Manjaro 20.1 64-bit "Mikah" and VPNSecure.Me

wellywu · 16 September 2020 16:26

One of the personal virtual private network subscriptions that I have is for VPNSecure. They provide a support page to teach GNU/Linux end-users how to download and install their graphical user interface desktop client. Unfortunately, I can not provide a link here.

I figured out how to install most of the required software packages including openvpn curl libgconf-2-4 libcanberra-gtk-module, but obfsproxy is missing from the Arch software repository, AUR, and Manjaro; however, I found the Arch GIT software repository. Unfortunately, I can not provide a link.

When I follow the instructions to build the obfsproxy software package, I get missing software dependencies including python2-pyptlib and python2-gympy2. This is my terminal output:

/usr/.../gtk-2.0/modules >>> sudo pacman -S obfsproxy                          

error: target not found: obfsproxy

/usr/.../gtk-2.0/modules >>> cd ~                                           [1]

Cloning into 'obfsproxy-git'...

remote: Enumerating objects: 8, done.

remote: Counting objects: 100% (8/8), done.

remote: Compressing objects: 100% (8/8), done.

remote: Total 8 (delta 0), reused 8 (delta 0), pack-reused 0

Unpacking objects: 100% (8/8), 2.63 KiB | 1.32 MiB/s, done.

~ >>> cd obfsproxy-git                                                         

~/obfsproxy-git >>> ls                                                ±[master]

PKGBUILD

~/obfsproxy-git >>> makepkg -si                                       ±[master]

==> Making package: obfsproxy-git 20160613-5 (Wed 16 Sep 2020 12:00:36 PM EDT)

==> Checking runtime dependencies...

==> Installing missing dependencies...

error: target not found: python2-pyptlib

error: target not found: python2-gmpy2

==> ERROR: 'pacman' failed to install missing dependencies.

==> Missing dependencies:

  -> python2-pyptlib

  -> python2-gmpy2

==> Checking buildtime dependencies...

==> ERROR: Could not resolve all dependencies.

~/obfsproxy-git >>>

Can someone help me to resolve these missing software packages and dependencies so I can install obfsproxy software package? I may need this software package because I installed both Oracle Java JRE & JDK 14.0.2 64-bit which is required for the deprecated Dazzleships’ SelekTOR for GNU/Linux software package. Unfortunately, I can not provide a link here. It requires obfsproxy in order to download the GEOIP data and information so that the worldwide list of TOR nodes is accurate and up to date.

Please show me what I need to know and do. Thank you.

Yochanan · 16 September 2020 17:00

It appears Tor’s obfsproxy project is depreciated and there hasn’t been a commit in 6 years. All the links I’ve found for packages on other distros are dead. The obfsproxy-git AUR package hasn’t been updated since 2016.

The VPNSecure install script does not mention obfsproxy at all, but they do mention it in the manual install instructions.

It looks like they support using OpenVPN, so you can set it up in NetworkManager.

wellywu · 16 September 2020 17:09

I followed the instructions as carefully as possible, but pycrypto is giving me these error messages:

~ >>> sudo pacman -U python2-pycrypto-2.6.1-1-any.pkg.tar.xz

loading packages...

resolving dependencies...

looking for conflicting packages...

Packages (1) python2-pycrypto-2.6.1-1

Total Installed Size: 2.73 MiB

:: Proceed with installation? [Y/n] y

(1/1) checking keys in keyring [######################] 100%

(1/1) checking package integrity [######################] 100%

(1/1) loading package files [######################] 100%

(1/1) checking for file conflicts [######################] 100%

error: failed to commit transaction (conflicting files)

it gives numerous errors for specific python files and this error message after each file: exists in filesystem (owned by python2-pycryptodome)

Errors occurred, no packages were upgraded.

When I change directory into the obfsproxy-git directory, I get these errors:

~ >>> cd obfsproxy-git

~/obfsproxy-git >>> makepkg -si ±[master]

==> Making package: obfsproxy-git 20160613-5 (Wed 16 Sep 2020 12:59:56 PM EDT)

==> Checking runtime dependencies...

==> Installing missing dependencies...

Swipe your finger across the fingerprint reader

error: target not found: python2-gmpy2

==> ERROR: 'pacman' failed to install missing dependencies.

==> Missing dependencies:

-> python2-gmpy2

==> Checking buildtime dependencies...

==> ERROR: Could not resolve all dependencies.

~/obfsproxy-git >>>

I must be doing something wrong. If someone can help me, then I would appreciate it. Thank you.

Yochanan · 16 September 2020 17:14

What instructions? See my post above. I edited it a couple times.

Also, please use the Preformatted text button </> to post terminal output. I’ve edited your posts.

wellywu · 16 September 2020 17:22

I think that I should give it up and contact VPNSecure.Me. However, I did contact them in the past when I installed an older Elementary OS 64-bit GNU/Linux distribution on a former PC and they told me that they only officially support Ubuntu and other GNU/Linux distributions receive less priority from their technical support.

