I have also tried following a YouTube video where I was able to generate keys and certs and put them on to the router, and I created an ovpn file which I put on my phone and loaded in to the OpenVPN app, but the app gives me the error “There was an error attempting to connect to the selected server. Error message: PKey::parse_pem: error in private key:: error:0909006C:PEM routines:get_name:no start line”.

If anyone could help me, or point me to a guide to set up a VPN server on my router, I would be very grateful; thanks in advance, and sorry for the long post.

2

Without going into the details of setting up an openvpn server here’s what you need:

  • openvpn package installed on the router
  • openvpn app installed on client(s)
  • port from your firewall forwarded to router’s IP
  • the easiest and most secure way of establishing a tunnel is using Certificates. use easyRSA to initiate a PKI, generate DH, CA, public certificates and private keys for server and client(s)
  • generate .ovpn file for server and client. the keys/certificate can be inside this file. for example the public certificate can be included like this: certgoesherekjwjhw43rhdvsiu (server needs: DH, CA, server’s cert and key. clients need: CA, clients cert and key)

The error you are getting indicates that the client’s private key file is missing/corrupt.

There are a million guides for openvpn out there, google is your friend.

The official guide has all you need to know: https://openvpn.net/community-resources/how-to/

Also a great resource when an option is unclear is the OpenVPN 2.4 man page here:https://community.openvpn.net/openvpn/wiki/Openvpn24ManPage

If you encounter more errors feel free to come back to me.