Installing ocserv on Fedora CoreOS Latest

In this tutorial, we will install ocserv, which is a simple, easy-to-use VPN server. It is used to connect client devices to a VPN and provide a secure, encrypted communication channel.

Prerequisites

Before we start, make sure that:

• You have a Fedora CoreOS Latest installed on your system.
• You have a user account with sudo privileges.
• You have a terminal or SSH client to run commands.

Step 1: Install OpenConnect Server

OpenConnect is a SSL VPN connectivity tool. Ocserv provides an OpenConnect server.

Run the following command to install ocserv:

$ sudo rpm-ostree install ocserv

Step 2: Configure ocserv

Configure ocserv by modifying the /etc/ocserv/ocserv.conf file using your favourite editor.

In this example, we use the nano editor. Run the following command:

$ sudo nano /etc/ocserv/ocserv.conf

Make the following changes to the file:

• Change the listener port from 443 to 8443 (or any other port you need).
• Uncomment the auth directive and set auth = "pam" to use Pluggable Authentication Modules (PAM) for user authentication.
• Uncomment the server-cert directive and set the certificate location (either use the self-signed certificate provided by ocserv or replace it with your own).
• Uncomment the dns directive and set your DNS server IP address.

Save the changes and close the file.

Step 3: Create Users

To create new users, use the ocpasswd command:

$ sudo ocpasswd -c /etc/ocserv/ocpasswd myuser

Replace myuser with the username you want to create. You will be prompted to enter a password. Repeat the command for each user you want to create.

Step 4: Start ocserv

Start ocserv with the following command:

$ sudo systemctl start ocserv

You can check if ocserv is running with the following command:

$ sudo systemctl status ocserv

Step 5: Configure Firewall

By default, ocserv listens on port 8443. If you have a firewall running, you need to allow incoming traffic on this port.

To allow incoming traffic on port 8443, use the following commands:

$ sudo firewall-cmd --permanent --add-port=8443/tcp
$ sudo firewall-cmd --reload

Conclusion

You have successfully installed and configured ocserv on Fedora CoreOS Latest. You can now connect your client devices to your VPN using the OpenConnect client.

Make sure to secure your server by using good password policies, keeping the server and ocserv updated, and using encryption when transmitting sensitive data.

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!

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