Linux setup

Set up TekLan VPN on Linux

Download a WireGuard or OpenVPN configuration from the Dashboard and use it with your preferred command-line or Network Manager client.

WireGuard for Linux

Import a Dashboard profile on Linux

NetworkManager is the simplest route on most desktop distributions. Use wg-quick on a server or a minimal installation.

WireGuard selected while adding a Linux device
1. Select WireGuard for this Linux computer.
WireGuard profile ready to create in the Dashboard
2. Review the profile, create it and download the .conf file.

Before you begin

  • Install WireGuard and NetworkManager using packages supplied by your Linux distribution.
  • Have permission to add a system network connection.
  • Create a separate Dashboard profile for this computer.

Get the profile on this computer

  • Download: save the .conf file from the Dashboard.
  • Email: use Send profile, Email, Queue email, then save the attachment from your client-account email.
  • Device code: use Send profile, Get code. Open dash.teklanvpn.com/get, enter the one-use code and download the file within 15 minutes.

Connect with NetworkManager

  1. Open your VPN service in the client area, select Manage VPN Dashboard, then create a WireGuard profile for this computer.
  2. Open the distribution’s network settings and choose the option to import a VPN or saved connection.
  3. Select the downloaded .conf file, save the connection and switch it on.
  4. If the graphical network settings do not provide an import option, run nmcli connection import type wireguard file ~/Downloads/profile.conf, replacing the path with the real filename.
  5. Use nmcli connection show --active to confirm that the imported connection is active.

Connect with wg-quick

  1. Copy the profile to /etc/wireguard/teklan.conf and restrict it with sudo chmod 600 /etc/wireguard/teklan.conf.
  2. Start it with sudo wg-quick up teklan.
  3. Check the tunnel with sudo wg show.
  4. Disconnect later with sudo wg-quick down teklan.

Check the connection

  1. Confirm NetworkManager or wg show reports the tunnel as active.
  2. Open an IP-checking site and confirm the public IP address changes.
  3. Disconnect the tunnel and confirm the normal route returns.

If it does not connect

  • Check that no other VPN connection is active.
  • Confirm the system date, time and DNS resolution are correct.
  • Delete the failed connection and import a newly generated profile.
  • For wg-quick, read the first terminal error and run sudo wg show before contacting support.

Keep the profile private: the file contains this device’s private key. Do not reuse it on another device.

OpenVPN 3 Linux setup

These are the Linux connection steps presented by the Dashboard:

Selecting OpenVPN
1. Choose OpenVPN.
Linux connection options in the Dashboard
2. Choose Linux and use the OpenVPN 3 delivery options.

Before you begin

  • Confirm OpenVPN 3 Linux supports the distribution and processor architecture.
  • Have an account with permission to install packages.
  • Allow the command-line client to save and import an .ovpn file.

Move the OpenVPN profile to this device

  • Download profile: save the .ovpn file directly on this device.
  • Email: select Send profile, choose Email and select Queue email. The Dashboard sends the .ovpn attachment to the email address on the client account.
  • OpenVPN credentials: select Show OpenVPN credentials and keep the displayed profile username and password available. The password unlocks the private key inside the file. It is not the client-area password.

Device access codes are for WireGuard profiles only. OpenVPN uses the downloaded or emailed .ovpn file with the credentials shown in the Dashboard.

  1. Create an OpenVPN profile in the Dashboard, select Connect device and choose Linux.
  2. Install OpenVPN 3 Linux using the instructions for your distribution on openvpn.net.
  3. Download the profile and import it with openvpn3 config-import --config /path/to/profile.ovpn --name My-VPN --persistent.
  4. Start it with openvpn3 session-start --config My-VPN. If asked for the private-key passphrase, use Show OpenVPN credentials.
  5. Run openvpn3 sessions-list to check the session state.

Check the connection

  1. Run openvpn3 sessions-list and confirm the session is connected.
  2. Open a browser or run an IP check and confirm the public IP address changes.
  3. Disconnect the session and confirm the normal route returns.

If it does not connect

  • Use Show OpenVPN credentials in the Dashboard if the client requests the private-key password.
  • Disconnect another active VPN before retrying.
  • Delete the failed configuration and import a newly downloaded .ovpn file.
  • Read the first error in the OpenVPN 3 session log before contacting support.