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→Step #2: Actually Setting Up the VPN Connection
=Setting Up up the OpenVPN client Under Ubuntu 10.04 = Installing on 10.04 is similar as below, however, there is a known issue in 10.04 where you put in the settings and after closing the dialogs, the edit dialog has all the certificate filenames replaced with directories from a folder and the custom port checkbox is now unchecked. The suggestion for Amahi Server 10.04 is to try moving those files into a different folder. (e.g. to the Downloads folder). Another folder name, such as "VPN," should probably work fine. If that still doesn't work, try removing the connection and re-do the whole sequence, except point the dialog to the ones in that new folder. =Setting up the OpenVPN client Under Ubuntu 9.10=
Not everyone feels comfortable working from the Linux CLI ('''C'''ommand '''L'''ine '''I'''nterface), and so the alternate set-up instructions for connecting to Amahi's OpenVPN service might seem a bit intimidating to some. Here is a step-by-step tutorial explaining how to get VPN ('''V'''irtual '''P'''rivate '''N'''etworking) running under a GUI ('''G'''raphical '''U'''ser '''I'''nterface) in Ubuntu 9.10, a distribution of Linux.
==STEP Step #2: Actually Setting Up the VPN Connection==
Before we proceed, take note of several things:
# You must download the certificates. They can be found on the [[OpenVPN Client Certificates]] download page. Save each file in your '''/home/[username]''' folder (where "[username]" is your main log-in username).<br/><br/>
# The actual VPN connection must be made from OUTSIDE your home network. You can't test your VPN setup (which presumes, like “E.T.,” that you're trying to “home phone” from somewhere else) if you're still INSIDE your home network. In my case, I explained to my patient neighbors what I needed to do and got permission from them to connect to their Wi-Fi router. (It helped the situation that I've helped fix and de-louse their computer on numerous occaisions.) Thus I could test this while at home, but still be “away” as far as the network was concerned.
All right. You have the files on your hard drive, and you and your laptop are somewhere else (perhaps quaffing a latte at Starbucks or increasing your cholesterol at McDonalds) and you're ready to set up your VPN connection. Here are the steps:
Your Amahi name forms the first part of your Gateway name: '''[Amahiname].yourhda.com'''. Although it's not my real gateway name, for the purposes of this tutorial, I have given a tip of the hat to Isaac Asimov and his Foundation Trilogy. Now provide your hda username and user password. If there's more than one computer user at home, there are probably more than one of these. (This is NOT your overall Amahi .org account name and password.) I've used HariSeldon in this example and, by checking “Display Passwords” below, I've demonstrated that you don't have to “type in dark” when it comes to your password. (Five bonus points are awarded if you know who R. Dos Venabili is, and TEN extra points are awarded if you know what the abbreviation “R.” stands for.)
Of course, the “proof of the pudding” is whether or not you can pull up your Amahi server in a browser window by typing “[['''http://hda/]]'''”:
[[File:Vpn-24.png|center|The Amahi server dashboard page – via your VPN connection!|800px]]
Once you see that, you ''know'' you're in. Congratulations!
If this doesn't work for you, posting questions about what I've written is relatively useless, because: # I'm a relative newcomer to Linux and Ubuntu.# I'm even newer to Amahi.# Stuff like OpenVPN is pretty much over my head. Maybe I just got lucky, but I was able to get “lucky” the same way on two different Ubuntu laptops in the last two days, one running version 9.10 and the other running 9[http://forums.04amahi. (Admittedly, the graphics in 9.04 are “prettier,” but I wanted to use 9.10 in this tutorial so it wouldn't get “outdated” so quickly.)org Amahi forums] This tutorial is my first real contribution to the Open Source community. If you find things which need to be corrected or ways in which this tutorial can be improved, jump in and make it better. (This is a wiki, after all.) Maybe you, too, will wind up making the first of many contributions the Open Source community.[[Category: VPN]]
