--- title: "Import OpenVPN file with Network Manager or Linux" slug: "import-openvpn-file-with-network-manager-or-linux" updated: 2023-11-30T23:48:17Z published: 2023-11-30T23:48:17Z --- > ## Documentation Index > Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.imat.io/llms.txt > Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further. # Import OpenVPN file with NetworkManager or Linux This page explains how to import the .opvn (OpenVPN config) file using a GUI or Command Line Interface (CLI) method in Linux. | | Tutorial Details | | --- | --- | | Difficulty level | Easy | | Requirements | Root privilegesLinux terminalNetwork Manager | | OS compatibility | Alma • Alpine • Arch • CentOS • Debian • Fedora • Linux • macOS • Mint • openSUSE • Pop!_OS • RHEL • Rocky • Stream • SUSE • Ubuntu | ## Install OpenVPN Plugin Type the following `apt-get` command or `apt` command to install the Gnome NetworkManager OpenVPN plugin under Debian or Ubuntu Linux. For example: `$ sudo apt install network-manager-openvpn-gnome openvpn-systemd-resolved` Sample output: ``` Reading package lists... Done Building dependency tree Reading state information... Done The following additional packages will be installed: libnm-glib-vpn1 libnss-resolve libpkcs11-helper1 network-manager-openvpn openvpn Suggested packages: resolvconf easy-rsa The following NEW packages will be installed: libnm-glib-vpn1 libnss-resolve libpkcs11-helper1 network-manager-openvpn network-manager-openvpn-gnome openvpn openvpn-systemd-resolved 0 upgraded, 7 newly installed, 0 to remove and 0 not upgraded. Need to get 747 kB of archives. After this operation, 2,345 kB of additional disk space will be used. Do you want to continue? [Y/n] y Get:1 http://in.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu artful/main amd64 libnm-glib-vpn1 amd64 1.8.4-1ubuntu3 [13.8 kB] Get:2 http://in.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu artful/universe amd64 libnss-resolve amd64 234-2ubuntu12 [110 kB] Get:3 http://in.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu artful/main amd64 libpkcs11-helper1 amd64 1.22-2 [44.2 kB] Get:4 http://in.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu artful/main amd64 openvpn amd64 2.4.3-4ubuntu1 [469 kB] Get:5 http://in.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu artful/main amd64 network-manager-openvpn amd64 1.2.10-0ubuntu2 [30.6 kB] Get:6 http://in.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu artful/universe amd64 network-manager-openvpn-gnome amd64 1.2.10-0ubuntu2 [71.0 kB] Get:7 http://in.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu artful/universe amd64 openvpn-systemd-resolved amd64 1.2.6-1 [8,626 B] Fetched 747 kB in 3s (206 kB/s) Preconfiguring packages … Selecting previously unselected package libnm-glib-vpn1:amd64. (Reading database ... 197667 files and directories currently installed.) Preparing to unpack .../0-libnm-glib-vpn1_1.8.4-1ubuntu3_amd64.deb … Unpacking libnm-glib-vpn1:amd64 (1.8.4-1ubuntu3) … Selecting previously unselected package libnss-resolve:amd64. Preparing to unpack .../1-libnss-resolve_234-2ubuntu12_amd64.deb … Unpacking libnss-resolve:amd64 (234-2ubuntu12) … Selecting previously unselected package libpkcs11-helper1:amd64. Preparing to unpack .../2-libpkcs11-helper1_1.22-2_amd64.deb … Unpacking libpkcs11-helper1:amd64 (1.22-2) … Selecting previously unselected package openvpn. Preparing to unpack .../3-openvpn_2.4.3-4ubuntu1_amd64.deb … Unpacking openvpn (2.4.3-4ubuntu1) … Selecting previously unselected package network-manager-openvpn. Preparing to unpack .../4-network-manager-openvpn_1.2.10-0ubuntu2_amd64.deb … Unpacking network-manager-openvpn (1.2.10-0ubuntu2) … Selecting previously unselected package network-manager-openvpn-gnome. Preparing