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Wireguard + FIOS - no internet access

2 min read 27-10-2024
the ifix
Wireguard + FIOS - no internet access

When trying to use WireGuard with Verizon FIOS, you might encounter a frustrating situation where you lose internet access. This article explores this problem, providing an easy-to-understand overview, potential causes, and practical solutions.

Original Problem Statement

You may face a scenario where you set up WireGuard on your home network using a Verizon FIOS connection, but your devices lose internet access after the configuration. Below is an example of a code snippet that might represent the WireGuard server configuration:

[Interface]
PrivateKey = YOUR_PRIVATE_KEY
Address = 10.0.0.1/24
ListenPort = 51820

[Peer]
PublicKey = PEER_PUBLIC_KEY
AllowedIPs = 10.0.0.2/32

Understanding the Issue

The core of the issue revolves around how WireGuard routes traffic through your network. After configuring WireGuard, your internet traffic might not route correctly, leaving you unable to access external websites or services. This often occurs due to misconfigured firewall settings, improper network settings, or incorrect routing rules.

Common Causes of No Internet Access with WireGuard on FIOS

  1. Routing Issues: The packets may not be routed correctly to access the internet.
  2. Firewall Restrictions: FIOS routers often have built-in firewalls that could block VPN traffic.
  3. DNS Configuration: Incorrect DNS settings might prevent domain resolution.
  4. AllowedIPs Misconfiguration: The AllowedIPs setting in WireGuard may not permit the necessary traffic to pass through.

Analyzing and Solving the Problem

Step 1: Check Your Routing

Ensure your WireGuard configuration has correct routing entries. The default route (0.0.0.0/0) should typically be included in the AllowedIPs of your WireGuard client's configuration. Here’s an example of how you might structure your peer configuration:

[Peer]
PublicKey = YOUR_PUBLIC_KEY
AllowedIPs = 0.0.0.0/0, ::/0
Endpoint = your.server.com:51820

This configuration enables all traffic to be routed through your VPN, allowing internet access.

Step 2: Firewall Settings

Check your FIOS router's firewall settings. Make sure that the UDP port used by WireGuard (default is 51820) is open for both inbound and outbound traffic. You can do this through the FIOS administration interface:

  1. Log into your FIOS router.
  2. Navigate to the Firewall settings.
  3. Add a port forwarding rule for UDP 51820 to your WireGuard server's internal IP address.

Step 3: DNS Configuration

If you can ping external IP addresses but cannot access websites, your DNS settings might be misconfigured. You can set your DNS servers in the WireGuard configuration like this:

PostUp = echo "nameserver 8.8.8.8" > /etc/resolv.conf
PostDown = echo "" > /etc/resolv.conf

This configuration uses Google's public DNS servers.

Step 4: Test Connectivity

Once you’ve made the adjustments, test your configuration by using ping and traceroute commands from the client side to check connectivity. Ensure you're also able to access external sites.

Conclusion

Setting up WireGuard with Verizon FIOS can sometimes lead to issues with internet connectivity due to routing, firewall, and DNS misconfigurations. By ensuring that your routing settings are correct, your firewall is configured to allow necessary traffic, and your DNS settings are appropriately set, you can restore internet access while using WireGuard.

Additional Resources

These resources offer comprehensive insights that can assist you further in understanding and troubleshooting networking issues. By following these troubleshooting steps and maintaining an organized configuration, you'll set yourself up for successful connectivity with WireGuard on Verizon FIOS.

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