[Resolved]Is there documentation on how to add a VPN connection?

jjanderson5 · 2018-05-02 18:52:35

I'm installing BL-Helium on a PC. I have gotten to the point where, in old releases of BL and Crunchbang, I would add an ethernet VPN connection. In old releases, I would click on the icon for nm-applet. A menu would come up and I would select:

VPN Connections --> Configure VPN

and a window would pop up, from which I could configure my ethernet and wifi connections.

In Helium, I click on:

VPN Connections

and I see:

Add a VPN Connection ...

When I select that, a window pops up that says:

Choose a VPN Connection Type
Select the type of VPN you want to use for the new connection. If the tpye of VPN connection you wish to create does not appear in the list, you may not have the correct VPN plugin installed.

The list is empty.

Can some one point me to documentation that explains what plugins are available and how to download them?

Last edited by jjanderson5 (2018-05-12 16:37:33)

martix · 2018-05-02 20:09:50

Check out this documentation here: https://www.debian.org/doc/manuals/debi … 05.en.html

Go to the section: 5.2.1. GUI network configuration tools

This might be the relevant part for you: network-manager-openvpn-gnome, network-manager-pptp-gnome.

E.g. if you have some openvpn files you intend to use for VPN connections, then you can run:

sudo apt install network-manager-openvpn-gnome

And then try the same process with nm-applet.

tknomanzr · 2018-05-03 02:44:08

I can confirm that network-manager-openvpn-gnome works for openvpn networks. Just install that and create a new vpn, load your certificates in and it should work.

Head_on_a_Stick · 2018-05-03 06:04:35

So we should add network-manager-openvpn-gnome to the base package list then?

It appears to have been commented out in pkg-norecs:

https://github.com/BunsenLabs/bunsen-ne … orecs#L122

johnraff · 2018-05-03 07:28:03

^Yes those n-m plugins were taken out some time ago, and installation left as an exercise for the interested user. I think it was when we were going over the old CrunchBang package list to see if anything needed changing for Hydrogen.
If there seems to be a big demand for that one, we could put it back in the default list.

iMBeCil · 2018-05-03 09:02:52

IMHO, I think it should be included by default:
- network-manager is bloat per se ]:D
- network-manager-openvpn-gnome will not take much more disk space
- network-manager-openvpn-gnome will ensure complete network experience for BL user (as it is the case with other stuff in BL)
- somehow, BL users should be a bit more advanced, and sooner or later will need VPN for something ...

My 2 cents.

(I don't use network manager ... in fact I'm in process of learning how to setup openvpn client without n-m ...)

nobody · 2018-05-03 09:44:14

OpenVPN is … a usability nightmare. Tinc and Cisco VPN or IPSec are much nicer but then again you'd need some networking knowledge.

However, adding vpnc and the vpnc nm plugin as a Cisco VPN client and openvpn as a OpenVPN client would add to usability. IPSec in corporate environment deployments is mostly Cisco or Cisco-compatible, so providing nm-strongswan is IMO not necessary.

iMBeCil · 2018-05-03 10:34:43

nobody wrote:

OpenVPN is … a usability nightmare.

Didn't know this, i.e. I don't have enough experience with this stuff. Nor am I particularly knowledgeable in networking ... Thanks for the info.

I remember, few years ago, M$Windows have had their idea how to do VPN, OpenVPN has others ... now it seems there is a way with IPsec ... I wonder how compatible it is, mutually? I know that I couldn't figure out how to connect as linux-openvpn-client to M$Win-???vpn-server.

jjanderson5 · 2018-05-03 22:13:40

I have installed 'network-manager-openvpn-gnome' and I made a step forward. When I click on the nm-applet icon, I enter:

VPN Connections --> Add a VPN connection ...

This brings up the 'Choose a VPN Connection Type' window and OpenVPN is now available [thank you for getting me that far]. I click on the create button and a window pops up that has the title, 'Editing VPN connection 1. I have seen a similar window on older releases.

I then select the IPv4 Settings tab and I run into my next problem. In the past, I have always selected the "Method" field to be 'manual', but that is not available in the window that I currently see. I use 'manual' because I am using static IPs on my network.

I thought, "Maybe it is time to convert to using DHCP"? I started looking at DHCP tutorials and I learned pretty quickly that unless I have someone to walk me through the process, I'm not going to make. Every tutorial I walked through led me to a dead end in one way or another and I did not find any solutions that would get me through any tutorial.

So now I'm leaning toward staying with static IPs.

Comments and suggestions are most welcome on whether I should move on to DHCP or stick with static IPs.

I'm sticking with the 'static ip' solution for now. Is there a next step that will allow me to select a 'manual' method when the 'Editing VPN connection' pops up with OpenVPN?

tknomanzr · 2018-05-04 03:07:30

Under the Method: Automatic (VPN) dropdown there is a box. Enter your static stuff by clicking the highlighted area. Once you get your info correct, click Add.

martix · 2018-05-04 08:52:01

^Yep. When you hold the mouse-pointer over the "Additional static addresses" box, there is on tooltip: "IP adresses to identify your computer on the network. Click the "Add" button to add static IP address to be configured in addition to the automatic ones."

