[GUIDE] VPN always active

BigB

Introduction

Hi, I successfully configured server and client on UT with rpi, pihole and pivpn on it.

When cellular data connection is poor and it's being interrupted, vpn disconnects and I have to click its switch so many times.

Problem

When cellular data connection is poor and it's being interrupted, vpn disconnects and I have to click its switch so many times...

Question

What is the nmcli command to enable cellular data connection?

Solution

based on this askubuntu thread

Step 1:
open terminal on your phone or use ssh as you wish

(I replaced UUID with "MY_ID" and my vpn name with "MY_VPN_NAME")

phablet@ubuntu-phablet:~$ nmcli c show --active | grep vpn
MY_VPN_NAME             MY_ID  vpn              ril_0

Step 2:

phablet@ubuntu-phablet:~$ nmcli c edit MY_ID

===| nmcli interactive connection editor |===

Editing existing 'vpn' connection: 'MY_ID'
                                            
Type 'help' or '?' for available commands.  
Type 'describe [<setting>.<prop>]' for detailed property description.                   

You may edit the following settings: connection, vpn, ipv4, ipv6

Step 3:

nmcli> print connection.autoconnect
connection.autoconnect: no

Step 4:

nmcli> set connection.autoconnect yes

Step 5

nmcli> save persistent
Saving the connection with 'autoconnect=yes'. That might result in an immediate activation of the connection.
Do you still want to save? (yes/no) [yes] yes
Connection 'MY_VPN_NAME' (MY_ID) successfully updated.

nmcli>

Step 6:
(based on this askubuntu thread)

nmcli> print vpn.persistent
vpn.persistent: no

Step 7:

nmcli> set vpn.persistent yes

Step 8:

nmcli> save persistent
Connection 'MY_VPN_NAME' (MY_ID) successfully updated.

Important
Save one of needed script in home direction and make it executable, replace only: MY_ID and MY_VPN_NAME
replace "2s" with any value if you want the script to run at different intervals
You can also add it to autostart.

based on this

To run any of this script you have to use command . /home/phablet/path/to/your/script.sh not sh /home/phablet/path/to/your/script.sh because . is not exactly equal to sh

Scripts to control always on vpn moved to gitlab:
https://gitlab.com/big84/UT_uScripts

On repository this there's wiki which includes important information.

First Post changelog

2020.11.01 - IMPORTANT! - moved from github to to gitlab.
2020.10.26 - IMPORTANT! - moved scripts with explanation to github
2020.08.20 - added one script, named others, updated all, since today when i edit script 0.0.0 numbers will change
2020.08.19 - changed script which may be the solution if you run it with autostart
2020.08.18 - added "my tests" header, added tag "openvpn"
2020.08.10 - issue creation

CaptainCook

Same issue on my side even though in the open vpn config file i changed the setting to autoconnect to true.

[Connection]
.....
autoconnect=true
......
[VPN]
....
persistent=yes
.......

Doesnt do anything. When toggling wifi the vpn connection is not reestablished.

davedanger

@bigb The script from the gabsoftware link works great when run straight in the terminal, but when put in startup, the vpn tries to reconnect but can't for some reason.