Convenient VPN App

marc_aurel

Sailfish OS offers the approach with a VPN script. The disadvantage is, that it doesn't cover the requirement to change the server or - as mentioned in the discussion - a kill switch. A kill switch might be implemented by the system itself.

One more thing. We should be aware, that many consumers doesn't know anything about openVPN scripts or similar technology, but they are able to install the app of the VPN provider, they have chosen from an app store.

Companies would need an MDM solution for UT. But this is another topic.

pixelated

getting ovpn files to import would be massive, that is by far the most painful bit atm lol i could live without an app, if i could quickly import the 200 odd connections i use easily

malditobastardo

@dobey exactly

arubislander

There is something I think I am not understanding here.

I understand that Volla has partnered with hide.me to offer VPN services.
I have looked on their site and they offer a download after payment. If it is an app or simply an .ovpn file I do not know.

But if it is an app, I assume they could make one for UTouch too, no?

If it is an .ovpn file, I have seen on their site they have step by step instructions and video tutorials to get their service configured on different platforms. In that case it would be a huge step in the right direction to, as @dobey and others have mentioned, implement .ovpn file support in the VPN settings plugin.

Or am I missing something obvious?

marc_aurel

@arubislander Yes hide.me offers a script for OpenVPN. This works fine for experienced users. However this script doesn't cover the following requirements:

Considering changing servers
Optimizing bandwidth by choosing the currently fastest server for a location
Switching countries
Supporting kill switch
Supporting newer protocol WireGuard
Convenient installation for consumers

UT has the potential to become an alternative to Apple and Google for consumers. Therefore I'm looking for a convenient and best solution.

If someone is interested to work on a convenient solution, let me know. We can offer a Volla Phone as a Thank you.

dobey

@marc_aurel said in Convenient VPN App:

Supporting kill switch

You keep saying kill switch but it's not at all clear what you mean by that. The indicator has a toggle to turn VPN on and off already.

@marc_aurel said in Convenient VPN App:

Supporting newer protocol WireGuard

This is not currently supported in UT at all, so perhaps you could start with getting the basic support of that into a PR, as well.

@marc_aurel said in Convenient VPN App:

Convenient installation for consumers

If hide.me provides an OVPN file, how would simply loading this into the System Settings page, not be convenient? Marketing != convenience.

Keneda

@dobey
Kill switch, in my knowledge of VPN, is the ability for a VPN solution to prevent apps from using "normal" network when encrypted link fails between device and VPN server.

This, is in order to prevent user from sending datas over non secured network if anything goes wrong in VPN connection, it's a privacy safeguard.

It's an automated task.

In VPN settings, that would be an option like "turn off data if VPN connection fails".

When kill switch is active, only VPN software is allowed to send data to its server in order to try reconnect VPN.

Some kill switch solutions offer a whitelist for allowing user chosen apps to connect outside VPN protocole when kill switch is active.

dobey

@Keneda OK. This already exists in NetworkManager sort of, but there is no UI for it on UT I guess. That is apparently another specific thing that Volla could work on and help improve VPN for everyone.

marc_aurel

@Keneda Exactly. We may develop that our selves. But community developers are invited to help us. We would spend a developer device.

marc_aurel

Good news. Our partner eVenture has recently published a command line tool for a Wireguard VPN connection as open source on Github:

https://github.com/eventure/hide.client.linux

It would be great to have a UI for this command line tool, so consumers can use VPN on Ubuntu Touch conveniently. Is someone interested to help us with an improved user experience regarding VPN on Ubuntu Touch?

scottbouch

@theare27 I'd echo these points...

I have set up several VPN configs, all through privateinterneraccess, they work nicely. (Oneplus One).

I like access to switch them on or off by the top network menu, it is convenient.

But alas, whenever I leave the house, go off my wifi and onto mobile data, or from mobile back to wifi the VPN connection never re-establishes itself, and having no VPN symbol in the top menu, this can be the case for hours until I notice I'm not VPN'd.

An automatic re-connection is desireable, notification symbol, and maybe a kill switch if VPN is not connected to block all data until VPN is re-connected.

These are features offered by privateinterneraccess's Android app that made phone use more private / secure.

Many thanks, Scott

marc_aurel

@scottbouch I see. That’s another reason for an app, that includes a kill switch an automatic reconnection, if you chance the network. So that you can be sure to be connected to the VPN.

dobey

I see no reason it needs to be a separate app for any of those features, versus simply improving the existing system.

And having an app doesn't negate the need to fix things in the system to work in a certain way. Apps alone cannot solve all the problems.

domubpkm

VPN editor is an app that works well now when I use it. It was already suggested a long time ago to 'merge' this app into UT system. And if UT system could also include a VPN connection indicator and a KILL SWITCH it would be very nice. Because indeed, the ultimate goal is that all UT phones can configure a safe working VPN.

marc_aurel

@dobey How could a system setting retrieve the available servers and countries of a specific VPN provider?

marc_aurel

@domubpkm Sounds promising. Is it available in the store or on any platform like Github?

arubislander

@marc_aurel

It can be found in the OpenStore

dobey

@marc_aurel said in Convenient VPN App:

@dobey How could a system setting retrieve the available servers and countries of a specific VPN provider?

You are conflating too many features to be a single thing. Most providers just configure the whole set of servers, and then the user picks from one in the list. Solve each individual problem one at a time, rather than trying to block everything on your partnership with hide.me.

marc_aurel

@dobey It's not a use case for hide.me. I know this form other VPN providers like NordVPN.

Sailfish OS uses a simple approach to setup a VPN by importing an OpenVPN file. This is fine for the first step.

But I realized, that the servers for each country are frequently changing. For a consumer it's difficult enough to download the correct OpenVPN file from the provider's support page, but frequently do this again is not convenient, in particular if you are mobile and busy and you realize, that the VPN is not working any more.

dobey

@marc_aurel You would only need to download and import each ovpn file once for each service/endpoint you wish to add to the list. Importing additional files would not overwrite existing VPN config. One can configure as many as they want.

But the point is we don't need to solve all problems before solving the simpler ones. The system can be improved in iterations, and simply enabling the ovpn import support would be a huge improvement for a lot of users, probably much more than being able to hit some API (outside of the VPN) to query what VPN endpoints are and which one to use.