Migrated VPN Service Broken with Catalina

I couldn't get VPN to work with Catalina, so installed Ubuntu as a VPN server on VMware Fusion, doesn't take much memory at all. Yes, would be nice to use it on the main OS.

Not looking forward to Apple's next release of their OS. Wonder what other services they are going to strip off !

Even with the above, I tried a `vpnd` binary pulled from OS X 10.14.2 and 10.14.3 and neither worked for me. Same behavior as Catalina when trying to connect via remote network.

Coincidentally, I only last night got a softether.org VPN setup on my Mac Mini and it supports IPSec/L2TP so you can still use native VPN client built into Apple devices.

Tried that method back in October and it did not work.

Tried one more time now, copied vpnd from 10.14.6, made sure that everything was correct (vpn.ppp.l2tp.plist updated to specify the new path, macOS asked me if I wanted to open a file when reloading vpnd so the new file was actually used) and it still does not work for external connections.

If anyone else wants to try - please go ahead but don't have your hopes high.

If anyone is looking for an alternative solution to a home VPN server, I would recommend considering setting up a Raspberry PI with strongSwan.

I know that it seems like an obvious answer (I knew about it before too), however, what I did not realise is that you can actually have a better VPN server this way (compared to what we had on macOS).

You can actually use "VPN on demand" rules which are super cool (e.g. you can make your iPhone to connect to your VPN whenever you get on an unknown Wi-Fi network). The downside is that you need to be tech savvy to set it up.

Not fixed in 10.15.2.

Is this a proprietary VPN app you're referencing? the discussion here is about the built in VPN to Mojave which stopped working on upgrade to Catalina.

Doesn't have to be a server app. I used to run the VNC in regular Mojave with raccoon and the proper config files... worked so well I still run it on Catalina in a Mojave Parallels VM.

I have the exact same issue since upgrading to OS X Catalina with the exact same log file. I can connect no problem from the local network but can't connect from outside. Almost like Catalina is blocking outbound connections.

I apologize that this reply is not helpful to find a solution. It is SUPER frustrating that Apple keeps rolling back functionality with "upgrades". This is totally unacceptable and Apple needs to get their heads out of their *****.

I have the exact same issue as well. Worked fine prior to Catalina update. Same sort of log entries. Works when connecting to local IP which is not useful. Does not work when connected to NAT'd external IP.

MacOS Server App had become an incredibly functional/useful/outstanding app. Does anyone know why Apple decided to completely dismantle the app and render it virtually useless? I don't understand why Apple chose to do this, particularly as Windows Server is so functional?

I gave it a try and had zero luck.

I'm currently working on Wireguard. I've had a little success with it, as in I can connect to the server but can't do anything else. I'll probably be reverting back to Mojave probably this weekend.

Apple can kiss my ***. I am so sick of their shenanigans regarding SERVER.. First they completely GUTTED a fine suite which we PAID for, made it completely useless, there WAS a workaround to at least get VPN working, but now after Catalina, no more.

Seriously, W T F Apple?? W T F ???