Hey guys! Today, we're diving deep into setting up an OpenVPN server on pfSense. Whether you're a seasoned network admin or just a tech enthusiast looking to secure your home network, this guide will walk you through each step with clarity and a bit of fun. So, buckle up, and let's get started!

Why Set Up an OpenVPN Server on pfSense?

Before we jump into the how-to, let’s quickly cover the why. Setting up an OpenVPN server on your pfSense firewall offers a robust and secure way to access your network remotely. Imagine you're traveling and need to access files on your home server, or you want to ensure your internet traffic is encrypted when using public Wi-Fi. That's where OpenVPN comes in handy.

Security Benefits: OpenVPN uses strong encryption protocols to create a secure tunnel between your device and your network. This is crucial for protecting your data from prying eyes, especially on public networks where eavesdropping is common.

Remote Access: With OpenVPN, you can access your internal network resources as if you were sitting right at home. This includes file servers, printers, and other devices that are normally only accessible from within your local network.

Bypass Geo-Restrictions: Sometimes, you might want to access content that is only available in your home country. By connecting to your home network via OpenVPN, you can bypass these geo-restrictions and enjoy your favorite shows and services.

Centralized Management: pfSense provides a user-friendly web interface for managing your OpenVPN server. This makes it easy to configure settings, add or remove users, and monitor connections.

Prerequisites

Before we start, make sure you have the following:

• A pfSense Firewall: Obviously, you'll need a working pfSense installation. If you don't have one yet, you can download the latest version from the pfSense website and install it on a dedicated machine or a virtual machine.
• A Static Public IP Address (Recommended): While not strictly required, having a static public IP address makes things much easier. If your IP address changes frequently, you'll need to use a dynamic DNS service.
• Basic Networking Knowledge: A basic understanding of networking concepts like IP addresses, subnets, and DNS will be helpful.

Step-by-Step Configuration

Now, let's get to the fun part – configuring the OpenVPN server on pfSense. Follow these steps carefully, and you'll be up and running in no time.

Step 1: Install the OpenVPN Client Export Package

First, we need to install the OpenVPN Client Export Package. This package allows you to easily generate client configuration files that users can use to connect to your OpenVPN server.

1. Log in to your pfSense web interface.
2. Navigate to System > Package Manager > Available Packages.
3. Search for openvpn-client-export.
4. Click the Install button next to the package.
5. Confirm the installation.

Step 2: Create a Certificate Authority (CA)

A Certificate Authority (CA) is essential for issuing certificates to your OpenVPN server and clients. These certificates are used to authenticate connections and ensure that only authorized users can access your network.

1. Go to System > Cert Manager.
2. Click the Add button to create a new CA.
3. Fill in the following information:
   • Descriptive name: Enter a name for your CA (e.g., MyOpenVPNCertAuth).
   • Method: Select Create an internal Certificate Authority.
   • Key length: Choose 2048 or 4096 for stronger security.
   • Lifetime (days): Set a reasonable lifetime for your CA (e.g., 3650 for 10 years).
   • Country Code: Select your country code.
   • State or Province: Enter your state or province.
   • City: Enter your city.
   • Organization: Enter your organization name (or your name if it's a personal setup).
   • Email Address: Enter your email address.
   • Common Name: This is the most important field. Enter a name that identifies your CA (e.g., myopenvpn.example.com).
4. Click Save.

Step 3: Create a Server Certificate

Next, we need to create a certificate for the OpenVPN server itself. This certificate will be used to identify the server to clients.

1. Go to System > Cert Manager.
2. Click the Add button to create a new certificate.
3. Fill in the following information:
   • Method: Select Create an internal Certificate.
   • Descriptive name: Enter a name for your server certificate (e.g., OpenVPNServerCert).
   • Certificate Authority: Select the CA you created in the previous step.
   • Key length: Choose 2048 or 4096.
   • Lifetime (days): Set a reasonable lifetime for your certificate (e.g., 3650).
   • Country Code: Select your country code.
   • State or Province: Enter your state or province.
   • City: Enter your city.
   • Organization: Enter your organization name.
   • Email Address: Enter your email address.
   • Common Name: Enter the hostname or IP address of your pfSense firewall. If you have a static IP address, enter that. If you're using a dynamic DNS service, enter the hostname provided by that service.
4. Click Save.

Step 4: Configure the OpenVPN Server

Now, we're ready to configure the OpenVPN server itself.

1. Go to VPN > OpenVPN > Servers.
2. Click the Add button to create a new OpenVPN server.
3. Configure the following settings:
   • Server Mode: Select Remote Access (SSL/TLS).
   • Protocol: Choose between UDP or TCP. UDP is generally faster, but TCP may be more reliable in some network environments.
   • Device Mode: Select tun.
   • Interface: Select the WAN interface of your pfSense firewall.
   • Local Port: Choose a port for the OpenVPN server to listen on (e.g., 1194).
   • Description: Enter a description for your OpenVPN server (e.g., My OpenVPN Server).
   • TLS Configuration:
     • Certificate Authority: Select the CA you created earlier.
     • Server Certificate: Select the server certificate you created earlier.
   • Encryption Settings:
     • Encryption Algorithm: Choose a strong encryption algorithm like AES-256-CBC.
     • Hash Algorithm: Choose a strong hash algorithm like SHA256.
   • Tunnel Settings:
     • IPv4 Tunnel Network: Enter a private IP address range for the OpenVPN tunnel (e.g., 10.0.8.0/24). This should be a different range than your local network.
     • IPv4 Local Network(s): Enter your local network's IP address range (e.g., 192.168.1.0/24). This tells the OpenVPN server which networks to route traffic to.
   • Client Settings:
     • DNS Server(s): Enter the IP addresses of your DNS servers. You can use your local DNS server or public DNS servers like Google DNS (8.8.8.8 and 8.8.4.4).
     • Force all client generated traffic through the tunnel: Check this box if you want all client traffic to be routed through the OpenVPN tunnel.
   • Advanced Configuration:
     • Custom Options: You can add custom OpenVPN options here. For example, you can add `push