Bridging Your SoftEther VPN Virtual Hub with a Local LAN Print

Hello there! I’m Corels from Emmanuel Corels Creatives, and today we’re exploring how to integrate your SoftEther VPN Server with your local network by bridging a Virtual Hub with a physical LAN. This configuration enables VPN clients to seamlessly access local network resources, making it appear as if they are directly connected to your internal LAN. Let’s walk through the process step by step.

What Does Bridging Mean in SoftEther VPN?

In SoftEther VPN, a Virtual Hub acts like a virtual switch that connects VPN clients. By bridging this Virtual Hub with a physical LAN interface, you create a unified network environment. This means that remote VPN clients can communicate with devices on your local network—accessing printers, file servers, or any other internal resource—without additional routing complications.

Prerequisites

Before you begin, ensure that:

• Your SoftEther VPN Server is installed and running (on Linux or Windows).
• You have created and configured a Virtual Hub (e.g., “MyVPNHub”) via vpncmd or the SoftEther VPN Server Manager.
• Your local network is set up and accessible on the device hosting SoftEther VPN.
• You have administrative access to the SoftEther VPN Server.

Step 1: Access Your SoftEther VPN Server Management Console

1. Open your terminal and run:

   sudo /usr/local/softether/vpncmd
   

2. Choose 1 for VPN Server mode.
3. Connect to your Virtual Hub by typing:

   Hub MyVPNHub
   

4. If you haven’t set a password yet, run:

   ServerPasswordSet
   

   Follow the prompts to secure your Virtual Hub.

Step 2: Create a Bridge on Your SoftEther VPN Server

To bridge your Virtual Hub with your local LAN, you’ll need to create a virtual bridge within SoftEther.

1. Create the Virtual Bridge:
   At the vpncmd prompt, enter:

   BridgeCreate MyLocalBridge
   

   This command creates a virtual bridge named “MyLocalBridge.”

2. Associate the Virtual Hub with the Bridge:
   Next, add your Virtual Hub to the bridge:

   BridgeAddHub MyLocalBridge MyVPNHub
   

   With this association, traffic in “MyVPNHub” can be shared with the local network.

Note: If you prefer a graphical interface, open the SoftEther VPN Server Manager GUI, navigate to the Virtual Hub settings, and look for bridge options to add your hub to a local bridge.

Step 3: Bridging with a Physical LAN Interface

For full integration, you may wish to connect the virtual bridge with a physical LAN interface on the server. This step allows VPN clients to interact with devices on your internal network.

1. On a Linux System (Using SoftEther’s TAP Driver or a Bridge Interface):

   • First, ensure your local LAN interface (e.g., eth0) is part of a Linux bridge. You can use commands like:

     sudo ip link add name br0 type bridge
     sudo ip link set dev eth0 master br0
     sudo ip addr add 192.168.88.1/24 dev br0
     sudo ip link set dev br0 up
     

   • In the SoftEther VPN Server Manager, configure the bridge to connect “MyLocalBridge” with the Linux bridge (br0). This might involve specifying the local bridge device in SoftEther’s settings.

2. On Windows:

   • You can use the SoftEther VPN Server Manager to bridge the Virtual Hub with a physical network adapter. In the GUI, go to the Virtual Hub’s configuration, and under Bridge settings, select the physical NIC that’s connected to your LAN.

This bridging setup ensures that any VPN client connecting to “MyVPNHub” via SoftEther will be on the same Layer 2 network as your local LAN devices.

Step 4: Testing the Bridge Configuration

After bridging, perform these tests to ensure everything is working smoothly:

1. VPN Client Connection:
   • Connect a VPN client to your SoftEther VPN Server using your preferred VPN protocol (OpenVPN, L2TP/IPsec, SSTP, etc.).
2. IP Address Verification:
   • Confirm that the VPN client receives an IP address from the same subnet as your local LAN (e.g., 192.168.88.x).
3. Resource Access Test:
   • From the VPN client, try accessing a local network resource such as a file server, printer, or internal website.
4. Ping Test:
   • Open a terminal or command prompt on the VPN client and ping the local gateway (e.g., ping 192.168.88.1). Successful pings confirm that bridging is functioning correctly.

Final Thoughts

By bridging your SoftEther VPN Virtual Hub with your local LAN, you create a unified network that allows remote VPN clients to interact seamlessly with internal resources. This setup is ideal for environments where remote access needs to feel as if the client is physically present on the local network.

Take your time to test the configuration, adjust settings as needed, and integrate the solution into your broader network architecture. If you have any questions or need further assistance, feel free to reach out. Enjoy the seamless connectivity, and happy networking!

Explained with clarity by
Corels – Admin, Emmanuel Corels Creatives