This tutorial shows you how to:
- Create a free Proton e-mail address.
- Install and set-up Proton VPN and use its free version with your e-mail credentials.
Warning: as usual, backup your files before to install Proton VPN.
Why a VPN?
- With a VPN you have a partial anonymity: while your true IP address is hidden to the websites you visit, the VPN provider knows all what you do: it just replaces your ISP provider.
- You can use Tor Network within your VPN: visiting the Darknet, your anonymity is reinforced (in the past, flaws in Tor could be used to identify users; and your browser javascript can reveal things about you; with Tor in a VPN you have a double anonymity layer).
[NB: paid versions of Proton VPN include access to Tor network without the need of Tor service or Tor Browser installation; with free Proton VPN you need to use Tor Browser, or Mullvad Browser over Tor, see the "Annex 8: Mullvad Browser Flatpak on Tor Network, a Secure Alternative to Tor Browser" of my "Security, Privacy and Anonymity in Linux Mint" Guide, viewtopic.php?t=397740].
Why Proton VPN?
- You need to trust your VPN provider: Proton is based in Switzerland, its VPN code is Open Source, and it has been independently audited; Proton VPN can be trusted. See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Proton_VPN
- Its free VPN has the same speed as its paid versions: pay VPN users pay for free VPN ones. There are however some limitations:
* Free VPN is limited to one connection,
* Free VPN has three exit countries (Japan, Netherlands, United States), while pay versions have 66 more exit countries,
* Secure Core and Netshield are not available,
* The browser extension does not work with free Proton VPN.
* [...]
See comparison at https://protonvpn.com/pricing
- Proton VPN is simple to install and to use.
Get a free Proton e-mail address
- Create your Proton account here: https://account.proton.me/mail/signup:
* You choose your username and password, and get an e-mail address of the kind "username@proton.me".
* If you use your usual ISP parameters, you will probably be just asked to solve a captcha; if you use Tor or a VPN, you will be probably asked to use an e-mail address that will be verified, and if you don't want to use your usual e-mail address, you will use a disposable one (go to https://yopmail.com/ and create your disposable address, of the kind "anything_you_want@yopmail.com"; it requires no password; once your address created, the inbox will open, keep it in a tab of your browser).
- When proton e-mail creation account is completed, save your Proton credentials (e-mail address, password).
Get and install free Proton VPN
- Download Proton VPN repository installer from this page https://protonvpn.com/support/official-linux-vpn-mint/.
- Once downloaded, open it and install it with gdebi. When done, mintsources will show a new repository:
- Install Proton VPN
Code: Select all
sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install protonvpn
# installation of tray icon
sudo apt install gir1.2-appindicator3-0.1
Code: Select all
grep '/usr/s\?bin' /etc/systemd/system/display-manager.service
- Restart your computer.
Launch and connect Proton VPN
- From your menu, in internet category, launch Proton VPN GUI client.
- At first launch, enter your Proton e-mail address (username@proton.me); at next screen, connect by clicking on "Quick Connect" button.
Here is the result in Proton VPN window:
The tray icon shows Proton VPN is connected:
- Capture du 2023-09-14 14-42-13.png (7.69 KiB) Viewed 460 times
Disconnect Proton VPN
You can disconnect Proton VPN using its main window (click on "Disconnect" button). You can also use the tray icon.
Once done, you will get your former connection again, without VPN.
Proton VPN removal
If you want to remove Proton VPN from your operating system:
* At 1st, disable Kill Swicth in Proton VPN GUI
* 2nd, uninstall Proton VPN and its settings
Code: Select all
sudo apt-get autoremove protonvpn
rm -rf ~/.cache/protonvpn
rm -rf ~/.config/protonvpn
* Finally, check in mintsources that "Protonvpn / stable" repository has been removed, or remove it manually. Check in Synaptic that none of the following packages is still installed: "protonvpn", "protonvpn-cli", "protonvpn-gui", "protonvnp-stable-release", "python3-proton-client", "python3-protonvpn-nm-lib".
If Kill Switch has not been set to OFF before uninstalling Proton VPN, the internet access will not be possible.
Here is how to disable Kill Switch once Proton VPN has been uninstalled (from: https://protonvpn.com/support/official-linux-vpn-mint/, "2. How to disable Kill Switch if you have uninstalled the app"):
My advice: don't use Kill Switch, because it can generate troubles, see viewtopic.php?t=402483If the app is still installed, you can disable the kill switch from within the app. If you have uninstalled the app with the kill switch still enabled, then this won’t be possible and you may not be able to access the internet. To fix this:
a) Identify the name of the Proton VPN connection. To do this, run:
nmcli connection show --active
You will now see a list of active connections.
b) Look for any connections with names that start pvpn- This usually includes pvpn-killswitch and pvpn-ipv6leak-protection, and may include pvpn-routed-killswitch. Delete all these connections using the following command:
nmcli connection delete [connection name]
For example:
nmcli connection delete pvpn-killswitch
c) Once you’ve done this, run the following command again to make sure that all Proton VPN connections have been deleted:
nmcli connection show --active
If any remain, delete them as described above.
Feel free to comment,
Regards,
MN
