ruk·si
/notes

Using VPN behind a software firewall

Updated at 2016-02-21 10:02

VPN is good if:

  • You frequently use Internet on free Wi-Fi (free Wi-Fis are inherently insecure)
  • You want to switch country where you appear to be in e.g. for Netflix or Amazon.
  • You don't want websites to track or profile you as easily. VPN doesn't make tracking impossible, just harder.

VPN on Mac

Network Preferences
    Add network interface:
        VPN, L2TP over IPSec, Name: ArcanaVPN, OK
            Server Address: from stack output
            Account Name: from stack output
            Authentication Settings:
                Password: from stack output
                Shared Secret: from stack output
            Advanced:
                [x] Send all traffic over VPN connection
            [x] Show VPN status in menu bar

Behind a software firewall:

  1. Go to firewall rules and add a new rule.
  2. Remote host: 194.123.XX.XX / 32 (w/e is the VPN access point IP)
  3. Enable Generic Routing Encapsulation (GRE, IP Protocol ID 47). Sometimes called PPP (Point-to-Point Protocol) or PPTP (Point-to-Point Tunneling Protocol).

VPN on Ubuntu 18.04+

sudo apt install network-manager-l2tp-gnome
  1. Go to "Settings -> Network -> VPN > +-button".
  2. Select "Layer 2 Tunneling Protocol (L2TP)".
  3. Enter anything you like in the "Name" field.
  4. Enter your VPN server IP in the "Gateway" field.
  5. Enter your VPN username in the "User" field.
  6. Click the ?-button in the "Password" field and select "Store the password only for this user".
  7. Enter your VPN password in the "Password" field.
  8. Leave the "NT Domain" field blank.
  9. Click the IPsec Settings... button.
  10. Check the "Enable IPsec tunnel to L2TP host" checkbox.
  11. Leave the Gateway ID field blank.
  12. Enter your VPN IPsec PSK in the "Pre-shared key" field.
  13. Expand the "Advanced" section.
  14. Enter "aes128-sha1-modp2048!" for the Phase1 Algorithms.
  15. Enter "aes128-sha1-modp2048!" for the Phase2 Algorithms.
  16. Click OK, then click "Add" to save.
  17. Turn the VPN switch ON.

VPN check

You can check if your VPN is working by Googling for "where am I" in incognito window. It should indicate that you are where you VPN is hosted.

Sources