Ubuntu 18.04 Network-Manager-OpenVPN won't connected, worked in 17.10, 17.04

[David Ing]

Under Kubuntu 18.04 and Ubuntu 18.04 (both installed multiboot on a Thinkpad X230T), OpenVPN won't connect to a host that worked under Kubuntu 17.10 and 17.04. This host continues to be accessible under Deepin Linux.

Here is a log from today's attempt on Kubuntu 18.04.

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$ grep VPN /var/log/syslog
May 18 12:19:28 mycomputer systemd[1]: Stopped OpenVPN service.
May 18 12:20:02 mycomputer systemd[1]: Starting OpenVPN service...
May 18 12:20:02 mycomputer systemd[1]: Started OpenVPN service.
May 18 12:22:19 mycomputer NetworkManager[819]: <info> [1526660539.0028] vpn-connection[0x55b11e5a01a0,d5e7329e-1444-4c96-a4b6-12d4d9e3130b,"UTORvpn",0]: Started the VPN service, PID 3113
May 18 12:22:19 mycomputer NetworkManager[819]: <info> [1526660539.2667] vpn-connection[0x55b11e5a01a0,d5e7329e-1444-4c96-a4b6-12d4d9e3130b,"UTORvpn",0]: VPN plugin: state changed: starting (3)
May 18 12:22:19 mycomputer nm-openvpn[3116]: OpenVPN 2.4.4 x86_64-pc-linux-gnu [SSL (OpenSSL)] [LZO] [LZ4] [EPOLL] [PKCS11] [MH/PKTINFO] [AEAD] built on Feb 10 2018
May 18 12:22:19 mycomputer NetworkManager[819]: <warn> [1526660539.5365] vpn-connection[0x55b11e5a01a0,d5e7329e-1444-4c96-a4b6-12d4d9e3130b,"UTORvpn",0]: VPN plugin: failed: connect-failed (1)
May 18 12:22:19 mycomputer NetworkManager[819]: <warn> [1526660539.5365] vpn-connection[0x55b11e5a01a0,d5e7329e-1444-4c96-a4b6-12d4d9e3130b,"UTORvpn",0]: VPN plugin: failed: connect-failed (1)
May 18 12:22:19 mycomputer NetworkManager[819]: <info> [1526660539.5370] vpn-connection[0x55b11e5a01a0,d5e7329e-1444-4c96-a4b6-12d4d9e3130b,"UTORvpn",0]: VPN plugin: state changed: stopping (5)
May 18 12:22:19 mycomputer NetworkManager[819]: <info> [1526660539.5381] vpn-connection[0x55b11e5a01a0,d5e7329e-1444-4c96-a4b6-12d4d9e3130b,"UTORvpn",0]: VPN plugin: state changed: stopped (6)
May 18 12:22:19 mycomputer NetworkManager[819]: <info> [1526660539.5396] vpn-connection[0x55b11e5a01a0,d5e7329e-1444-4c96-a4b6-12d4d9e3130b,"UTORvpn",0]: VPN service disappeared

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Just in case it's not included from the ubuntu-bug network-manager-openvpn

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$ lsb_release -rd
Description: Ubuntu 18.04 LTS
Release: 18.04

$ apt-cache policy network-manager-openvpn
network-manager-openvpn:
  Installed: 1.8.2-1
  Candidate: 1.8.2-1
  Version table:
 *** 1.8.2-1 500
        500 http://ca.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu bionic/main amd64 Packages
        100 /var/lib/dpkg/status

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And here's the results of an attempt on Ubuntu 18.04 a few days ago.

