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Domestic IP changing with VPN server (discuss.tchncs.de)

submitted 6 days ago by [email protected] to c/[email protected]

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Hi all

For the past couple of years I have been running a Raspberry Pi4 with PiHole and PiVPN. Both of which I'm very satisfied with. My ISP recently changed the IP address assigned to me, this doesn't happen often but did cause my VPN profiles to no longer work. Simply changing the end IP address in the VPN config does not work so the configs had to be remade entirely. If this happens again and I am not near home, what would be a way to regain access? Can that be done remotely?

I am concerned with the possibility that my IP changes while I'm on a vacation and then lose access to my NAS and other home systems with no way to get it back until after.

I am considering a script that generates a new config file and sends it over email when I send a specific text to a phone, that could work. Is this over engineered? Something like a deadman switch could work too.

Thanks!

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[–] [email protected] 5 points 6 days ago* (last edited 6 days ago) (1 children)

Perhaps your concerns might be elleviated by addressing your VPN using dynamic DNS instead of IP.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 6 days ago

Will look into this, thanks!

[–] [email protected] 2 points 6 days ago* (last edited 6 days ago)

My ISP changes my IP address occasionally and, as someone else mentioned, DDNS is a solution to the problem you're having. DuckDNS doesn't cost anything (but donations are welcome), works well, and there are detailed guides online for setting it up.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 6 days ago

Have you looked at tailscale?

[–] [email protected] 1 points 6 days ago (2 children)

I haven't used OpenVPN in a while, but when I did exporting a config also included the cert. If that's true you definitely don't want to be emailing that to yourself. Assume anything sent via email will be intercepted.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 6 days ago (1 children)

Eh, the cert is fine, just don't email any keys.

DDNS is the way.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 6 days ago

I agree, ddns is the solution. I would have suggested that but someone beat me to it.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 6 days ago

Absolutely. I consider it a temporary profile just so that access can be re established.