OpenVPN

[#1]

This value is entered into the Destination IP Address / Prefix Length field, in your case :

10.8.0.0/24

The metric field is the size of your TCP I/O Buffer and should be set (if required) to the same value used in your router. I think 1478 but yours may be different.

 Edit:- This is wrong  see post 66 for the correct description.

[#2]

1194 UDP is already forwarded, i wouldn't get connected to the VPN otherwise.
windows 10 firewall... where am i adding this route? i don't see anywhere that specifically lets you add a route. you can add an app though?

You know, people pay me good money to do absolutely everything for them

You don't add routes to a firewall, you add rules. 

Control panel, Windows Firewall, Advanced settings, Inbound Rules (right click), New Rule, Custom, Scope, local = any remote = 10.8.0.0/24, Allow (always), All profiles, Name 'Open VPN' Description 'Allow all from encrypted tunnel'

Enabling RRAS enables IP Forwarding, implicitly.  It won't hurt to do the registry hack but you don't _need_ it, as well.  One of the other would do.

[edit] And no, you don't need to forward UDP and TCP.  Just UDP, will do.

[#3]

the other static route already set is for the public IP

ip 212.xxx.xxx.xxx/32
gateway 0.0.0.0
interface pppoa
metric blank

i'm looking thru the various screens on the router to see if i can find any reference to TCP I/O buffer

[#4]

---

@chenks76 wrote:
i'm looking thru the various screens on the router to see if i can find any reference to TCP I/O buffer

---

You'll find this value is called Metric, I was simply letting you what it was.

Also not really convinced that is a valid 'route'. But as @mssystems says try the firewall rule.

[#5]

well i can now ping 192.168.1.x address when connected to VPN after adding that static route with a metric of 1478.
I haven't touched the windows firewall.

[#6]

The metric field is the size of your TCP I/O Buffer and should be set (if required) to the same value used in your router. I think 1478 but yours may be different.

WTF. 

The Metric field is the 'priority' the route has in the routing table - Lowest value first.  You can probably leave it for the router to sort out.  If you really must give it a value, 5, or any arbitrary value is likely to do.

1478 is the MTU.  Maximum Transmit Unit - Or, the number of bits before the router fragments the packet.  You should not need to adjust the MTU, as Open VPN is clever enough to do it for you.

[#7]

Oops!

[#8]

right so....
OpenVPN connects.
i can ping any 192.168.1.x address
i can connect to my local network devices.
so far so good.

so the question is. whilst i am connected to the VPN, when i load a webpage is that routing thru my own VPN/Plusnet connection, or does that still use the mobile data connection.
for example, if i set my router to block a particular website but my mobile provider doesn't. when connected to the VPN would that website be blocked? (this is just an example to test the VPN).

[#9]

Also not really convinced that is a valid 'route'. But as @mssystems says try the firewall rule.

The route, source = 212.?.?.?/32 dest = 0.0.0.0/0 Interface = PPP, is the router's default route.

If you open a cmd prompt and type

route print

You will see the default route entry in your PC's routing table, with the router's address in the gateway field.

[#10]

so the question is. whilst i am connected to the VPN, when i load a webpage is that routing thru my own VPN/Plusnet connection, or does that still use the mobile data connection.

What you are talking about is known as a 'split tunnel'  Can't remember what the default it but there are Open VPN directives to configure the client's default gateway dynamically.  Easiest way to check is to install a trace-route app on your phone.

[#11]

i already have such a tool installed (have bene using it for the pings).
when doing a tracert on bbc.co.uk the resulting route appears to be the same regardless of whether on VPN or data.

[#12]

You might find this of use:

https://openvpn.net/index.php/open-source/documentation/howto.html#redirect

[#13]

i already have such a tool installed (have bene using it for the pings).
when doing a tracert on bbc.co.uk the resulting route appears to be the same regardless of whether on VPN or data.

Then it would appear you have a split tunnel. 

If you trace to 192.168.1.254 (your routers LAN interface) you should see your Open VPN server in the hop path.

[#14]

that one was just a musing really.
as long as i can "talk" to the local network devices then that is all i really need for now.

[#15]

Not a word of thanks.  Wow!