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Configure Windows Firewall for OpenVPN
Although tech-enthusiasts have been enjoying the benefits of VPNs for decades, it has only recently started spreading to a wider audience. People are starting to acknowledge the threat of hackers and are therefore exploring new ways – such as VPNs – to protect their personal data. People are starting to realize that you don’t need to be tech-savvy to connect to a Virtual Private Network, so aren’t daunted by the idea.
Not all VPNs are the same though, and amongst the pack, OpenVPN is considered the best VPN Protocols. Now, if you’re a Windows user, it will take some slight configuration of the built-in firewall to make OpenVPN a viable option, but there’s no need to worry, because we’ll be explaining the simple process to you.
But first let’s understand the basics about OpenVPN protocol.
What is OpenVPN?
OpenVPN has been around for just over fifteen years, and it’s a specific VPN protocol which has become extremely popular in the tech industry for a number of reasons. Firstly, it is an open source software, meaning anyone is allowed to both use the device, and modify it to suit their needs.
Typically, as it’s free to use, VPN providers will utilize the OpenVPN protocol to develop their own variant of it. It’s such a desirable style of VPN because it possesses a much higher level of security, and protects the connection between two points, or two sites. To achieve this, it uses SSL, and this is why most people will use it for anonymous access to the World Wide Web.
How to install OpenVPN on your machine
The first thing you’ll need to do to get started is download the OpenVPN desktop client. This will the central hub which you can connect to any IP address in the world from securely. Of course, it’s a powerful tool, but it’s incredibly simple to use so don’t panic. Anyway, here’s how to download the desktop client:
- Head over to the OpenVPN website, source the desktop client download, and click download
- You’ll be greeted with a client setup popup box, to which you just need to select ‘Next’
- Read the OpenVPN License Agreement, tick the accept box, and then hit ‘Next’ again
- You’ll then be given the choice of where you want to install the folder. You can save it wherever you want, but a good option is to stick it on your desktop so it’s easy to find (you can always move it to better location afterwards)
- Once you’ve done that, you’ll be able to select ‘Install’
- It will then go through the process of installing. If it asks you to install the TAP adapter, just click on ‘Install’ again
- Once the client setup has been completed, you can just press ‘Finish’ to remove it
At this point, you’ll have the OpenVPN desktop client, all you need to do now is connect to a secure server. This is how you can do that:
- Find the desktop client and open it up. Once it opens, type in the IP address that you want to connect to, then select ‘Connect’
- Log into the VPN with your username and password
- After going through the connection process, it will acquire a VPN IP address for you, and then confirm your connection to the server
Sounds pretty simple, right? Well, it should be, but unfortunately, sometimes the Windows firewall will prevent the connection from being established. In that case, you’ll need to configure the firewall in order to Hack proof Windows OS.
How to configure the Windows Firewall for OpenVPN
If the firewall is blocking an incoming connection, most people would decide to turn the firewall of completely, which should NOT be done (unless performing tests). Turning the firewall off would defeat the object of trying to stay secure. So, you’ll need to make some minor adjustments to allow the firewall to accept an incoming connection (the secure server).
- Before you do anything, do some testing. Check if your machine connects to the secure server through OpenVPN with the firewall off. If it does, then you can go ahead and make the changes.
- Go to Control Panel > Windows Firewall > Allowed Programs
- Once in there, you can tick the box on ‘Core Networking’
Alternatively, another way to configure the firewall, is to do this:
- Control Panel > Windows Firewall > Inbound Rules
- When you’re in the ‘Inbound Rules’ tab, find the rule which relates to VPN connections
- Right click on the VPN connection entry, and change the settings so it allows communication
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