OpenVPN with cloud services

Sinamics

Im currently looking into the usage of OpenVPN and Cloudsigma. I asked the staff over at Cloudsigma if they have any latency reports, they did`t.
I will keep this post updated on the progress. For now i will connect both my computer and RPI and perform some latency test, and hopefully with good result.

Another options will be to connect directly between RPI <-> GCS .

If anyone has some cloude VPN experience, please give me a shout..

super

Yeah Sinamics, at 4Gmetry we're using OpenVPN, but still testing latencies (due to encapsulation). Correct me if I'm wrong, but UDP over a VLAN is in reality a TCP-encapsulated UDP (so it's TCP). Same cell tests (drone and GCS connected to the same 4G cell) give great results. Not so happy with remote servers... Any suggestion/ideas?

Sinamics

Hi again Super.
Could you please elaborate "drone and GCS connected to the same 4G cell"
UDP and TCP are two different protocols anyhow, as i see it. I prefer UDP for my sake, it makes it much easier to establish connection.
Unfortunately i don’t have any server recommendation. I’m looking for good servers too. I will update you on the way.

super

"drone and GCS connected to the same 4G cell" means that the 4gmetry module on the drone and the USB modem of the GCS laptop are connected to the same tower/cell; the carrier finds an easy way to route packets and no problems. I also (as discussed) love UDP and I do strongly recommend it (e.g.: mavlink, gstreamer,...). VPNs typically use SSL tunnels; also OpenVPN do it . So your UDP over VPN is no longer a "Real UDP" but it's a "Virtual UDP" because it's not "free tho choose the best path" but it's bouded by the encapsulating SSL/TCP protocol. I'm not really sure about all this (99%). To be verified!

super

However, latency tests and other minor problems, I suggest to dig into Topology P2P which doesn't require a 3rd party server. Link: https://community.openvpn.net/openvpn/wiki/Topology

Sinamics

Hi Super

Any progress?
P2P is indeed very interesting. The only drawback is lack of windows support.

This topology uses Point-to-Point networking. This is not compatible with Windows clients, though use with non-Windows allows use of the entire subnet (no "lost" IPs.)

I been quite busy latley, so i haven`been able to test anything yet.

mocart

Hi all. I see this is old topic but at this time I am building next quad and this time I would like to test PI0w and check how it will work with openVPN. I not thinking about latency ( I think this can my much worse than streming to public IP but I do not have secondary simcard with assigned public IP.
Nevermind hope is should work but I have some questions related openVPN client configuration on PI3 or PI0w ( eg. on Jessie ). What I did so far:

I have choosen VPS : Aruba cloud. Servers are located in Germany, not so far from me and it`s realy cheap (1$ monthly with 2TB transfer )
There is public IP for this cloud without any additional costs
I have choosen Debian 8 64bit as server and next I installed OpenVPN server base on following movie:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bzW9hInqJ70

All those steps works well 🙂. Then I installed openVPN client for Android and using "Import Access Server Profile" username and password I finalized this setup.
Now I have working connection from Android phone ( which I am using as CGS but I do not have it working on Raspberry PI.
https://naforum.zapodaj.net/99487534dcd7.png.html

I was trying yesterday to find any quick tutorial how to setup OpenVPN client but frankly I did not find it. Is there any official OpenVPN client for PI and is this possible to loging from PI using similar option to android ( import profile )? Any link tutorial how to setup it on PI would be helpful. Is there any king of VPN manager for PI to make this proces easy ?
One more I did install "network-manager-openvpn-gnome" and maybe someone know if this should work on PI3 and how to configure it having Open VPN server running/

update 24.09.2017
Base of following movie:

https://youtu.be/XcsQdtsCS1U

I did generate client certificates and ovpn files. That all I did until now. I am trying to connect this Open VPN access server from RPI but still I do have problems. It`s look like network manager with openvpn plugin does not supports ovpn files ! 🙁 . I dont know how to configure this RPI client and the connection setup looks like that:
https://www.fotosik.pl/zdjecie/87820f2b2402636b

Maybe someone know and can help me how to setup this clinet ? I`m trying to use user name and password with CA certificate but seems it does not work. I cannot find over net good manual how to connect from PI to this server.

update: 27.09
hi, let me update this topic today, maybe it will help someone else in the future. After 3 next day of testing and changing configuration I have given up with "network-manager-openvpn-gnome" and focused of pure openvpn application for PI. I have installed on Debian 8 64 "Open VPN access server again" base on following movie.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nmCzujDd1d0&t=495

You can forget about previous movies, this one is the oldest one but I think this is the best.
Current version of OpenVPN AC server is little different ( and you can skip free licences part becuse 2 are for free now build in server ) but you are able to sertup server and export certificates within 30 minutes long time.
I still testing it but both: Android CGS and RPI ( Jessie ) works with it well. In the case of android you need to download only ovpn file and connect via openvpn app and in the case of Raspberry you need to start vpn client by
typing e.g sudo openvpn client.ovpn line. before start check server paramerers to e.g. allow cleint to be visible inside subnetwork. If you are not root use sudo because without it it does not work well 🙂 ( i lost 2 days to find it 🙂 )
After correct setup you should find something like that under ifconfig command

tun0-00 Link encap:UNSPEC HWaddr 00-00-00-00-00-00-00-00-00-00-00-00-00-00-00-00 inet addr:172.27.XXX.X P-t-P:172.27.XXX.X Mask:255.255.240.0 inet6 addr: fe80::ff7f:xxx:dcc1:37ba/XX Scope:Link UP POINTOPOINT RUNNING NOARP MULTICAST MTU:1500 Metric:1 RX packets:3948 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 frame:0 TX packets:4106 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 carrier:0 collisions:0 txqueuelen:100 RX bytes:2169997 (2.0 MiB ) TX bytes:569745 (556.3 KiB )

Windows client configuration is aslo very easy becuse they have own app to connect VPN

I am still thinking about "network-manager-openvpn-gnome" and vpn option so if someone know how to setup it please let me know. It would be great to run it also on PI becuse it has nice user interface and it`s easy to setup.

Sinamics

UPDATE v0.4.1 which include

OpenVPN integration.

OpenVPN discussion thread and installation procedure here mocart