For most Ubuntu VPS users, the best route is OpenVPN Community Edition: install openvpn and easy-rsa, build a certificate authority (CA), create a named server configuration, open the chosen port at every firewall layer, enable IPv4 forwarding, add NAT for the VPN subnet, and start openvpn@myserver. OpenVPN Access Server is a separate, web-managed option when browser administration and automatic profile distribution matter more than a command-line setup.
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What you need before installing
This guide assumes an Ubuntu VPS with a public IPv4 address, a user who can run sudo, and a cloud firewall or security-group control. The examples use a configuration named myserver.conf, the conventional VPN network 10.8.0.0/24, and UDP port 1194. Change those values if they conflict with a network already used by the VPS, your office, or a client’s local LAN.
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- Public addressing: clients must be able to resolve or reach the VPS public IP address (or a DNS name that points to it).
- Three separate control layers: the VPS provider’s security group, Ubuntu’s host firewall, and Linux routing/NAT are independent. A rule in one layer does not automatically configure the others.
- Administrative access: keep an existing SSH session open while changing firewall or routing settings so a mistake does not lock you out.
- Credential handling: the CA private key, server and client private keys, and TLS key are secrets. Transfer them over an encrypted administrative channel and remove temporary copies.
Ubuntu describes OpenVPN as “a flexible, reliable and secure Virtual Private Networking (VPN) solution.” The Community Edition workflow below follows Ubuntu’s package, Easy-RSA, configuration, forwarding, and systemd model.
Choose the edition that fits your VPS
| Area | Community Edition | OpenVPN Access Server |
|---|---|---|
| Administration | Configuration files, shell commands, systemd, and your chosen firewall tools. | Web-based Admin UI in addition to the vendor’s installer and package workflow. |
| Client onboarding | You create certificates and assemble a client configuration, then transfer the credentials securely. | The Client UI can provide OpenVPN Connect and a preconfigured connection profile. |
| Licensing | OpenVPN and Easy-RSA are installed from Ubuntu repositories. | Product licensing applies; an unlicensed server allows two connections by default. |
| VPN address pool | You select the subnet in the server configuration. | The internal VPN subnet defaults to 172.27.224.0/20 and can be changed. |
Use Community Edition when you are comfortable maintaining text configuration and certificates. Select Access Server when a web console, browser-based user provisioning, and downloadable profiles justify its separate licensing model. Both editions still need a reachable public address, an allowed port, and correct routing.
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Install OpenVPN and Easy-RSA
- Refresh Ubuntu’s package index:
sudo apt update - Install the VPN daemon and the Easy-RSA PKI tools:
sudo apt install openvpn easy-rsa - Confirm what Ubuntu installed, especially on a long-lived VPS:
openvpn --version
Ubuntu’s Jammy manpage archive shows package version2.5.11-0ubuntu0.22.04.5as an example; the version on your release can differ.
Do not expose the OpenVPN port until you have a complete server configuration and a plan for the VPN address pool. Installing the package alone does not create a usable tunnel.
Create a certificate-based PKI with Easy-RSA
OpenVPN’s TLS control channel uses X.509 certificates. Create one CA, use it to sign the server certificate, and issue a separate certificate and key for each client. Keep the CA private key offline after issuing credentials; anyone who obtains it can sign certificates that your server may trust.
1. Prepare a private Easy-RSA working directory
Copy the Easy-RSA files installed by Ubuntu into a directory owned by your administrative account (for example, a directory under your home folder). Work there rather than generating the CA directly in /etc/openvpn. Restrict the directory permissions so other users on the VPS cannot read private keys.
2. Initialize the PKI and CA
Run the Easy-RSA 3 workflow from that directory:
./easyrsa init-pki
./easyrsa build-cabuild-ca asks for a CA passphrase and a common name. Record the name and protect the resulting CA private key. A passphrase-protected CA is safer than an unattended signing key on the VPN host.
3. Issue the server certificate and Diffie-Hellman parameters
./easyrsa gen-req server nopass
./easyrsa sign-req server server
./easyrsa gen-dhThe server private key, signed certificate, CA certificate, and generated Diffie-Hellman file are referenced by the server configuration. If you do not want an unencrypted server key, omit nopass and arrange a secure key-unlock method that works during boot.
