Use the following rough steps to manually set up North VPN on Linux via Ubuntu Network Manager. The details of these steps will depend on your flavor of Linux.
In general, you’re setting up an OpenVPN connection using North VPN configuration files. Please ensure you’re using the latest versions of Linux before proceeding.
For instruction on how to download OpenVPN configuration files, navigate HERE.
Install and set up the VPN in Network Manager
The following distributions will most likely already have network-manager-gnome installed by default: Fedora, Debian, Ubuntu, Gentoo, CentOS or openSUSE.
- Launch a Terminal session, and enter the following command:
apt list | grep network-manager-gnom
- If above command does not return "network-manager-gnome/........", proceed with entering the following command:
sudo apt-get install network-manager-gnome -y
- If above command does not return "network-manager-gnome/........", proceed with entering the following command:
- Click on your Network Manager icon on your desktop bar Notification Area. This icon can be in the shape of 2 or 3 computer screens or a pair of up and down arrows. Click on Wired Settings (This may be named something else depending on your distribution, flavor and release).
- If you do not see these icons, you can alternatively navigate to your settings panel and go to your Network settings.
- If you do not see these icons, you can alternatively navigate to your settings panel and go to your Network settings.
- Once at the Network settings window, select the + / Add icon or button next to VPN.
- Select "Import from file..." / "Import a saved VPN configuration".
- Browse for one of the *.ovpn files that you've downloaded (Instructions found here), then click on Open.
- After importing the config file, enter your VPN account username and password in the corresponding fields and select Add.
Connect to the VPN
To connect to the VPN, just click on your Network Manager icon, then point to VPN Connections and click on the VPN connection that you have configured.
The icon will blink or show as loading for around 10-30 seconds. Once the VPN is connected, you will see a message stating the VPN connection has been successfully established (This notification will not appear on all distributions and flavors). You will also see a “lock” or "VPN" icon on the top bar of the Network Manager icon.
To check that you're connected to the VPN server OK, navigate to a website that can reveal your location or IP address, such as this one.
Need help? Contact the North Networking Support Team for further assistance.