linux pptp configuration with MS vpn

I've been trying for a while to configure pptp to connect to my work vpn which uses an MS vpn server. Turns out configuration is fairly straightforward and that my main issue was really simple actually... anyways, the errors I was getting when trying to debug it were the following:

root@mclittle:/etc/ppp# pon myvpn debug dump logfd 2 nodetach
pppd options in effect:
debug # (from command line)
nodetach # (from command line)
logfd 2 # (from command line)
dump # (from command line)
noauth # (from /etc/ppp/options.pptp)
refuse-pap # (from /etc/ppp/options.pptp)
refuse-chap # (from /etc/ppp/options.pptp)
refuse-mschap # (from /etc/ppp/options.pptp)
refuse-eap # (from /etc/ppp/options.pptp)
name jdoe # (from /etc/ppp/peers/myvpn)
user jdoe # (from /etc/ppp/peers/myvpn)
remotename PPTP # (from /etc/ppp/peers/myvpn)
# (from /etc/ppp/options.pptp)
pty pptp vpn.domain.com --nolaunchpppd # (from /etc/ppp/peers/myvpn)
crtscts # (from /etc/ppp/options)
# (from /etc/ppp/options)
asyncmap 0 # (from /etc/ppp/options)
lcp-echo-failure 4 # (from /etc/ppp/options)
lcp-echo-interval 30 # (from /etc/ppp/options)
hide-password # (from /etc/ppp/options)
ipparam myvpn # (from /etc/ppp/peers/myvpn)
proxyarp # (from /etc/ppp/options)
nobsdcomp # (from /etc/ppp/options.pptp)
nodeflate # (from /etc/ppp/options.pptp)
require-mppe-128 # (from /etc/ppp/peers/myvpn)
noipx # (from /etc/ppp/options)
using channel 26
Using interface ppp0
Connect: ppp0 <--> /dev/pts/2
sent [LCP ConfReq id=0x1 <asyncmap 0x0> <magic 0x556ea98d> <pcomp> <accomp>]
rcvd [LCP ConfReq id=0x0 <mru 1400> <auth eap> <magic 0x20e4721> <pcomp> <accomp> <callback CBCP> <mrru 1614> <endpoint [local:e7.d1.73.2d.b1.7b.49.5b.bc.41.b8.ae.36.14.95.be.00.00.00.00]> < 17 04 19 f5>]
No auth is possible
sent [LCP ConfRej id=0x0 <auth eap> <callback CBCP> <mrru 1614> < 17 04 19 f5>]
rcvd [LCP ConfAck id=0x1 <asyncmap 0x0> <magic 0x556ea98d> <pcomp> <accomp>]
rcvd [LCP TermReq id=0x1 02 0e 47 21 00 3c cd 74 00 00 03 97]
sent [LCP TermAck id=0x1]
sent [LCP ConfReq id=0x1 <asyncmap 0x0> <magic 0x556ea98d> <pcomp> <accomp>]
sent [LCP ConfReq id=0x1 <asyncmap 0x0> <magic 0x556ea98d> <pcomp> <accomp>]
^CTerminating on signal 2
sent [LCP TermReq id=0x2 "User request"]
Child process pptp vpn.domain.com --nolaunchpppd (pid 5494) terminated with signal 2
Modem hangup
Connection terminated.

Anyways, here is what I did on an ubuntu system to get it to work, should be pretty much the same for other distributions.

First I am going to go through the information we will need and setup some "variables" so you know where to use them in your configs. I'll post configs with the "variable", and a config with sample data.

