SOLVED openVPN with (S)FTP Client

[itskando]

I have successfully gotten openVPN to connect to my server.

When connected on a LAN without the use of openVPN,
I am able to connect to the SFTP using the Transmit app client via <servername>.local.

When connected via openVPN in a remote location, however,
I am unable to connect to any FTP using the mac OS client or the Transmit app client, even though
I am able to connect to ssh (via terminal) and to the freeNAS GUI (via web browser).

When connected via openVPN in a remote location, I have:
• verified that FTP is enabled in the freeNAS GUI.
• tried connecting via:
<servername>.local
<servername>.nas.<domainName>.com
<domainIPaddress>
• tried connecting via FTP and SFTP.
• tried to connect via a user in the FTP group and (briefly) via root user.
• tried setting Services --> FTP --> Masquerade Address to hostname <servername>.nas.<domainName>.com

.

Service --> FTP --> Configure:

Show : Configuration Parameters

Code:

Port                       : 21

Clients                    : 5
Connections                : 10
Login Attempts             : 1
Timeout                    : 600

Allow root       login     : Yes [Temporarily]
Allow anonymous  login     : No
Allow local user login     : Yes
Display Login              : <blank>

Allow Transfer Resumption  : Yes
Always Chroot              : Yes

Perform Reverse DNS Lookups: No
Masquerade Address         : <blank>
Certificate                : <blank>
TLS No Certificate Required: No

In all cases, the server is not found. Any suggestions?

I have found similar issues in the following threads,
which appear to discuss port forwarding as the solution, but
are old, locked, vague, and do not specify whether this solution bypasses openVPN:

Finally Fixed FTP port forwarding!!

Hello, I'm so excited that I finally fixed this (though it may seem minor) I had to share this in case anyone else has the same problem. This problem may not be SPECIFIC to Freenas, and really it's not even Freenas' problem. I have a Netgear router connected to Comcast Cable. I setup Freenas and...

www.ixsystems.com

How to connect freenas ftp to outside world

Hi, even after I follow the step in this post, i can´t access to my freenas via ftp o sftp from outside world. I have ports 21 and 22 forwarded to the local address of my free nas but whenever i tried to connect via filezilla or internet explorer i have a Timeout error. This doesn´t happen in...

www.ixsystems.com

 

[itskando]

I assume SFTP connected so easily on my home network since it's a local network.
I assume if I actually wanted to use SFTP I would need to setup certificates in services?

 

[danb35]

Any suggestions?

Did you try using the server's IP address?

 

[itskando]

Actually, from memory, are there certain services which should not be simultaneously enabled?
Can FTP, SMART, SMB, SSH be active together?

[Edit]: I think so, I'm probably thinking of the rule to avoid enabling combinations of SMB, AFP, and NFS together.

 

[itskando]

Is there any form of port forwarding I would have had to set up for FTP?
(My only port forwards are those of the VPN on the server side.)

(I've read that some people suggest using a different port for ssh and then port forwarding to the intended 22;
is that true — are there any guides for that or at least lists of ports to avoid using, and if it is true, does that apply to FTP's port 21 also?)

 

[itskando]

Solved: I was attempting my public IP address, but I should have been attempting to connect to my local IP address via the openVPN connection.
I still don't understand why hostname <servername>.local wouldn't work through the VPN.