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Nicholas Marshall
Asked: 2014-05-05 17:33:01 +0800 CST

How to setup OpenVPN Client

  • 772

I'm trying to setup OpenVPN using NetworkManager. The GUI seems buggy and unresponsive. Are there any other tools for setting up a VPN client?

14.04

7 Answers

  1. Best Answer

    Yes, you can use OpenVPN directly. This way you can use more settings as well.

    First you need the openvpn package:

    sudo apt-get install openvpn

    Then you can connect like this:

    sudo openvpn --config /path/to/config.ovpn

    The sudo is important because OpenVPN won't be able to connect otherwise (I think because it has to change the routes).

    • 203

  2. Easiest method is running this command:

    sudo apt-get install network-manager-openvpn-gnome

    And then add a OpenVPN connection from Network Manager which after above command supports importing .ovpn files.

    enter image description here

    • 74

  3. As Louis has explained installing openvpn client can be done with command

    sudo apt-get install openvpn

    However if you are using dual authentication mechanism for your vpn server, simple connection with

    sudo openvpn --config /path/to/config.ovpn

    will not be sufficient. You need some extra setup.

    1. Make sure your config file has auth-user-pass line.

    2. Next add --auth-retry interact to your connection command. So your entire command would look like

      sudo openvpn --config /path/to/config.ovpn --auth-retry interact
    • 32

  4. I'm coming here from the locked How to setup VPN using an .ovpn file? [duplicate], because I wanted to give an answer to problems of importing *.ovpn files in the GUI, which some users experience.

    Just like others, I've made sure to install:

    $sudo apt-get install network-manager-openvpn-gnome

    However, on Ubuntu 18.04 (had same problem on 16.04), I've not been able to import a *.ovpn file using the GUI (Settings -> Network -> VPN + -> 'Import from file'). I always get:

    Cannot import VPN connection

    The file "foo.ovpn" could not be read or does not contain recognized VPN connection information

    Error: the plugin does not support import capabilities

    However, I just stumbled upon the following instruction from nixCraft for importing a *.opvn file:

    $ sudo nmcli connection import type openvpn file /path/to/foo.ovpn

    After running that command, my VPN connection gets listed under 'Settings -> Network -> VPN'. After editing the password, my VPN connection works. The VPN connection is also listed in top-panel menu that shows connections, power, users among other things.

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  5. Install OpenVpn

    sudo apt-get install network-manager-openvpn-gnome

    Then go to Network Settings > Edit Connection > Add > Select VPN Point to Point Tunneling Protocol > Create

    Add Username, Password and Gateway

    Then go to Advanced Menu

    Check Use point to point Encryption

    Save

    Then go to Network Settings > VPN Connection and select that VPN connection and connect it.

    • 4

  6. If you don't want to involve Network Manager, this git repository has a simple script that does the whole job very well using an interactive session with less than half-a dozen questions. See docs in download.

    https://github.com/Nyr/openvpn-install.git

    • 0

  7. On Ubuntu 18, install network manager with the command: 

    sudo apt-get install network-manager-openvpn-gnome

    Then...

    1. Reopen Network settings
    2. Retry importing file

    The import should work fine.

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