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daviding@mycomputer:~$ grep VPN /var/log/syslog
May 16 13:09:38 mycomputer NetworkManager[935]: <info> [1526490578.0785] keyfile: add connection /etc/NetworkManager/system-connections/UTorVPN (0a3eb80f-80ab-4ffd-81e5-7370c7ceedb6,"UTorVPN")
May 16 13:09:38 mycomputer NetworkManager[935]: <info> [1526490578.0794] audit: op="connection-add" uuid="0a3eb80f-80ab-4ffd-81e5-7370c7ceedb6" name="UTorVPN" pid=3635 uid=1000 result="success"
May 16 13:11:11 mycomputer gnome-shell[2018]: VPN plugin at /usr/lib/NetworkManager/nm-openvpn-auth-dialog is not executable
May 16 13:11:11 mycomputer gnome-shell[2018]: Invalid VPN service type (cannot find authentication binary)
May 16 13:11:42 mycomputer NetworkManager[935]: <info> [1526490702.3080] audit: op="connection-activate" uuid="0a3eb80f-80ab-4ffd-81e5-7370c7ceedb6" name="UTorVPN" pid=3635 uid=1000 result="success"
May 16 13:11:42 mycomputer NetworkManager[935]: <info> [1526490702.3167] vpn-connection[0x561cde5941c0,0a3eb80f-80ab-4ffd-81e5-7370c7ceedb6,"UTorVPN",0]: Started the VPN service, PID 5807
May 16 13:11:42 mycomputer NetworkManager[935]: <info> [1526490702.3231] vpn-connection[0x561cde5941c0,0a3eb80f-80ab-4ffd-81e5-7370c7ceedb6,"UTorVPN",0]: Saw the service appear; activating connection
May 16 13:11:42 mycomputer NetworkManager[935]: <error> [1526490702.3286] vpn-connection[0x561cde5941c0,0a3eb80f-80ab-4ffd-81e5-7370c7ceedb6,"UTorVPN",0]: plugin NeedSecrets request #1 failed: Invalid connection type.
May 16 13:11:42 mycomputer NetworkManager[935]: <info> [1526490702.3361] vpn-connection[0x561cde5941c0,0a3eb80f-80ab-4ffd-81e5-7370c7ceedb6,"UTorVPN",0]: VPN service disappeared
May 16 13:11:43 mycomputer NetworkManager[935]: <info> [1526490703.3431] audit: op="connection-activate"H uuid="0a3eb80f-80ab-4ffd-81e5-7370c7ceedb6" name="UTorVPN" pid=3635 uid=1000 result="success"
May 16 13:11:43 mycomputer NetworkManager[935]: <info> [1526490703.3499] vpn-connection[0x561cde5943c0,0a3eb80f-80ab-4ffd-81e5-7370c7ceedb6,"UTorVPN",0]: Started the VPN service, PID 5813
May 16 13:11:43 mycomputer NetworkManager[935]: <info> [1526490703.3626] vpn-connection[0x561cde5943c0,0a3eb80f-80ab-4ffd-81e5-7370c7ceedb6,"UTorVPN",0]: Saw the service appear; activating connection
May 16 13:11:43 mycomputer NetworkManager[935]: <error> [1526490703.3675] vpn-connection[0x561cde5943c0,0a3eb80f-80ab-4ffd-81e5-7370c7ceedb6,"UTorVPN",0]: plugin NeedSecrets request #1 failed: Invalid connection type.
May 16 13:11:43 mycomputer NetworkManager[935]: <info> [1526490703.3760] vpn-connection[0x561cde5943c0,0a3eb80f-80ab-4ffd-81e5-7370c7ceedb6,"UTorVPN",0]: VPN service disappeared
May 16 13:11:49 mycomputer gnome-shell[2018]: Invalid VPN service type (cannot find authentication binary)
May 16 13:11:55 mycomputer NetworkManager[935]: <info> [1526490715.0587] settings-connection[0x561cde41d5a0,0a3eb80f-80ab-4ffd-81e5-7370c7ceedb6]: write: successfully updated (keyfile: update /etc/NetworkManager/system-connections/UTorVPN (0a3eb80f-80ab-4ffd-81e5-7370c7ceedb6,"UTorVPN"))
May 16 13:11:55 mycomputer NetworkManager[935]: <info> [1526490715.0595] audit: op="connection-update" uuid="0a3eb80f-80ab-4ffd-81e5-7370c7ceedb6" name="UTorVPN" args="connection.permissions" pid=3635 uid=1000 result="success"