4. Issue one certificate per client
./easyrsa gen-req client1 nopass
./easyrsa sign-req client client1Repeat with a different name for every device or person. Revoking one client’s certificate is then possible without replacing every other client’s credentials. Copy only the files required by that client; never distribute the CA private key.
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Build the named server configuration
Ubuntu provides a sample configuration. Copy it to the name used by systemd:
sudo cp /usr/share/doc/openvpn/examples/sample-config-files/server.conf /etc/openvpn/myserver.confOn older Ubuntu releases the sample may be compressed as server.conf.gz; decompress it before copying. Edit /etc/openvpn/myserver.conf and set paths to the CA certificate, server certificate, server private key, Diffie-Hellman file, and TLS key. Use absolute paths so the service behaves consistently at boot.
Core network settings
A typical configuration selects a tunnel device and a private VPN subnet:
port 1194
proto udp
dev tun
server 10.8.0.0 255.255.255.0Port 1194 is OpenVPN’s official port, but you may choose another UDP or TCP port. The protocol and port in this file must match the cloud firewall, Ubuntu firewall, and every client profile. Avoid a VPN subnet that overlaps a client’s home, office, or another private network; overlapping routes produce apparently random reachability failures.
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Certificate and control-channel settings
Point the certificate directives at the files created by Easy-RSA, then generate a TLS key:
sudo openvpn --genkey secret ta.keyReference that key with:
tls-crypt ta.keyUbuntu notes that releases older than 18.04 may require tls-auth ta.key 0 instead. Use the directive appropriate to the OpenVPN version on both server and clients; do not silently mix the two forms.
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Decide whether this is split-tunnel or full-tunnel
In a split-tunnel design, only selected private networks use the VPN. In a full-tunnel design, the client sends ordinary internet traffic through the VPS. A full tunnel requires a route push in the server configuration and working forwarding and NAT; adding a route alone is not enough. Document the intended topology before enabling it, because a wrong route can strand a client or create a loop.
Open the port at every firewall layer
Permit the exact protocol and port selected in myserver.conf in three places:
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- Ubuntu host firewall: allow the same UDP or TCP port. With UFW, an example for the default transport is
sudo ufw allow 1194/udp. - Forwarding policy: permit traffic from the tunnel interface to the intended destination interface and allow established return traffic. An INPUT rule that accepts the OpenVPN handshake does not automatically permit forwarded client packets.
If you change to TCP, use 1194/tcp in both firewall layers and proto tcp in the configuration. Do not open both protocols unless you deliberately operate both listeners.
Enable IPv4 forwarding and NAT
Create /etc/sysctl.d/50-enable-ipv4-forwarding.conf with exactly:
net.ipv4.ip_forward = 1Apply it immediately:
sudo sysctl -p /etc/sysctl.d/50-enable-ipv4-forwarding.confForwarding allows the kernel to pass packets between interfaces; it does not create a return route on the internet. For a full-tunnel internet design, masquerade the VPN subnet on the VPS’s public interface and allow forwarding in the packet filter. The interface is often named eth0, ens3, or something provider-specific, so identify it first with ip route get 1.1.1.1.
An illustrative iptables rule is:
sudo iptables -t nat -A POSTROUTING -s 10.8.0.0/24 -o PUBLIC_INTERFACE -j MASQUERADEReplace PUBLIC_INTERFACE with the actual interface and make the rule persistent using the firewall system you already administer. If clients must reach another private network rather than the public internet, add a route back to 10.8.0.0/24 on that network (or NAT where appropriate). Without a return route, the VPS can receive a client’s packet but the destination cannot reply.
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Start and enable the named OpenVPN instance
The filename determines the systemd instance name. For /etc/openvpn/myserver.conf, run:
sudo systemctl start openvpn@myserver
sudo systemctl enable openvpn@myserverUbuntu warns that systemctl start openvpn does not start the named configuration. Check the instance explicitly:
sudo systemctl status openvpn@myserver
sudo journalctl -u openvpn@myserverA successful start should create a tun0 interface (or the device name selected in the configuration). If the service fails, the journal usually identifies a missing certificate, an unreadable key, an invalid directive, or a port conflict.
