(Double posting this here and to discuss .cachyos.org)
Hi all!
My school is offering a VPN for students to connect to a VM when they’re not in-house. This VPN runs via OpenVPN. A .ovpn config file is provided, and the connection is protected with a 2FA code.
Now to my problem: Connecting with
sudo openvpn --config /path/to/config/file/config.ovpn
works flawlessly. I get prompted for a username and passwort (neither of which seem to matter, since I can connect no matter what I type in), and after that, for a 2FA code. After I enter the 2FA code, the connection establishes without a hitch.
However, when I attempt to connect by importing the config file into KDE’s network settings, the connection fails:
Log
Jan 21 10:38:09 ANBORN NetworkManager[904]: <info> [1768988289.7274] audit: op="connection-update" uuid="30663daa-271a-462d-9b41-2a33af6e973d" name="ENDPOINT_NAME" args="vpn.data,vpn.secrets,ipv6.addr-gen-mode" pid=134947 uid=1000 result="success"
Jan 21 10:38:12 ANBORN NetworkManager[904]: <info> [1768988292.2444] vpn[0x55b1000f35b0,30663daa-271a-462d-9b41-2a33af6e973d,"ENDPOINT_NAME"]: starting openvpn
Jan 21 10:38:12 ANBORN NetworkManager[904]: <info> [1768988292.2460] audit: op="connection-activate" uuid="30663daa-271a-462d-9b41-2a33af6e973d" name="ENDPOINT_NAME" pid=134947 uid=1000 result="success"
Jan 21 10:38:12 ANBORN nm-openvpn[135414]: OpenVPN 2.6.17 [git:makepkg/fa20154d58ca609b+] x86_64-pc-linux-gnu [SSL (OpenSSL)] [LZO] [LZ4] [EPOLL] [PKCS11] [MH/PKTINFO] [AEAD] [DCO] built on Nov 29 2025
Jan 21 10:38:12 ANBORN nm-openvpn[135414]: library versions: OpenSSL 3.6.0 1 Oct 2025, LZO 2.10
Jan 21 10:38:12 ANBORN nm-openvpn[135414]: DCO version: N/A
Jan 21 10:38:12 ANBORN nm-openvpn[135414]: WARNING: No server certificate verification method has been enabled. See http://openvpn.net/howto.html#mitm for more info.
Jan 21 10:38:12 ANBORN nm-openvpn[135414]: NOTE: the current --script-security setting may allow this configuration to call user-defined scripts
Jan 21 10:38:12 ANBORN nm-openvpn[135414]: TCP/UDP: Preserving recently used remote address: [AF_INET]ENDPOINT_IP
Jan 21 10:38:12 ANBORN nm-openvpn[135414]: Attempting to establish TCP connection with [AF_INET]ENDPOINT_IP
Jan 21 10:38:12 ANBORN nm-openvpn[135414]: TCP connection established with [AF_INET]ENDPOINT_IP
Jan 21 10:38:12 ANBORN nm-openvpn[135414]: TCPv4_CLIENT link local: (not bound)
Jan 21 10:38:12 ANBORN nm-openvpn[135414]: TCPv4_CLIENT link remote: [AF_INET]ENDPOINT_IP
Jan 21 10:38:12 ANBORN nm-openvpn[135414]: NOTE: UID/GID downgrade will be delayed because of --client, --pull, or --up-delay
Jan 21 10:38:13 ANBORN nm-openvpn[135414]: [openvpn_server] Peer Connection Initiated with [AF_INET]ENDPOINT_IP
Jan 21 10:38:13 ANBORN nm-openvpn[135414]: AUTH: Received control message: AUTH_FAILED
Jan 21 10:38:13 ANBORN nm-openvpn[135414]: SIGUSR1[soft,auth-failure] received, process restarting
Jan 21 10:38:39 ANBORN nm-openvpn[135414]: WARNING: No server certificate verification method has been enabled. See http://openvpn.net/howto.html#mitm for more info.
