softether-bridge

This repository contains the Docker configuration for setting up a SoftEther VPN bridge. The SoftEther VPN Bridge serves as a link between remote site LANs and a central SoftEther VPN Server, enabling the extension of private network services across dispersed geographic locations. It is ideal for securely connecting remote branches to a main office. The bridge setup allows for both cascade connections and Layer 2 bridging with physical network interfaces, streamlining network integration and resource sharing across multiple sites.

Setup and Configuration

1. Clone the repository: Clone this repository to your local system using the following command:

   git clone https://github.com/sammrai/softether-bridge.git
   cd softether-bridge

2. Configure the environment variables: Before running the Docker container, configure the required environment variables in the docker-compose.yml file. Ensure that USERNAME, PASSWORD, PSK, and VPN_SERVER are set as these are mandatory for establishing a VPN connection. The ROUTE_PRIVATE_IPS_ONLY variable is optional and can be used to restrict the VPN routing to private IP addresses only:

   environment:
     USERNAME: your_username       # Required. The username required to authenticate to the VPN server.
     PASSWORD: your_password       # Required. The password for the VPN server authentication.
     PSK: your_pre_shared_key      # Required. The pre-shared key (PSK) for the VPN connection.
     VPN_SERVER: vpn.example.com   # Required. The address of the VPN server.
     ROUTE_PRIVATE_IPS_ONLY: true  # Optional. When set to `true`, only routes private IPs through the VPN.

Running the Container

Once you have configured the necessary environment variables, you can proceed to run the Docker container:

docker-compose up -d

This command will start the SoftEther VPN Bridge in a detached mode, running in the background. You can check the logs to ensure that the VPN Bridge is functioning properly:

docker logs softether-bridge

To stop the container, use the following command:

docker-compose down