to unpack .../5-network-manager-openvpn-gnome_1.2.10-0ubuntu2_amd64.deb … Unpacking network-manager-openvpn-gnome (1.2.10-0ubuntu2) … Selecting previously unselected package openvpn-systemd-resolved. Preparing to unpack .../6-openvpn-systemd-resolved_1.2.6-1_amd64.deb … Unpacking openvpn-systemd-resolved (1.2.6-1) … Setting up libnm-glib-vpn1:amd64 (1.8.4-1ubuntu3) … Processing triggers for ureadahead (0.100.0-20) … Setting up libpkcs11-helper1:amd64 (1.22-2) … Setting up openvpn (2.4.3-4ubuntu1) … Processing triggers for libc-bin (2.26-0ubuntu2) … Processing triggers for systemd (234-2ubuntu12) … Setting up libnss-resolve:amd64 (234-2ubuntu12) … First installation detected… Checking NSS setup… Processing triggers for man-db (2.7.6.1-2) … Processing triggers for dbus (1.10.22-1ubuntu1) … Setting up openvpn-systemd-resolved (1.2.6-1) … Setting up network-manager-openvpn (1.2.10-0ubuntu2) … Setting up network-manager-openvpn-gnome (1.2.10-0ubuntu2) … Processing triggers for libc-bin (2.26-0ubuntu2) ... ``` For RHEL/CentOS and co use the `dnf` command/`yum` command to install openvpn including network-manager-openvpn-gnome packages. ## Method 1—Import OpenVPN config file from command line with NetworkManager Open the Terminal application. The syntax is: `$ sudo nmcli connection import type openvpn file /path/to/your.ovpn` For example: `$ sudo nmcli connection import type openvpn file /home/vivek/ubuntu16.04LTS.ovpn` Sample outputs: `Connection 'ubuntu16.04LTS' (989b8c5a-0851-48ae-813c-c74eb593014d) successfully added.` Your connection is called ‘ubuntu16.04LTS’ and to make connection to the OpenVPN server, run: `$ nmcli connection up ubuntu16.04LTS` Sample outputs: `Connection successfully activated (D-Bus active path: /org/freedesktop/NetworkManager/ActiveConnection/27)` To see OpenVPN connection details: `$ nmcli connection show ubuntu16.04LTS` To see IPv4/IPv6 OpenVPN client IP and other info, run: ``` $ nmcli connection show ubuntu16.04LTS | egrep -i 'IP4|IPV6' $ nmcli connection show ubuntu16.04LTS | egrep -i 'IP4' Sample outputs: IP4.ADDRESS[1]: 10.8.0.8/24 IP4.GATEWAY: 10.8.0.1 IP4.DNS[1]: 10.8.0.1 ``` Verify it with the ping command i.e. send ping-pong requests to OpenVPN gateway: `$ ping -c 4 10.8.0.1` Sample outputs: ``` PING vpn (10.8.0.1) 56(84) bytes of data. 64 bytes from vpn (10.8.0.1): icmp_seq=1 ttl=64 time=288 ms 64 bytes from vpn (10.8.0.1): icmp_seq=2 ttl=64 time=279 ms 64 bytes from vpn (10.8.0.1): icmp_seq=3 ttl=64 time=172 ms 64 bytes from vpn (10.8.0.1): icmp_seq=4 ttl=64 time=77.5 ms --- vpn ping statistics — 4 packets transmitted, 4 received, 0% packet loss, time 3004ms rtt min/avg/max/mdev = 77.547/204.609/288.526/86.425 ms ``` ## Method 2—Import a .ovpn file with Network Manager GUI Open Network Manager from Gnome settings option and select **Network** tab and click on the **VPN +** symbol: ![image.png](https://cdn.document360.io/5bf5f14a-9e3f-48aa-a2b9-2be6d9100091/Images/Documentation/image%285%29.png) From the **Add VPN** windows, click on the **Import from file…** option: ![image.png](https://cdn.document360.io/5bf5f14a-9e3f-48aa-a2b9-2be6d9100091/Images/Documentation/image%286%29.png) Navigate to your .ovpn file (/home/vivek/ubuntu16.04LTS.ovpn) and click **Open**: ![image.png](https://cdn.document360.io/5bf5f14a-9e3f-48aa-a2b9-2be6d9100091/Images/Documentation/image%287%29.png) Click on the **Add** button: ![image.png](https://cdn.document360.io/5bf5f14a-9e3f-48aa-a2b9-2be6d9100091/Images/Documentation/image%288%29.png) Finally, click on off button to turn on the VPN: ![image.png](https://cdn.document360.io/5bf5f14a-9e3f-48aa-a2b9-2be6d9100091/Images/Documentation/image%289%29.png) If the connection stays on you should be connected to the VPN.