Setting up a VPN server (l2tp OR pptp) on arch linux

mrwall-e · 09-26-2010, 12:16 PM

I am interested in setting up a l2tp OR pptp VPN server under arch linux. I have apache, mysql, and other server software installed, if that makes any difference. (note: this is a home server, nothing serious).

Thanks

Meson · 09-27-2010, 08:35 AM

Have you seen this? http://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/PPTP_Server. There's also an article on OpenVPN. If you find any good article on how to set one up, you should be able to apply it to Arch without much problem.

mrwall-e · 09-28-2010, 05:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Meson

Have you seen this? http://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/PPTP_Server. There's also an article on OpenVPN. If you find any good article on how to set one up, you should be able to apply it to Arch without much problem.

Somehow I missed that. Thanks!

mrwall-e · 09-28-2010, 04:44 PM

I'm not great with networking (this is actually just an experiment), but how might I obtain my DNS servers? In my router the fields were blank. I just used (I think) opendns. Also, the iptables commands at the end don't work, even with proper fill-in-the-blank.

Thanks for your help

Meson · 09-28-2010, 06:08 PM

take a look at the file /etc/resolv.conf

mrwall-e · 09-29-2010, 05:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Meson

take a look at the file /etc/resolv.conf

That actually shows my router's IP? It's the same as on my mac (/etc/resolv.conf). Thanks a lot.

Meson · 09-29-2010, 06:20 PM

That means that your router is giving itself as the DNS server via DHCP; this is common. If you want the actual DNS servers that your router uses, you need to get them from your router somehow. However, since they might be subject to change, using your router will probably be more convenient, and faster.

mrwall-e · 09-30-2010, 05:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Meson

That means that your router is giving itself as the DNS server via DHCP; this is common. If you want the actual DNS servers that your router uses, you need to get them from your router somehow. However, since they might be subject to change, using your router will probably be more convenient, and faster.

So I can just use my router as a DNS server? Okay, cool. About the

Code:

iptables

commands, though, what I have to fill in is kind of confusing.

For example:

Code:

iptables -A INPUT -p tcp --dport 1723 -j ACCEPT # pptp connects to port 1723
iptables -A INPUT -p 47 -j ACCEPT # all tunneling is performed using GRE Protocol
iptables -A FORWARD -i ppp+ -o <outgoing interface> -j ACCEPT # To allow clients to access internet when connected to vpn

What sort of things do I fill in there?

Thanks so much for your help

Meson · 09-30-2010, 06:21 PM

Sorry, I can't help you with iptables. If all you need is <outgoing interface> though, you shouldn't have too many options to try.

mrwall-e · 10-01-2010, 05:45 AM

So the outgoin interface is whatever I use to connect to the world? Thanks for your help