Skip to content

Installing the Client✯

Recommendation: An installation script for the ovpn files has been created to facilitate integration with the operating system

Using the script allows you to install VPN configurations and use them through the graphical interface via the network manager (taskbar icon). The script has been validated on Ubuntu 20.04 and 22.04

Installing the OpenVPN Client✯

An up-to-date version of OpenVPN is recommended. We advise you to update your client if you experience connection issues. As of now, the latest client version is 2.6.6

  • Install the latest version of OpenVPN and the DNS integration plugin openvpn-systemd-resolved. Without this component, you may encounter DNS resolution issues with internal resources.
wget -O - https://swupdate.openvpn.net/repos/repo-public.gpg | sudo apt-key add -
echo "deb http://build.openvpn.net/debian/openvpn/stable $(lsb_release -c | awk '{print $2}') main" | sudo tee /etc/apt/sources.list.d/openvpn-aptrepo.list
sudo apt-get update && sudo apt-get install -y openvpn openvpn-systemd-resolved

Configuring the ovpn Files✯

Installation via the script enables you to activate and deactivate the VPN through Ubuntu's graphical interface

We provide you with an installation script to deploy VPN configurations on your workstation. Once the script configuration is complete, you can activate/deactivate the VPN using your mouse without going through the terminal. You can still do it via the command line if you wish.

Download link for the script: import-vpn.sh

Once the .ovpn files have been downloaded to your machine (see Retrieving OpenVPN Configuration Files), choose the ovpns.zip file which contains all configurations.

Run the script import-vpn.sh (you may need to add execution permissions to the file chmod u+x import-vpn.sh).

With this method, no additional configuration is required for internal DNS resolutions to work. You are ready to use ISIMA/LIMOS resources remotely.

Via Command Line✯

The script-based configuration may not work for you, or you may prefer to manage your VPN connections via the terminal. If that is the case, follow this procedure:

cd && mkdir -m 0700 ~/.vpn
  • Move the downloaded OpenVPN configuration files (see Retrieving OpenVPN Configuration Files) to the ~/.vpn directory you created, making sure to adjust the path to reach the file you just downloaded.

Configuring ISIMA/LIMOS Local DNS✯

On Linux, the internal DNS is not automatically configured when connecting. On Debian/Ubuntu, the openvpn-systemd-resolved package mentioned in the Installing the OpenVPN Client section must be installed on the system, and 3 configuration lines must be uncommented in the .ovpn files downloaded from https://my.isima.fr/ovpn/

Install the openvpn-systemd-resolved package if it is not already installed

sudo apt-get install -y openvpn-systemd-resolved

  • For DNS to work: uncomment the following 3 lines (remove the # at the beginning of the line) in the .ovpn files.
script-security 2
up /etc/openvpn/update-systemd-resolved
down /etc/openvpn/update-systemd-resolved