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Division

Member

Registered: 2018-09-08

Posts: 2  

VPN client stuck in a "checking DNS" connection loop

About 5 years ago I stopped using windows and have been using and learning Linux ever since. My aversion to all things poettering led me to Devuan, and plan to deploy it on some of the computers in my home, but I still consider myself a noob. With that having been said, I decided to post and ask for input on a matter.

I always employ a VPN when connected to the internet and for reasons unknown to me, when I use the VPN client of airVPN, which is called Eddie on Star LInux (https://airvpn.org/linux/), it refuses to connect unless I disable some protections of the client, thus negating the whole point of using the thing in the first place. The same failure to connect occurs when using MIYO, also a light and minimal distro.

The client itself is a GUI which uses openvpn, and allows for one click enabling of a network lock and other options, which I prefer to connecting via cli. The errors involve the inability for the client to resolve DNS pathing, and sends the client into a 'checking DNS' loop, continually trying and failing to connect.

Interestingly, when I use a Devuan installation with the Cinnamon DE, the client connects and works as intended right after having been installed. Which is fine, but I prefer Star for certain hardware configurations and systems that I maintain.

This led me to the conclusion that there are some packages installed with the Cinnamon DE that provide the additional DNS settings or functionality required by the VPN client to successfully connect that aren't installed with either Star or MIYO.

I did package counts, and started a contrast and comparison of the packages installed by all 3 Devuan distros, but without really knowing which libraries or packages provide the needed functionality, I am at a loss.

Can anyone point me in the right direction, in terms of which packages I need to install after a clean installation of Star to gain the functionality required to run the above mentioned VPN client?

ANY assistance rendered will be greatly appreciated.

Many thanks.

I'd also like to thank all of you (devs, users, contributors, maintainers, hosters... everyone) for coming together and creating Devuan.

You *$%#*@'s rock.

Div

neutron_stz

Member

Registered: 2018-09-16

Posts: 9  

Re: VPN client stuck in a "checking DNS" connection loop

check this: https://airvpn.org/topic/11431-using-ai … -terminal/

fsmithred

Administrator

Registered: 2016-11-25

Posts: 2,421  

Re: VPN client stuck in a "checking DNS" connection loop

The cinnamon desktop uses connman instead of wicd. Connman and network-manager support vpn. Wicd does not.

Division

Member

Registered: 2018-09-08

Posts: 2  

Re: VPN client stuck in a "checking DNS" connection loop

@neutron Thanks for the help. I want to learn how to get Linux to do exactly what I want it to do, which right now, means run that gui. lol Especially given that it works as intended with some DE's.

The cinnamon desktop uses connman instead of wicd. Connman and network-manager support vpn. Wicd does not.

@fsmithred Thank you too. I could be wrong, but I've only seen Cinnamon using network-manager, which is a moot point in any event. Doubly so, since I have a system which as we speak runs Devuan XFCE using Wicd, and the AirVPN gui runs perfectly.

With my limited knowledge, I can't figure out which packages are required to get this thing to work. Thanks for your replies, though.

GNUser

Member

Registered: 2017-03-16

Posts: 561  

Re: VPN client stuck in a "checking DNS" connection loop

Try installing resolvconf. openvpn (whether being used by itself or as a backend) sometimes needs it for setting up DNS.

Last edited by GNUser (2018-09-19 18:09:02)