[Solved] PIA's client never connects

[bingo19]

Hello,

I have tried to find the solution by calling help at their support and by myself without any luck. I am using MATE 17.3 64 bits on a Dell Inspiron 3531.

I am never able to make the Private Internet Access client connect to any of their VPN. But I am able to follow the manual procedure to create the VPN manually and connect without trouble.

Looking at the openvpn.log (fresh for that post) inside the .pia_manager's folder, I can see things I don't really understand about ifconfig. Perhaps could you understand what I should do to fix. Many thanks

Sun Oct 16 12:53:47 2016 OpenVPN 2.2.2 x86_64-unknown-linux-gnu [SSL] [LZO2] [EPOLL] [eurephia] built on Sep 22 2016
Sun Oct 16 12:53:47 2016 WARNING: Make sure you understand the semantics of --tls-remote before using it (see the man page).
Sun Oct 16 12:53:47 2016 NOTE: the current --script-security setting may allow this configuration to call user-defined scripts
Sun Oct 16 12:53:47 2016 LZO compression initialized
Sun Oct 16 12:53:47 2016 UDPv4 link local: [undef]
Sun Oct 16 12:53:47 2016 UDPv4 link remote: 198.8.80.48:8080
Sun Oct 16 12:53:47 2016 WARNING: this configuration may cache passwords in memory -- use the auth-nocache option to prevent this
Sun Oct 16 12:53:48 2016 WARNING: 'link-mtu' is used inconsistently, local='link-mtu 1558', remote='link-mtu 1542'
Sun Oct 16 12:53:48 2016 WARNING: 'cipher' is used inconsistently, local='cipher AES-128-CBC', remote='cipher BF-CBC'
Sun Oct 16 12:53:48 2016 Data Channel Encrypt: Cipher 'AES-128-CBC' initialized with 128 bit key
Sun Oct 16 12:53:48 2016 Data Channel Encrypt: Using 160 bit message hash 'SHA1' for HMAC authentication
Sun Oct 16 12:53:48 2016 Data Channel Decrypt: Cipher 'AES-128-CBC' initialized with 128 bit key
Sun Oct 16 12:53:48 2016 Data Channel Decrypt: Using 160 bit message hash 'SHA1' for HMAC authentication
Sun Oct 16 12:53:48 2016 Control Channel: TLSv1.2, cipher TLSv1/SSLv3 DHE-RSA-AES256-GCM-SHA384, 2048 bit RSA
Sun Oct 16 12:53:48 2016 [737de1ca2324821a1a42b1877b61b32a] Peer Connection Initiated with 198.8.80.48:8080
Sun Oct 16 12:53:49 2016 Note: Cannot ioctl TUNSETIFF tun: Operation not permitted (errno=1)
Sun Oct 16 12:53:49 2016 /sbin/ifconfig 10.58.10.6 pointopoint 10.58.10.5 mtu 1500
SIOCSIFADDR: Operation not permitted
: ERROR while getting interface flags: No such device
SIOCSIFDSTADDR: Operation not permitted
: ERROR while getting interface flags: No such device
SIOCSIFMTU: Operation not permitted
Sun Oct 16 12:53:49 2016 Linux ifconfig failed: external program exited with error status: 1
Sun Oct 16 12:53:49 2016 Exiting

