Eddie (or other) VPN client

[Member DaveW]

I run Antix17, 32 bit. In the past, when traveling, I have used AirVPN with their Eddie client. I’m interested in visiting a country where they have no servers.
Versions of the Eddie client are available for use with other VPN providers. For that reason, MX-Linux has Eddie in their repository. However, I have not found any guide for setting the client up with other providers.

I have looked at several other VPN providers. A few have Linux GUI apps. But most seem to require systemd. Some providers also have CLI apps. Most accommodate OpenVPN via Network Manager. (I would like to avoid NM.) The OpenVPN arrangements are somewhat feature limited, compared to the apps (more difficult to select country, protocol, etc.).

Is there a guide for using Eddie with other VPN providers?

Is there a provider that has a client compatible with Antix17 32 bit? (I tried the PIA VPN linux legacy (v.82) client. It installed nicely, but was problematic. I also had trouble running their config files with OpenVPN.)

• This topic was modified 3 years, 2 months ago by DaveW.

[Member mroot]

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I don’t use any of the clients you mentioned. However, Opera has a built in VPN. I do use it on a regular basis. I am using antiX 19 but it should be available in antix 17’s package installer. However, I don’t think a 32bit version is still available.

[Member DaveW]

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mroot,
I appreciate your reply and suggestion. I have also found that a few VPN providers offer Firefox browser add-ons for their service (even free service). According to what I understand, One negative regarding a browser based VPN is that, while it may adequately protect browsing and webmail access, it does not protect every network activity (eg., separate programs for email, programs that call home to check for software updates, etc.). In order to protect everything, the VPN client needs to be running as root (which is not where you want to run a browser).

Since my original post, I’ve experimented with the Eddie client, and stumbled on some others. Once I get things working, I’ll probably report on what works for me.

To minimize duplication, I probably should have posted in this thread: https://www.antixforum.com/forums/topic/vpn/
Perhaps that’s where I’ll deposit my findings, later.

Thank you!

[Member mroot]

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Yea opera isn’t a perfect solution unfortunately but it is adequate for me as far as home use. Hopefully, someone else with more VPN experience can chime in with a solution that would work better for you. Thank you for offering to report on what ends working for you. Like many others I have become more concerned with security and privacy these last few years and like to hear about others experiences.

[Member armando]

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(my post was deleted, again. but now i know why. is because I edited to many times too fast, past 3 times in a row)
This not answer your question but, I’m going to tell you what I do.

I use windscribe VPN (15GB FREE), I use his extension in the browser.

Windscribe has a linux client for debian 10, ubuntu, fedora, centos, but I don’t use it, I don’t know if depends on systemd. Never tried.

Mainly because I deny outgoing , incoming and foward traffic by default for all programs with ufw.

I create a group named internet that I use for trusted programs like.. qbittorrent, uget, chrome or [insert your browser here].

—– if you are interested or curious here are the easy steps.
As sudo:

I think this is mandatory first:

update-alternatives --set iptables /usr/sbin/iptables-legacy
update-alternatives --set ip6tables /usr/sbin/ip6tables-legacy

then:

apt install ufw
ufw default deny incoming
ufw default deny outgoing
ufw logging off   #optional, i dont like logs, if something's not working google is the solution lol
ufw enable

groupadd internet
usermod -a -G internet $USER

#add to /etc/rc.local this:
iptables -I OUTPUT 1 -m owner --gid-owner internet -j ACCEPT

chmod +x /etc/rc.local

And thats it. you run your Internet programs as normal user like:

sg internet -c "chrome"
sg internet -c "ping google"
sg internet -c "qbittorrent"

—
Oh one last thing, for some reason apt doesn’t work with:

sg internet -c "apt install x"
sg internet -c "apt update"

I believe its because create a child process or something, if someone know why that would be awsome.

The workarround that i always use is:

sudo ufw disable
sudo apt mybusinesshere
sudo ufw enable

In a function in .bashrc. You can doit manual.

• This reply was modified 3 years, 2 months ago by armando.
• This reply was modified 3 years, 2 months ago by armando.

[Member DaveW]

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(This is the third time that I am submitting this post. The previous 2 were in the thread titled “VPN”. Once submitted, they disappeared. So, I am trying again, here. Forgive me for duplication. I’m getting a bit frustrated with vanishing posts.)

As noted previously, I’m having trouble connecting to commercial VPN servers.

Experiments with VPNs… (my system: Antix 17, 32 bit, with firejail and apparmor, Firefox-esr, Thunderbird)

AirVPN works with Eddie-ui (a gui openvpn client) v.2.16.3 and v.2.18.7 (the latter is also supposed to work with other vpn providers).
These apps were installed via Synaptic from…
for v.2.16.3 — deb http://eddie.website/repository/apt/ stable main
for v.2.18.7 — deb http://eddie.website/repository/apt/ testing main

Using the Eddie client, AirVPN connects rapidly to any of its servers. A browser (opened outside of firejail) shows a new IP address. However, a browser opened inside of firejail has no internet connection. Why not?