Jan 21 10:38:39 ANBORN nm-openvpn[135414]: NOTE: the current --script-security setting may allow this configuration to call user-defined scripts
Jan 21 10:38:39 ANBORN nm-openvpn[135414]: TCP/UDP: Preserving recently used remote address: [AF_INET]ENDPOINT_IP
Jan 21 10:38:39 ANBORN nm-openvpn[135414]: Attempting to establish TCP connection with [AF_INET]ENDPOINT_IP
Jan 21 10:38:39 ANBORN nm-openvpn[135414]: TCP connection established with [AF_INET]ENDPOINT_IP
Jan 21 10:38:39 ANBORN nm-openvpn[135414]: TCPv4_CLIENT link local: (not bound)
Jan 21 10:38:39 ANBORN nm-openvpn[135414]: TCPv4_CLIENT link remote: [AF_INET]ENDPOINT_IP
Jan 21 10:38:40 ANBORN nm-openvpn[135414]: [openvpn_server] Peer Connection Initiated with [AF_INET]ENDPOINT_IP
Jan 21 10:38:40 ANBORN nm-openvpn[135414]: AUTH: Received control message: AUTH_FAILED
Jan 21 10:38:40 ANBORN nm-openvpn[135414]: SIGUSR1[soft,auth-failure] received, process restarting
Jan 21 10:38:46 ANBORN nm-openvpn[135414]: WARNING: No server certificate verification method has been enabled. See http://openvpn.net/howto.html#mitm for more info.
Jan 21 10:38:46 ANBORN nm-openvpn[135414]: NOTE: the current --script-security setting may allow this configuration to call user-defined scripts
Jan 21 10:38:46 ANBORN nm-openvpn[135414]: TCP/UDP: Preserving recently used remote address: [AF_INET]ENDPOINT_IP
Jan 21 10:38:46 ANBORN nm-openvpn[135414]: Attempting to establish TCP connection with [AF_INET]ENDPOINT_IP
Jan 21 10:38:46 ANBORN nm-openvpn[135414]: TCP connection established with [AF_INET]ENDPOINT_IP
Jan 21 10:38:46 ANBORN nm-openvpn[135414]: TCPv4_CLIENT link local: (not bound)
Jan 21 10:38:46 ANBORN nm-openvpn[135414]: TCPv4_CLIENT link remote: [AF_INET]ENDPOINT_IP
Jan 21 10:38:46 ANBORN nm-openvpn[135414]: [openvpn_server] Peer Connection Initiated with [AF_INET]ENDPOINT_IP
Jan 21 10:38:47 ANBORN nm-openvpn[135414]: AUTH: Received control message: AUTH_FAILED
Jan 21 10:38:47 ANBORN nm-openvpn[135414]: SIGUSR1[soft,auth-failure] received, process restarting
Jan 21 10:38:53 ANBORN nm-openvpn[135414]: WARNING: No server certificate verification method has been enabled. See http://openvpn.net/howto.html#mitm for more info.
Jan 21 10:38:53 ANBORN nm-openvpn[135414]: NOTE: the current --script-security setting may allow this configuration to call user-defined scripts
Jan 21 10:38:53 ANBORN nm-openvpn[135414]: TCP/UDP: Preserving recently used remote address: [AF_INET]ENDPOINT_IP
Jan 21 10:38:53 ANBORN nm-openvpn[135414]: Attempting to establish TCP connection with [AF_INET]ENDPOINT_IP
Jan 21 10:38:53 ANBORN nm-openvpn[135414]: TCP connection established with [AF_INET]ENDPOINT_IP
Jan 21 10:38:53 ANBORN nm-openvpn[135414]: TCPv4_CLIENT link local: (not bound)
Jan 21 10:38:53 ANBORN nm-openvpn[135414]: TCPv4_CLIENT link remote: [AF_INET]ENDPOINT_IP
Jan 21 10:38:53 ANBORN nm-openvpn[135414]: Connection reset, restarting [0]
Jan 21 10:38:53 ANBORN nm-openvpn[135414]: SIGUSR1[soft,connection-reset] received, process restarting
Jan 21 10:38:54 ANBORN nm-openvpn[135414]: WARNING: No server certificate verification method has been enabled. See http://openvpn.net/howto.html#mitm for more info.
Jan 21 10:38:54 ANBORN nm-openvpn[135414]: NOTE: the current --script-security setting may allow this configuration to call user-defined scripts
Jan 21 10:38:54 ANBORN nm-openvpn[135414]: TCP/UDP: Preserving recently used remote address: [AF_INET]ENDPOINT_IP
Jan 21 10:38:54 ANBORN nm-openvpn[135414]: Attempting to establish TCP connection with [AF_INET]ENDPOINT_IP
Jan 21 10:38:54 ANBORN nm-openvpn[135414]: TCP connection established with [AF_INET]ENDPOINT_IP
Jan 21 10:38:54 ANBORN nm-openvpn[135414]: TCPv4_CLIENT link local: (not bound)
Jan 21 10:38:54 ANBORN nm-openvpn[135414]: TCPv4_CLIENT link remote: [AF_INET]ENDPOINT_IP
Jan 21 10:38:54 ANBORN nm-openvpn[135414]: Connection reset, restarting [0]
Jan 21 10:38:54 ANBORN nm-openvpn[135414]: SIGUSR1[soft,connection-reset] received, process restarting
Jan 21 10:38:55 ANBORN nm-openvpn[135414]: WARNING: No server certificate verification method has been enabled. See http://openvpn.net/howto.html#mitm for more info.
