So I just got PopOS installed on my laptop and looked up how to run a VPN on it but all I can find are people explaining how to use them through the terminal, I’d rather not have to use the terminal unless 100% have to. I’m basically just looking for something like you’d use on windows, a dedicated application I download, open, and just hit the on/off button, is that a thing for linux?
I even tried downloading the linux version of the VPN I currently have but it won’t download so I’m just looking for any advice atp.
You should be able to create new VPN connection in network manager gui. Ive been using it this way with openvpn and now i use it with wireguard.
The downside is that you cant import it directly from your client file. You have to set it up manually by importing certificate files and enabling all options according to your client file.
Which vpn do you want to run? There’s a GUI for nordvpn protonvpn and mullvad vpn. Also you can setup a vpn in your network setting (in the gui). All the vpn I just mention have a .deb (debian package, its like a .exe that you click to install) Popos is based on debian. Also theres a documentation on popos website to do just that Install and Use VPNs - System76 Support
Don’t you basically just need to run a single command in terminal for most of them? Maybe I’m just too much of a server admin, but I feel like if you’re on Linux you should expect to do some things in the terminal. You can always make a shell script to launch it quickly in future.
You don’t need a VPN that comes with additional GUI software. You already have a GUI for network connections, to create new connections, like a VPN, the program is nm-connection-editor, and the system tray applet to easily enable or disable network connections is nm-applet. I don’t know where your distribution or desktop has these, but those are the program names.
What VPN do you already use? We might be able to help if we knew which one you had.
Once you set up a VPN in networkmanager, it will be next to the other network options in the taskbar. Just like switching wifi networks. It will just be an option in the network dropdown.
Network manager also has a gui for setting up the vpn. But it won’t hold your hand because it works with almost any vpn. The vpn provider will tell you what info you need to put in, but not exactly where to put it. You have to work on it a little.
I feel like doing some research on how to use linux would be advantages for you. It sounds like an issue with the VPN software and working with your version of PopOS combined with a skill issue.
Here is the problem. Say I’m going to write a “how to”.
Option 1: Write a couple command lines where someone can just copy/paste/edit them. Things like “apt install tailscale”.
Option 2: Write 10 pages of text with a bunch of pictures showing what to click on and where. And revise it every 6 months when the GUI changes again
Also consider that while Linux desktops ignoring Android are perhaps 10-15% of the end user market and the numbers are highly skewed because most Linux users buy a PC with Windows or MacOS preinstalled then erase it, the situation in the server market is that 90% of servers run Linux, even Microsoft Azure, Amazon AWS, and Google. On a server you CAN run a GUI with some effort or using a browser but 99% of the time it’s command lines. So if I write a tutorial only fir the GUI I’m alienating 90% if the target audience,
For many tasks commsnd line is vastly faster and more flexible than GUIs. As I said…”apt install tailscale”. At 60 WPM it takes me 3-4 seconds to key that in. It would take at least that to select the installer on a GUI. After waiting for it to run, then I’d have to still click on the blank then find the home keys on the keyboard so I can type “Tailscale” then wait for the search, scroll if needed, click on “install”, probably click OK or yes or accept once or twice. By then I’ve probably already got it set up via command line.
Where the GUI excels is when I’m drawing something or editing, or where I have to select some semi-random things like deleting crappy photos which I can’t select with some simple wildcards
In your case you also hit one of the issues with being a Unix/Linux newbie. For every software package on Linux or MacOS there are probably 5-10 available for Linux. Some are just plain awful or abandoned or experimental. Others are very good. It can be quite challenging to navigate things when Linux has probably 50 different VPN implementations.
Plus with VPNs in particular, the basic Linux built in firewall/router software iptables or dnsmasq (older) is the basic component for building a VPN All commercial VPNs are built on it. The internal networking used to implement networking for Steam, Snapd, Flatpak, Docker, and most VMs is built on it. Not only that but command lines are how network engineers basically do everything. Even if a GUI exists it is limited in what it can do. Only consumer grade routers don’t use command lines. Linux routing is commercial software. So naturally it is command line based.
For most VPNs on linux, you open the network settings, click “add vpn” and enter the stuff your VPN provider give you (config file and authentication) or (OpenVPN configs).
Some have apps, like PIA.
What’s your distro, desktop, and vpn? Maybe I can help guide you to that settings page and what you need to paste in.
NordVPN is easy enough and you can make keyboard shortcuts for the commands OP. It also has a web extension in the chrome store which probably does what you’re after.
You might be looking at the wrong thing. Most Linux VPN guides involving terminal are about building and hosting your own VPN server and/or custom routing rules (i.e. excluding certain web sites and/or networks). 99% of the times as a client you don’t need any extra apps since VPN protocols are already baked into network manager, depending on the particular service provider you might need to install additional features from terminal.
Just head over to the network manager > add new connection > VPN and enter your VPN service provider credentials / desired server address. It should be pretty straightforward since most VPN providers support multiple protocols.
I thought I was going to web search a tutorial and post a link for you, but I couldn’t find one that mentions it like I did many years ago when I learned it.
you may or may not need to reboot first… but this adds the functionality to the network manager. So go to your main settings program and select “network” from your sidebar. You should now see a section for “VPN” and you can add an entry by hitting the “+” next to it. You will need a .ovpn file from your vpn provider.
After hitting the “+” button, choose “Import from file…”, select your downloaded .ovpn file and then hit the “add” button. The entry will now be added to a list in your network manager and you’ll have a nice entry with a switch next to it so you have turn it off and on easily. This can also be easily accessed by clicking that section of your panel where the brightness and power icons are.
Has apps or everything. Great VPN, has POPs all over the world. The Linux app is easy to install and there are detailed instructions on their site. Highly recommended.