HOWTO: Connect to a Microsoft PPTP VPN

[endersshadow]

This process has been made MUCH easier in Edgy and Feisty. I just never updated this...and I'm sorry. In order for legacy support, I'm leaving up Dapper/Breezy/Hoary instructions.

Feisty/Edgy x86

You will need NetworkManager installed:

sudo apt-get install network-manager-gnome network-manager-pptp

Then, a network icon will appear in your notification area. Select it, and then select VPN Connections > Configure VPN. Add your VPN to the list, and then in the terminal do the following:

sudo NetworkManager restart

Click the icon again, and go to VPN Connections and then select your VPN. Voila. You're connected!

Feisty/Edgy AMD64 (thanks go to nyvalbant)
Grab the AMD64 Packages from this page.

Convert and install them using this command:

sudo alien filename.rpm
sudo dpkg -i filename.deb

Next, install pptpconfig:

sudo apt-get install pptpconfig

You may not be able to connect using pptpconfig directly, but you can create your profile in it and connect using:

pon <profile name>

(give that a minute or so to connect; check ifconfig periodically for a ppp0 entry)

Finally, after you have a ppp0 network, you may need to fix your routing table using something like:

sudo route add -net 11.22.0.0 netmask 255.255.0.0 dev ppp0

(substitute 11.22.0.0 for your network)

Dapper/Breezy/Hoary
After much searching for how to connect to a plain old PPTP VPN, I finally figured out how to do it, and since there's no guide on here that doesn't relate to the Cisco client, I figured I'd post one. The source of this information is at the bottom of the post. Here goes:

1. First, you need to install the pptp-client for Linux. Open up the terminal and type in:

sudo apt-get install pptp-linux

2. Next, you will need to add a source to your sources.list file. Here's how.
Run this command.

sudo gedit /etc/apt/sources.list

When the window pops up (gedit), append the following lines to the end of the file:

# James Cameron's PPTP GUI packaging
deb http://quozl.netrek.org/pptp/pptpconfig ./

Save it and close gedit.

3. Run these commands in the terminal:

sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install pptpconfig

4. To run pptpconfig, simply use this command in the terminal:

sudo pptpconfig

**NOTE: You must run pptpconfig as root, otherwise, it will not work.

5. Enter in the info for your VPN to the GUI, click "Add," select the server you just added by clicking on it, and then hit "Start." Make sure that your options are set, as well. If you are unsure of what options your VPN needs, contact your system administrator.

For a more complete guide, check out this site:
http://pptpclient.sourceforge.net/ho....phtml#install

[WetWilly]

http://www.ubuntuforums.org/showthre...highlight=pptp

Originally Posted by WetWilly http://www.ubuntuforums.org/showthre...highlight=pptp

yes but thats for hoary.. and its a good thing that this has been ported to the breezy forums (even though the instructions are identical). good job.

[WetWilly]

Originally Posted by arnieboy yes but thats for hoary.. and its a good thing that this has been ported to the breezy forums (even though the instructions are identical). good job.

I wrote is cuz there is more info in that post e.g. How to start it without using terminal and make a shortcut using gksudo.

[jmooney]

OK, installed ptppconfig and it's telling me that I have successfully connected to my VPN network at work.

Now what? How do I browse this network? I've tried entering various addresses into Nautilus and Firefox but it isn't working. Assuming I have all the address and network names right, can't I just mount this as a network location? Say by selecting "Places/Connect to Server..."?

My VPN is running, how do I browse the remote network?

Thanks,

Joe

[WetWilly]

Joe, under the routing tab I suggest that you use the "Client to LAN" Routing Style so only the necessary traffic go via the VPN.

Then there is the "Routes To Be Added Via Tunnel".

So click on "Edit Network Routes.." and add the network that u want to connect to using the tunnel.

For example if its a standard 192.168.1. net then u write

Network: 192.168.1.0/24
Name: Whatever

Then u press update and u are good to go.

[jmooney]

Originally Posted by WetWilly Joe, under the routing tab I suggest that you use the "Client to LAN" Routing Style so only the necessary traffic go via the VPN. Then there is the "Routes To Be Added Via Tunnel". So click on "Edit Network Routes.." and add the network that u want to connect to using the tunnel. For example if its a standard 192.168.1. net then u write Network: 192.168.1.0/24 Name: Whatever Then u press update and u are good to go.

OK, I've done that, I still have no idea how to browse files on that network.

I've got in working in windowsXP. For that OS, under START-RUN... I type in a network location {timcont09.timco.aero}, once I do that, it asks for a username and password, then Windows explorer appears with all the files and folders I was looking for.

What is the equivalent for Ubuntu? How do I do that using Nautilus, or Firefox, of gftp, or whatever?


Thanks,

Joe

[endersshadow]

You're connected. Have you tried just opening up Firefox? PPTP has a username and password field in it where you specify the server.

[jmooney]

Originally Posted by endersshadow You're connected. Have you tried just opening up Firefox? PPTP has a username and password field in it where you specify the server.

Yes, I tried entering the vpn address {vpn2.timco.aero}, the DNS numbers I got from the Debug window of PPTPConfig, the actual server address {timcont09.timco.aero}, I've also tried {vpn2.timco.aero/timcont09.timco.aero} The closest I get to a hit is something like a "Firewall - Forbidden" message when I enter one of the DNS numbers.

Has anybody here successfully set up a VPN tunnel to thier office and actually viewed files on their work network? Could one of you explain how you did it?

If it helps, I also have the Firestarter firewall program installed. It originally blocked the connection until I allowed traffic from the "GNS" address that the work network was trying to use.

I can't believe there is not documentation on this. Why provide directions on how to set up a VPN tunnel and not provide directions on how to browse the network on the other side?

[reuben]

If anybody has problems connecting, and are running Firestarter, try running GuardDog instead. Open PPTP and VPN in the internet zone.