Where to start to setup VPN
Where to start to setup VPN
In a nutshell, that's it. New user, been openSuSE since the 90s and looking for a change, settled recently on pursuing CentOS.
I'm running KDE here with CentOS7.
Am accustomed to setting up VPNs in the Network Manager and I see that the process seems similar here.
But as I click into Network Management Settings and choose the VPN tab, the Add option (and Edit/Delete of course) are greyed out. I can "Add" Wired or DSL however. <shudder>
Just doing a web search and all I seemed to find were openVPN setup instructions, but that hasn't been helpful.
So thought I'd best stop screwing up the new system and ask the way forward.
Can I get a push on what I'm missing to add the VPN or what guide I need to look at to set those up?
I'm running KDE here with CentOS7.
Am accustomed to setting up VPNs in the Network Manager and I see that the process seems similar here.
But as I click into Network Management Settings and choose the VPN tab, the Add option (and Edit/Delete of course) are greyed out. I can "Add" Wired or DSL however. <shudder>
Just doing a web search and all I seemed to find were openVPN setup instructions, but that hasn't been helpful.
So thought I'd best stop screwing up the new system and ask the way forward.
Can I get a push on what I'm missing to add the VPN or what guide I need to look at to set those up?
Re: Where to start to setup VPN
Do you want to setup a server or a client? I guess a client. Find out which VPN technology is used, then install the apropriate NetworkManager plugin.
Re: Where to start to setup VPN
Thanks! Indeed just a client so I can be at least semi-secure online.
I searched online for: CentOS NetworkManager plugin for VPN
Found this page: https://www.lampnode.com/linux/how-to-a ... n-centos-6
And ran the list… these were not installed so now they are!
yum -y install pptp
yum -y install vpnc
yum -y install openvpn
yum install NetworkManager* -y
That last one was a big update so I clearly didn’t have everything setup I needed to have.
So having installed all that… still no ADD option for VPN in the setup for NetworkManager…
The VPN supports all those protocols according to their site. (https://vpn.ac/)
What am I missing to be able to add?
I searched online for: CentOS NetworkManager plugin for VPN
Found this page: https://www.lampnode.com/linux/how-to-a ... n-centos-6
And ran the list… these were not installed so now they are!
yum -y install pptp
yum -y install vpnc
yum -y install openvpn
yum install NetworkManager* -y
That last one was a big update so I clearly didn’t have everything setup I needed to have.
So having installed all that… still no ADD option for VPN in the setup for NetworkManager…
The VPN supports all those protocols according to their site. (https://vpn.ac/)
What am I missing to be able to add?
Re: Where to start to setup VPN
If you have the choice, do not use pptp as it is insecure and has been since about 1995.
The future appears to be RHEL or Debian. I think I'm going Debian.
Info for USB installs on http://wiki.centos.org/HowTos/InstallFromUSBkey
CentOS 5 and 6 are deadest, do not use them.
Use the FAQ Luke
Info for USB installs on http://wiki.centos.org/HowTos/InstallFromUSBkey
CentOS 5 and 6 are deadest, do not use them.
Use the FAQ Luke
Re: Where to start to setup VPN
Good to know! I've - yum remove pptp - seems successful.
Re: Where to start to setup VPN
I've been away but now trying again with this and appreciate the help.
I've checked the page for my VPN service that shows Linux setup:
https://vpn.ac/knowledgebase/22/OpenVPN-on-Linux.html
But I still don't see what I might be missing that won't let me access the ADD function on the VPN tab.
I'm presuming that the first step has been accomplished though as noted they talk a lot about debian... but I think I've got Network Manager and OpenVPN installed. The Wired network shows in NetworkManager setup... Is there something else there that I need to install?
I have the files mentioned in step 2...
Can't perform step 3.
I've checked the page for my VPN service that shows Linux setup:
https://vpn.ac/knowledgebase/22/OpenVPN-on-Linux.html
But I still don't see what I might be missing that won't let me access the ADD function on the VPN tab.
I'm presuming that the first step has been accomplished though as noted they talk a lot about debian... but I think I've got Network Manager and OpenVPN installed. The Wired network shows in NetworkManager setup... Is there something else there that I need to install?
I have the files mentioned in step 2...
