Connecting via OpenVPN

Download and install one of the available OpenVPN clients for Linux or Windows. In case you go to the openvpn Website directly click the “Community” button on the top right. Then click the button titled “Download the source code”. Afterwards scroll down and download and execute the installer for your system. Do not install any other vpn client from the Openvpn website as these do not work with our system.

Note

On all notebooks provides by the institute those clients are already installed.

If you haven’t got a PKCS12 cooperate keypair (extension .p12) or a complete configuration file (extension .ovpn) yet, you can request it in our self service portal.

Please note that for security reasons, the private key is encrypted and can only be decrypted by entering the password that is displayed when you requested the certificate. Please store it in a save location.

For your convenience, you’ve received a complete configuration file via email, named LOGIN_DATE.ovpn.

Save this file into your home directory or your download folder.

Linux

Command Line

Use the following shell command to establish a connection (select the appropriate path for the configuration file):

sudo openvpn --config /home/your_home_directory/LOGIN_DATE.ovpn

Fill in the required values:

  • Auth Username: your MPI MiS loginname (not your email address)

  • Auth Password: your MPI MiS password

  • Private key password: the password you can see at the WWW page after requesting the certificate

When connecting, you will be asked for username and password, use your MPI MiS login credentials here.

The second password asked for is the one for the certificate; you received it together with the certificate (displayed on the screen only).

NetworkManager

sudo apt install network-manager-openvpn network-manager-openvpn-gnome

Open Network-manager > VPN-Connection > Add a VPN connection

  • select Import a saved VPN connection…, click create and select your saved configuration file

  • fill in your credentials

When connecting, you will be asked for username and password, use your MPI MiS login credentials here.

The second password asked for is the one for the certificate; you got it together with the certificate (displayed on the screen only).

MacOS (Tunnelblick)

Short guide:

  • Double click onto the ovpn-file or drag & drop it in the configuration field

tunnelblick-config-1.png

  • Type in your institutional username and password and click ok. Important: Leave the checkbox Security code unchecked.

tunnelblick-config-2.png

  • Now type in the password for the certificate (you can see it at the WWW page after requesting the certificate).

tunnelblick-config-3.png

  • When connecting, you will be asked for username and password, use your MPI MiS login credentials here.

  • The second password asked for is the one for the certificate; you got it together with the certificate (displayed on the screen only).

  • Once connected, ssh connections to hosts login.mis.mpg.de and hydra.mis.mpg.de are available.

Windows

Start the openvpn client program.

Before the first start: Right-click the openvpn icon in the taskbar and load your configuration file LOGIN_DATE.ovpn (just saved) using Import file….

Click the openvpn icon in the taskbar and Connect.

Maybe at the first start you will be asked for the Administrator password to allow your account to be added to the OpenVPN Administrators group:

openvpn_ask1.png

In the first login window, please fill in your usual login name and password for the MPI MiS. In the second window, you need to fill in the password for the certificate (you have seen at the certificate request screen).