Can't connect to OpenVPN after virtualmin install

Help! (Home for newbies)
1
SYSTEM INFORMATION
OS type and version Debian 12
Virtualmin version 7.8.2

Hello i’m setting up a virtualmin server, i wanted to also host on the same mahcine an openvpn server to connect to it.
The problem i’m facing is that it seems that i can’t get OpenVPN server working together with Virtualmin. if i install OpenVPN server it works just fine (i do that with GitHub - angristan/openvpn-install: Set up your own OpenVPN server on Debian, Ubuntu, Fedora, CentOS or Arch Linux.) the server boots and i can connect just fine from my computer.
But as soon as i install Virtualmin on the machine, i’m no longer able to connect to the VPN server, just as if the OpenVPN port was closed. i tried both listing the udp 1194 (that i’m using) port in firewallD public zone in Webmin interface, stopping firewalld from the interface, and added an iptables rule via ssh with sudo iptables -A INPUT -p tcp -m tcp --dport 1194 -j ACCEPT, none of that works, i can see the OpenVPN still listening on the right port with netstat, and the iptables rule is there, but the port is still inaccessible.
What is Virtualmin doing that’s preventing me from connecting to the OpenVPN server?

2

If you are installing OpenVPN to ONLY connect to the server I don’t see the point. Normally a VPN would be used to access a network, not a single machine. You are adding an unnecessary layer. It might be possible to fix this, but why?

A VPN is a network gateway, not a machine gateway.

3

Basically, to only grant access to certain ports/services on the machine only to those who have vpn access. i know the “standard” way to do this is via ssh tunneling, but i’m managing a company server that has always worked this way and was asked to keep the working principle the same

4

As always, the documentation says to install Virtualmin on a freshly installed OS.

If you want to install other software after, that’s fine. And, if you want to switch from firewalld to another firewall or whatever, you can also do that, but it should be after installation of Virtualmin.

The Virtualmin install installs firewalld and sets up an initial basic firewall with only the ports needed for hosting opened.