These instructions have been tested for Ubuntu 20.04 LTS (i.e. the most recent 'Long Term Support' version of Ubuntu at the time of writing), but should equally apply to any other recent release of Ubuntu.
Install the OpenVPN client
In a terminal window:
sudo apt-get install openvpn
Download the Informatics OpenVPN configuration files
Refer to the descriptions of the available Informatics OpenVPN configuration files, select whichever configuration file (or files) you decide to use from our 'Generic' collection, and save those files in some suitable location in your local home filestore.
Start the OpenVPN service
In a terminal window, type:
sudo /usr/sbin/openvpn path to the configuration file of your choice
You'll first be asked to enter the password for your local username in order to authorize the sudo call; if successful, you'll then be prompted to enter your DICE username 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.
Example:
sudo /usr/sbin/openvpn openvpnconfigfiles/Informatics-EdLAN-Forum.ovpn
Output:
sudo /usr/sbin/openvpn openvpnconfigfiles/Informatics-EdLAN-Forum.ovpn [sudo] password for Your local username: (Timestamp) OpenVPN 2.4.7 x86_64-pc-linux-gnu [SSL (OpenSSL)] [LZO] [LZ4] [EPOLL] [PKCS11] [MH/PKTINFO] [AEAD] built on Jul 19 2021 (Timestamp) library versions: OpenSSL 1.1.1f 31 Mar 2020, LZO 2.10 Enter Auth Username: Your DICE username Enter Auth Password: ********* (Timestamp) Outgoing Control Channel Authentication: Using 160 bit message hash 'SHA1' for HMAC authentication ... snip ... (Timestamp) /sbin/ip -6 route add 2001:630:3c1::/48 dev tun0 (Timestamp) Initialization Sequence Completed
Stopping the OpenVPN service
To shutdown the OpenVPN link, type Ctrl-C in the terminal window in which the OpenVPN session was initiated (and in which the OpenVPN log is currently being displayed.)