Jan 21 10:38:55 ANBORN nm-openvpn[135414]: NOTE: the current --script-security setting may allow this configuration to call user-defined scripts
Jan 21 10:38:55 ANBORN nm-openvpn[135414]: TCP/UDP: Preserving recently used remote address: [AF_INET]ENDPOINT_IP
Jan 21 10:38:55 ANBORN nm-openvpn[135414]: Attempting to establish TCP connection with [AF_INET]ENDPOINT_IP
Jan 21 10:38:55 ANBORN nm-openvpn[135414]: TCP connection established with [AF_INET]ENDPOINT_IP
Jan 21 10:38:55 ANBORN nm-openvpn[135414]: TCPv4_CLIENT link local: (not bound)
Jan 21 10:38:55 ANBORN nm-openvpn[135414]: TCPv4_CLIENT link remote: [AF_INET]ENDPOINT_IP
Jan 21 10:38:55 ANBORN nm-openvpn[135414]: Connection reset, restarting [0]
Jan 21 10:38:55 ANBORN nm-openvpn[135414]: SIGUSR1[soft,connection-reset] received, process restarting
Jan 21 10:38:56 ANBORN nm-openvpn[135414]: WARNING: No server certificate verification method has been enabled. See http://openvpn.net/howto.html#mitm for more info.
Jan 21 10:38:56 ANBORN nm-openvpn[135414]: NOTE: the current --script-security setting may allow this configuration to call user-defined scripts
Jan 21 10:38:56 ANBORN nm-openvpn[135414]: TCP/UDP: Preserving recently used remote address: [AF_INET]ENDPOINT_IP
Jan 21 10:38:56 ANBORN nm-openvpn[135414]: Attempting to establish TCP connection with [AF_INET]ENDPOINT_IP
Jan 21 10:38:56 ANBORN nm-openvpn[135414]: TCP connection established with [AF_INET]ENDPOINT_IP
Jan 21 10:38:56 ANBORN nm-openvpn[135414]: TCPv4_CLIENT link local: (not bound)
Jan 21 10:38:56 ANBORN nm-openvpn[135414]: TCPv4_CLIENT link remote: [AF_INET]ENDPOINT_IP
Jan 21 10:38:56 ANBORN nm-openvpn[135414]: Connection reset, restarting [0]
Jan 21 10:38:56 ANBORN nm-openvpn[135414]: SIGUSR1[soft,connection-reset] received, process restarting
Jan 21 10:38:57 ANBORN nm-openvpn[135414]: WARNING: No server certificate verification method has been enabled. See http://openvpn.net/howto.html#mitm for more info.
Jan 21 10:38:57 ANBORN nm-openvpn[135414]: NOTE: the current --script-security setting may allow this configuration to call user-defined scripts
Jan 21 10:38:57 ANBORN nm-openvpn[135414]: TCP/UDP: Preserving recently used remote address: [AF_INET]ENDPOINT_IP
Jan 21 10:38:57 ANBORN nm-openvpn[135414]: Attempting to establish TCP connection with [AF_INET]ENDPOINT_IP
Jan 21 10:38:57 ANBORN nm-openvpn[135414]: TCP connection established with [AF_INET]ENDPOINT_IP
Jan 21 10:38:57 ANBORN nm-openvpn[135414]: TCPv4_CLIENT link local: (not bound)
Jan 21 10:38:57 ANBORN nm-openvpn[135414]: TCPv4_CLIENT link remote: [AF_INET]ENDPOINT_IP
Jan 21 10:38:57 ANBORN nm-openvpn[135414]: Connection reset, restarting [0]
Jan 21 10:38:57 ANBORN nm-openvpn[135414]: SIGUSR1[soft,connection-reset] received, process restarting
Jan 21 10:38:59 ANBORN nm-openvpn[135414]: WARNING: No server certificate verification method has been enabled. See http://openvpn.net/howto.html#mitm for more info.
