How to Install OpenVPN on Alpine Linux Latest

OpenVPN is an open-source software application that provides Virtual Private Network (VPN) services for secure network connections. In this tutorial, we will guide you through the process of installing OpenVPN on Alpine Linux Latest.

Prerequisites

Before we begin with the installation, you need to make sure that you have met the following prerequisites.

• A system running Alpine Linux Latest
• Access to the root user account or an account with sudo privileges
• A stable and fast internet connection for downloading packages

Step 1: Update the System

The first step is to update the system to ensure that all the packages are up-to-date.

sudo apk update && sudo apk upgrade

Step 2: Install OpenVPN

To install OpenVPN on Alpine Linux Latest, you can use the official package available in the Alpine repository.

sudo apk add openvpn

Step 3: Configure OpenVPN

After the installation is complete, you need to configure OpenVPN.

Generate the Configuration Files

OpenVPN uses configuration files to set up a VPN connection. The easiest way to generate these files is to use the easy-rsa tool.

sudo apk add easy-rsa

Then, navigate to the easy-rsa directory.

cd /usr/share/easy-rsa/

Initialize the vars file.

source vars

Run the clean-all command to remove any existing key pairs.

./clean-all

Generate the necessary certificates and keys.

./build-ca
./build-key-server server
./build-dh

Once you've generated the certificates and keys, copy them to the OpenVPN configuration directory.

sudo cp ca.crt /etc/openvpn
sudo cp server.crt /etc/openvpn
sudo cp server.key /etc/openvpn
sudo cp dh2048.pem /etc/openvpn

Configure OpenVPN

Next, configure OpenVPN by creating a configuration file.

sudo vi /etc/openvpn/server.conf

Copy and paste the following into the file.

port 1194
proto udp
dev tun

user nobody
group nobody

ca /etc/openvpn/ca.crt
cert /etc/openvpn/server.crt
key /etc/openvpn/server.key

dh /etc/openvpn/dh2048.pem

server 10.8.0.0 255.255.255.0

push "redirect-gateway def1 bypass-dhcp"

push "dhcp-option DNS 8.8.8.8"
push "dhcp-option DNS 8.8.4.4"

keepalive 10 120
comp-lzo

persist-key
persist-tun

status /var/log/openvpn-status.log

verb 3

Start OpenVPN

Once you have configured OpenVPN, start the service.

sudo systemctl start openvpn@server

Conclusion

In this tutorial, you learned how to install and configure OpenVPN on Alpine Linux Latest. By following these steps, you can quickly set up a secure VPN connection on your server.

If you want to self-host in an easy, hands free way, need an external IP address, or simply want your data in your own hands, give IPv6.rs a try!

Alternatively, for the best virtual desktop, try Shells!