VPN « CognitiveCombine.com

12Dec/090

Tip for Witopia Users, Traffic Routing

Just because you are using Witopia's vpn service doesn't mean you're automatically safe from harm. Here is a good tip.

Tagged as: viscosity, VPN, Witopia Continue reading

7Nov/0918

Ubuntu 9.10: network-manager – openvpn – “vpn service failed to start”

So this is quite frustrating:

[B]Background:[/B]

In Ubuntu 9.04 I had a VPN connection configured in order to use Witopia. It worked.

I upgraded to Ubuntu 9.10 and now it doesn't work.

[B]Problem:[/B]

In Network Manager, under VPN Connections, when I select my "openvpn" connection I get this error message:

[I]The vpn connection 'openvpn' failed because the VPN service failed to start.[/I]

[B]More Info:[/B]

Here is what it says in Sys Log:

[QUOTE]Nov 7 21:05:21 ubuntu-laptop NetworkManager: <info> Starting VPN service 'org.freedesktop.NetworkManager.openvpn'...

Nov 7 21:05:21 ubuntu-laptop NetworkManager: <info> VPN service 'org.freedesktop.NetworkManager.openvpn' started (org.freedesktop.NetworkManager.openvpn), PID 1974

Nov 7 21:05:22 ubuntu-laptop NetworkManager: <info> VPN service 'org.freedesktop.NetworkManager.openvpn' just appeared, activating connections

Nov 7 21:05:22 ubuntu-laptop NetworkManager: <info> VPN plugin state changed: 1

Nov 7 21:05:22 ubuntu-laptop NetworkManager: <info> VPN plugin state changed: 3

Nov 7 21:05:22 ubuntu-laptop NetworkManager: <info> VPN connection 'openvpn' (Connect) reply received.

Nov 7 21:05:22 ubuntu-laptop NetworkManager: <WARN> nm_vpn_connection_connect_cb(): VPN connection 'openvpn' failed to connect: 'No VPN secrets!'.

Nov 7 21:05:22 ubuntu-laptop NetworkManager: <WARN> connection_state_changed(): Could not process the request because no VPN connection was active.

Nov 7 21:05:22 ubuntu-laptop NetworkManager: <info> Policy set 'Auto eth0' (eth0) as default for routing and DNS.

Nov 7 21:05:35 ubuntu-laptop NetworkManager: <debug> [1257624335.001600] ensure_killed(): waiting for vpn service pid 1974 to exit

Nov 7 21:05:35 ubuntu-laptop NetworkManager: <debug> [1257624335.001766] ensure_killed(): vpn service pid 1974 cleaned up

Nov 7 21:05:40 ubuntu-laptop NetworkManager: <info> Starting VPN service 'org.freedesktop.NetworkManager.openvpn'...

Nov 7 21:05:40 ubuntu-laptop NetworkManager: <info> VPN service 'org.freedesktop.NetworkManager.openvpn' started (org.freedesktop.NetworkManager.openvpn), PID 1978

Nov 7 21:05:40 ubuntu-laptop NetworkManager: <info> VPN service 'org.freedesktop.NetworkManager.openvpn' just appeared, activating connections

Nov 7 21:05:40 ubuntu-laptop NetworkManager: <info> VPN plugin state changed: 3

Nov 7 21:05:40 ubuntu-laptop NetworkManager: <info> VPN connection 'openvpn' (Connect) reply received.

Nov 7 21:05:40 ubuntu-laptop NetworkManager: <WARN> nm_vpn_connection_connect_cb(): VPN connection 'openvpn' failed to connect: 'No VPN secrets!'.

Nov 7 21:05:40 ubuntu-laptop NetworkManager: <WARN> connection_state_changed(): Could not process the request because no VPN connection was active.

Nov 7 21:05:40 ubuntu-laptop NetworkManager: <info> Policy set 'Auto eth0' (eth0) as default for routing and DNS.

Nov 7 21:05:53 ubuntu-laptop NetworkManager: <debug> [1257624353.002543] ensure_killed(): waiting for vpn service pid 1978 to exit

Nov 7 21:05:53 ubuntu-laptop NetworkManager: <debug> [1257624353.002711] ensure_killed(): vpn service pid 1978 cleaned up

[/QUOTE]

[B]What I have tried so far:[/B]

Reading through the forum, and searching Google, it seems many people are having this problem. It also doesn't appear to be a new problem.

I tried to remove openvpn and network-manage-openvpn packages and to add them again and to create new connection profiles.

Unfortunately without success.

Any ideas

Updated 2009.12.25

So this is quite frustrating:

Background:

In Ubuntu 9.04 I had a VPN connection configured in order to use Witopia. It worked.

Under Ubuntu 9.04 I used these instructions to set everything up.

I upgraded to Ubuntu 9.10 and now it doesn't work.

Tagged as: Linux, network manager, openvpn, Ubuntu, Ubuntu / Linux, VPN, Witopia Continue reading

13Jul/090

VPN Services, which one do you use?

I am currently on the look-out for VPN services. What I would like to do, is set up a VPN network between myself and some friends of mine over the internet. We want to be able to share files securely and use shared content, such as iTunes libraries for example, without the need for too much hassle and configuration.

Tagged as: Linux, Mac, VPN, Windows Continue reading

11Dec/080

Witopia as an alternative to Relakks

Relakks, a personal VPN service, was great when it started. However after the company simply removed the ability for customers to extend their accounts, and refused to answer emails, it quickly became uninteresting.

Recently, through friends, I found out about Witopia. They offer a service called PersonalVPN with PPTP as well as SSL encryption. Their service is based on OpenVPN.

At $39 per year it is also rather cheap. So I decided to give it a try. So far I am quite happy with it.

The package also includes free VPN connection through the iPhone.