ANSWERED Mac installation - completely confused!

[Choctort 0]

I've just signed up for 30 days and can't make any sense of the instructions for installing and running AirVPN on a Mac OSX (10.6.8). They're completely contradictory and unintelligible (IMO).

I tried to follow this: https://airvpn.org/macosx/

-I unzipped the configuration folder or whatever it is.

I installed Tunnelblick but for all I know didn't do it right. It created a folder on the desktop, whereas the instructions here say I have to create the folder -

http://code.google.com/p/tunnelblick/wiki/cConfigT#Creating_and_Installing_a_Tunnelblick_VPN_Configuration

It says to copy all the files in the configuration Zip to the folder. The only file types there are two .ovpn's which it says to use 'one and (only one) of'. So I put 1 of them in the one Tunnelblick created on the desktop. Where are the other files??

It claimed to be installed eventually but clearly wasn't working so I trashed the Tunnelblick application and the 'Application Support/Tunnelblick/' folder and tried to start again...

Re-installed Tunnelblick. This time I created and named my own desktop folder, gave it a .tblk extension and double-clicked. Tunnelblick once again claimed it was installed. I tried starting it, and again it says 'Resolving domain name..', but In and Out indicate 0.00 B/s, and my the AirVPN site still says I'm not and have never been connected.

This link gives completely different instructions:

https://airvpn.org/?option=com_kunena&Itemid=55&func=view&catid=3&id=124

- It tells you to copy *all* the files from the AirVPN zip file to a directory into ~/Library/Application Support/Tunnelblick/Configurations

..which doesn't exist; /Tunnelblick/ just contains Logs, Shared and Users (the latter, I can't access).

Can someone either give me some instructions that are consistent and make sense, or else tell me how to wipe all traces of this off my 'puter and recommend a VPN service that's easier to install?

Thank you...


 

[Staff 9973]

Hello!

 

The second link that is confusing you is from 2010 and therefore refers to very old Tunnelblick versions. Ignore 3 years old instructions threads, the updated instructions are always in the instructions pages. Please follow the updated instructions in the "Enter" page:

 

https://airvpn.org/macosx

 

Also, please publish your Tunnelblick logs: from your description it seems that you installed correctly the configurations but the problem looks different.

 

Kind regards

[Choctort 0]

I think you mean that the *3rd* link has the out-of-date instructions.

 

The link you've provided (which is the one I used) links at the bottom, straight to those out-of-date instructions: "For any comment or feedback, you can find the discussion here."

 

I can't find any logs; the Logs folder here is actually empty :  ~/Library/Application Support/Tunnelblick/Logs

 

FWIW, the Tunnelblick pull-down menu still contains my first attempt at creating a configuration (even though I tried to remove Tunnelblick before trying again), along with "Empty Tunnelblick VPN configuration, and my latest attempted configuration.  So how can I remove all traces of previous attempts at installation if I'm to try again? I think the installation when differently the 2nd time. Might have made a wrong choice first time?

 

Also, where are the certificate, key and script files it mentions in the instructions - or do I not need any of that?

[Staff 9973]

Hello!

 

The CF by default generates .ovpn configuration files that are embedded with key and certificates. If you wish separate files (but with Tunnelblick you don't need them), please tick "Advanced Options" then tick "Separate certs/keys from .ovpn files". Please see the Configuration Generator instructions (click on "More help") for all CF options and information.

 

Once you have downloaded a configuration file please follow the instructions here:

 

https://airvpn.org/macosx,

 

i.e. create any folder on the Desktop, put the .ovpn file inside it, rename the folder with a ".tblk" extension. At this point the folder icon should change to a VPN Tunnelblick icon. Double-click on the folder icon to install the configuration contained inside the folder.

 

Kind regards

[Choctort 0]

The CF by default generates .ovpn configuration files that are embedded with key and certificates. If you wish separate files (but with Tunnelblick you don't need them), please tick "Advanced Options" then tick "Separate certs/keys from .ovpn files". Please see the Configuration Generator instructions (click on "More help") for all CF options and information.

 

OK, thank you.

 

Anyway, I found the uninstaller, and started again.

