Fixing OpenVPN Connection Issues in Ubuntu

If you've recently upgraded to Ubuntu 24.04 and are experiencing issues with OpenVPN connections failing silently after importing a .ovpn profile, you're not alone. This is a common problem that many users have encountered. Fortunately, it can be resolved using one of two methods: editing the .ovpn file directly or adjusting settings through the GUI.

Method 1: Edit the .ovpn Profile

Step 1: Import the .ovpn Profile

Start by importing the .ovpn profile into Ubuntu's Network Settings:

1. Open Settings on your Ubuntu system.
2. Navigate to the Network tab.
3. Under the VPN section, click the + button.
4. Select Import from file and choose your .ovpn file.

Once imported, try connecting to the VPN. If the connection fails silently, proceed with the following steps.

Step 2: Edit the .ovpn File

1. Open the .ovpn file you imported using a text editor.
2. Locate the line that says:

   cipher AES-256-CBC

1. Comment out this line by adding a # at the beginning:

   #cipher AES-256-CBC

1. Save the file.

Step 3: Re-import the Edited Profile

1. Go back to Network Settings and remove the existing VPN profile.
2. Click the + button again and re-import the edited .ovpn file.

Step 4: Reconnect to the VPN

Try reconnecting to the VPN. The connection should now work without any issues.

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Method 2: Change Cipher Settings via GUI

If you prefer not to edit the .ovpn file directly, you can resolve the issue through the Network Settings GUI.

Step 1: Import the .ovpn Profile

Follow the same steps as in Method 1 to import your .ovpn profile:

1. Open Settings and go to the Network section.
2. Click the + button under the VPN section and select Import from file.
3. Choose your .ovpn profile.

Step 2: Open VPN Profile Settings

1. After importing, click the gear icon next to the VPN profile to open its settings.

Step 3: Navigate to Advanced Settings

1. In the Identity tab, scroll down to the Advanced section.
2. Click on Advanced Options to open the advanced properties modal.

Step 4: Change the Cipher

1. Under the Security section, locate the dropdown for Cipher.
2. Change the Cipher from AES-256-CBC to Default.
3. Save the changes and close the modal.

Step 5: Reconnect to the VPN

After saving the changes, try reconnecting to the VPN. The connection should now work properly.

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I hope this helps :)