Vpn
Contents
VPN (Virtual Private Network) connection
C&CZ manages a VPN server, which makes it possible for all users to gain secure access to the network with their Science username and password. The computer at home (or anywhere on the Internet) becomes part of the campus network. In this way users can get access to services that are normally only accessible from computers on campus. The most common of such services are connecting to disk shares or to special servers.
For the use of the University library one does not need VPN, because the library has a proxy website, that can be used from anywhere on the Internet after logging in with your RU-account and RU-password.
As of November 2015, there is a new VPN, based on IPsec. We intend to have all users moved over to the new VPN before May 1, 2016 and then terminate the old VPN based on PPTP.
The instructions below to install the VPN will be expanded by C&CZ and probably also by employees/students.
- General: VPN-server/gateway: vpnsec.science.ru.nl
Per device or Operating system:
- Ubuntu 16.04: If you are currently using vpnsec.science.ru.nl, please do not upgrade to Ubuntu 16.04. There is a known bug people are trying to fix, see msg4923789.
A work around currently exists, requiring some manual configuration. See: VPNsec Linux installation and configuration. - Windows7/8/8.1/10: Just add a *new* VPN with server vpnsec.science.ru.nl, that's all. No special configuration needed.
- Android: Install the strongSwan app with "IKEv2 EAP (Username/Password)". NB: some special characters in the password should be escaped using a "\"
- iOS (iPhone/iPad): Download and install vpnsec.mobileconfig to your iPhone/iPad. Tested on iPad with iOS 9, according to documentation iOS 8 should work too, but is yet untested.
- OS X 10.11 El Capitan and higher: Download and install vpnsec-macosx.mobileconfig to your Apple computer.
Adapt the Authentication Settings... in System Preferences → Network → VpnSec to match your Science account and password. - OS X 10.7 Lion and higher: install strongSwan with "IKEv2 EAP (Username/Password)". The strongSwan App has a known problem. The current solution is, however, not very easy. We are investigaing a doable solution.
- Linux: VPNsec Linux installation and configuration
OpenVPN for Linux & MacOS
For MacOS and Linux users that have trouble getting VPNsec working on their systems, C&CZ provides an OpenVPN service.
Setting up OpenVPN on linux
Make sure you have the openvpn package installed. For Debian based distributions (like Ubuntu), run:
sudo apt-get install openvpn
Next, download the openvpn configuration file:
wget https://gitlab.science.ru.nl/cncz/openvpn/raw/master/openvpn-science.ovpn
Starting OpenVPN on linux
Startup the OpenVPN tunnel as follows:
sudo openvpn openvpn-science.ovpn
You'll be asked for your science login name and password. Hit ctrl+c to terminate the OpenVPN connection
SSH SOCKS-Proxy to access journals (linux)
There is a convenient alternative to VPN or the UB proxy website described above to access online journals from anywhere. With SSH one can start a so called SOCKS Proxy-server, which can be used by web-browsers.
- Login to your Science account with ssh:
ssh -D 8942 lilo.science.ru.nl # (or any other login-server) (Enter password if required)
If your Science username (e.g. "peter") is different on your local username use:
ssh -D 8942
The -D flag starts "dynamic" application-level portforwarding. The port number (here 8942) can be any number above 1024 and below 65536. If a port is already in use by another process try a different number.
- Tell the web browser to use the server. In Firefox:
* Edit - Preferences - Advanced - Settings * Select "Manual proxy configuration" * SOCKS Host: localhost Port: 8942 * Select SOCKS v5 * OK
Chromium and Google Chrome can be called from the command line with the proxyserver option:
chromium-browser --proxyserver="socks5://localhost:8942"
If you now go to a journal website i.e., J. Chem. Phys., you should see "Your access is provided by: Universiteitsbibliotheek" and you should have the same access as from within the Radboud University domain.
Run ssh in the background
With these flags:
ssh -f -N -D port
ssh will run in the background (-f) and only setup the proxy server but not actually logon (-N).
Troubleshooting
The "netstat" command may be used to troubleshoot problems:
netstat -at
will show all active and non-active tcp sockets. In the above example you should see something like:
MYPC:/home/peter $ netstat -at Active Internet connections (servers and established) Proto Recv-Q Send-Q Local Address Foreign Address State tcp 0 0 localhost:smtp *:* LISTEN tcp 0 0 localhost:8942 *:* LISTEN tcp 0 0 *:ssh *:* LISTEN tcp 0 0 localhost:ipp *:* LISTEN tcp 0 0 peter.home:36953 postvak.science.r:imaps ESTABLISHED tcp 0 0 peter.home:36808 lilo3.science.ru.nl:ssh ESTABLISHED tcp 0 0 localhost:smtp *:* LISTEN tcp 0 0 localhost:8942 *:* LISTEN
Old VPN based on PPTP
NB: The old VPN service will be terminated on December 1st, 2016. This is due to insufficient security of PPTP
Examples of installation and configuration of the old VPN:
Note: users of F-secure need to change the Firewall configuration to lift blocking of GRE.
Note: If the VPN connection drops immediately when you start to use it , it may be that the MTU value for the ethernet card is set too high, see for example optimizing MTU.
