Articles in this section

Set Up OpenVPN on Linux Ubuntu via Network Manager

This guide explains how to set up a CyberGhost VPN connection on Ubuntu using OpenVPN and Network Manager. Once configured, you'll be able to connect to CyberGhost servers directly from Ubuntu's built-in network settings.

Before you begin, make sure you have the following:

Disable IPv6

CyberGhost's OpenVPN configuration currently supports IPv4 connections only. If IPv6 is enabled on your Ubuntu device, you may experience connectivity issues or IPv6 traffic leaks. Before proceeding, it’s recommended that you disable IPv6 on your system. For instructions, see How to Disable IPv6 on Linux.

Installing OpenVPN and Network Manager

OpenVPN is included with most recent Ubuntu releases, but it may not be installed by default on older versions. The installation process below will install both OpenVPN and the required Network Manager components. If OpenVPN isn’t already available on your system, follow these steps before continuing with the setup. 

  1. Open your Terminal app.

Set-Up-OpenVPN-on-Linux-Ubuntu-via-Network-Manager-1.png

  1. Type “sudo apt install network-manager-openvpn” and press Enter.

The terminal window showing the OpenVPN installation command, highlighted in a yellow box.

  1. If prompted, enter your password.

The terminal window showing the authentication password prompt highlighted in a yellow box.

  1. Close the window once the installation finishes.

Generating OpenVPN CyberGhost Configuration File

To install CyberGhost via OpenVPN, you first need to generate and download a configuration file from your CyberGhost account. 

  1. Open your browser and access your CyberGhost account.

The CyberGhost login screen with the username and password fields highlighted in a yellow box.

  1. Select the VPN tab.

The CyberGhost dashboard sidebar with the "VPN" product tab highlighted in a yellow box.

  1. Click Configure Device.

The CyberGhost "Manage Devices" page with the "Configure Device" button under the "Manual setup" section highlighted in a yellow box.

  1. Select OpenVPN type, server location, and server type.

The "Configure routers or other devices" setup screen with the protocol, country, and server group dropdown menus highlighted in a yellow box.

  • OpenVPN type: Choose the OpenVPN protocol version and mode. Options include OpenVPN TCP for more stable connections and legacy versions (OpenVPN ≤2.3 / TCP ≤2.3) for older setups or compatibility.
  • Server location: Select the country or region you want to connect to from the available CyberGhost server list.
  • Server type: Choose a server category based on your needs, such as Premium (general use), ZenMate Premium (specialized servers from ZenMate integration), Standard, or Gaming (optimized for lower latency and smoother gameplay). 
Important: Not all OpenVPN protocol options and server types are available for every location. Availability may vary depending on the selected server region. 
  1. Name the device (e.g., Ubuntu).

The "Configure routers or other devices" setup screen with the "Device Name" text field highlighted in a yellow box.

  1. Optionally, select extra features.

The "Configure routers or other devices" setup screen with the "Extra Features" checkboxes highlighted in a yellow box.

  • Protection against malicious websites: Blocks access to known harmful or unsafe websites to help protect your device while browsing.
  • Block online tracking: Prevents tracking services from monitoring your online activity across websites.
  • Block ads: Reduces or blocks advertisements during browsing for a cleaner experience.
  • Redirect to HTTPS: Automatically redirects connections to the more secure HTTPS version of websites when available. 
  1. Press Save Configuration.

The "Configure routers or other devices" setup screen with the "Save Configuration" button at the bottom highlighted in a yellow box.

  1. On the VPN tab, select View on your newly created configuration.

The "Manage Devices" page showing the newly added "Ubuntu" device in the list, with the "View" button highlighted in a yellow box.

  1. Select Download configuration.

The "Preview routers or other devices" configuration summary page, with username and password highlighted in a yellow box.

  1. This will download an archive containing the OpenVPN configuration files and certificates required to set up the VPN connection.  
Important: Make sure to note down your username and password, as you will need them later when setting up CyberGhost on Ubuntu. 

Setting up CyberGhost OpenVPN on Ubuntu

Once OpenVPN is installed and you have generated and downloaded your CyberGhost OpenVPN configuration file, you can set up the VPN connection on Ubuntu. Follow the steps below to import the configuration file and connect to your chosen CyberGhost server.

  1. In the top-right corner, open Network settings.

The Ubuntu top-right system status menu with the network/volume/power area highlighted in a yellow box. 

  1. Select Wired/Wireless settings. 

The network settings quick menu with the "Wired Settings" option highlighted in a yellow box. 

  1. In the VPN field, press the + icon.
The Ubuntu Network settings panel with the plus (+) button next to "VPN" highlighted in a yellow box.
  1. Select Import from file.

The "Add VPN" dialog box with the "Import from file..." option highlighted in a yellow box.

  1. Locate the downloaded archive (typically in the Downloads folder), then extract its contents to access the configuration files and certificates. 

The file browser context menu showing the "Extract" option highlighted in a yellow box for the ubuntu_openvpn.zip file.

  1. Open the folder and select the openvpn.ovpn file.

The file picker window with the openvpn.ovpn file selected and highlighted in a yellow box.

  1. On the next screen, select the Identity tab and fill out your username and password (you can find it in your CyberGhost dashboard).

The "Add VPN" identity configuration window with the "User name" and "Password" fields highlighted in a yellow box.

  1. Then select Add.
Set-Up-OpenVPN-on-Linux-Ubuntu-via-Network-Manager-20.png
  1. After that, toggle the switch to activate CyberGhost.

The Ubuntu system settings panel showing the VPN connection "CyberGhost" as successfully added and enabled.

Need assistance? Contact our Customer Support team:

Related articles

Comments

0 comments

Article is closed for comments.