NordVPN. Cannot connect using Slackware64 on Desktop.

cwizardone · 04-08-2023, 10:12 AM

Posted out of frustration.

Short version, cannot connect to my vpn account.
I've had this nordvpn account for 3 years and it has worked until this last Monday. Worked fine on Sunday. Didn't work on Monday and hasn't worked since.
I'm not doing anything different than I have done for the last three years.
Nord has had me jumping through one hoop after another this last week, but nothing works. I've gone as far as re-installing Slackware64-current from
scratch several times. Nothing works.
Below are a couple of the errors messages. The new version they are talking about doesn't exist. There is only one version on their web site for Linux and it hasn't been changed in years. Of course they only speak
"debian," but I can translate.

I've asked them three times now if something has changed on their end, but they ignore the question and ask me to jump through, yet, another hoop.
The same user name and password, of course, work when connecting using my
android smart phone.
Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks!

Quote:

root:~# /etc/rc.d/rc.nordvpn start
Starting nordvpn
root@:~# 2023/04/06 13:46:16 Get "https://zwyr157wwiu6eior.com/v1/servers/countries": dial tcp: i/o timeout
2023/04/06 13:46:16 some of X-Digest, X-Authorization headers are missing
2023/04/06 13:46:17 some of X-Digest, X-Authorization headers are missing

Quote:

root:/# nordvpn c
A new version of NordVPN is available! Please update the application.
Please enter your login details.
Email / Username: cwizardone@************.com
Password:
-2023/04/05 08:34:57 [Error] logging in: unauthorized
Username or password is not correct. Please try again.
Attempt 2/3

hitest · 04-08-2023, 10:58 AM

Yes I had the same problem and I gave up. Your tutorial has always worked up until very recently. I've resigned myself to using my wife's Linux Mint desktop and my Windows 11 laptop for NordVPN.

cwizardone · 04-08-2023, 12:08 PM

OK, the trick seems to be to disable Ipv6.

Quote:

root:~# sysctl -w net.ipv6.conf.all.disable_ipv6=1
net.ipv6.conf.all.disable_ipv6 = 1
root:~# sysctl -w net.ipv6.conf.default.disable_ipv6=1
net.ipv6.conf.default.disable_ipv6 = 1
root:~# sysctl -w net.ipv6.conf.tun0.disable_ipv6=1
sysctl: cannot stat /proc/sys/net/ipv6/conf/tun0/disable_ipv6: No such file or directory
root:~# nordvpn c
A new version of NordVPN is available! Please update the application.
New feature - Meshnet! Link remote devices in Meshnet to connect to them directly over encrypted private tunnels, and route your traffic through another device. Use the `nordvpn meshnet --help` command to get started. Learn more: https://nordvpn.com/features/meshnet/
Connecting to United States #9674 (us9674.nordvpn.com)
You are connected to United States #9674 (us9674.nordvpn.com)!

I'm going to reboot and try again to confirm.
I guess a user could write a script to make this easier?

cwizardone · 04-08-2023, 01:34 PM

OK. That works.
Run the first two commands, one at a time, as root and then,
/etc/rc.d/rc.nordvpn start
wait 10-12 seconds and then,
nordvpn c
and you are connected.

Edit in: One problem. With ipv6 disabled, Thunderbird will not send mail.
Nordvpn is getting to be more trouble than it is worth.

Windu · 04-08-2023, 01:39 PM

cwizardone, you could make those sysctl commands being applied on every boot.
Create a file in /etc/sysctl.d/, say /etc/sysctl.d/noipv6.conf
Add these:

Code:

net.ipv6.conf.all.disable_ipv6 = 1
net.ipv6.conf.default.disable_ipv6 = 1

cwizardone · 04-08-2023, 02:02 PM

For reference purposes,
"How to Connect to NordVPN using Linux terminal"
https://support.nordvpn.com/Connecti...x-Terminal.htm
and
"How to Disable Ipv6 on Linux"
https://support.nordvpn.com/Connecti...6-on-Linux.htm

hitest · 04-08-2023, 03:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cwizardone

Edit in: One problem. With ipv6 disabled, Thunderbird will not send mail.
Nordvpn is getting to be more trouble than it is worth.

I hear that. Unfortunately before this situation happened I bought a 2 year subscription to NordVPN. So I'm with them until 2025 at least. Heh.

cwizardone · 04-08-2023, 04:06 PM

I should mention the following slackbuilds.org package is used to connect to nordvpn,
http://www.slackbuilds.org/repositor...twork/nordvpn/

kjhambrick · 04-08-2023, 05:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cwizardone

OK. That works.
Run the first two commands, one at a time, as root and then,
/etc/rc.d/rc.nordvpn start
wait 10-12 seconds and then,
nordvpn c
and you are connected.

Edit in: One problem. With ipv6 disabled, Thunderbird will not send mail.
Nordvpn is getting to be more trouble than it is worth.

cwizardone --

This Xfinity Community Forum hread is three years old so YMMV ...

Thunderbird will not connect to email server - Solved

Can you still disable ipv6 via the Thunderbird > Edit > Preferences > General Tab ?

And more importantly, does it work as expected ?

-- kjh(

ipv6 has been the bane of my existence from time to time

)

cwizardone · 04-08-2023, 05:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kjhambrick

cwizardone --

This Xfinity Community Forum hread is three years old so YMMV ...

Thunderbird will not connect to email server - Solved

Can you still disable ipv6 via the Thunderbird > Edit > Preferences > General Tab ?

And more importantly, does it work as expected ?

-- kjh(

ipv6 has been the bane of my existence from time to time

)

That works!
Good to know.
Many thanks!

Aeterna · 04-08-2023, 06:38 PM

disable ipv6 in kernel
1) append ipv6.disable=1 to kernel command line
2) create /etc/sysctl.conf and add
net.ipv6.conf.all.disable_ipv6 = 1
net.ipv6.conf.default.disable_ipv6 = 1
if you don't want to reboot run as root:

Quote:

sudo sysctl -w net.ipv6.conf.all.disable_ipv6=1
sudo sysctl -w net.ipv6.conf.default.disable_ipv6=1

3) just disable ipv6 in kernel

ipv6 is bad for you (privacy) so just disable it.

FTIO · 04-08-2023, 07:13 PM

I wish I knew what it was that's giving you the headache, but I've been with NordVPN for about 6 or 7 years and it works and is working just fine for me, though I don't use 'current'...perhaps that's something to look into?

leclerc78 · 04-08-2023, 07:39 PM

I am stuck until 2025. I use the extension in Chrome Browser for the meantime.
Any suggestions for an alternative are welcome ! As for my research, most of them support Windows well but not Linux !

bitfuzzy · 04-09-2023, 06:42 AM

Quote:

With ipv6 disabled, Thunderbird will not send mail.

Interesting...
I've had ipv6 disabled for a long time and have never had issues sending/receiving mail via Thunderbird (because of it being disabled), nor do I recall having to turn it off in TB

Aeterna · 04-09-2023, 03:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bitfuzzy

Interesting...
I've had ipv6 disabled for a long time and have never had issues sending/receiving mail via Thunderbird (because of it being disabled), nor do I recall having to turn it off in TB

I never had ipv6 enabled either (disabled in kernel) and I never had seen issues with thunderbird. I assume that in the case above email got stuck on ipv6, maybe rebooting (without ipv6 enabled) would fix this.