May 16 13:11:58 mycomputer gnome-shell[2018]: Invalid VPN service type (cannot find authentication binary)
May 16 13:13:33 mycomputer gnome-shell[2018]: Invalid VPN service type (cannot find authentication binary)
May 16 13:16:09 mycomputer NetworkManager[935]: <info> [1526490969.5508] settings-connection[0x561cde41d5a0,0a3eb80f-80ab-4ffd-81e5-7370c7ceedb6]: write: successfully updated (keyfile: update /etc/NetworkManager/system-connections/UTorVPN (0a3eb80f-80ab-4ffd-81e5-7370c7ceedb6,"UTorVPN")), connection was modified in the process
May 16 13:16:09 mycomputer NetworkManager[935]: <info> [1526490969.5513] audit: op="connection-update" uuid="0a3eb80f-80ab-4ffd-81e5-7370c7ceedb6" name="UTorVPN" args="vpn.data,vpn.secrets" pid=3635 uid=1000 result="success"
May 16 13:16:13 mycomputer NetworkManager[935]: <info> [1526490973.7364] audit: op="connection-activate" uuid="0a3eb80f-80ab-4ffd-81e5-7370c7ceedb6" name="UTorVPN" pid=3635 uid=1000 result="success"
May 16 13:16:13 mycomputer NetworkManager[935]: <info> [1526490973.7459] vpn-connection[0x561cde5945c0,0a3eb80f-80ab-4ffd-81e5-7370c7ceedb6,"UTorVPN",0]: Started the VPN service, PID 7006
May 16 13:16:13 mycomputer NetworkManager[935]: <info> [1526490973.7522] vpn-connection[0x561cde5945c0,0a3eb80f-80ab-4ffd-81e5-7370c7ceedb6,"UTorVPN",0]: Saw the service appear; activating connection
May 16 13:16:14 mycomputer gnome-shell[2018]: Invalid VPN service type (cannot find authentication binary)
May 16 13:16:15 mycomputer gnome-shell[2018]: Invalid VPN service type (cannot find authentication binary)
May 16 13:16:15 mycomputer NetworkManager[935]: <error> [1526490975.1594] vpn-connection[0x561cde5945c0,0a3eb80f-80ab-4ffd-81e5-7370c7ceedb6,"UTorVPN",0]: Failed to request VPN secrets #3: No agents were available for this request.
May 16 13:16:15 mycomputer NetworkManager[935]: <info> [1526490975.1671] vpn-connection[0x561cde5945c0,0a3eb80f-80ab-4ffd-81e5-7370c7ceedb6,"UTorVPN",0]: VPN service disappeared
May 16 13:26:55 mycomputer gnome-shell[2018]: Invalid VPN service type (cannot find authentication binary)
May 16 13:29:15 mycomputer NetworkManager[935]: <info> [1526491755.1291] settings-connection[0x561cde41d5a0,0a3eb80f-80ab-4ffd-81e5-7370c7ceedb6]: write: successfully updated (keyfile: update /etc/NetworkManager/system-connections/UTorVPN (0a3eb80f-80ab-4ffd-81e5-7370c7ceedb6,"UTorVPN")), connection was modified in the process
May 16 13:29:15 mycomputer NetworkManager[935]: <info> [1526491755.1300] audit: op="connection-update" uuid="0a3eb80f-80ab-4ffd-81e5-7370c7ceedb6" name="UTorVPN" args="vpn.data,vpn.secrets" pid=3635 uid=1000 result="success"
May 16 13:29:19 mycomputer NetworkManager[935]: <info> [1526491759.7499] audit: op="connection-activate" uuid="0a3eb80f-80ab-4ffd-81e5-7370c7ceedb6" name="UTorVPN" pid=3635 uid=1000 result="success"
May 16 13:29:19 mycomputer NetworkManager[935]: <info> [1526491759.7591] vpn-connection[0x561cde5947c0,0a3eb80f-80ab-4ffd-81e5-7370c7ceedb6,"UTorVPN",0]: Started the VPN service, PID 7867
