Ubuntu VPN Connection for Dummies

28. November 2009, 15:51 UhrPablo Garcia7 comments

 

Connecting to your Microsoft PPTP VPN server at work can be critical for those who find themselves working from home from time to time.  Personally, this single issue kept me from getting rid on my dual-boot Ubuntu-Windows setup, until I found a solution.
Yes, configuring your Ubuntu VPN could be a pretty frustrating task. For once Linux does not have a VPN Client configuration wizard like Windows does. In addition Linux is not able to detect and add routes automatically as Windows does and inexplicably practically all Ubuntu VPN tutorials on the web do not explain this. That is why I have written this walkthrough.


You need to install 2 packages, use Synaptic or the Command line if you prefer (If you do the first, it will install the second as a dependency):

network-manager-pptp
pptp-linux

Click on:

Network Connection icon –> VPN Connections –> Configure VPN


At the Network Connections window click on: Add


Click on: Create


Once you click on “Create” you to get the edit window, these are its sections explained:


1) Connection Name: this is just a name for you to identify the VPN connection you can name it whatever you prefer.

2) Gateway: This is the external IP address of the VPN you are connecting to. (e.g. your workplace, etc.)

3) Username and Password: Enter Username and password of the VPN network you are connecting to.

3) NT Domain: This is the domain name of the network you are connecting to. Some NT domains require you to enter .local following the domain name. Make sure you try this if you connection does not work. Meaning if your domain name is ntdomain try it as both ntdomain and as ntdomain.local


Click on the “Avanced” button

Under the “Authentication” section

- Uncheck PAP and EAP
– Check CHAP, MSCHAP, MSCHAPv2
– Check “Use Point-to-Point encryption (MPPE)“
– Select the type of encryption used on you network. Usually “128-bit (most secure)“
– Uncheck all other settings except “Send PPP echo packets”
– Click “OK”


**optional**

Entering routes:

Back on the Ubuntu VPN client editing window…

- Click on the IPv4 settings tab


1) Leave Method on “autometic VPN”
2) Click on Routes

1) Address: Enter the internal IP address of the machine you want to connect to
2) Netmask: Netmask of the remote network
3) Gateway: Gateway of the remote network (Usually internal IP address of remote router)
4) Metric: Set Metric to 1


Once you finish reboot your computer and you are done!

Hope this article was helpfull in gettin your Ubuntu VPN client wornking as it should. If you have any questions feel free to add a comment to this article.


7 comments:

  1. Jon, 5. January 2010, 11:17

    Have now got it all working – not sure what the problem was with the route settings as have just re-typed the route in.

    Thanks again.
    Jon

     
  2. Jon, 5. January 2010, 10:47

    Hi,

    I deleted the VPN configuration and went through the process again and have managed to connect now straight away.

    I just have one remaining issue -ir I have a route set along with the ‘Use this connection only for resources on this network’ no traffic seems to go over the VPN, removing the route etc all traffic goes over the VPN which I certainly don’t want as I mustn’t use my client networks for general internet traffic.

    I’m going to continue investigating this and see what I have wrong this time – if anything.

    Thanks for the detailed guide and assistance,
    Jon

     
  3. Michael, 5. January 2010, 0:00

    That worked flawlessly, thank you very much!

     
  4. Pablo Garcia, 4. January 2010, 20:25

    Jon, if you can connect with a Windows computer using the VPN Wizard and it connects fine with no special tweaks, then you should be able to do it with Ubuntu as well. Go through the instructions again and check the encryption type.

     
  5. Jon, 2. January 2010, 6:18

    Hi,

    Thanks for providing the tutorial instructions – they have let me configure one of the VPN links I need but I can’t get it to connect. Even though I enter the user & password details I get the error:
    nm_vpn_connection_connect_cb(): VPN connection ‘Page Associates’ failed to connect: ‘No VPN secrets!’. written to the syslog and no message or any requests on screen.

    Would be grateful if anyone can suggest anything I’ve missed.

    Thanks.

     
  6. Pablo Garcia, 23. December 2009, 8:28

    Good suggestion, thanks for your comment.

     
  7. Steven Barbaglia, 22. December 2009, 17:15

    Very helpful article!

    I have one small improvement to suggest…

    The optional section on routing at the end helps me when working from home, so that private activity on the internet does not go through the office computers via the VPN tunnel (as by default once VPN is established).

    The setting can be wider so that all office computers are covered: in the example above the address 192.168.1.0 and netmask 255.255.255.0 could be used in conjunction with setting the checkbox “Use this connection only for resources on this network”

    This setting can be tested with tracepath or traceroute on some public website before and after establishing the VPN connection to test it out.

     

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