And inxi -Fxzd

Code: Select all

System:    Host: Inspiron-3531 Kernel: 3.19.0-32-generic x86_64 (64 bit gcc: 4.8.2)
           Desktop: MATE 1.12.0 (Gtk 3.10.8~8+qiana)
           Distro: Linux Mint 17.3 Rosa
Machine:   System: Dell product: Inspiron 3531 v: A03
           Mobo: Dell model: 00FTTX v: A00 Bios: Dell v: A03 date: 07/30/2014
CPU:       Dual core Intel Celeron N2830 (-MCP-) cache: 1024 KB
           flags: (lm nx sse sse2 sse3 sse4_1 sse4_2 ssse3 vmx) bmips: 8652
           clock speeds: max: 2415 MHz 1: 499 MHz 2: 499 MHz
Graphics:  Card: Intel Atom Processor Z36xxx/Z37xxx Series Graphics & Display
           bus-ID: 00:02.0
           Display Server: X.Org 1.17.1 drivers: intel (unloaded: fbdev,vesa)
           Resolution: 1366x768@60.0hz
           GLX Renderer: Mesa DRI Intel Bay Trail
           GLX Version: 3.0 Mesa 10.5.9 Direct Rendering: Yes
Audio:     Card Intel Atom Processor Z36xxx/Z37xxx Series High Definition Audio Controller
           driver: snd_hda_intel bus-ID: 00:1b.0
           Sound: Advanced Linux Sound Architecture v: k3.19.0-32-generic
Network:   Card: Qualcomm Atheros AR9485 Wireless Network Adapter
           driver: ath9k bus-ID: 02:00.0
           IF: wlan0 state: up mac: <filter>
Drives:    HDD Total Size: 1000.2GB (3.7% used)
           ID-1: /dev/sda model: TOSHIBA_MQ01ABD1 size: 1000.2GB
           Optical: No optical drives detected.
Partition: ID-1: / size: 913G used: 32G (4%) fs: ext4 dev: /dev/dm-0
           ID-2: /boot size: 236M used: 50M (23%) fs: ext2 dev: /dev/sda1
           ID-3: swap-1 size: 4.17GB used: 0.00GB (0%) fs: swap dev: /dev/dm-1
RAID:      No RAID devices: /proc/mdstat, md_mod kernel module present
Sensors:   System Temperatures: cpu: 44.0C mobo: N/A
           Fan Speeds (in rpm): cpu: N/A fan-2: 0
Info:      Processes: 178 Uptime: 55 min Memory: 1048.2/3839.1MB
           Init: Upstart runlevel: 2 Gcc sys: 4.8.4
           Client: Shell (bash 4.3.111) inxi: 2.2.28 

[greerd]

Are you using the latest v.65? Is your /home encrypted? Do you get a 'error: libgcrypt.s011' ?

I'm assuming that your connection works fine without pia running?

I had the libcrypt error when first installing pia on Mint18, but that was pre-v.65 so I don't know if its still a problem. I usually use another vpn service and don't run pia much but I recall I did have to upgrade to the latest version a while back because of connection problems.

See pia Linux-beta-forum for more info.

[zedik]

Hello everyone. Does anyone know the reason for PIA client not connecting? I'm having same problem. I can connect manually via terminal or now I managed to set up openvpn managed connection, but the client will not connect at all. Any suggestion would be great. Thank you

[bingo19]

Hello,
I do thank you a lot for your reply and the information provided. Thanks to your help, I was able to make it work by investigating. My problem was my $home to be encrypted. Thanks again

[zedik]

Hello,
I do thank you a lot for your reply and the information provided. Thanks to your help, I was able to make it work by investigating. My problem was my $home to be encrypted. Thanks again

Hello. My home is encrypted also. Did you have to un-encrypt it or found any other solution?

[bingo19]

Hello,
I do thank you a lot for your reply and the information provided. Thanks to your help, I was able to make it work by investigating. My problem was my $home to be encrypted. Thanks again

Hello. My home is encrypted also. Did you have to un-encrypt it or found any other solution?

Hello (and sorry because I did not saw your previous message) : I had to un encrypt my Home to be able to make the client work normally. I have followed that detailed tutorial to make it : http://www.howtogeek.com/116179/how-to- ... ng-ubuntu/

Edit : now, I am trying that solution https://helpdesk.privateinternetaccess. ... irectories

[greerd]

You don't have to un-encrypt your /home if you don't want too.

From the link I provided earlier (on pg 17)

[quoteminzoner said:
Hi guys

If you are having an issue with PIA not connecting and have encrypted home folder enabled. The fix is as follows.

I didnt come up with the idea but the post i found was very vauge for a new user.

Please change what i have highlighted BOLD in the code to your username for the pc

Step 1. Create a folder outside of the home directory that your user account can write to.

In Terminal

cd /

sudo mkdir pia

sudo chown yourusername:yourusername pia

Step 2. Move the PIA files to new directory

sudo mv /home/yourusername/.pia_manager /pia/.pia_manager

Step 3. Create symbolic link between the new and old folder.

ln -s /pia/.pia_manager /home/yourusername/.pia_manager

Now reboot and pia should connect

Hope this helped.

]

[/quote]

[ostracized]

Pia is still using blowfish as the remote cipher? Someone should send them an email about that.

[zedik]

You don't have to un-encrypt your /home if you don't want too.

From the link I provided earlier (on pg 17)

[quoteminzoner said:
Hi guys

If you are having an issue with PIA not connecting and have encrypted home folder enabled. The fix is as follows.

I didnt come up with the idea but the post i found was very vauge for a new user.

Please change what i have highlighted BOLD in the code to your username for the pc

Step 1. Create a folder outside of the home directory that your user account can write to.