Jan 21 10:38:59 ANBORN nm-openvpn[135414]: NOTE: the current --script-security setting may allow this configuration to call user-defined scripts
Jan 21 10:38:59 ANBORN nm-openvpn[135414]: TCP/UDP: Preserving recently used remote address: [AF_INET]ENDPOINT_IP
Jan 21 10:38:59 ANBORN nm-openvpn[135414]: Attempting to establish TCP connection with [AF_INET]ENDPOINT_IP
Jan 21 10:38:59 ANBORN nm-openvpn[135414]: TCP connection established with [AF_INET]ENDPOINT_IP
Jan 21 10:38:59 ANBORN nm-openvpn[135414]: TCPv4_CLIENT link local: (not bound)
Jan 21 10:38:59 ANBORN nm-openvpn[135414]: TCPv4_CLIENT link remote: [AF_INET]ENDPOINT_IP
Jan 21 10:38:59 ANBORN nm-openvpn[135414]: Connection reset, restarting [0]
Jan 21 10:38:59 ANBORN nm-openvpn[135414]: SIGUSR1[soft,connection-reset] received, process restarting
Jan 21 10:39:03 ANBORN nm-openvpn[135414]: WARNING: No server certificate verification method has been enabled. See http://openvpn.net/howto.html#mitm for more info.
Jan 21 10:39:03 ANBORN nm-openvpn[135414]: NOTE: the current --script-security setting may allow this configuration to call user-defined scripts
Jan 21 10:39:03 ANBORN nm-openvpn[135414]: TCP/UDP: Preserving recently used remote address: [AF_INET]ENDPOINT_IP
Jan 21 10:39:03 ANBORN nm-openvpn[135414]: Attempting to establish TCP connection with [AF_INET]ENDPOINT_IP
Jan 21 10:39:03 ANBORN nm-openvpn[135414]: TCP connection established with [AF_INET]ENDPOINT_IP
Jan 21 10:39:03 ANBORN nm-openvpn[135414]: TCPv4_CLIENT link local: (not bound)
Jan 21 10:39:03 ANBORN nm-openvpn[135414]: TCPv4_CLIENT link remote: [AF_INET]ENDPOINT_IP
Jan 21 10:39:03 ANBORN nm-openvpn[135414]: Connection reset, restarting [0]
Jan 21 10:39:03 ANBORN nm-openvpn[135414]: SIGUSR1[soft,connection-reset] received, process restarting
Jan 21 10:39:11 ANBORN nm-openvpn[135414]: WARNING: No server certificate verification method has been enabled. See http://openvpn.net/howto.html#mitm for more info.
Jan 21 10:39:11 ANBORN nm-openvpn[135414]: NOTE: the current --script-security setting may allow this configuration to call user-defined scripts
Jan 21 10:39:11 ANBORN nm-openvpn[135414]: TCP/UDP: Preserving recently used remote address: [AF_INET]ENDPOINT_IP
Jan 21 10:39:11 ANBORN nm-openvpn[135414]: Attempting to establish TCP connection with [AF_INET]ENDPOINT_IP
Jan 21 10:39:11 ANBORN nm-openvpn[135414]: TCP connection established with [AF_INET]ENDPOINT_IP
Jan 21 10:39:11 ANBORN nm-openvpn[135414]: TCPv4_CLIENT link local: (not bound)
Jan 21 10:39:11 ANBORN nm-openvpn[135414]: TCPv4_CLIENT link remote: [AF_INET]ENDPOINT_IP
Jan 21 10:39:11 ANBORN nm-openvpn[135414]: Connection reset, restarting [0]
Jan 21 10:39:11 ANBORN nm-openvpn[135414]: SIGUSR1[soft,connection-reset] received, process restarting
Jan 21 10:39:12 ANBORN NetworkManager[904]: <warn> [1768988352.7511] vpn[0x55b1000f35b0,30663daa-271a-462d-9b41-2a33af6e973d,"ENDPOINT_NAME]: connect timeout exceeded
Jan 21 10:39:12 ANBORN nm-openvpn[135414]: SIGTERM[hard,init_instance] received, process exiting
(Be aware that I replaced the name of the endpoint with ENDPOINT_NAME, and the IP with ENDPOINT_IP for privacy reasons.)
I noticed the part where it says
Jan 21 10:38:47 ANBORN nm-openvpn[135414]: AUTH: Received control message: AUTH_FAILED
which I’m pretty sure is a message from the server. But it’s odd that I can connect with the same server, the same config and the same credentials without problem over the CLI. This leads me to believe that the issue may be with Networkmanager, but I’m really not sure.
Does anyone have a similar issue, or know where I can begin troubleshooting?
Cheers!