May 16 13:29:19 mycomputer NetworkManager[935]: <info> [1526491759.7656] vpn-connection[0x561cde5947c0,0a3eb80f-80ab-4ffd-81e5-7370c7ceedb6,"UTorVPN",0]: Saw the service appear; activating connection
May 16 13:29:19 mycomputer gnome-shell[2018]: Invalid VPN service type (cannot find authentication binary)
May 16 13:29:19 mycomputer gnome-shell[2018]: Invalid VPN service type (cannot find authentication binary)
May 16 13:29:19 mycomputer NetworkManager[935]: <error> [1526491759.8008] vpn-connection[0x561cde5947c0,0a3eb80f-80ab-4ffd-81e5-7370c7ceedb6,"UTorVPN",0]: Failed to request VPN secrets #3: No agents were available for this request.
May 16 13:29:19 mycomputer NetworkManager[935]: <info> [1526491759.8085] vpn-connection[0x561cde5947c0,0a3eb80f-80ab-4ffd-81e5-7370c7ceedb6,"UTorVPN",0]: VPN service disappeared
May 16 13:29:20 mycomputer NetworkManager[935]: <info> [1526491760.8346] audit: op="connection-activate" uuid="0a3eb80f-80ab-4ffd-81e5-7370c7ceedb6" name="UTorVPN" pid=3635 uid=1000 result="success"
May 16 13:29:20 mycomputer NetworkManager[935]: <info> [1526491760.8417] vpn-connection[0x561cde5947c0,0a3eb80f-80ab-4ffd-81e5-7370c7ceedb6,"UTorVPN",0]: Started the VPN service, PID 7871
May 16 13:29:20 mycomputer NetworkManager[935]: <info> [1526491760.8483] vpn-connection[0x561cde5947c0,0a3eb80f-80ab-4ffd-81e5-7370c7ceedb6,"UTorVPN",0]: Saw the service appear; activating connection
May 16 13:29:20 mycomputer gnome-shell[2018]: Invalid VPN service type (cannot find authentication binary)
May 16 13:29:20 mycomputer gnome-shell[2018]: Invalid VPN service type (cannot find authentication binary)
May 16 13:29:20 mycomputer NetworkManager[935]: <error> [1526491760.8809] vpn-connection[0x561cde5947c0,0a3eb80f-80ab-4ffd-81e5-7370c7ceedb6,"UTorVPN",0]: Failed to request VPN secrets #3: No agents were available for this request.
May 16 13:29:20 mycomputer NetworkManager[935]: <info> [1526491760.8825] vpn-connection[0x561cde5947c0,0a3eb80f-80ab-4ffd-81e5-7370c7ceedb6,"UTorVPN",0]: VPN plugin: state changed: stopped (6)
May 16 13:29:21 mycomputer NetworkManager[935]: <info> [1526491761.7819] audit: op="connection-activate" uuid="0a3eb80f-80ab-4ffd-81e5-7370c7ceedb6" name="UTorVPN" pid=3635 uid=1000 result="success"
May 16 13:29:21 mycomputer NetworkManager[935]: <info> [1526491761.7916] vpn-connection[0x561cde5945c0,0a3eb80f-80ab-4ffd-81e5-7370c7ceedb6,"UTorVPN",0]: Started the VPN service, PID 7875
May 16 13:29:21 mycomputer NetworkManager[935]: <info> [1526491761.7975] vpn-connection[0x561cde5945c0,0a3eb80f-80ab-4ffd-81e5-7370c7ceedb6,"UTorVPN",0]: Saw the service appear; activating connection
May 16 13:29:21 mycomputer gnome-shell[2018]: Invalid VPN service type (cannot find authentication binary)
May 16 13:29:21 mycomputer gnome-shell[2018]: Invalid VPN service type (cannot find authentication binary)
May 16 13:29:21 mycomputer NetworkManager[935]: <error> [1526491761.8326] vpn-connection[0x561cde5945c0,0a3eb80f-80ab-4ffd-81e5-7370c7ceedb6,"UTorVPN",0]: Failed to request VPN secrets #3: No agents were available for this request.
May 16 13:29:21 mycomputer NetworkManager[935]: <info> [1526491761.8385] vpn-connection[0x561cde5945c0,0a3eb80f-80ab-4ffd-81e5-7370c7ceedb6,"UTorVPN",0]: VPN plugin: state changed: stopped (6)