Cyberghost and zoogvpn… Neither will connect via Eddie, although the dialogue looks promising to start with. When connection fails, Eddie moves on to another server in the list. When it gets to an AirVPN server, it connects.

Using openvpn directly…
From root terminal, with vpn provider’s credentials and config (or .ovpn) files in /etc/openvpn…

cd /etc/openvpn
 ls # for list of config files in directory
 openvpn --config DesiredServerName.ovpn

Zoogvpn (free subscription) authorization fails.
Cyberghost… appears to connect, but browser does not recognize the connection (even with restart). Here are the last few lines of the terminal dialogue.

Sat Feb 29 13:53:02 2020 us=256695 /sbin/ip route add 91.214.64.163/32 via 192.168.227.1
Sat Feb 29 13:53:02 2020 us=259062 /sbin/ip route add 0.0.0.0/1 via 10.253.203.233
Sat Feb 29 13:53:02 2020 us=261259 /sbin/ip route add 128.0.0.0/1 via 10.253.203.233
Sat Feb 29 13:53:02 2020 us=263526 /sbin/ip route add 10.253.200.1/32 via 10.253.203.233
Sat Feb 29 13:53:02 2020 us=265618 Initialization Sequence Completed

If the VPN is actually up, browsers don’t connect to it. Does ceni and/or wicd need to be configured in some way?

VPNsecure.me
This company has a proprietary app (32 bit, Linux Debian) which installed on my system (with minor difficulty). Initially, it failed to connect, due to an unrecognized command in a company provided config file. Their rep said problem was due to a buggy openvpn version (2.4.0). After upgrading to v. 2.4.4 (from Synaptic repo: deb http://iso.mxrepo.com/antix/testing/testing nonfree nosystemd main), the same problem continued. (AirVPN worked with either version of openvpn. The newer version did not bring successful connections to cyberghost, zoogvpn, or vpnsecure.me)

I commented out the offending line, in their config file. After restart of app, it declared “Connected.” However, my browsers did not recognize the connection. Their “ip check” button opens another browser, which also could not find the internet connection. I sent a logfile to them, but no answer, yet.

Thinking that the Eddie client could be interfering with openvpn for other providers, I uninstalled it. However, the problems with other providers persist (openvpn direct connection doesn’t happen). So, I’ll probably re-install Eddie, since so far, AirVPN actually works for me.

But even for that, I don’t know how to make a firejailed browser use the vpn connection.

[Member DaveW]

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armando,
Thanks for your suggestions.

I have submitted a certain post 3 times (twice in the “VPN” thread), and once here. Unfortunately, each attempt has vanished. It’s hard to get help, when comments and questions evaporate. I guess I’ll give up, until someone finds a cure.

[Member armando]

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I just tested windscribe and it runs without issue. It’s for debian 8,9,10, a lot of versions of Ubuntu, fedora 22+ and centos6+, at the moment. 32bits and 64bits.

the instructions are pretty easy too: https://windscribe.com/guides/linux

usage:

.

• This reply was modified 3 years, 2 months ago by armando.
• This reply was modified 3 years, 2 months ago by armando.
• This reply was modified 3 years, 2 months ago by armando.

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[Member DaveW]

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armando,
Your animated Windscribe demo was very impressive. Thanks for the suggestion. I see that they offer software downloads for Debian 8 (Jessie), Debian 9 (Stretch), and Debian 10 (Buster). When you click on the button for Debian 10, the three options appear. That may be well worth investigating further.

As for my disappearing posts. I’m going to attempt breaking it up, into 2 posts rather than one. Well, I attempted, but because the first half disappeared, I gave up on the second half. Total frustration!!!

Perhaps a very brief overview will do. For me, Eddie-ui client works very nicely on AirVPN. There are 2 versions. The stable version (2.16.3) and the experimental version (2.18.7). The latter is made to accommodate connecting to other VPN providers. I have tried a couple, but have not been successful.

I have also tried direct connection via: “openvpn –config ServerName.ovpn”
It seems to connect to one of the providers, but the browser can’t find the connection. Perhaps there are settings in ceni or wicd that are not configured right.

On AirVPN with Eddie, a browser (running outside of firejail) works fine with the new vpn IP. But a firejailed browser has no internet connection. No doubt something else is misconfigured.

• This reply was modified 3 years, 2 months ago by DaveW.
• This reply was modified 3 years, 2 months ago by DaveW.

[Member DaveW]

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As noted previously, I’m having trouble connecting to commercial VPN servers.

Experiments with VPNs… (my system: Antix 17, 32 bit, with firejail and apparmor, Firefox-esr, Thunderbird)

AirVPN works with Eddie-ui (a gui openvpn client) v.2.16.3 and v.2.18.7 (the latter is also supposed to work with other vpn providers).
These apps were installed via Synaptic from…
for v.2.16.3 — deb http://eddie.website/repository/apt/ stable main
for v.2.18.7 — deb http://eddie.website/repository/apt/ testing main

Using the Eddie client, AirVPN connects rapidly to any of its servers. A browser (opened outside of firejail) shows a new IP address. However, a browser opened inside of firejail has no internet connection. Why not?