Can't perform step 3.
Re: Where to start to setup VPN
I also note that they have a "linux solution" but it seems a little... scary I guess.
On this page https://vpn.ac/knowledgebase/114/Linux- ... -beta.html they talk about it and say that they've tested it on CentOS.
But every other reference is to Debian/Ubuntu etc. And the download they want you to take is a file called: vpn.ac-linux-beta-1.4.deb
I'm not sure how that even installs with yum or if it will.
Any advise there would be appreciated as well.
On this page https://vpn.ac/knowledgebase/114/Linux- ... -beta.html they talk about it and say that they've tested it on CentOS.
But every other reference is to Debian/Ubuntu etc. And the download they want you to take is a file called: vpn.ac-linux-beta-1.4.deb
I'm not sure how that even installs with yum or if it will.
Any advise there would be appreciated as well.
Re: Where to start to setup VPN
Do you have NetworkManager-openvpn-gnome.x86_64 installed? Did you restart after installing it? That sounds a bit Windows-ish but otherwise you'd have to find the running process that displays the network icon and restart that.
You should be able to find openvpn packages for CentOS 7 in the EPEL repo. Use those in preference to ones from other places as they will be specifically for CentOS/RHEL and will have been tested that way.
You should be able to find openvpn packages for CentOS 7 in the EPEL repo. Use those in preference to ones from other places as they will be specifically for CentOS/RHEL and will have been tested that way.
The future appears to be RHEL or Debian. I think I'm going Debian.
Info for USB installs on http://wiki.centos.org/HowTos/InstallFromUSBkey
CentOS 5 and 6 are deadest, do not use them.
Use the FAQ Luke
Info for USB installs on http://wiki.centos.org/HowTos/InstallFromUSBkey
CentOS 5 and 6 are deadest, do not use them.
Use the FAQ Luke
Re: Where to start to setup VPN
Yep, that seems to be installed. I had added the EPEL repo in the course of setting things up.
Understand the admonition regarding package management. Similar issues in openSuSE with a "packman" repo. Isn't "official" and can really jack-up a system but is required for some specific packages to work well.
But I ran the yum install on it and this came back:
I do have the NetworkManager icon on the tray where I can choose Network Management Settings.
And it's there that I don't seem to have an "add" option for the VPN tab.
Understand the admonition regarding package management. Similar issues in openSuSE with a "packman" repo. Isn't "official" and can really jack-up a system but is required for some specific packages to work well.
But I ran the yum install on it and this came back:
Have rebooted and no help in that.Package 1:NetworkManager-openvpn-gnome-1.8.10-1.el7.x86_64 already installed and latest version
Nothing to do
I do have the NetworkManager icon on the tray where I can choose Network Management Settings.
And it's there that I don't seem to have an "add" option for the VPN tab.
Re: Where to start to setup VPN
I think the links I posted above may not be helpful if one doesn't have an account established.
So for clarification the process seems very simple. These are those instructions:
Step 2. - I have the .crt and tls key
Step 3. - Right click on NM and Network Management Settings doesn't allow step4...
Could there be some sort of ports issue or firewall issue here keeping me from Adding a VPN?
I'm thinking that an issue there would just keep the connection from working once added and shouldn't block adding a VPN.
But for sure I'm no expert.
So for clarification the process seems very simple. These are those instructions:
Step 1. - both of those packages are installed1. Open a terminal and run apt-get install network-manager-openvpn network-manager-openvpn-gnome (as root) or sudo apt-get install network-manager-openvpn network-manager-openvpn-gnome (as user) and service network-manager restart
2. Open your browser and download our CA.crt and the tls-preshared-256.key from the repository (important: download the CA certificate file with Right click > Save as in Firefox; left click would auto-import the CA into the certificates store instead of downloading it)
3. Click on the Network Manager icon, go to VPN Connections > Configure VPN...
4. In the VPN tab, click Add
Step 2. - I have the .crt and tls key
Step 3. - Right click on NM and Network Management Settings doesn't allow step4...
Could there be some sort of ports issue or firewall issue here keeping me from Adding a VPN?
I'm thinking that an issue there would just keep the connection from working once added and shouldn't block adding a VPN.
But for sure I'm no expert.