How to Set Up a VPN on Linux (Ubuntu) | OpenVPN

How to Install

1. Open Terminal.
2. Install network-manager-openvpn by typing:
   sudo apt-get install network-manager-openvpn
   • Press Enter
3. You will be prompted: “Do you want to continue? Y/n” Type Y and hit Enter.
4. Once installation is complete, restart Network Manager by typing:
   sudo restart network-manager
   • Press Enter
5. To download the Certificate Authority (CA) certificate, type (all one command, ignore line breaks):
   sudo wget -O /etc/openvpn/certificate.crt (certificate to download from your provider)
6. Click on the Network Manager icon, expand VPN Connections, and choose Configure VPN…
7. A Network Connections window will appear with the VPN tab open. Click Add.
8. A Choose a VPN Connection Type window will open. Select OpenVPN in the drop-down menu and click Create…
9. In the Editing VPN connection window, enter the following:
   • Connection name: My VPN
   • Gateway: enter your vpn server address (you get it from your VPN provider)
   • Type: select Password
   • User name: Login you registered to your VPN provider
   • Password: your VPN provider password
   • CA Certificate: browse and select /etc/openvpn/certificate.crt (downloaded from your VPN provider)
10. Click Advanced… near the bottom of the window.
11. Under the General tab, check the box next to Use LZO data compression.
12. Click OK, then click Apply.

How to Connect

1. Click on the Network Manager icon in the panel bar.
2. Click on VPN Connections.
3. Select My VPN<.
4. The Network Manager icon will begin spinning. You may be prompted to enter a password. If so, this is your system account keychain password, not VPN provider password.
5. Once connected, the Network Manager icon will have a lock next to it indicating you are browsing securely with VPN.

How to Disconnect

1. Click on the Network Manager icon in the panel bar.
2. Click on VPN Connections.
3. Select Disconnect VPN…
4. Once disconnected, the lock will disappear from next to the Network Manager icon.