Setting Up PPTP VPN in Ubuntu 9.10 Karmic Koala
by Craig Mayhew on Nov.05, 2009, under Guides/Fixes, Linux/Ubuntu
Ubuntu 9.10 doesn’t come with VPN connectivity out of the box. So you need to install 3 packages to get it to work. Symptoms of these packages not being installed are grayed out “Add” buttons and grayed out “Apply” buttons in the VPN connection manager.
Here’s the command to install the 3 packages:
sudo apt-get install network-manager-pptp network-manager-vpnc network-manager-openvpn
I have no idea why Ubuntu doesn’t include these packages by default. Looks like a great many people are having this issue: https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/network-manager-pptp/+bug/107738
November 21st, 2009 on 11:36 pm
Hi, im new to Ubuntu and trying it for first time:
I get the following :
Reading package lists… Done
Building dependency tree
Reading state information… Done
Package network-manager-pptp is not available, but is referred to by another package.
This may mean that the package is missing, has been obsoleted, or
is only available from another source
However the following packages replace it:
network-manager
E: Package network-manager-pptp has no installation candidate
Can you help ?
Yas
November 28th, 2009 on 8:10 pm
Yas,
Looks like you need to update package source list. Following steps should fix this issue:
1. Go to System> Administration> Software Sources.
2. Click on tab “Other Software” and click on check box “http://archive.canonical.com/ubuntu”
3. Click on close button on the bottom right of the panel, it will ask you to reload the package information. Say yes to it and it will connect to server and update package information.
4. Once package information has been updated, try sudo apt-get install network-manager-pptp network-manager-vpnc network-manager-openvpn command again and it will work this time.
December 8th, 2009 on 1:35 am
Hey shadeslayer !! and Craig Mayhew!!!
I’m getting a different but yet similar error. I’ve followed advice. I’ve already posted a thread on the Ubuntu Help Forums..
The link is here I’m the last post (as of 12/7/09 at 730PM EST)
http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=964255&page=7
Please help, you can respond here and I’ll check back. Thanks in advance!
December 26th, 2009 on 12:38 pm
Thanks! This was really helpful. :-)
January 25th, 2010 on 9:47 pm
I’ve done this, added my work to the list. However I don’t see anywhere to ‘connect’ to the VPN?
I don’t want to click the auto connect as I want to control when I’m on and not on.
February 5th, 2010 on 2:52 pm
Nigel: you should left-click on the network manager icon in the taskbar, select “VPN Connections” and choose the connection you want to use from the list.
February 11th, 2010 on 2:10 am
Mike,
When I click the Network Connections icon in the taskbar, the Network Connections window pops up. I cannot see anywhere to indicate a connection. I have the same problem with Nigel.
February 15th, 2010 on 9:02 pm
Thanks that was really helpful. installed perfectly on ubuntu 9.10
March 24th, 2010 on 7:25 pm
YEEEEAAAAHHHH !!!!
i did it, my english is very bad but i just have to read it
and after uninstall and reinstall completely it finaly works
i use synaptic paket manager to uninstall all network manager and clic on reinstall
thank’s a lot
regards
April 1st, 2010 on 2:39 am
I get the same foremetioned issue, however I can not connect to the internet to download the package because i need the PPTP VPN connection for my internet access…
So this is a chicken vs egg story for me…
Any solutions or help for me?
April 11th, 2010 on 10:55 pm
If you have no internet connection then download the packages to a USB stick on another computer. Then put the USB stick in your computer and double click to install via package manager.
Hope that helps,
Craig
April 21st, 2010 on 4:18 pm
This really helped me… Thanks!
May 19th, 2010 on 8:27 am
Hi, um…was just wandering…if i have no internet connection for this situation…from WHERE do i download the rest. Plz link the full web link on which i can find the parts and put em on usb.!! thank you
June 11th, 2010 on 5:33 pm
I am just getting started in Ubuntu and Linux and ran into this problem. I used your solution (installing the 3 packages). They installed without complaint. But now I am at a loss to activate the program. In windows at work I have a desktop icon to click on and it opens a gui to connect and use other features.
I assume there is no gui for vpn on Karmic Koala, so what command do I use from a terminal? I tried “man vpn” and got a “no man entry for vpn” message.
All working ideas accepted gratefully!!
Thanks.
Tom
July 28th, 2010 on 11:03 pm
Tom since you did not checked “automatically connect” you need to left click on the connection icon on your status bar and turn it ON from there.