this post was submitted on 20 Oct 2024
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Is there a way to use a vpn on one network card, and use a second network card for a regular connection? (lemmy.dbzer0.com)
submitted 4 weeks ago by Tippon@lemmy.dbzer0.com to c/linux@lemmy.ml
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I've got a Linux server running Xubuntu at the moment (It was a media player first), and it also runs two Minecraft servers for the family. It has two network cards that are both connected to the internet. Is there a way to bind the VPN to one of the cards and use the other one for regular use?

I've got Surfshark as my VPN, and it doesn't allow port forwarding under Linux. I've got some software that I want to keep behind the VPN, but the lack of port forwarding is stopping me from sharing the Minecraft servers, and when the VPN is active, it slows down the connection to some of my services like Plex.

I've tried to look it up, but I just don't know enough to get myself anywhere. I've found results that talk about name spaces and routing tables, but they assume a level of knowledge that I just haven't got yet.

I want to use the Arr suite and qBittorrent as the main programs behind the VPN, and Plex, Mylar (a comic manager), Syncthing, and Minecraft as the main programs without it. If I set up qBittorrent and the Arrs as Docker containers, can I use Gluetun to bind just them to the VPN? The VPN is using OpenVPN connections if that makes a difference.

Thanks in advance :)

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[–] bloodfart@lemmy.ml 15 points 4 weeks ago (10 children)

Yes you can!

As you said, it’s got everything to do with routing and you don’t know how to do that yet.

Now’s a great time to learn!

If you’re on a time crunch, go ahead and use network namespaces under network manager to set up something like what you want as another user suggested.

If you have time to learn about the firewall and routing table rules, put on your wire rim sunglasses, pop a jungle cd in and crack open Linux Firewalls or some such book for nerds.

[–] Tippon@lemmy.dbzer0.com 2 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

If you’re on a time crunch, go ahead and use network namespaces under network manager to set up something like what you want as another user suggested.

I'd love to, but I have no idea how >.< :D

I have a vague idea of what they are and what they do, but everything I've found assumes a level of understanding that I don't have yet. I've found this man page from searcing an example posted in another reply, and it's helped, but I'm still confused :)

https://manpages.ubuntu.com/manpages/trusty/man8/ip-netns.8.html

[–] bloodfart@lemmy.ml 3 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

Yeah, there’s a baseline of network stack understanding that you gotta have in order to use some of the tools, even Theo es that are supposed to make it easier.

What don’t you get? Maybe I can point you in the right direction.

[–] Tippon@lemmy.dbzer0.com 2 points 3 weeks ago (2 children)

Thank you :)

The reply from @jet@hackertalks.com below lead me to the man page for ip netns here:

https://manpages.ubuntu.com/manpages/trusty/man8/ip-netns.8.html

As far as I understand it, I could run programs like this:

ip netns exec vpn ~/qbittorrent/start.sh

ip netns exec clear ~/minecraft/start.sh

but I can't figure out how to get the VPN to only run under the namespace. When I run it now, it reroutes all connections through it. I've got an OpenVPN connection that I've set one of my network connections to connect to automatically, but it doesn't seem to make a difference. As soon as I connect the VPN, everything goes through it.

I'm still reading though, so hopefully I'll figure it out :)

[–] bloodfart@lemmy.ml 2 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

I think the defaults on your tunnel apply themselves to all interfaces(or whatever the active one(s) are.

If you wanna troubleshoot this from the ground up you’d start with looking at your routing table.

If you run into problems using the process enumerated in the link you posted a couple of replies down, you can start to troubleshoot it by looking at the routing table with iptables -L

[–] Tippon@lemmy.dbzer0.com 2 points 2 weeks ago

Sorry, I forgot to reply sooner >.<

I've been trying to get my head around this and also looking into Docker containers with Gluetun, as that looks a bit easier to start with. I think for the moment I'm going to go down the Docker route, and at least get the bulk of the programs separated, and give myself some breathing space to learn a bit more.

Docker isn't ideal, as not everything has a Docker version, but the main programs that I originally mentioned do, and it will let me open the Minecraft servers to the kids in the extended family, especially as it's getting colder and darker here.

I just want to say thank you to you, @jet@hackertalks.com, @lungdart@lemmy.ca, and everyone else who's helped :)

I'm not giving up on this, I'm just going a bit more towards the basics and learning to walk before I try to run. This switching from Windows malarkey is hard work! ;)

[–] jet@hackertalks.com 2 points 3 weeks ago* (last edited 3 weeks ago) (1 children)

https://www.wireguard.com/netns/

Here is a good how to for wireguard. Most commercial VPNs let you connect directly with wireguard.

Basically crate the interface in your clearnet namespace and then move it to your vpn namespace

[–] Tippon@lemmy.dbzer0.com 2 points 3 weeks ago

Thanks for replying :)

I think I'm getting it, but my brain is definitely pickled at this point :D

I've also found this post and a Stack Exchange thread to go with it, and it's sinking in slowly

https://schnouki.net/post/2014/openvpn-for-a-single-application-on-linux/

I need to go to bed for the night though, I've just realised that it's gone 3 am :o

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