In Terminal

cd /

sudo mkdir pia

sudo chown yourusername:yourusername pia

Step 2. Move the PIA files to new directory

sudo mv /home/yourusername/.pia_manager /pia/.pia_manager

Step 3. Create symbolic link between the new and old folder.

ln -s /pia/.pia_manager /home/yourusername/.pia_manager

Now reboot and pia should connect

Hope this helped.

]

[/quote]

I have tried this solution, but had few troubles on the way. First the .pia_manager was hidden so had to move it manually. Now after I moved it and restarted pia will not start at all. should the .pia_manager folder be in the /home/pia? So after I move it I will become /home/pia/.pia_manager/files inside? If so how can I start the client manually now?

[greerd]

If the steps were followed:

"cd /" -> changes directories to the '/' (slash) directory

"sudo mkdir pia" -> creates a directory (that is not in your user directory) (thats why you need to use sudo)

"sudo chown yourusername:yourusername pia" -> changes the ownership of you newly created directory to you. (yourusername is $USER)

"sudo mv /home/yourusername/.pia_manager /pia/.pia_manager" -> moves your original .pia_manager from your encrypted /home directory to the newly created directory that is not encrypted. (notice the space between 'sudo mv /home/yourusername/.pia_manager' and '/pia/.pia_manager')

"ln -s /pia/.pia_manager /home/yourusername/.pia_manager" -> creates a soft link (windows shortcut) from your newly created folder to where the original folder was (on your encrypted /home) (notice the space between 'ln -s /pia/.pia_manager' and '/home/yourusername/.pia_manager')

Remember that 'yourusername' is the result of typing $USER in a terminal and this result is what should be used in place of yourusername in every reference above.

[zedik]

If the steps were followed:

"cd /" -> changes directories to the '/' (slash) directory

"sudo mkdir pia" -> creates a directory (that is not in your user directory) (thats why you need to use sudo)

"sudo chown yourusername:yourusername pia" -> changes the ownership of you newly created directory to you. (yourusername is $USER)

"sudo mv /home/yourusername/.pia_manager /pia/.pia_manager" -> moves your original .pia_manager from your encrypted /home directory to the newly created directory that is not encrypted. (notice the space between 'sudo mv /home/yourusername/.pia_manager' and '/pia/.pia_manager')

"ln -s /pia/.pia_manager /home/yourusername/.pia_manager" -> creates a soft link (windows shortcut) from your newly created folder to where the original folder was (on your encrypted /home) (notice the space between 'ln -s /pia/.pia_manager' and '/home/yourusername/.pia_manager')

Remember that 'yourusername' is the result of typing $USER in a terminal and this result is what should be used in place of yourusername in every reference above.

It is sorted now. Thank you very much. I didn't do cd / but only cd so I was still in my home directory. Have to learn to be more carefully about all symbols in Linux. Anyway thanks a lot for your help!

[greerd]

It is sorted now. Thank you very much. I didn't do cd / but only cd so I was still in my home directory. Have to learn to be more carefully about all symbols in Linux. Anyway thanks a lot for your help!

Glade it worked, you might want to delete the ~/pia directory that you probably created with your first attempt.

Cheers

[duck_killer]

Hi everyone,

I just follow the steps to bypass the /home's encryption.

It's not working , the PIA's client block in the "connecting phase" .

I link you my pia_manager's logs.

I dont really know how to uninstall pia. should be great to try with a new and clean installation.

regards,

[beerninja]

It's not working , the PIA's client block in the "connecting phase" .

I'm convinced PIA just straight up does not work on any CURRENT version of linux (16.04, 16.10 etc). I've tried 4 different flavors of ubuntu and also debian and nothing works. Same operation not permitted error in my log every time even when I move the folder and do exactly what PIA says here https://helpdesk.privateinternetaccess. ... irectories

I give up, going back to windows

[hrmcrm]

I'm convinced PIA just straight up does not work on any CURRENT version of linux (16.04, 16.10 etc).

I disagree. I have run PIA on openSUSE for some time, and now run versions 0.65 and 0.66 without issue on Mint 18 and 18.1 KDE, Cinnamon, MATE, and Xfce, various 32 and 64 bit systems, numerous devices. I installed as described on the PIA site, and it just works.

None of these have encrypted /home.

Regards,

[duck_killer]

It's currently working on my Mint 4.4.0-57.
After creating the logical link out of my encrypted 's folder it's working perfectly.


regards,