TLS Error: TLS key negotiation failed to occur within 60 seconds (check your network connectivity)

[Mustafa Cayci]

Hello,

I am using NetGear Nighthawk MR60 Router with Firmware Version V1.1.7.134_2.0.65.

I am trying to enable VPN Service in NetGear.  I selected Tun/Tap service with different ports.  

I installed Tunnelblick (Tunnelblick 8.0 (build 6300) by following this KB.

https://kb.netgear.com/25389/Enabling-VPN-service-on-a-NETGEAR-router-using-a-MAC-OS-computer

I see the following error in the log file in Tunnelblick.

2025-11-28 14:34:24.181675 TLS Error: TLS key negotiation failed to occur within 60 seconds (check your network connectivity)

2025-11-28 14:34:24.181887 TLS Error: TLS handshake failed

Any help is much appreciated.  

Thank you,

Mustafa

[Tunnelblick Developer]

This usually means that the OpenVPN server (in your router) did not respond to the OpenVPN client on your computer. You'll have to contact Netgear support for help unless someone else has an idea.

[Mustafa Cayci]

Netgear is telling me that they cannot provide support for thirds party software such as Tunnelblick.  

[Tunnelblick Developer]

Of course they would say that, but Tunnelblick is just reporting the problem, it isn't causing it.

They might just as well say it's caused by Apple because the message is appearing on an Apple computer!

The problem you reported is caused by either:

• The request from your computer not getting to the router, and/or
  
• A problem with the router, and/or
  
• The reply from the router not getting back to your computer.
  

But those would indicate:

• A problem with the router, and/or
  
• A problem with the instructions that Netgear provides, and/or
  
• Not following those instructions correctly.

I suggest you try reaching out to other people who use Netgear routers. Search this discussion group for netgear, or search the Internet for Netgear discussion groups.

[Tunnelblick Developer]

In my first list, I should have added that problem could be caused by bad TLS certificate(s), but that changes nothing about the second list, and, again, has nothing to do with Tunnelblick, which is just reporting the problem.

[Tim Gahagan]

Tunnel block is not the issue, the OpenVpn Server side is.

I’d suggest using ChatGPT to help you solve the issue.

Here is what it started with but needs more details. Providing the ChatGPT initial response to help get you started. I just pasted in you original request:

I am using NetGear Nighthawk MR60 Router with Firmware Version V1.1.7.134_2.0.65.

I am trying to enable VPN Service in NetGear.  I selected Tun/Tap service with different ports.  

I installed Tunnelblick (Tunnelblick 8.0 (build 6300) by following this KB.

Result:

1. IMPORTANT — MR60/Mesh Firmware Limitations

The MR60/MK62 Nighthawk Mesh series does NOT officially support the same “VPN Service” (OpenVPN server) that the larger Nighthawk routers (R7000, R8000, RAX120, etc.) do.

👉 Netgear disabled VPN server support on many mesh models, including the MR60.

Your firmware V1.1.7.134_2.0.65 is one of the branches without the VPN server page.

✔ If you 

do

 see a VPN tab in Advanced → Advanced Setup → VPN Service

then you are using a configuration that Netgear only partially supports — and the OpenVPN export may be incomplete.

[Tunnelblick Developer]

Thanks, Tim.

The AI's response is a plausible explanation of the problem that was described, but any AI's answer may or may not be correct (also true of anything on the Internet, of course!)

When I asked a different AI, Lumo, I "Does the NetGear Nighthawk MR60 Router with Firmware Version V1.1.7.134_2.0.65 fully support a VPN using OpenVPN", told me

"Yes – the Nighthawk MR60 (firmware V1.1.7.134_2.0.65) includes a built‑in OpenVPN server that you can enable via the router’s VPN Service page. It supports the standard OpenVPN protocols (TUN/TAP) and lets remote clients connect to your home LAN as if they were locally attached."

I don't know which AI's answer is correct. 

When I asked Lumo the original poster's question, it gave me a detailed list of things to test.

The original poster should ask an AI. Or several different AIs, or one AI several different times. Or ask Netgear if the AI answer Tim was given is correct. (Netgrear support may or may not be correct, too, of course!)

[Tim Gahagan]

This is where critical thinking comes to play. AI is crap, but it is good at taking multiple points of information and providing a theme.

My point was I am not pasting the entire linty of txt that AI gave, but it should have been able to at least send you in the right direction.

I am not saying you cannot think critically, but as an old IT guy, I have a knack for boiling things down and not digging into rabbit holes to far and wasting time.

