OpenVPN may seem a little daunting at first, but once you get your feet wet this can be an incredibly useful (and free!) tool. In this article, Michael Riley shows you how to use OpenVPN for secure internet surfing on your client PCs. He’ll also help you set up the configuration that will allow you access to your home network while you’re traveling. From installation to troubleshooting, and using helpful OS-specific tips, this tutorial demystifies OpenVPN for the beginning user.
How to Configure OpenVPN
About The Author
Eugenia Loli
Ex-programmer, ex-editor in chief at OSNews.com, now a visual artist/filmmaker.
Follow me on Twitter @EugeniaLoli
I’ve been using OpenVPN for a while now to create a connection from work to home through the corporate firewall. Using the FreeBSD port and the guide on the site it was set up quite quickly. The only thing is to read through the options to see what you need, don’t try to get it to work too fast.
Now all I need to do is to start it with one command if I need something from home, and then close it just as easily after I’m done.
There are also guides on the net on how to use it to secure your wireless connection.
I have my FreeBSD 6 server use OpenVPN. I use my Macbook Pro using TunnelBlick to connect to my internal network when I am out. Also, I got it setup to use tap0 if_bridge so I can my internal wireless network. It is very interesting to see how much you can do with OpenVPN.
If you don’t want to set it up your self (even tho it is not that tough to do) I suggest you use pfsense http://www.pfsense.com/
OpenVPN is highly portable and secure give it a try. I even use it on Windows. You name it. FreeBSD, MacOSX, Windows, etc.
I use OpenVPN for when I’m travelling, but more importantly, I have setup my parents and in-laws with the Windows OpenVPN client setup to connect to my server. I can then use RDP to connect to their systems when they need help. I don’t have to worry about them getting confused with port forwarding and firewall rules. I tell them to connect by right-clicking the tray tool and then I connect with RDP. They only give me access to their system when they need it and I keep them out of mine with some creative firewall rules. It’s a win/win for all.
OpenVPN is great
My setup is a no-brainer IPCop system as an OpenVPN server, connecting 2 remote offices each running IPCop. Used to run IPSec to link one of the offices, but switched to OpenVPN.
The OpenVPN server also connects several roadwarriors either Windows and Linux machines.
A thing with vpn is that it tends to hog up bandwidth for VOIP.
Does anyone use Hamachi (http://www.hamachi.cc)? It’s not open, but has Windows, Linux, and OSX versions.
Yes Hamachi is an impressive solution. I call it the “universal RAS hammer”. OpenVPN is more flexible but Hamachi is too easy to use and works where OpenVPN won’t. I won’t talk about the unfortunate aspects of Peer to peer of Hamachi and questionable encryption/security. If your super paranoid use OpenVPN.
At the company I work for, we’re slowly replacing Sonicwall VPN appliances with Linux based OpenVPN boxes. Our sonicwall appliances would limit the number of connections, and when we switched to VOIP phones we hit that limit in a hurry. OpenVPN has been great so far, a piece of cake to setup (once we figured out how to do it once properly
), and gives us a reason to setup a linux server in every office 
.