Cyberghost and zoogvpn… Neither will connect via Eddie, although the dialogue looks promising to start with. When connection fails, Eddie moves on to another server in the list. When it gets to an AirVPN server, it connects.

Using openvpn directly…
From root terminal, with vpn provider’s credentials and config (or .ovpn) files in /etc/openvpn…

cd /etc/openvpn
 ls # for list of config files in directory
 openvpn --config DesiredServerName.ovpn

Zoogvpn (free subscription) authorization fails.
Cyberghost… (see next post) [Edit: The ‘next post’ was never submitted, because this post disappeared upon submission, and did not resurface for a day or two. Sorry.]

• This reply was modified 3 years, 2 months ago by Brian Masinick.
• This reply was modified 3 years, 2 months ago by DaveW.

[Member DaveW]

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As noted previously, I’m having trouble connecting to commercial VPN servers.

Experiments with VPNs… (my system: Antix 17, 32 bit, with firejail and apparmor, Firefox-esr, Thunderbird)

AirVPN works with Eddie-ui (a gui openvpn client) v.2.16.3 and v.2.18.7 (the latter is also supposed to work with other vpn providers).
These apps were installed via Synaptic from… eddie.website/repository/apt/
for v.2.16.3 — is in stable main
for v.2.18.7 (considered experimental) — is in testing main

Using the Eddie client, AirVPN connects rapidly to any of its servers. A browser (opened outside of firejail) shows a new IP address. However, a browser opened inside of firejail has no internet connection. Why not?

Cyberghost and zoogvpn… Neither will connect via Eddie, although the dialogue looks promising to start with. When connection fails, Eddie moves on to another server in the list. When it gets to an AirVPN server, it connects.

Using openvpn directly…
From root terminal, with vpn provider’s credentials and config (or .ovpn) files in /etc/openvpn…

cd /etc/openvpn
ls # for list of config files in directory
openvpn –config DesiredServerName.ovpn

Zoogvpn (free subscription) authorization fails.
Cyberghost… (see next post)

[Member armando]

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@DaveW It’s true, I get distracted very easily, I never pay attention to details.

Anyway, you can try it for free, even without email they give you some data. With email they give you 10GB, and If you tweet from the website, they grant you 5GB more. That’s 15Gb monthly.

The installation is pretty straightforward, but at the moment of adding the key I had to add write and read permissions recursively to ~/.gnupg/, that’s all the trouble I had.

• This reply was modified 3 years, 2 months ago by armando.

[Member DaveW]

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armando,
I installed the Windscribe cli program. (Actually, it was already in the Antix repository.)
It works well. At the moment, I’m using the limited free access. But the paid “Pro” service includes servers in countries of interest.

Comparing AirVPN and Windscribe (using USA or Canadian servers on both), AirVPN seems to be a little faster. But I’m sure that is variable, depending on server load, location and routing.

The Eddie-ui client with AirVPN (I went back to the “stable” v. 2.16.3) has some features which are lacking in the Windscribe program. Eddie provides a list of all available servers, with continually updated graphical presentation of latency, load, and speed. This allows the user to make an intelligent choice. However, with both Eddie and Windscribe, the software will automatically choose the best server, if you tell it to.

Now, the remaining issue (with both Eddie and Windscribe) is how to tell a firejailed browser to use the VPN. Otherwise, outside of firejail, browser and email programs connect via the VPN without difficulty.

Thank you for your helpful suggestions!

[Moderator Brian Masinick]

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I found 3 “hidden” posts so I “unhid them. Hope this helps.
I don’t know what’s wrong with the forum either; I have unhidden other people’s entries.
I guess we’ll have to ask our moderators to be on the lookout for this until a remedy is found.

--
Brian Masinick

[Member DaveW]

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Hello ‘masinick,’

I read your post in my email inbox, as follows:

masinick wrote:

I found 3 “hidden” posts so I “unhid them. Hope this helps.
I don’t know what’s wrong with the forum either; I have unhidden other people’s entries.
I guess we’ll have to ask our moderators to be on the lookout for this until a remedy is found.

Post Link: https://www.antixforum.com/forums/topic/eddie-or-other-vpn-client/page/2/?view=all#post-33255

Then, I went to the website and clicked on the thread name (in recent posts). A message came up saying ‘you must be logged in before editing this page’ followed by spaces for username and password. But none of the posts in the thread were visible.

After signing in, it was still not possible to view those posts. But I was presented with this opportunity to reply. So, if you can read this… there is something strange going on, beyond individual vanishing posts.

Thanks for looking into it.

EDIT: Having made this post, the other posts (including the hidden ones that you mentioned) have reappeared.

• This reply was modified 3 years, 2 months ago by DaveW.

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