So let me try to summarize it for you without typing all that crap, but to be honest I don't run Netgear products, so I am only approaching this as I would a client that has the same issue, and this is the path I would focus on and follow. Your mileage may vary.

• The MR60 does not support Tun/Tap server mode the way other Nighthawks do
• So anything regarding Tun/Tap is a no start, seek alternative method.
• Always download the .ovpn from the router
• Like most, let the router build the file, don't do it by hand
• Edit by hand as needed
• Config that was suggested:
• client
• dev tun
• proto udp
• remote YOUR.WAN.IP.ADDRESS 12974
• resolv-retry infinite
• nobind
• persist-key
• persist-tun
• ca ca.crt
• cert client.crt
• key client.key
• remote-cert-tls server
• cipher AES-128-CBC
• auth SHA1
• verb 3
• Apparently the MR60 is fixed for the port. It CANNOT BE CHANGED
• Port 12974 is fixed for MR60.
• It does not support switching ports to 443/1194/etc
• 
  
• If Tunnelblick shows "no server cert"
• .ovpn file cant see the .crt files
• Fix: put all four files in one folder
• client.ovpn
• ca.crt
• client.crt
• client.key
• Known challenges
• Sometimes fails unless “Allow clients to access Internet” is enabled
• Sometimes requires a full router reboot after enabling VPN
• Fix:
• Disable VPN Service, Apply
• Re-enable VPN Sercice, Apply
• Reboot
• Redownload configuration
• If you are behind another gateway
• Enable bridge mode
• or Forward USP 12974 to the MR60 WAN IP

Thats my knowledgable summary from reading and asking numerous questions.

On a side note, I don't use OpenVPN anymore for these types of reasons. Personally relying on older hardware to continue to get firmware updates that support continued security updates for OpenVPN is a fools Errand. 10+ years ago, security exploits were not coming at millisecond speeds, now they are. So personally the options are dislocate the OpenVPN server from the Appliance that is crippled with the OS or relies on others to maintain a firmware and absorb critical CVE's on the speed that is tectonic plate movement.

I am still on here to just see some of the challenges as I have battled many. I booted OpenVPN on all my support clients for this specific reason. I went to Tailscale for numerous reasons, but mainly it has no issue with CGN. Which we see now on some ISP's. Tailscale would be like running OpenVPN Server a dedicated box, r-pie, or etc. Then rely on current release of OpenVPN on a current OS that has patchability on a near realtime basis, not "when ever the vendor gets to it, if they still support it"

I have found that the time I have wasted across so many OpenVPN installs just chasing what OpenVPN deprecated was far greater than just setting up a dedicated device. Tailscale is not difficult to learn and provides numerous security enhancements. OpenVPN does not support WireGuard Protocol (that I have heard of) and thats faster. A dedicated endpoint outside of the router is a very solid way to do this.

Cost you say? There are many many i5 and i7 TFF (tiny form factor) that can provide an endpoint for this type of service, running linux it is rock solid and total cost to deploy is less than $100 bucks, half that of most good routers.

My logic is I don't marry anything to the router that grows old fast.

Now the only caveat to that is TailScale runs on many routers (ported by people smarter than me). That still allows for down-rev of Tailscale. But My logic again is I install it on Mesh Access Points, as well as the Main Tailscale Linux box. Then I have redundant backup entry points for tailscale.

Also, I ain't no expert. Someone smarter than me could make the "MagicDNS" or tailscale work, But I can't seem to figure that out.

MagicDNS causes the Tailscale client to connect and disconnect as needed for hosts on the tailscale network, which is a pseudo domain for the inside devices. If you want to run it as a VPN where all traffic goes through the endpoint on the remote network that is available also.

Not trying to sell you on anything, just back to my point, I spent countless hours troubling-shooting these types of problems.

In the time it took to summarize this, I could have setup tailscale on 2 AP's and a Linux endpoint (if available) and attached the remote client.

Mileage may vary because you might be inside some corporate hell and can't deploy or change solutions. If thats the case, then I'd write a (I lied, I have AI) write a 1 page summary on why alternate options are more sustainable and provide more security longevity over OpenVPN on a router with slow roll upgrades.

Hope that helps and hope you had a good Holiday!

 

On Nov 29, 2025, at 7:57 AM, Tunnelblick Developer <jkbu...@gmail.com> wrote:

Thanks, Tim.

--
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "tunnelblick-discuss" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to tunnelblick-dis...@googlegroups.com.
To view this discussion visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/tunnelblick-discuss/ed4a9d62-b1ee-4d80-bdab-3b81a3b7f343n%40googlegroups.com.