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How-To Software Technical

OpenVPN Access Server on Ubuntu

I recently retired my OpenVPN Turnkey appliance and needed to get my VPN solution up and running again. I decided to go with installing OpenVPN Access Server on a clean install of Ubuntu Server to create a stable and lightweight Virtual Private Network (VPN) to access my network.

I chose to go with OpenVPN AS because it’s using the OpenVPN I know and trust, but it also has the value-added feature of an administrative server used for user and access management.

Setup is straight forward after a few small prerequisites are established.

Requirements:

  • Ubuntu Server – Running the latest version and updates. I am using 16.04.2-as my base
  • Root or possibly sudo access

Software:

Download the latest release of the OpenVPN AS Server
https://openvpn.net/index.php/access-server/download-openvpn-as-sw.html

The direct Ubuntu installs here

 

The following steps can be used to download and install:

  1. Download the install package: wget http://swupdate.openvpn.org/as/openvpn-as-2.1.9-Ubuntu16.amd_64.deb
  2. Install the downloaded package: dpkg -i openvpn-as-2.1.9-Ubuntu16.amd_64.deb
  3. Change the password for the openvpn user: passwd openvpn

When the installation has completed, the Access Server web UIs will be available here:
Admin UI: https://<yourip>:943/admin
Client UI: https://<yourip>:943/

 

And just like that you now can take better control over your privacy, security.

Note: I did not go over the configuration of OpenVPN AS, I may do this in another post. I just wanted to run through the steps of getting this software installed.

 

Here is a short video on ‘what a VPN is’ – Thank you Qusai

[youtube id=”_wQTRMBAvzg” width=”600″ height=”350″]

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