Where to start to setup VPN

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JeepNut
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Where to start to setup VPN

Post by JeepNut » 2019/07/01 18:54:16

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?

chemal
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Re: Where to start to setup VPN

Post by chemal » 2019/07/01 20:05:41

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.

JeepNut
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Re: Where to start to setup VPN

Post by JeepNut » 2019/07/09 23:28:48

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?

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TrevorH
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Re: Where to start to setup VPN

Post by TrevorH » 2019/07/10 00:03:21

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

JeepNut
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Re: Where to start to setup VPN

Post by JeepNut » 2019/07/10 01:50:50

Good to know! I've - yum remove pptp - seems successful.

JeepNut
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Re: Where to start to setup VPN

Post by JeepNut » 2019/07/10 02:02:38

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.

JeepNut
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Re: Where to start to setup VPN

Post by JeepNut » 2019/07/10 02:14:41

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.

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TrevorH
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Re: Where to start to setup VPN

Post by TrevorH » 2019/07/10 07:55:26

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.
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

JeepNut
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Re: Where to start to setup VPN

Post by JeepNut » 2019/07/12 14:18:38

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:
Package 1:NetworkManager-openvpn-gnome-1.8.10-1.el7.x86_64 already installed and latest version
Nothing to do
Have rebooted and no help in that.
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.

JeepNut
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Re: Where to start to setup VPN

Post by JeepNut » 2019/07/12 15:14:45

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:
1. 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 1. - both of those packages are installed
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.

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