Troubleshooting VPN Client on Wi-Fi Router Is Not Working
This Article Applies to:
All the Wi-Fi Routers that support VPN Client, such as Archer AX20, Archer AX21, Archer AX90, etc.
Issue Description/Phenomenon:
The Wi-Fi Routers that are being discussed here are the models that support VPN Client, which allows users to connect to a VPN server without the need to install VPN software on each device. If you are unable to connect to a VPN server when trying to configure the VPN client on the TP-Link router, this article provides some suggestions that may help you out.
However, if VPN server on TP-Link router is not working, please follow this thread for troubleshooting: VPN Server Doesn't Work Properly on TP-Link Wi-Fi Routers
Troubleshooting Suggestions & Solution:
Step 1
For OpenVPN, please follow this FAQ How to get configuration files from OpenVPN service providers to get correct configuration file and your VPN service credentials, which is the key to accessing the VPN service.
Step 2
Ensure you can successfully connect to the VPN server using a third-party VPN client software like OpenVPN Connect or OpenVPN or WireGuard App for WireGuard VPN on the local PC/Smartphone. This can ensure the .opvn or .conf file is configured and exported correctly.
For example, If you are trying to connect to NordVPN, please don't use NordVPN App since it doesn't require the .opvn at all.
Note: NordVPN service credentials are different from your NordVPN account credentials, namely your email address and your password. You'll need NordVPN service credentials to connect to the VPN using the manual OpenVPN configuration method in the router.
Step 3
If step 2 is confirmed good, but it still fails to connect to the VPN server when uploading the .opvn file into the TP-Link router, be sure the router's firmware is up-to-date. You can check for the updates on the Tether app or on the router web GUI, or you can download it from the local official website and then install it manually.
Step 4
If it still fails, please check the size of the VPN configuration profile you are trying to upload to the router, and how large that file is. You may download and install the Notepad+ application to delete the useless comment in the profile if that is too large, then try uploading it into the router again.
Step 5
It's also suggested to try TCP protocol on the VPN server if it's currently using UDP, then save the file and upload it into the TP-Link router again to check if that works.
If the VPN connection still fails, please comment below on this topic and be sure to provide the following information:
1. Model number, hardware, and firmware version of your TP-Link Router.
2. What kind of VPN server you are connecting to?
3. What kind of VPN type are you choosing on the TP-Link router, OpenVPN, or PPTP VPN?
4. What kind of VPN Client software you were using on the local PC or phone when it was connecting fine? Please test and make sure you can connect to the server with third-party software, such as OpenVPN Connect for OpenVPN and WireGuard App for WireGuard VPN.
5. Which step did you stuck in, any error message or screenshot?
6. Troubleshooting you've done before, and be sure the .opvn file for OpenVPN or .conf file for WireGuard is included when emailing to support.
Related Articles:
If you are not familiar with the VPN, visit Introduction and Configuration Guide of VPN Function on TP-Link Wireless Routers
If you want to check which model supports the VPN Client, visit Routers supporting the VPN Client.
If you are unable to connect CyberGhost OpenVPN Server, please try Manually create the unified format for OpenVPN profile(CyberGhost OpenVPN Server)
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thanks for the reply and help. A ticket with support engineer is now raised given nord vpn ovpn doesn't start with BEGIN ENCRYPTED PRIVATE KEY
Let's see how it turns out.
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I have an AXE5400 TP-Link router.
Firmware Version:
1.1.9 Build 20231115 rel.37295(5553)
Hardware Version:
Archer AXE75 v1.0
I have been trying to connect to a VPN server (KeepSolid VPN) as OpenVpn and L2TP/IPsec. I get nothing but "Connecting".
The .opvn file is ony 7k in size.
The .opvn file works fine in the OpenVPN connect program on Windows 11.
I've tried the trouble shooting up to step 5. (modified the ovpn to TCP which worked with the OpenVpn software)
This used to work.
(I don't think this has anything to do with the problem but I am using Starlink)
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@MrHalfpint Did you check my recent comment about this, it happened to me, the router doesn't support "BEGIN ENCRYPTED PRIVATE KEY" if your .ovpn has that you need that .ovpn re-issued but with a "nopass" so it says "BEGIN PRIVATE KEY", after dealing with this for a while I told TP-Link they need to update these routers with firmwares that have some sort of feedback message, they claim to be working on doing something like that and update the guide here with a few scenarios but so you don't have to wait, check your .ovpn in notepad if it has the key as encrypted or not, if it is you need to ask them to give you a new .ovpn but with no password encryption.
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@SteiniPe Thanks for the response. I did open the .ovpn file and there is nothing related to "ENCRYPTED" or "PRIVATE KEY" or password.
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@MrHalfpint well if there is no <key> with a long encrypted line after a <cert> then im not sure how your .ovpn dile works.. there shud be a <csrt[ open and close tag with key after that.. if thete id a key mention but the key inside has no BEGIN line or an END its a fileformat setup the router cant understand..
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@SteiniPe Sorry.. there is a private key and end private key.. Just FYI.. the .ovpn file works fine with the OpenVPN client on my laptop. It just doesn't work with the router.
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@MrHalfpint could you upload a screenshot of the ovpn file.. u can blur out the IP and u can blur out any content affer BEGIN cert BEGIN key..
Ps: mine worked also fine in OpenVPN the router couldnt understand it.. it took TP link support to get me where i needed to go.
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@SteiniPe I erased some of the encripted sections so you could see the entire structure.
I've tried the proto as TCP and the default was UDP. Both worked in the OpenVPN client.
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@MrHalfpint Okay try something different, try making a duplicate of the .ovpn before making these changes, of course never can I be certain but my file that works is my own openvpn server its this
client
dev tun
proto udp
remote <ip redacted> 1194
resolv-retry infinite
nobind
persist-key
persist-tun
remote-cert-tls server
key-direction 1
cipher AES-256-CBC
verb 3
Then when it comes to the ca, cert, key section, the <ca> is one encrypted key, not two..
<ca>
-----BEGIN CERTIFICATE-----
MIIDSzCCAjOgAwIBAgIUaOZfEXLxThXQrT9V67CJ2LFqEd8wDQYJKoZIhvcNAQEL
BQAwFjEUMBIGA1UEAwwLRWFzeS1SU0EgQ0EwHhcNMjQwMjA1MTAyNjMyWhcNMzQw
MjAyMTAyNjMyWjAWMRQwEgYDVQQDDAtFYXN5LVJTQSBDQTCCASIwDQYJKoZIhvcN
..... a lot more
-----END CERTIFICATE-----
</ca>
<cert>
-----BEGIN CERTIFICATE-----
MIIDUzCCAjugAwIBAgIQA4sfvm/khUc6tF09DZZsoTANBgkqhkiG9w0BAQsFADAW
MRQwEgYDVQQDDAtFYXN5LVJTQSBDQTAeFw0yNDAzMDgxNDExMzlaFw0yNjA2MTEx
... and alot more
-----END CERTIFICATE-----
</cert>
<key>
-----BEGIN PRIVATE KEY-----
MIIEvQIBADANBgkqhkiG9w0BAQEFAASCBKcwggSjAgEAAoIBAQCodPw6twzGeUmW
8Cg+XffQX8rD
.... and alot more
-----END PRIVATE KEY-----
</key>
end of File, try adjusting these variables, try these variables above as your start, then try and if it fails add 1 into it from your known file that is missing in mine, and try until you find the one that is required, for my server this is all thats requried but for expressvpn some other variables were required.
Since you do have BEGIN PRIVATE KEY not ENCRYPTED, your issue is with some of the variables in your file, the router is not understanding them.
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