OpenVPN quick start

The OpenVPN module in the BeAdmin panel runs your own VPN on the server using the time-tested OpenVPN protocol with certificate-based encryption: every user is issued a unique certificate, and the panel manages the whole PKI automatically. You pick the country of the server and the user list yourself, without depending on third-party VPN providers.

This article walks through the minimum scenario: install the module, create the first user, and connect a client device to it.

ℹ️ Note

A VPN server of your own beats commercial services: bandwidth is not shared with hundreds of clients, and the OpenVPN module in BeAdmin has no limit on the number of users.

⚠️ ISP restrictions

Traffic encryption makes a VPN a reliable way to protect a connection, but in some countries and regions internet providers actively interfere with VPN protocols. Because of this, full availability of the service cannot be guaranteed — regardless of the connection type. If one protocol does not work for you, try another VPN module available in the panel. If none of them work on your network, contact support and we will issue a refund for the license.

Install the module

In the panel side menu, open "VPN" → "OpenVPN" and click "Install". Installation takes a few minutes; you can follow the progress in the task log.

Once it finishes, the panel automatically opens the "Users" page — that is the main screen of the module.

💡 Hint

If installation fails, try running it again.

Create the first user

An OpenVPN user is a separate account with its own certificate and .ovpn configuration file. We recommend creating a separate user for every device that will connect: it makes revoking access for a single device easy, without touching the others.

1. On the "Users" page, click "Create user".
2. Fill in the fields:
   • "Username" — a short identifier of 2 to 32 characters: Latin letters, digits, and hyphens. The field can be left empty — the panel will generate the name itself. The name has to be unique.
   • "Email" — optional. Needed to send the configuration file to the user by email; if you do not plan to do that, leave it empty.
   • "Comment" — an optional label of up to 64 characters: for example, "Anna's iPhone" or "work laptop". Helps you find users in the list.
   • "User language" — language of the email with the configuration. Defaults to English.
   • "Enabled" — by default the user is active right away and able to connect. If you want to set them up in reserve, turn the toggle off — the account is created without a working certificate.
3. Click "Create".

The user appears in the list. On the server side a certificate is issued for them and a .ovpn configuration file is assembled — you can grab it right from the connection settings dialog.

Connect a client device

Connecting requires any OpenVPN-compatible client. Suitable apps include:

• OpenVPN Connect — the official client for Android, iOS, Windows and macOS.
• Tunnelblick — macOS.
• OpenVPN GUI — Windows.

Install a suitable app on the device that will route traffic through the VPN. Next, grab the .ovpn configuration file from the panel.

1. In the user row, click the "Settings" button.
2. In the "Connection settings" dialog, download the .ovpn file — a single file with embedded certificates and keys; the file name matches the username.
3. Import the file into the VPN client. In OpenVPN Connect there is an "Import" button or a "+" icon for that — pick the downloaded .ovpn.
4. Start the connection in the app. On iOS the system may ask permission to install a VPN profile — confirm it.

To verify that the VPN works, open any IP-check page in the browser, for example myip.com. If everything is set up correctly, the page shows the country of your server.

Send the configuration by email

If SMTP is configured in the panel, the .ovpn configuration file can be emailed to the user — handy when you do not have the device on hand.

In the "Connection settings" dialog, click "Send to email"; the same button is also available in the user row in the list. The file is sent to the address entered in the user's profile.

ℹ️ When SMTP is not configured

The send-to-email buttons are disabled, and the module page header shows an "Email sending not configured" banner with a link to the SMTP settings. See How to set up an SMTP relay for sending emails for details. Downloading the .ovpn file works in any case.

What's next

For service management, updates, and uninstalling the module, see OpenVPN. Managing the module. For creating, editing, and deleting users, see OpenVPN. Managing users.