Import *.ovpn file

sortedsand

How can I import a *.ovpn file (Open VPN)
in the the network manager in Budgie desktop?

(My workplace uses a SmoothWall gateway and it generates a client archive which includes a windows client program which you can import the *.ovpn file into and then connect with username and password. The client archive also includes a *.pem file, but we don't need that when we import the *.ovpn file as it has a CA cert and Static key in that file.)

elfprince

sortedsand First, save that *.ovpn file in your file system. Then left-click Network Manager icon. The rest should be simple.

sortedsand

yes, I don't know enough about VPN technology yet.

Authentication type 'Certificates (TLS)' asks for a CA certificate file and a User certificate file. I don't have a user certificate file.
Authentication type 'Password' asks for username and password and CA certificate, but the connection fails.
Authentication type 'Password with Certificates (TLS)' asks for username, password, CA certificate and User certificate. I don't have a user certificate.
Authentication type 'Static Key' asks for a Static key which is stored in the *.ovpn file. But this option doesnt ask for username or password which is required.

elfprince

sortedsand You need to sign up with an VPN company, and that will give you your username and password. No need for certificate.

ReillyBrogan

elfprince You shouldn't generalize like that. Many different VPN setups have very different configurations. Some work with just usernames + passwords, some with usernames + passwords + client certificate auth, and some with just client certificate auth.

The setup that @sortedsand talks about is pretty common with business VPNs, and is how my company's is configured as well. The client certificate is needed for mutual TLS with the VPN server and then once that connection is made the client sends username + password (in our case this is authenticated by a LDAP server).

@sortedsand I don't know much about the NetworkManager applets in Budgie desktop (which is the "widget" that integrates with the desktop to allow you to start/stop VPNs and whatnot), but I do know that if you launch nm-connection-editor you will get a much more powerful NetworkManager interface. If you then click the "+" at the bottom and scroll through the list there should be an option to "Import a saved VPN configuration" which might do what you want.

elfprince

ReillyBrogan Well, both he and I are on Budgie. Much simpler to use the gui than to meddle with terminal line. The end result of what you described is exactly same. Nor do I know whether @sortedsand is comfortable to use the terminal.

You might be right with other thing regarding client cert etc. I assumed it was same across board.

ReillyBrogan

nm-connection-editor is a gui application. If you search in the Budgie launch menu it's probably called "Advanced Network Configuration" assuming the Budgie language is English, but it's exactly the same application that would launch if you put in nm-connection-editor into a terminal.