OpenVPN Setup

[Chuck Swiger]

On May 10, 2011, at 2:50 PM, Bill Tillman wrote:
>> OpenVPN's site provides fine documentation:
>> 
>>   http://openvpn.net/index.php/open-source/documentation.html
>>   http://openvpn.net/index.php/open-source/documentation/miscellaneous/78-static-key-mini-howto.html
[ ... ]
> I'm working through the docs you referenced in the HOWTO and it says:
> Next, initialize the PKI. On Linux/BSD/Unix:
> 
> . ./vars
> ./clean-all
> ./build-ca

If you're trying to setup a CA for PKI, then you're not following the static key document:

"Static Key Mini-HOWTO

Introduction

Static key configurations offer the simplest setup, and are ideal for point-to-point VPNs or proof-of-concept testing.

Static Key advantages

	• Simple Setup
	• No X509 PKI (Public Key Infrastructure) to maintain"

> the vars file is not executable and from what I see in the Makefile they want to chmod it to 644....I tried /bin/sh ./vars and it seemed to work but then when I run ./clean-all which is executable I get
> Please source the vars script first (i.e. ". ./vars")

Yes.  The directions assume you are running /bin/sh (or Bourne-compatible shells bash, ksh, zsh, etc).

Do that, and ". ./vars" will work.  Running "/bin/sh ./vars" also works, but is useless because it changes the variables in a subshell which exits once it finishes processing the ./vars file.

> Make sure you have edited it to reflect your configuration.
> I'm stumped as this appears to be something Linux will handle but not FreeBSD....any suggestions?

Yes, follow the directions.  OpenVPN works fine on FreeBSD.

Regards,
-- 
-Chuck