VPN-Accounts.com — private VPN access since 2007

LINUX VPN SETUP

VPN for Ubuntu: WireGuard and OpenVPN Setup

Set up VPN access on Ubuntu using a downloadable WireGuard or OpenVPN profile. Compare setup methods and diagnose connection problems.

PublishedUpdatedReading time2 minutes

Use an account-specific configuration with a compatible Ubuntu VPN client. VPN-Accounts offers WireGuard and OpenVPN profiles through the dashboard. This walkthrough uses Ubuntu 24.04 LTS as a reference and is based on documentation. The connection steps have not been tested on an Ubuntu device by VPN-Accounts for this guide.

What you need before buying

Check whether you can install packages and manage networking on your device. Choose WireGuard access for a WireGuard configuration or OpenVPN access if your existing client expects an .ovpn file. One month starts at $7. After activation, select an available endpoint in the dashboard and download the matching file. Keep the configuration private.

Connect using WireGuard

  1. Install Ubuntu’s WireGuard package if the tools are missing. See Ubuntu’s WireGuard documentation.
  2. Save your downloaded file somewhere only you can read. In the terminal, enter its folder. In the commands below, replace vpn.conf with the actual filename.
  3. Start the tunnel with sudo wg-quick up ./vpn.conf. Open an ordinary site to generate traffic, then run sudo wg show to check for a recent handshake and transfer counters.
  4. Disconnect with sudo wg-quick down ./vpn.conf from the same directory.

Connect using OpenVPN

  1. Install Ubuntu’s OpenVPN package if needed. See Ubuntu’s OpenVPN documentation.
  2. Open a terminal in the folder with your downloaded file and run sudo openvpn --config ./vpn.ovpn, using the actual filename.
  3. Enter your VPN credentials if prompted. Leave the terminal open while you test browsing. Press Ctrl+C to stop the connection.

Verify the connection and identify what failed

  • No WireGuard handshake after generating traffic: Confirm ordinary internet access and that you used the correct current profile. Compare the same profile on another trusted network.
  • Handshake but no browsing: Check whether multiple sites fail. Review DNS and routing for your Ubuntu setup, and note any resolver-helper errors when starting the tunnel.
  • OpenVPN rejects authentication: Check the VPN credentials and account status. A timeout before authentication is a different symptom.

If you expect all traffic to use the VPN, check the public IP from the browser you actually use. Reconnect and repeat before relying on the setup. For help, send the Ubuntu release, client, endpoint and redacted error to Support. Leave private keys, passwords and full profiles out of the message.

Compare existing VPN plans or see the one-month payment options.