 

1. Tunnelblick actually creates the empty folder, so you don't need to make one initially, just rename it, right?

 

2. When it asks:

 

------------------------------------------

Which type of configuration do you have?

 

There are two types of configuration files:

 

Tunnelblick VPN configurations (.tblk extension)

OpenVPN configurations (.ovpn or .conf extension)

-------------------------

-Should I have selected OpenVPN configuration(s) or Tunnelblick VPN configuration(s)? (I selected OpenVPN because the files have .ovpn extensions)

 

I'm not going to post the diagnositic log file because it actually contains personal file structure name information, IP address and God knows what else. The Tunnelblick diagnostic log window doesn't even show all the info that gets pasted to the clipboard.

 

FWIW, it says stuff like:

2013-08-26 14:10:43 RESOLVE: Cannot resolve host address: europe.vpn.airdns.org: [HOST_NOT_FOUND] The specified host is unknown.

and a lot of these: "RESOLVE: Cannot resolve host address: europe.vpn.airdns.org: "

[Staff 9973]

EDIT: the DNS problem with OpenDNS and AT&T public DNS has been resolved.

 

Hello!

 

It seems that your system can't resolve europe.vpn.airdns.org. Just for our records, which DNS are you using (OpenDNS is known to break our *.airdns.org names). Also, if that's the only reported error, your installation of .ovpn files was just correct.

 

In order to solve the issue, in the Configuration Generator please:

 

- tick "Advanced Mode"

- tick "Resolved hosts in .ovpn file"

- tick "All servers for area or region"

 

In this way the CG will generate files that contain only IP addresses, solving the problem at its roots.

 

Kind regards

[Choctort 0]

Result! I'm connected.

 

I'm wondering why I needed those advanced options though e.g. I'm not in China, as it suggested I might need them for.

 

Re: DNS.  Didn't even know what OpenDNS was. I'm using my regular ISP's as far as I know.

 

Anyway, notwithstanding the confusing directions, thanks for the support.

 

 

[Staff 9973]

Hello!

 

Thanks for the information about your DNS.

 

In China, OpenVPN connections are disrupted through OpenVPN fingerprint identification, therefore OpenVPN over SSH/SSL is mandatory. In your case, it was a completely different problem: your DNS does not resolve *.airdns.org names. You can connect directly with OpenVPN (you do not need OpenVPN over SSL).

 

We thought it was a problem limited to OpenDNS but if you don't use OpenDNS then we were wrong.

 

Kind regards

[homeslice 0]

worked once.  Now:  RESOLVE: Cannot resolve host address: america.vpn.airdns.org: [HOST_NOT_FOUND] The specified host is unknown. 

[Staff 9973]

Hello!

 

It seems that your system DNS can't resolve america.vpn.airdns.org. Can you please tell us which DNS is used?

 

In order to solve the issue, re-generate the configuration file(s) in the following way:

 

- tick "Advanced Mode"

- tick "Resolved hosts in .ovpn file"

- tick "All servers for area or region"

 

In this way the Configuration Generator will generate configurations with IP addresses only (no names) solving the problem at its roots.

 

Alternatively, try to change your system DNS.

 

Kind regards

[homeslice 0]

couldn't find the advanced button.  imagine that.  now running.

[sunship001 0]

Another Mac installation problem here. The older config files worked well with an older Tunnelblick install, but now on Lion, everything is terrible.

 

I'm posting in this thread because the procedure is laid out here by support:

 

I got new config files, as laid out by support in this thread:

 

"In order to solve the issue, re-generate the configuration file(s) in the following way:

 

- tick "Advanced Mode"

- tick "Resolved hosts in .ovpn file"

- tick "All servers for area or region"

 

All I get when I doubleclick the renamed (.tblk) folder is a "Tunnelblick VPN Configuration Installation Error":

 

Puzzled.

[sunship001 0]

Okay.
 

The install works if I make a .tblk folder for each single server. Bit more time consuming. Still strange. Whatever.

[Staff 9973]

Okay.

 

The install works if I make a .tblk folder for each single server. Bit more time consuming. Still strange. Whatever.

 

Hello,

 

it's a "feature", Tunnelblick accepts only ONE .ovpn file per folder.

 

Also, we're glad to inform you that the DNS problem with OpenDNS has been solved.

 

Kind regards