This page explains an easy way to use Informatics OpenVPN on Linux.
There's also OpenVPN on Linux using NetworkManager if you'd prefer that.

Setting your OpenVPN password

Your password can be set in the Password Portal. This password must be unique. Your username looks like uun/ovpn.

Install OpenVPN

In a terminal window:

sudo apt-get install openvpn

(Or your distro's equivalent of apt-get such as yum.)

Download configuration files

Next, download this configuration file or this one or both, and save them to your machine.
(Why is there more than one configuration file?)

Start the OpenVPN service

In a terminal window, type:

sudo /usr/sbin/openvpn <configuration file>

You'll first be asked to enter the password for your local username in order to authorise the sudo call; if successful, you'll then be prompted to enter your DICE/ovpn username (of the form uun/ovpn) and password. You should then see log output, culminating in a final 'Initialization Sequence Completed' line and, at that point, the OpenVPN link will be operational.

Stop the OpenVPN service

To shutdown the OpenVPN link, type Ctrl-C in the same terminal window.

If things don't work ...

You can always ask us for help, but you can also get more information in these ways:

  • from OpenVPN's own diagnostic log, output in the terminal window.
  • The command ip a will display information on the network interfaces on your machine.
  • ip r will show the routing tables in effect at the time.

This last command can be very useful in helping to diagnose faults.

References

Last reviewed: 
31/07/2025