[lug] openvpn & linksys router question

[David L. Anselmi]

Bear Giles wrote:
> I have a fairly standard setup - a home system behind a linksys router 
> (and comcast) talking to an 'office'.  The linksys router is set up to 
> forward the openvpn packets back to my system.

So I'm not sure I follow you.  The VPN server is at home and the client 
is at the office?  I assume that's what you mean if the linksys at home 
is forwarding 1194 to a home machine.

> At first 'ping' from home to office fails.  tcpdump shows traffic on the 
> home network, but not the office network, so I know the problem is on 
> the outbound leg instead of the return.  Once I establish any type of 
> VPN connection going the other way the stalled ping immediately succeeds.

If you mean ping from home private network to office private network 
doesn't work until the office sets up the VPN, that sounds to me like 
just what you want.

> hmmm... or it could still be a problem with the firewall on the 
> 'office'.  I wouldn't see the network traffic if the firewall is still 
> blocking that port.  But that firewall rule is stateless:
> 
>   -A DEB-firewall-INPUT -p udp --dport 1194 -j ACCEPT

So this rule looks like the firewall is the VPN server (and you need a 
corresponding OUTPUT rule).

I guess I don't understand your setup or your problem.

Dave