Packages Needed:

The followingm packages are needed to be installed:

• pptpd
• pptp-linux
  
• ppp
  

These can be installed with the following command:

• sudo apt-get install ppp pptpd pptp-linux
  

Config Data Needed:

• PPTP server name: ${VPN_SERVER}: vpn.doamin.com
• VPN User Name: ${USERNAME}: jdoe
• VPN Domain: ${DOMAIN}: USA
  
• VPN Password: ${PASSWORD}: jpass
• Connection name: ${CONFIG_FILE}: myvpn
• Password Alias: ${PASS_ALIAS}: myvpnalias
  

Here are the steps to take:

1. First lets configure our username/password that will be used for the VPN. We will edit /etc/ppp/chap-secrets:
   
   • SAMPLE:
     
     ${DOMAIN}\\${USERNAME} ${PASS_ALIAS} ${PASSWORD} *
   • EXAMPLE:
     
     USA\\jdoe myvpnalias jpass *
2. Now we will create a connection config file. This file is to be created in /etc/ppp/peers/. With our example data that would mean /etc/ppp/peers/myvpn
   
   • SAMPLE:
     
     pty "pptp ${VPN_SERVER} --nolaunchpppd"
     name ${DOMAIN}\\${USERNAME}
     user ${DOMAIN}\\${USERNAME}
     remotename ${PASS_ALIAS}
     require-mppe-128
     file /etc/ppp/options.pptp
     ipparam ${CONFIG_FILE}
   • EXAMPLE:
     
     pty "pptp vpn.domain.com --nolaunchpppd"
     name USA\\jdoe
     user USA\\jdoe
     remotename myvpnalias
     require-mppe-128
     file /etc/ppp/options.pptp
     ipparam myvpn
3. We can now connect to our pptp server:
   
   • pon ${CONFIG_FILE}
   • pon myvpn
     
     • Watch your /var/log/messages file on the status of your connection
     • When connected, you should have a new IP provided by the VPN server on a ppp0 device
4. To disconnect your vpn connection:
   
   • poff ${CONFIG_FILE}
     
   • poff myvpn

Troubleshooting:

If you are not getting connected, you can start your pptp with the following command for debugging output:

• pon ${CONFIG_FILE} debug dump logfd 2 detach
• pon myvpn debug dump logfd 2 detach

References:

• http://www.cyberciti.biz/tips/howto-configure-ubuntu-fedora-linux-pptp-client.html
• http://forums.gentoo.org/viewtopic-t-298267-highlight-.html
  

eee 901 hang during ubuntu linux suspend

My eee 901 was randomly hanging when entering a suspend mode. What would happen is when I try to resume it would just sit at a black screen. I would need to hard reset my system to bring it back online. Searching the web, I found the following that seems to be working for me.

• vi /etc/pm/sleep.d/55hddpause
  

  • Add the following:
    
    #!/bin/bash
    case $1 in
    suspend)
    echo "Is my script running???"
    sync
    sleep 10
    esac

• chmod +x /etc/pm/sleep.d/55pause

After creating that script which will run when your computer suspends I have not had anymore issues with resuming.

References:

• http://forum.eeeuser.com/viewtopic.php?pid=442950#p442950
  

hp ilo and self-signed certs with firefox 3

A very annoying thing I've encountered is that on our intranet we use to access hp iLOs the iLOs use self signed certs. Using firefox 3 to access these iLOs causes firefox to freak out and initiate a 4 step process to bypass the "unsecure" certificate. I got sick of wasting time for this since we manage hundreds of servers. I found the following plugin the brings the 4 click process down to 1 click:

• https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/6843

Obviously (or maybe not), don't use this for a browser that you are using to serf the internet with ... only use it on a browser that you are using to access a secure and private network.

If someone knows of a way to eliminate the "Secure Connection Failed" warning page altogether, please leave a comment and let me know!

class com.hp.ilo2.remcons.remcons.class not found

Working on an HP system I administrate I ran into the following java error message when trying to pull up the remote console in firefox on my linux workstation

• class com.hp.ilo2.remcons.remcons.class not found

What ended up being the solution was removing a cache directory that firefox has (clearing the cache from firefox did not work ...):

• Close All Firefox Windows
  
• cd $HOME/.mozilla/firefox/*.default/
• rm -rf Cache

Now start firefox back up and try it again, should be working (or at least it did for me).