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Install OpenVPN on the client or use a compatible graphical client. Assemble a profile that matches the server’s public endpoint, protocol, port, CA certificate, client certificate, client key, and TLS key:
client
dev tun
proto udp
remote VPS_PUBLIC_IP 1194
resolv-retry infinite
nobind
persist-key
persist-tun
remote-cert-tls server
ca ca.crt
cert client1.crt
key client1.key
tls-crypt ta.keyReplace VPS_PUBLIC_IP with the VPS address or DNS hostname and use the actual filenames. Keep the profile and referenced keys readable only by the intended user. If you embed certificates inside the profile instead of using separate files, protect the combined file as a private credential.
Import the profile into the client’s OpenVPN application and connect. The client log should show a completed TLS handshake and assignment of an address from the VPN subnet. A handshake proves that the control channel works; it does not prove that internet or private-network routing is correct.
Troubleshoot by symptom
The client cannot connect at all
- Check
sudo systemctl status openvpn@myserverandsudo journalctl -u openvpn@myserver. - Confirm the cloud security group and Ubuntu firewall allow the configured protocol and port.
- Verify that the client uses the same UDP/TCP choice and port as
myserver.conf. - Confirm DNS resolves to the VPS public address and that no second process already owns the port.
The client connects but cannot reach the internet
- Confirm that
tun0exists and that IPv4 forwarding is enabled. - Check the client’s routes. A full tunnel needs a default-route push; a split tunnel needs explicit routes for the intended networks.
- Verify the packet filter allows forwarding from
tun0to the public interface and permits established return traffic. - Verify NAT covers the actual VPN subnet and public interface. A masquerade rule for the wrong subnet or interface has no effect.
- Check DNS separately. If an IP address works but hostnames do not, the tunnel may be healthy while the client lacks a usable DNS path.
The client reaches the VPS but not another private network
Inspect routes on both sides. The destination network needs a return route to the VPN subnet through the VPS, unless you intentionally NAT VPN traffic. Also check intermediate firewalls; allowing the OpenVPN handshake does not authorize forwarded traffic to every internal host.
The service starts manually but not after reboot
Confirm the file is exactly /etc/openvpn/myserver.conf, enable openvpn@myserver rather than the generic service, and inspect the journal after a reboot. Absolute certificate and key paths prevent failures caused by a different working directory.
When OpenVPN Access Server is the better fit
Access Server uses the vendor’s Ubuntu installer and package workflow, then provides browser-based Admin and Client UIs. Configure the VPS public IP address or DNS hostname in the product, create users in the Admin UI, and let users download OpenVPN Connect and a preconfigured profile from the Client UI.
An unlicensed Access Server permits two connections by default; licensing changes that limit. Its default internal VPN subnet is 172.27.224.0/20, which can be changed when it overlaps an existing network. The web interface simplifies onboarding, but cloud firewall exposure, host firewall rules, forwarding, NAT, and return routes remain your responsibility.
Operational checklist
- Use a non-overlapping VPN subnet and record whether the design is split-tunnel or full-tunnel.
- Keep the CA private key offline after issuing server and client credentials.
- Issue a distinct client certificate for every device or user; revoke and replace credentials when a device is lost.
- Protect client keys and the TLS key during transfer and storage.
- Allow only the selected protocol and port at the provider firewall and Ubuntu firewall.
- Persist forwarding and NAT rules using the firewall tooling used on the VPS.
- Monitor
openvpn@myserverlogs and verify that the service is enabled at boot. - Do not treat a successful TLS handshake as proof that forwarding, NAT, DNS, or private-network return routes work.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which port does OpenVPN use on Ubuntu?
Port 1194 is the official OpenVPN port. The server can use another UDP or TCP port, but the configuration, cloud firewall, Ubuntu firewall, and client profile must all match.
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Why does systemctl start openvpn not start my server?
Ubuntu uses named instances for configuration files. With /etc/openvpn/myserver.conf, start sudo systemctl start openvpn@myserver and enable the same instance at boot.
Do I need NAT if IPv4 forwarding is enabled?
Usually yes for a full-tunnel internet VPN. Forwarding permits packet transit, while NAT or an equivalent return route lets external destinations reply to VPN addresses.
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