Installing a connector for Windows

Sign Up For OpenVPN Cloud

In order to use a computer on a private network, running Windows operating system, as an OpenVPN Cloud Host so that OpenVPN Cloud Users can access services running on it, follow the steps below:

  1. Sign in to the OpenVPN Cloud administration portal at https://cloud.openvpn.com.
  2. Access Hosts and click (+) to add a new host.
  3. Give the Host and Connector a name, select a VPN Region for the Connector, and click on the checkmark icon to complete configuration.
  4. Note that the Connector has been assigned a VPN IP Address (in this example, 100.96.1.66). Click on the download icon next to the Connector to show the various download options.
  5. Click on Download Connector App for Windows option.
  6. You can click on the Download button if you want to download and install the Connector on the computer that you are working on or you can click on Copy URL button to open the URL in the browser of the target Windows computer so that the software gets downloaded directly on that computer.
  7. Go to the Windows computer and paste the URL in the browser to start downloading the OpenVPN Connect Client and its bundled profile. This has to be done within 15 minutes of URL generation.
  8. Click on the downloaded installer to start the installation process.
  9. Click on the Run button of the security warning. Note that some versions of Windows may also display a warning that the driver is not signed. Continue the installation in spite of the warning.
  10. Click on the Next button to start the OpenVPN Connect Setup Wizard.
  11. Accept the terms in the License Agreement by clicking on the checkbox and click on the Next button.
  12. Click on the Install button to begin the installation.
  13. Installation progress will be shown, click on the Finish button to exit the Setup Wizard.
  14. You will see the OpenVPN Connect icon in the system tray. Launch OpenVPN Connect from your application menu.
  15. Click on the profile that is already present to connect to your OpenVPN Cloud.

Optional: If the connector is for a network instead of a host

Please see Connecting Networks to OpenVPN Cloud Using Connectors for information on actions needed to be taken outside the scope of OpenVPN Cloud to enable proper routing of traffic between your private networks and VPN clients

Optional: Remote desktop connection

If the Windows computer you installed the Connector on is running Remote Desktop Service, you can configure an RDP connection by using the VPN IP Address of the Connector (in this example, 100.96.1.66). The screenshots below show a macOS computer, that is connected to OpenVPN Cloud, configuring an RDP connection and connecting to the Windows Host.

remote desktop connection
remote desktop connection

Optional: Windows firewall settings

If you are running any other application or service on the host, the windows firewall needs to be configured to allow access to the service.

The example below shows how to allow access to a web server running on port 8080 by using netsh

netsh advfirewall firewall add rule name="TCP Port 8080" dir=in action=allow protocol=TCP localport=8080

For more on firewall configuration, see https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/947709/how-to-use-the-netsh-advfirewall-firewall-context-instead-of-the-netsh