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DeltaBravo

Member

Registered: 2015-11-26

Posts: 7

VPN Secrets failure from NetworkManager

I attempted to create an OpenVPN connection using NetworkManager via nm-applet in XFCE (Arch up-to-date--core, extra, community, multilib).

I filled in "Connection name", "Gateway", "Type" (selected "Password"), "User name", and "Password"--all other variables are using defaults.

At this point I am unable to click the "Save" button--it is 'greyed out'.

Next I attempted to configure the tunnel via "Terminal Emulator" using nmcli:

$ nmcli c add type vpn ifname enp3s0 con-name TSG save yes vpn-type openvpn
Connection 'TSG' (2f973681-efe2-4ab0-9471-ce871353942e) successfully added.

Next I attempt to use the tunnel via nm-applet (VPN Connections > TSG):

VPN Connection Failed
The VPN conenction 'TSG' failed to start.
Creating object for path '/org/freedesktop/NetworkManager/ActiveConnection/5' failed in libnm-glib.

Next I attempt to edit the tunnel via nm-applet (Edit Connections... > Edit):

The settings dialogue appears briefly before being replaced by a new dialogue without a title containing:

Error initializing editor
User canceled [sic] the secrets request.

jasonwryan

Anarchist

From: .nz

Registered: 2009-05-09

Posts: 30,426

Website

Re: VPN Secrets failure from NetworkManager

Connect manually to debug your setup.

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DeltaBravo

Member

Registered: 2015-11-26

Posts: 7

Re: VPN Secrets failure from NetworkManager

I also found and attempted to implement the solutions contained at the following links without resolution:
https://bbs.archlinux.org/viewtopic.php?pid=1581484
http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=2239214

DeltaBravo

Member

Registered: 2015-11-26

Posts: 7

Re: VPN Secrets failure from NetworkManager

Is the following considered connecting manually? If not will you please specify more precisely what you mean?

$ nmcli c delete 2f973681-efe2-4ab0-9471-ce871353942e
Connection 'TSG' (2f973681-efe2-4ab0-9471-ce871353942e) successfully deleted.
$ nmcli c add type vpn ifname enp3s0 con-name TSG save yes vpn-type openvpn
Connection 'TSG' (1649d4b2-f181-428f-a0cc-db26d19c08b4) successfully added.
$ nmcli c up 1649d4b2-f181-428f-a0cc-db26d19c08b4
Error: Connection activation failed: Active connection removed before it was initialized

jasonwryan

Anarchist

From: .nz

Registered: 2009-05-09

Posts: 30,426

Website

Re: VPN Secrets failure from NetworkManager

No, I mean bypassing NM entirely: https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Op … figuration

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DeltaBravo

Member

Registered: 2015-11-26

Posts: 7

Re: VPN Secrets failure from NetworkManager

Hmm...of course I need to create a seperate configuration now in order to test in this way. I have attempted to do so however I am not sure how to create a configuration without setting the certificate properties (The network I am attempting to access uses "Password" not "Certificate" or "Certificate & Password").

Although I can understand that I may have configuration errors in my VPN I feel that nm-applet being unable to create an OpenVPN connection, and also nm-applet being unable to edit an OpenVPN connection, are issues seperate from any specific tunnel configurations.

jasonwryan

Anarchist

From: .nz

Registered: 2009-05-09

Posts: 30,426

Website

Re: VPN Secrets failure from NetworkManager

I don't use NM, but it is just a front end to OpenVPN (when it is dealing with VPNs). So it makes sense to remove a layer of complexity/abstraction when testing or debugging.

Setting up a conf file is no big deal, but it is your call.

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DeltaBravo

Member

Registered: 2015-11-26

Posts: 7

Re: VPN Secrets failure from NetworkManager

When I attempted this process yesterday I was getting the following error from nm-applet:

The VPN connection 'TSG' failed because there where no valid VPN secrets.

Today I updated Arch again (below is /var/log/pacman.log):

[2015-11-26 18:25] [PACMAN] Running 'pacman -Syu'
[2015-11-26 18:25] [PACMAN] synchronizing package lists
[2015-11-26 18:25] [PACMAN] starting full system upgrade
[2015-11-26 18:31] [ALPM] transaction started
[2015-11-26 18:31] [ALPM] upgraded libdbus (1.10.2-1 -> 1.10.4-1)
[2015-11-26 18:31] [ALPM] upgraded dbus (1.10.2-1 -> 1.10.4-1)
[2015-11-26 18:31] [ALPM] upgraded glib2 (2.46.2-1 -> 2.46.2-2)
[2015-11-26 18:31] [ALPM] transaction completed

Since this I get the error listed in my original post instead:

VPN Connection Failed
The VPN conenction 'TSG' failed to start.
Creating object for path '/org/freedesktop/NetworkManager/ActiveConnection/5' failed in libnm-glib.

DeltaBravo

Member

Registered: 2015-11-26

Posts: 7

Re: VPN Secrets failure from NetworkManager

While it may simply use OpenVPN it does not store the configuration in the location suggested by the article you linked (/etc/openvpn/client.conf was not present).

We are removing one layer of abstraction and adding in all the potential errors I could make while manualy configuring. Considering that I use NM rather than manually configuring the VPN implies that my knowledge of the configuration process may be less than ideal. Despite this, as I mentioned, I did attempt to configure OpenVPN manually however I was unable to do so sucessfully.

It is clear that there are some issues with NetworkManager, and nm-applet, regarding OpenVPN. If I knew enough to resolve this issue for myself I would be willing to help improve these shortcommings but as it stands I am not able to do so.

Thank you for your time.