MVRPC Open VPN setup, connect and troubleshooting

To work remotely at MVRPC, staff needs to connect to the network via OpenVPN.

VPN Setup and Connect

Connecting to the MVRPC VPN is the first step to initiate a remote work session.

Install and run OpenVPN client to remotely access the MVRPC network.

One Time Setup

1. Download and Update the software. You can use all the defaults
   1. Windows: Here (https://swupdate.openvpn.org/community/releases/OpenVPN-2.6.5-I001-amd64.msi)
   2. Mac: Here (https://tunnelblick.net/iprelease/Tunnelblick_3.8.8b_build_5777.dmg)
2. Import the configuration file “mvrpc 2023.ovpn”
   1. Download this file to your local computer.
   2. Right-click the screen icon with the padlock in the tray.  Make sure it’s black (disconnected)!
   3. Click Import -> Import File -> “MVRPC 2023.ovpn”
   4. If you are upgrading from a previous version of OpenVPN, right-click the screen icon again and you’ll have two icons – one for “MVRPC”, another for “MVRPC 2023”. Use MVRPC 2023 from now on. Verify it works, please!
3. Housekeeping:
   1. If you want to delete the old one once you’ve verified the new one works, go to C:\Users\yourname\OpenVPN\config. Anything that isn’t “MVRPC 2023.ovpn” can be deleted. This one is a single, self-contained file, so all the rest of the stuff in that folder is old.
   2. Run OpenVPN GUI by double clicking the icon on the desktop. This program will launch automatically each time you log into windows.

To connect each time you want to work remotely

• There should be an icon in the system tray that looks like a Monitor with a Padlock on it. Double click this icon to connect. You will be asked for your username and password. Use the username and password you use when you log into your desktop at work. Your username is usually your last name.
• Once you are successfully connected to the VPN, the OpenVPN icon in the system tray will turn green. You can then launch Remote Desktop (RDP), or otherwise access the network.
• Once you are finished working, and have exited RDP, you can double click the OpenVPN icon to disconnect, and the icon monitor will turn dark.

FAQ: I couldn’t connect to the VPN! Why not? What can I do?

• Check your internet connection This is the most common cause of the VPN tunnel not working. Open a browser (Chrome, Firefox, Internet Explorer) and visit a webpage that should update regularly like news.google.com. Can’t get there? That’s the source of the problem. Figure out why you don’t have internet access, fix it, and try the VPN tunnel again.
• Are you somewhere public using a “public or guest” wifi network? Sometimes people offer “free internet” but they don’t allow you to do anything other than visit websites and check your email. This is the second most common reason for the VPN tunnel not working. Also, sometimes when people call in to report they can’t VPN in, they open a browser and find an “accept these terms” page. They accept the terms, retry the VPN tunnel, and it works.
• Are you somewhere without free internet? Sometimes when people call in to report they can’t VPN in,  they open a browser and find a “paywall” page where they have to pay for internet access. Examples of these are airports, hotels, etc. There are no free ways around these, so before your VPN tunnel can work, you’ll have to decide whether to pay the fee for internet. Paying for internet is no guarantee that they will give you “unfiltered” or “unlimited” internet, so you may find that you pay for internet and still can’t VPN in. There’s nothing that can be done about this.

Add TAP connection - see attachment VpnErrorFixes.pdf

Reset catalog - see attachment VpnErrorFixes.pdf