Can the OpenVPN package be used for remote LAN parties?

[msbt]

Ok I know this is probably a bit out of scope, but I have to try

I did search the web before and it seems to be possible, but I wanted to ask here to make sure that nothing is in the way:

My guys are planning a good oldfashioned LAN party over the holidays which will be virtual due to the lockdown in my country. Steam games are no problem of course, but there are some older games on the list that are only playable in LAN mode and we're curious if it's possible to use the OpenVPN app to create a VLAN so we can play those together.

I've tried with two laptops just now, installed the OpenVPN app, gave my user admin rights and checked the config, DHCP and Client-to-Client connections enabled, created a device for each laptop and loaded the configs via the app.

One laptop got 10.8.0.6 (where DHCP server was 10.8.0.5) and the other laptop got 10.8.0.10 (where the DHCP server was something like 10.8.0.9, I already shut it down so the numbers might be a bit different). Isn't there supposed to be only one DHCP server? I didn't try anything except pinging each other which didn't work, am I missing something or was I just not trying hard enough?

[nebulon]

Don't know about the DHCP server but in your case you have to at least enable client-to-client communication in the openvpn app settings: https://docs.cloudron.io/apps/openvpn/#admin-settings

[murgero]

@msbt As @nebulon explained - it theory it should be possible if you enable client-to-client communication. HOWEVER the xbox, playstation, or other multiplayer device (including PC) need to be made aware of the remote network. This can be done with special software on the PC (I forget the name tbh but it was a logmein app I think?).

If it's PC-to-PC LAN play as you seem to suggest in the OP, you simply need to put the IP of the remote party in the server portion of the game (like with Unreal torn for ex) This is also the same for RetroArch and netplay emulators.

[girish]

OpenVPN networks works in IP pairs. Each laptop gets 2 IPs of sorts. One on this side of the tunnel and another on other side of the tunnel. There is only the DHCP server (the VPN server itself), but it's probably just a reporting quirk.

[robi]

There's also Hamachi (vpn.net) and Tailscale.com

[msbt]

Thanks to everyone, I managed to get a few games going, some did not work, but they probably wouldn't run in an actual LAN either. Didn't have to adjust anything, The game I was trying was just not working properly.

Cheers!