@iMBeCil Agreed. I get the impression that having it as default seems to be expected by users (especially by those who don't read every bit of the Debian manual). VPNs are recommended anyway for everyday surfing when someone looks at the direction of the www's development.

jjanderson5 · 2018-05-04 15:11:05

@tknomanzr and @matrix

Thanks for the input, but I'm still stuck.

I have the 'Automatic(VPN)' Method selected.

When I add my static IP information in the 'Additional static addresses' box and also add the 'Additional DNS servers' information, the 'Save' button for the 'Editing VPN connection 1' page is faded out and cannot be selected.

Do I have to click on the 'Routes' button or fill in the 'Additional search domains' to complete the form? If so, I'm not sure what I need to provide for these.

Jim A.

martix · 2018-05-04 21:30:35

^You have to fill in for the static IP line "Netmask" too (in that box where you added the static IP).

jjanderson5 · 2018-05-05 00:23:18

I did do that already. I filled in 'Address', 'Netmask' and 'Gateway' for the Additional static addresses. I also filled in an 'Additional DNS Server' value.

I have not filled in 'Additional search domains' and I have not clicked on nor entered anything for 'Routes'.

martix · 2018-05-05 10:07:51

@jjanderson5 In that case there is a culprit with the IP adresses - something is wrong according to the network-manager. It won't let you save if the configuration is somehow wrong. Make sure that all the fields are green (when you typed in the last digit and pressed tab). Just check this way: When you type the last digit for the gateway - is the field green? Same with Netmask and IP.

It won't let me save either if e.g. there is a wrong IP for the gateway, but I can save if the field is empty.

Head_on_a_Stick · 2018-05-05 20:48:03

Try

sudo apt install openvpn

jjanderson5 · 2018-05-07 15:25:30

@matrix

I double checked and the 'Address', 'Netmask' and 'Gateway' all are green.

jjanderson5 · 2018-05-07 15:26:30

@Head_on_a_Stick

openvpn is already installed. Thanks, it was worth a try.

cloverskull · 2018-05-07 20:31:35

I wrote up some instructions on using a VPN in my secure browsing and torrenting howto, it can be found here: https://forums.bunsenlabs.org/viewtopic.php?id=4353

martix · 2018-05-07 22:14:54

jjanderson5 wrote:

@matrix
I double checked and the 'Address', 'Netmask' and 'Gateway' all are green.

Hmm, you could also check whether network-manager-openvpn is installed. Otherwise, there is also the DNS, but I guess in this case that was double checked too. I tried to change settings for my configuration and it won't let save if the IP for the DNS is wrong (it's ok though if the field is empty). Otherwise I do not have "Routes" set, but it works fine, it even let it save if the gateway field is "yellow" (or only Address and Netmask are set).

Last edited by martix (2018-05-07 22:18:54)

#1 2018-05-02 18:52:35

[Resolved]Is there documentation on how to add a VPN connection?

#2 2018-05-02 20:09:50

Re: [Resolved]Is there documentation on how to add a VPN connection?

#3 2018-05-03 02:44:08

Re: [Resolved]Is there documentation on how to add a VPN connection?

#4 2018-05-03 06:04:35

Re: [Resolved]Is there documentation on how to add a VPN connection?

#5 2018-05-03 07:28:03

Re: [Resolved]Is there documentation on how to add a VPN connection?

#6 2018-05-03 09:02:52

Re: [Resolved]Is there documentation on how to add a VPN connection?

#7 2018-05-03 09:44:14

Re: [Resolved]Is there documentation on how to add a VPN connection?

#8 2018-05-03 10:34:43

Re: [Resolved]Is there documentation on how to add a VPN connection?

#9 2018-05-03 22:13:40

Re: [Resolved]Is there documentation on how to add a VPN connection?

#10 2018-05-04 03:07:30

Re: [Resolved]Is there documentation on how to add a VPN connection?

#11 2018-05-04 08:52:01

Re: [Resolved]Is there documentation on how to add a VPN connection?

#12 2018-05-04 15:11:05

Re: [Resolved]Is there documentation on how to add a VPN connection?

#13 2018-05-04 21:30:35

Re: [Resolved]Is there documentation on how to add a VPN connection?

#14 2018-05-05 00:23:18

Re: [Resolved]Is there documentation on how to add a VPN connection?

#15 2018-05-05 10:07:51

Re: [Resolved]Is there documentation on how to add a VPN connection?

#16 2018-05-05 20:48:03

Re: [Resolved]Is there documentation on how to add a VPN connection?

#17 2018-05-07 15:25:30

Re: [Resolved]Is there documentation on how to add a VPN connection?

#18 2018-05-07 15:26:30

Re: [Resolved]Is there documentation on how to add a VPN connection?

#19 2018-05-07 20:31:35

Re: [Resolved]Is there documentation on how to add a VPN connection?

#20 2018-05-07 22:14:54

Re: [Resolved]Is there documentation on how to add a VPN connection?

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