OpenVPN for Docker

Setup a tiny (22MB), but full featured and secure OpenVPN server without effort using Docker.

Quick Start

1. Create the docker-compose.yml file

   services:
     openvpn:
       image: ghcr.io/yokitoki/openvpn:2.6.14-r0-1.0.0
       container_name: openvpn
       restart: unless-stopped
       cap_add:
         - NET_ADMIN
       ports:
         - "1194:1194/udp"
       volumes:
         - /etc/localtime:/etc/localtime:ro
         - ./openvpn-data:/etc/openvpn

   and start

   docker compose up -d

2. Initialize the OpenVPN configurations

   docker compose exec -it openvpn ovpnctl init host=vpn.example.com
   docker compose exec -it openvpn ovpnctl initpki

3. Generate a client certificate (nopass)

   docker compose exec -it openvpn ovpnctl new username=test

Profile in .ovpn will stored in /etc/openvpn

4. Revoke a client certificate

   docker compose exec -it openvpn ovpnctl revoke username=test

5. List all generated certificate names (includes the server certificate name)

   docker compose exec -it openvpn ovpnctl list

6. Renew the CRL

   docker compose exec -it openvpn ovpnctl renewcrl

• To enable (bash) debug output set an environment variable with the name DEBUG and value of 1
• To view the log output run docker compose logs openvpn, to view it realtime run docker compose logs -f openvpn

Settings and features

• OpenVPN 2.6.14

• Easy-RSA v3.1.5+

• tun mode because it works on the widest range of devices. tap mode, for instance, does not work on Android, except if the device is rooted.

• The UDP server uses192.168.255.0/24 for clients.

• Diffie-Hellman parameters for perfect forward secrecy

• 2048 bits key size

• Client certificate revocation functionality

• Tweaks for Windows clients

• net30 topology because it works on the widest range of OS's. p2p, for instance, does not work on Windows.

• Google DNS (8.8.4.4 and 8.8.8.8)

• The configuration is located in /etc/openvpn

• Certificates are generated in /etc/openvpn/pki.

Tested On

• Clients
  • Android, OpenVPN for Android 0.7.46
  • Windows 10 64 bit using openvpn-2.6.5

Credits

• Based on chadoe/docker-openvpn.
• Based on kylemanna/docker-openvpn.