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If you require more information, please advice on specific instructions to provide them. (I'm not a real Linux geek, I just read forums well). Thanks.

ProblemType: Bug
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 18.04
Package: network-manager-openvpn 1.8.2-1
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 4.15.0-20.21-generic 4.15.17
Uname: Linux 4.15.0-20-generic x86_64
ApportVersion: 2.20.9-0ubuntu7
Architecture: amd64
CurrentDesktop: KDE
Date: Fri May 18 12:28:29 2018
SourcePackage: network-manager-openvpn
UpgradeStatus: No upgrade log present (probably fresh install)

[Launchpad Janitor (janitor)]

Status changed to 'Confirmed' because the bug affects multiple users.

[David Ing (divirtual)]

Looking at Synaptic, the version of OpenVPN is 2.4.2-2ubuntu1.

Over on the Manjaro forum at https://forum.manjaro.org/t/vpn-connection-failed/15259/4 , I see that ..

> !! NOTICE !!

> OpenVPN 2.4.0 update may require administrative interaction

> The upgrade to openvpn 2.4.0 makes changes that are incompatible with
previous configuration. Take special care if you depend on VPN
connectivity for remote access! Administrative interaction is required:

>> Configuration is expected in sub directories now. Move your files
from /etc/openvpn/ to /etc/openvpn/server/ or /etc/openvpn/client/.
The plugin lookup path has changed. Remove extra plugins/ from relative
paths.
>> The systemd unit openvpn@.service was replaced with
openvpn-client@.service and openvpn-server@.service. Restart and
reenable accordingly.

My guess is that the OpenVPN update that impacts Manjaro also impacts Ubuntu 18.04.

[David Ing (divirtual)]

Looking at Synaptic, the current version of network-manager-openvpn is 1.8.2-1 .

When I look at https://wiki.gnome.org/Projects/NetworkManager , I see ...

> Stable 11 May 2018 NetworkManager-1.10.8.tar.xz Recommended

> Maintenance 15 Jan 2018 NetworkManager-1.8.6.tar.xz

So is Ubuntu 18.04 just behind in updating NetworkManager to be consistent with the new file locations for OpenVPN 2.4?

[Colin Law (colin-law)]

Try installing
network-manager-openvpn-gnome

[Carlos Tavares Jr (carlosmtavaresjr)]

I can confirm this is still an issue with ubuntu 18.04. I have both the network-manager-openvpn and network-manager-openvpn-gnome. The DNS issues are still an issue on the client. I know this isn't my openvpn server (running on pfsense) or config files as the same config files on Windows and MACOS work and connect with no issues. This needs to be fixed since, I, the IT guy use Ubuntu 18.04, lol.

Thanks,
Carlos

[Carlos Tavares Jr (carlosmtavaresjr)]

Any update on this?

[Najmuddin Chirammal (najum-c)]

Had the same issue, fixed after installing "NetworkManager-openconnect-gnome" package and re-login to Gnome.

[Najmuddin Chirammal (najum-c)]

>>fixed after installing "NetworkManager-openconnect-gnome"

There was a typo, the correct package name for ubuntu is:

network-manager-openconnect-gnome