Secure Tunnels > Client VPN [How to setup your client device]

Who can Modify this Feature?

• Partner
• Company/Network Admins with write access
• Meter Support

What is a Client VPN?

A Client VPN is used to securely connect to your Meter Network from remote locations. It establishes an encrypted connection, allowing users to access internal resources like servers and applications as if they were on-site. This ensures data security and privacy, especially when working from public or home networks.

Prerequisites

• The VPN server must be up and running on the Meter Security Appliance (refer to Spinning Up a Client VPN Server)
• The client device needs to be registered in the Dashboard (see Adding or Removing VPN Clients)

MacOS Setup

1. Contact your IT team and request a Meter Client VPN configuration (they'll send a .conf file with your name in the filename)
2. Install the WireGuard Mac App (you must install it from the app store): https://apps.apple.com/us/app/wireguard/id1451685025?ls=1&mt=12
3. Launch the WireGuard Mac App
4. Click on the WireGuard symbol on the top-right hand of your screen > Click on "Import Tunnel(s) from File…".
5. Select the .conf file provided to you by your IT team with your name in the filename.
6. Click Import.
7. Click 'Activate' in the Wireguard window and your VPN is now active.

Auto-Connect for MacOS

The MacOS Wireguard app natively supports disconnecting or connecting to the VPN automatically depending on which Wi-Fi network you are on. If you are in the office, Meter recommends leaving the client VPN disabled. To use this feature:
Click on the Wireguard emblem > Manage Tunnels

Click on the VPN profile you want to enable this feature on and click Edit.

Click the check box next to 'On-Demand: Wi-Fi'. Select 'Except these SSIDs' and enter the name of the Wi-Fi broadcast in your office network. Click save.

Once complete, your Macbook will automatically connect to the VPN unless it is on 'OfficeWi-Fi' in this example.

Windows Setup

1. Contact your IT team and request a Meter Client VPN configuration (they'll send a .conf file with your name in the filename)
2. Install WireGuard from https://www.wireguard.com/install/ (Select download for Windows).
3. Launch Wireguard and select Import tunnel(s) or 'Add Tunnel'.
4. Select your downloaded configuration file and click 'Open'.

     5. Click 'Activate' on your tunnel.

The tunnel status will change to 'Active' and you are connected!

Ubuntu Setup

1. Contact your IT team and request a Meter Client VPN configuration (they'll send a .conf file with your name in the filename)
2. Install Wireguard by running

   • sudo apt install wireguard

3. Install the suggested packages by running 

   • sudo apt install openresolv && sudo apt install resolvconf

4. Ubuntu requires that the .conf file be a valid network interface name. Rename the file by running

   • mv 'filename.conf' wg0.conf

5. Move the .conf file into the wireguard directory by running

   • mv wg0.conf /etc/wireguard

6. To bring your VPN tunnel up, run

   • sudo wg-quick up wg0

7. To enable the VPN on boot run

   • sudo systemctl enable wg-quick@wg0

If you run into any errors please take a screenshot of the errors and open a support ticket a meter.com/support for assistance.

Mobile Setup (iOS)

1. Contact your IT team and request a Meter Client VPN configuration (they'll send a .conf file with your name in the filename).
2. Save the .conf file to files on your iPhone                    
3. Install the WireGuard App from the App Store.
4. Launch the Wireguard App
5. Click the + in the top right  -> Create from file or archive
6. Select the file you just saved from your email.
7. A message will pop up asking "Wireguard Would Like to Add VPN Configuration" -> tap Allow -> Enter your iPhone passcode
8. Toggle to turn on VPN from general settings (all good to go if VPN pops up at the top right of the screen)

DNS Setup

By default, Wireguard VPN will make it possible to access IP addresses on your office network - "dotted quads" that look like 1.2.3.4. To resolve domains to IP addresses - to SSH to "KatherineMBP" for example, you need to configure DNS search domains, so that your computer can resolve "KatherineMBP" to an IP address, that you can then SSH to.

You need to add "local.meter" to the list of search domains on your machine. You can find instructions for configuring search domains for your OS here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Search_domain

If you have any questions about the Client VPN or need further assistance, feel free to contact Meter Support at support@meter.com or submit a ticket at meter.com/support.