[BritBloke]

I'd like an openVPN script too. In the meantime, I'm going to configure my DD-WRT router which has openVPN built in to connect to my Witopia account, and then set my XBMC Live to connect to that as my gateway, rather than my regular router.

I'd really like to see the excellent Boxee VPN script ported though as it's a nice simple interface to use.

[casatech]

I sent an email to linuxluemmel to see if he has got any where with it.

[BritBloke]

Being a complete Linux noob (I've said that so many times in these forums!) I surprised myself and actually managed to install OpenVPN on XBMC Live last night.

Here are the steps I took (going from memory). I'm using Witopia as my VPN provider and they use ca.crt, xyz.key, xyz.crt and personalVPN.ovpn files for their SSL service, so make sure you have those handy.

1. Install OpenVPN via Putty or Terminal window

Code:

sudo apt-get install openvpn

This installs OpenVPN to /etc/default

2. Next you need to copy your specific files (*.crt, *.key, personalVPN.ovpn, etc) into the same dir as OpenVPN.

Code:

sudo cp personalVPN.ovpn /etc/default

Do this for all your files.

3. Run OpenVPN.

Code:

sudo openvpn --config personalVPN.ovpn

After a few seconds you should now be connected to your VPN service (in my case, Witopia).

I'm in Canada and I tested with the BBC iPlayer plugin which is only available in the UK and it worked great.

[biggles]

Thanks a lot for you guide, BritBloke. Really appreciated! The plugin for Boxee is providing a bit more service though. It is supposed to switch VPN based on requested content (Hulu=US VPN and BBC iPlayer=UK VPN).

But it look like it's coming to XBMC as well... http://www.overplay.net/blog/adding-vpns-to-boxee-beta/

[BritBloke]

Thanks a lot for you guide, BritBloke. Really appreciated! The plugin for Boxee is providing a bit more service though. It is supposed to switch VPN based on requested content (Hulu=US VPN and BBC iPlayer=UK VPN).

But it look like it's coming to XBMC as well... http://www.overplay.net/blog/adding-vpns-to-boxee-beta/

Glad it worked. I'd love to be able to create something of a GUI for XBMC but I'm no where near talented enough for that!

Yeah, I've been on the Boxee forums and saw that but it only uses PPTP connections (username and password) and not SSL which is what I use with Witopia (they use *.key files). I actually installed a Boxee Beta Live last night to test it out and see if I could dig in there to see if I could change it to SSL but I didn't really have the time.

[motd2k]

witopia isn't actually using SSL (and the plugin I modified for overplay isnt using PPTP). Both witopia and overplay are using OpenVPN, but witopia use PKI user certificates to authenticate, whereas we're using good ol' username/password combinations. Both have pros and cons that I won't bore you with.

If I ever get a spare weekend I'll fix something up in XBMC too.


motd

[BritBloke]

witopia isn't actually using SSL (and the plugin I modified for overplay isnt using PPTP). Both witopia and overplay are using OpenVPN, but witopia use PKI user certificates to authenticate, whereas we're using good ol' username/password combinations. Both have pros and cons that I won't bore you with.

If I ever get a spare weekend I'll fix something up in XBMC too.


motd

Ah, thanks for the info, I didn't realise that. I (and I'm sure a few others) would really appreciate your time on an XBMC version of a VPN switcher. I like Boxee, but not how closed it is compared to XBMC.

[biggles]

witopia isn't actually using SSL (and the plugin I modified for overplay isnt using PPTP). Both witopia and overplay are using OpenVPN, but witopia use PKI user certificates to authenticate, whereas we're using good ol' username/password combinations. Both have pros and cons that I won't bore you with.

If I ever get a spare weekend I'll fix something up in XBMC too.


motd

Really hoping you will get a weekend off! This kind of VPN-plugin for XBMC would be great. Overplay would get another customer for sure... ;-)

[casatech]

I'm also using openvpn but with the kvpnc GUI don't know if its easier.
I can connect but about 10 seconds later it disconnects and says something about a firewall. can't remember the exact message, itwas about 2 in the morning when I got that far. So will try again. My key and crt files are not in the same directory as openvpn, but with kvpnc they don't need to be, though I might try putting them in there and see what I get. And also try running it from the command line.
The other thing with Kvpnc is that it allows you to run other program after openvpn is connected.
Does anyone know of a good script writing tutorial. As I'm would like to writing a script to call openvpn within XBMC.
To install Kvpnc its the standard
sudo apt-get install kvpnc
Anyway thanks for the pointers.

[casatech]

just done your quick guide and it works very well. Much easier than mucking about with Kvpnc or even the plugin for network manager.
Simplest is always the best. Thanks for the pointers. My Vpn supplier have been no help at all.

[BritBloke]

I found another forum with a user trying to run OpenVPN via Python.

Here's the original question:

i need a python script to run open vpn automaticaly but i use sudo for run the open vpn

Code:

sudo openvpn --cd /etc/openvpn --config openvpn.conf &

thats my terminal command. i have to give the password for sudo, can i use pexpect to run that command? and i have to get the exit code because i want to know that the openvpn is run successful or not

Here's what the reply was:

You can change /etc/sudoers so that openvpn command can be run without giving the password.

Code:

yourusername ALL=(all) NOPASSWD: /path/to/openvpn

and in python, do something like:

Code:

import subprocess
exitcode = subprocess.call(["sudo","openvpn","--cd /etc/openvpn --config openvpn.conf"])

I haven't tried this yet on my side because I have no idea how to execute this python script within XBMC Live.

[casatech]

The next problem I have is my screen goes blank every 10 minutes or so when I'm running firefox and watch a film and go to full screen. It seems to be a bug in Ubuntu but haven't found a simple automatic fix. Its not the screensaver kicking in as this is disabled. It seems to be some sort of idle process monitor, ie no keyboard ormouse usage = no one at the computer therefore blank the screen.

[casatech]

Solved. Well maybe. just use

xset s off

to disable screen blanking and

xset dpms 0 0 0

to disable power saving mode
might try for a more permanent solution and download caffeine.

[moontan77]

anyone ever come up with a openvpn script for xbmc?

[LAGMonkey]

bump... just to see if anyone decided that it was worth doing