linux - how to start openvpn on boot and auto-log-on?

[uatavpn 6]

i've found a number of guides regarding the subject, but none that seem to put it all together in a complete package

 

i'm new to linux (mint 17.2, KDE) and i could use some help...

 

i don't want to use the Eddie client (the deb package one depends on mono, which i have removed, and the portable one does not work well (extremely sluggish to respond to mouse input))

 

so what i want to do in the end is log-on to a VPN server at boot, completely transparently

 

i understand the config files need to be created in advanced mode with the keys/certs separate, but i'm not sure where they should (ideally) be located - /etc/openvpn ?

 

i also assume i do not need the executables from the config generator page ???

 

and i don't know the best way to start openvpn - should i use the GUI Autostart util in KDE? /init.d ? other?

[me.moo@posteo.me 80]

Can't help, I'm new to Mint 17.3 and have recently reninstalled the root cos I made such a mess of things . However, I find Eddie a breeze to use on Linux, lightening fast and just perfect.

 

What is it with mono that is so bad?

[NaDre 157]

On a VPS I have I use crontab (much less hassle, I think, than dealing with "/etc/init..." scripts) to start OpenVPN and rtorrent at boot.:

 

http://linux.die.net/man/1/crontab

 

You type this to edit your crontab:

crontab -e

I added a line like this:

 

@reboot /bin/bash -l $HOME/bin/at_reboot_run

In the bin folder in my home folder I have these scripts:

 

Here is that script:

$ cat $HOME/bin/at_reboot_run
#!/bin/bash
sudo rm /tmp/openvpn_run_log
$HOME/bin/openvpn_run
rm -f ~/rtorrent_run/session/rtorrent.lock
rm /tmp/rtorrent_run_log
echo pausing while openvpn starts
sleep 6
$HOME/bin/rtorrent_run

You can drop the rtorrent stuff. I just left it for completeness, Here is what is in the openvpn_run script:

~$ cat $HOME/bin/openvpn_run
#!/bin/bash
screen -fa -dmS openvpn $HOME/bin/openvpn_run_log

And here is what is in the script called from that one:

$ cat $HOME/bin/openvpn_run_log
#!/bin/bash
pushd $HOME/openvpn_run > /dev/null
f=`echo *.ovpn`
sudo openvpn $f | tee /tmp/openvpn_run_log
popd > /dev/null

The folder "$HOME/openvpn_run" contains a single file ending in ".ovpn" (and the necessary key files, of course). When I want to change servers, I replace it.

 

Here is the user manual for screen:

 

https://www.gnu.org/software/screen/manual/screen.html#Invoking-Screen

 

Two commands that are useful here are:

screen -ls

and

screen -r openvpn

You also want to know about the key sequence to suspend again after doing "screen -r openvpn". Use "Ctrl-a d" (or "C-a d" using the notation in the manual) for this.

 

You can look at the screen man page too, of course.

 

To stop openvpn after doing "screen -r openvpn", use "Ctrl-C".

 

===

 

NOTE: I edited the scripts a bit. Hopefully that did not break them. They are just meant as examples anyway.

[johndoe_01 3]

Look at https://airvpn.org/topic/18425-automatic-start-on-boot-stunnel-en-openvpn/?hl=autostart&do=findComment&comment=44170 it's the easy way I think.

 

Regards.