--- title: OpenVPN 3 Linux Client canonical: https://openvpn.net/community-docs/openvpn-client-for-linux/ product: Community Docs description: Install and use the OpenVPN 3 Linux client — the official next-generation command-line VPN client for Ubuntu, Debian, RHEL, and Fedora. Supports unprivileged users, automatic DNS configuration, D-Bus integration, and Access Server and CloudConnexa connections. --- # OpenVPN 3 Linux Client The OpenVPN 3 Linux client is the official next-generation command-line client for Linux systems. It supports modern features for both open-source community users and commercial OpenVPN product users ([Access Server](https://openvpn.net/access-server/) and [CloudConnexa](https://openvpn.net/cloud-vpn/)). ## What is OpenVPN 3 Linux? OpenVPN 3 Linux is a user-space implementation built on the same core library used by OpenVPN Connect. Unlike the older OpenVPN 2.x clients, this version offers: - Unprivileged user support. - Automatic DNS configuration. - Access control for configuration and session management. - D-Bus integration and Python 3 support for scripting and automation. > **Note** > > There is no GUI client ([OpenVPN Connect](https://openvpn.net/client/)) for Linux. This is a command-line-only client. ## Installation We provide packages for Ubuntu, Debian, RHEL, and Fedora. Refer to these for reference: - [Install OpenVPN 3 Linux](https://community.openvpn.net/Pages/OpenVPN3Linux) - **CloudConnexa Tutorial:** [Learn to Install and Control the OpenVPN 3 Client](https://openvpn.net/cloud-docs/tutorials/configuration-tutorials/connectors/operating-systems/linux/tutorial--learn-to-install-and-control-the-openvpn-3-client.md) - [openvpn3-linux on Codeberg](https://codeberg.org/OpenVPN/openvpn3-linux/) ## Using OpenVPN 3 Linux with Access Server You can connect to [Access Server](https://openvpn.net/access-server/) using the `openvpn3-as` tool included in the client package. Follow the detailed steps in this tutorial: - [Import a Connection Profile Using the openvpn3-as Tool](https://openvpn.net/as-docs/v3/tutorials/tutorial--openvpn3-as-import-connection-profile.md) ## Advanced features ### Configuration and session access control (ACL) - To associate a connection profile (.ovpn file) with a configuration file: ``` openvpn3 config-import --config client.ovpn --name --persistent ``` > **Tip** > > The `` (configuration file) is an "alias name" associated with your connection profile (.ovpn file). - To list all available configuration profiles, run this command: ``` openvpn3 configs-list ``` > **Important** > > A configuration file typically contains generic options to connect to a specific server, regardless of the device itself. OpenVPN 3 Linux also supports setting more host-specific settings on a configuration profile. This is handled via the `openvpn3 config-manage` interface. Any settings here are also preserved across boots if the configuration profile was imported with the `--persistent` argument. - To start a VPN session: ``` openvpn3 session-start --config ``` - Once a VPN session has started, you can list the active VPN session by running this command: ``` openvpn3 sessions-list ``` - To disconnect a VPN session: ``` openvpn3 session-manage --config --disconnect ``` - To start a VPN session using the openvpn2 script: ``` openvpn2 --config Brandon.ovpn --verb 6 ``` > **Tip** > > The `openvpn2` is a Python script that partly "emulates" the classic OpenVPN. ### Python 3 integration The client ships with a Python 3 module and example scripts: - `openvpn2` - `openvpn3-autoload` - `openvpn3-as` More examples are available in the [source tree](https://codeberg.org/OpenVPN/openvpn3-linux/src/branch/master/src/tests/python). ### AWS VPC integration 1. For AWS routing integration, install the AWS add-on: ``` # Ubuntu/Debian apt install openvpn3-addon-aws # Fedora/RHEL/CentOS yum install openvpn3-addon-aws ``` 2. Then start the service: ``` sudo systemctl enable openvpn3-aws.service ``` The service listens for VPN route changes and updates your AWS VPC route table. > **Important** > > The `openvpn3-service-aws` requires AWS IAM role configuration. We recommend configuring it with AWS CloudFormation scripts. See the `openvpn3-service-aws` man page for details. ## About DCO (data channel offload) The OpenVPN 3 client can optionally use the `ovpn-dco` kernel module for improved performance. 1. To start a VPN session with DCO: ``` openvpn3 session-start --config --dco true ``` 2. Check if the module is installed: ``` modinfo ovpn-dco-v2 ``` 3. Check DKMS status: ``` dkms status ``` - If this only says the `ovpn-dco` module is **added** and not **installed**, or the installed kernel version doesn't match the running kernel version, there's a mismatch. Use this command to verify your running kernel version: ``` uname -r ``` > **Tip** > > Ensure your host is current on kernel updates. For advanced build and troubleshooting, refer to the `dkms(8)` man page. ## Additional documentation and references - **Release notes:** See the latest changes and version history on the [openvpn3-linux releases page (Codeberg)](https://codeberg.org/OpenVPN/openvpn3-linux/releases). - All tools include man pages (e.g., `man openvpn3`, `man openvpn3-linux`). - Source and example code: [Git repository on Codeberg](https://codeberg.org/OpenVPN/openvpn3-linux/). - D-Bus programming interface: [Service overview](https://codeberg.org/OpenVPN/openvpn3-linux/src/branch/master/docs/dbus/dbus-overview.md). - [The OpenVPN community wiki](https://community.openvpn.net/). ## Limitations ### Profile autoloading OpenVPN 3 **doesn't** support `--auth-user-pass` with plain-text files like OpenVPN 2. OpenVPN 2 Linux clients allowed storing user credentials in a text-based file for starting a VPN connection. For specific use cases with OpenVPN 3 where this is still needed, find a workaround here: - [OpenVPN 3 Linux and --auth-user-pass](https://blog.openvpn.net/openvpn-3-linux-and-auth-user-pass/) ## Not using Access Server or CloudConnexa? This page focuses on using OpenVPN 3 with OpenVPN Inc. products. If you're using OpenVPN 3 Linux with your own server or another VPN provider: - Visit the [Community OpenVPN 3 Linux Wiki](https://community.openvpn.net/Pages/OpenVPN3Linux). **Maintained by the open-source community.** --- Prev: [Setting Up Routing](https://openvpn.net/community-docs/setting-up-routing.md) Next: [Advanced Topics](https://openvpn.net/community-docs/advanced-topics.md) Index: https://openvpn.net/community-docs/llms.txt