How to connect to the service provider via VPN using SMPP - OpenVPN

The example guide below demonstrates how you can create an SMPP connection in Ozeki NG SMS Gateway to connect to the service provider via VPN. The service provider in this example ensures VPN connection via OpenVPN program. Watch the video tutorial and follow the configuration steps!

VPN refers to Virtual Private Network. VPN enables you to connect to the remote computers of a remote network via encrypted channel over the Internet. Since it uses encrypted channel, VPN connection ensures safety.

If you connect to the remote computers of a remote network you can use your PC as if it would be the part of the remote network. There are various ways to be connected to a remote network via VPN.

In this example, you will find a guide about using OpenVPN program. This OpenVPN server will connect the remote network and your computer running OpenVPN client.

Please note!!!
To be able to use OpenVPN you need to make sure that you use the same version number of OpenVPN as the server side (in this example, the service provider) uses.

Configuration guide

We assume that you have already done the follows:

  • You have installed and configured Ozeki NG SMS Gateway on your PC.
  • You have already downloaded OpenVPN with the appropriate version number
  • You have already received certificates and keys required for encryption and authentication; and the configuration file for the connection from your service provider.
If you have the prerequisites above you can start to configure your VPN connection. First, you need to install OpenVPN. To do so, start OpenVPN Setup Wizard (Figure 1).

opening the ozeki setup wizard
Figure 1 - OpenVPN Setup Wizard

The OpenVPN Setup Wizard appears. Click on Next (Figure 2).

click the next button on the pop-up wizard
Figure 2 - Click Next

During installation, Windows will notify you that the driver of virtual network card (that you will use for connection) has not passed Windows Logo testing that verifies its compatibility. Please click on Continue Anyway (Figure 3).

click the continue anyway button
Figure 3 - Click Continue Anyway

If the installation is completed click on Finish (Figure 4).

the finish button
Figure 4 - Finish

Now you need to copy the keys you received from your service provider into the config folder of OpenVPN (Figure 5).

keys received from the service provider
Figure 5 - Keys received from the service provider

Open the keys folder, select all and right click on the keys folder and select Copy (Figure 6).

copy the keys received from the service provider
Figure 6 - Copy keys into config folder

Go to the config folder of OpenVPN software - by default it is at C:\Program Files\OpenVPN\config - and paste the keys (Figure 7).

paste the keys into the config folder
Figure 7 - Paste keys into config folder

On Figure 8 you can check the pasted keys in config folder.

keys are listed in the folder
Figure 8 - Keys are in config folder

Now start OpenVPN GUI (Figure 9).

start the openvpn gu program
Figure 9 - Start OpenVPN GU

The icon of OpenVPN GUI will appear on the notification filed in the tray. Right click on the icon and select Connect from the menu (Figure 10).

select the connect menu
Figure 10 - Select Connect

On the next window you can see the current status of OpenVPN connection. It can be seen that our client is connecting to OpenVPN server (Figure 11).

check the openvpn connection
Figure 11 - Status of OpenVPN connection

If the connection has been successful then the icon becomes green and it displays your IP address (Figure 12).

connect is successfull
Figure 12 - Connection is successful

You can check the connection if you ping one of the computer of the remote network. In this example it will be the SMPP server of the service provider. If there is a reply it means that connection is successful and it is still connected (Figure 13).

check the connection with pinging
Figure 13 - Check the connection by pinging

Now start Ozeki NG SMS Gateway software and login (Figure 14).

start the ozeki ng sms gateway
Figure 14 - Start Ozeki NG SMS Gateway

To create a new SMPP service provider connection, click on Add service provider (Figure 15).

click on add service provider
Figure 15 - Add service provider

Select SMPP connection in the list and click on Install next to it (Figure 16).

install an smpp connection
Figure 16 - Install SMPP connection

You can set the created SMPP connection on the configuration panel. Here you need to specify the SMPP server settings (Figure 17). The required information has been provided by your service provider when you subscribed to the service:

Host: the IP address of the SMPP server of the service provider
Port: port number
Username: the username you received from the service provider to use its service
Password: the password you received from the service provider to use its service

To save settings, click on OK.

the smpp server settings
Figure 17 - Specify SMPP server settings

In Events menu of the created SMPP connection you can check the connection. If it has been successful it shows: Connection online (Figure 18).

the smpp connection is online
Figure 18 - Connection online

After configuration, I sent a test message to test the connection. For sending a test message, click on Compose

send a text message
Figure 19 - Send a test message

Specify the message type, the recipient, compose the body of the message and click on OK (Figure 20).

compose a test message in ozeki ng sms gateway
Figure 20 - Compose the test message

After clicking OK the message is accepted for delivery. You can see on Figure 21 that the message has been successfully sent through SMPP connection.

message is succesfully sent via smpp
Figure 21 - Message successfully sent via SMPP

In Ozeki NG SMS Gateway you can see the sent test message in Sent folder (Figure 22).

the message is sent via the ozeki ng sms gateway
Figure 22 - Sent message

If you have any question or you need assistance please contact us at: info@ozekisms.com

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