I just wanted to share here that I read and followed the instructions from Perfect-Privacy VPN, Ivacy VPN, VPNSecure.Me, and AirVPN to create manual VPN connections within NetworkManager and each one connects to my accounts and different VPN gateway servers just fine each time. Of course, I connect to one at a time. Manual VPN connections work reliably and are quick. Yes, I bought a lot of personal VPN subscriptions. Ivacy VPN and VPNSecure.Me are lifetime subscriptions. AirVPN is for three years while Perfect-Privacy VPN is for two years.

When I follow the official VPNSecure.Me instructions to open up the terminal and launch their GUI desktop client, it just works and I can log into my account. The Stealth VPN feature does not work because obfsproxy is not installed correctly.

I got a simple question. VPNSecure.Me says to open up the terminal and change directory to cd /etc/vpnsecure. Next, they tell me to sudo /etc/vpnsecure/vpnsecure to launch the program after I change its permission to be executable. It works, but my new question is what is the specific linux terminal command to launch VPNSecure’s GUI desktop client so that the terminal frees itself up again and the desktop GUI client runs independently? When I type sudo /etc/vpnsecure/vpnsecure, the VPNSecure GUI desktop client opens, but the terminal is open and it is still running the program. What is the Linux terminal command to launch this VPNSecure GUI desktop client so that the terminal is not “stuck” running this program and I can use it for something else?

Sorry for my stupid question, but I must ask it so be gentle and kind!

Yochanan · 16 September 2020 17:28

If it’s installed properly, you should have a vpnsecure menu entry which launches pkexec /etc/vpnsecure/vpnsecure. Don’t use sudo with graphical applications.

Try:

pkexec /etc/vpnsecure/vpnsecure </dev/null &>/dev/null &

See Detach a Linux Processes From Controlling Terminal

wellywu · 16 September 2020 19:36

These are the instructions that I am following to try and install obfsproxy via the GIT software repository:

https://aur.archlinux.org/packages/obfsproxy-git#comment-662723

Moderator edit: Replaced unformatted text with link to them instead

Yochanan · 16 September 2020 19:38

Why are you still trying to install obfsproxy? Did you read my post above? Again, the install script doesn’t use it because the package no longer exists. The project is depreciated.

wellywu · 16 September 2020 19:41

I apologize, but I was in the middle of trying to get obfsproxy installed later today when I read your post. I am going to stop now.

wellywu · 16 September 2020 19:44

I am getting these errors when using the pkexec commands:

indent preformatted text by 4 spaces
~ >>> pkexec /etc/vpnsecure/vpnsecure                                          

(vpnsecure:3949977): Gtk-WARNING **: 15:42:49.143: cannot open display: 
~ >>> pkexec /etc/vpnsecure/vpnsecure </dev/null &>/dev/null &              [1]
[1] 3951933
~ >>>                                                                          
[1]  + exit 1     pkexec /etc/vpnsecure/vpnsecure < /dev/null &> /dev/null
~ >>>

wellywu · 16 September 2020 20:18

As a workaround, I created a VPNSecure.Me folder in my /home directory under my username.

indent preformatted text by 4 spaces
touch vpnsecure.sh
gedit vpnsecure.sh

This is the content of the vpnsecure.sh file:
#!/bin/zsh
sudo /etc/vpnsecure/vpnsecure </dev/null &>/dev/null &
exit

sudo chmod +x vpnsecure.sh

Seems to work okay.

Yochanan · 16 September 2020 20:29

NEVER use sudo in your /home/ directory.

Ugh… just install it properly. First remove /etc/vpnsecure/ if you copied the files there:

sudo rm -rf /etc/vpnsecure

Then save my PKGBUILD to a file:

PKGBUILD

pkgname=vpnsecure
pkgver=2.1.7
pkgrel=1
pkgdesc="Secure your digital life"
arch=('x86_64')
url="https://vpnsecure.me"
license=('unknown')
depends=('gconf' 'gtk3' 'libxss' 'nss' 'openresolv' 'openvpn')
source=("https://downloads-us.vpnsecure.me/$pkgname-$pkgver.tar.gz")
sha256sums=('12b918895016acb5bf5d113d799bc11f167d294f34c63352968585fc86baae3e')

prepare() {
	cd "$pkgname-$pkgver"
	sed -i 's/replace/vpnsecure/g' \
		lib/bin/linux/org.freedesktop.policykit.pkexec.policy
}

package() {
	cd "$pkgname-$pkgver"
	install -d "$pkgdir/etc/$pkgname"
	cp -r . "$pkgdir/etc/$pkgname"

	install -d "$pkgdir/usr/bin"
	ln -s "/etc/$pkgname/$pkgname" "$pkgdir/usr/bin/$pkgname"

	install -Dm644 lib/bin/linux/org.freedesktop.policykit.pkexec.policy \
		"$pkgdir/usr/share/polkit-1/actions/org.freedesktop.policykit.pkexec.vpnsecure.policy"
	install -Dm644 "$pkgname.desktop" -t "$pkgdir/usr/share/applications"
}

Then run the following in the directory where you saved the PKGBUILD:

makepkg -srcif

You’ll now have a menu entry to run it from.

wellywu · 16 September 2020 20:43

it just works! Thank you!

system · 19 September 2020 20:43

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