Services

PrivacySafe VPN setup

Welcome to PrivacySafe! Our software delivers privacy and security while you communicate, collaborate, and work. This guide walks you through setting up PrivacySafe VPN, covering both OpenVPN and WireGuard connections. Using this guide, you will be able to use your credentials to configure your VPN connections on Windows, Mac, GNU/Linux, iPhone iOS, Android, and even on Ethernet routers and WiFi access points. Follow the relevant instructions for your operating system or device.

You can use PrivacySafe VPN alongside our Enterprise Suite and free web apps. Let's get started!

Desktop or Laptop with OpenVPN

Your PrivacySafe OpenVPN instance is hosted on a server that will be provided by our PrivacySafe team. You will need the OpenVPN client configuration file, which contains your credentials and will be provided to you separately.

Windows Setup (OpenVPN)

1. Download and Install OpenVPN:

• Go to the OpenVPN downloads page and download the latest version for Windows.
• Run the installer and follow the installation steps.

2. Install Configuration Files:

• Place the provided VPN client configuration file in the OpenVPN configuration folder (C:\Program Files\OpenVPN\config).

3. Launch OpenVPN GUI:

• Open OpenVPN GUI (you can find it in the Start menu).
• Right-click the OpenVPN icon in your system tray and select Connect. It will use the configuration file to initiate the connection.

4. Verify the Connection:

• After connecting, verify the connection by checking your IP address at psafe.ly/myip. If the IP matches the VPN server's IP, you are connected.

NOTE:

• If the server's ed25519 fingerprint is required during setup or verification, please refer to the information provided to you by our PrivacySafe team.

Mac Setup (OpenVPN)

1. Download and Install OpenVPN:

• Download the official OpenVPN client for MacOS from OpenVPN's website.
• Install it by following the on-screen instructions.

2. Install Configuration Files:

• Open the OpenVPN GUI and import the provided client configuration file.

3. Start the VPN Connection:

• Launch Tunnelblick (the OpenVPN client for MacOS).
• Click on the Tunnelblick icon in the top menu bar and select Connect.

4. Verify the VPN Connection:

• After connecting, verify your IP at psafe.ly/myip to confirm your connection to the VPN server.

GNU/Linux Setup (OpenVPN)

These instructions are for Debian-based distributions such as Ubuntu.

1. Install OpenVPN:

• Install the OpenVPN client using the following command:

sudo apt install openvpn

2. Install Configuration Files:

• Place the provided client configuration file in the OpenVPN configuration directory:

sudo cp client.ovpn /etc/openvpn/

3. Start the VPN Connection:

• To connect, run the following command:

sudo openvpn --config /etc/openvpn/client.ovpn

4. Verify the VPN Connection:

• After connecting, verify your IP in a web browser at psafe.ly/myip to confirm your connection to the VPN server.
• To verify the connection in the terminal, run:

curl https://psafe.ly/myip

Desktop or Laptop with WireGuard

Your PrivacySafe WireGuard VPN is hosted on a server that will be provided by our PrivacySafe team. Follow the steps below for each platform to connect to the WireGuard VPN.

Windows Setup (WireGuard)

1. Download and Install WireGuard:

• Download and install the WireGuard client for Windows from the official WireGuard website.

2. Install Configuration Files:

• Copy the wg0.conf file from the VPS server.
• In the WireGuard client, click Add Tunnel and select Add empty tunnel.
• Paste the configuration into the new tunnel file.

3. Activate the VPN Connection:

• After importing the configuration, click Activate to establish the connection.

4. Verify the VPN Connection:

• Once the VPN is connected, verify the connection by visiting psafe.ly/myip. Your public IP should now match the VPN server's IP. Your should be connected to Iceland in Europe.

Mac Setup (WireGuard)

1. Download WireGuard:

• Download and install the WireGuard app from the App Store.

2. Import Configuration:

• Copy the wg0.conf file from the VPS server to your Mac device.
• Open the WireGuard app, and select Import tunnel from file.
• Choose the wg0.conf file you copied.

3. Start the VPN Connection:

• Once the configuration is loaded, you can click Activate to connect to the VPN.

4. Verify the VPN Connection:

• Once the VPN is connected, verify the connection by visiting psafe.ly/myip. Your public IP should now match the VPN server's IP. Your should be connected to Iceland in Europe.

GNU/Linux Setup (WireGuard)

1. Install WireGuard:

• On a Debian/Ubuntu-based system, run the following command:

sudo apt install wireguard

2. Install Configuration Files:

• Copy the provided wg0.conf file from the VPS server to your local machine:

sudo cp /etc/wireguard/wg0.conf /etc/wireguard/

3. Start the VPN Connection:

• Run the following command to start the VPN connection:

sudo wg-quick up wg0

4. Verify the VPN Connection:

• After connecting, verify your IP in a web browser at psafe.ly/myip to confirm your connection to the VPN server.
• To verify the connection in the terminal, run:

ip link show wg0

• Ensure the wg0 interface appears.
• You can test the connection by pinging the server:

ping 10.10.10.1

Smartphone Setup (OpenVPN & WireGuard)

PrivacySafe VPN works seamlessly using both OpenVPN and WireGuard protocols on iOS and Android. Follow the steps below for each platform.

iPhone iOS Setup

1. Install OpenVPN (if using OpenVPN):

• Download the OpenVPN Connect app from the App Store.

2. Install WireGuard (if using WireGuard):

• Download the WireGuard app from the App Store.

3. Import Configuration:

• For OpenVPN, import the .ovpn configuration file into the OpenVPN app.
• For WireGuard, import the wg0.conf file into the WireGuard app.

4. Activate the VPN:

• Open the app and activate the VPN by switching the toggle to On.

5. Verify the VPN Connection:

• Once the VPN is connected, verify the connection by visiting psafe.ly/myip. Your public IP should now match the VPN server's IP. Your should be connected to Iceland in Europe.

Android Setup

1. Install OpenVPN (if using OpenVPN):

• Download the OpenVPN for Android app from the Google Play Store.
• Alternatively, you can also download OpenVPN for Android from F-Droid which does not require a Google Account.

2. Install WireGuard (if using WireGuard):

• Download the WireGuard app from the Google Play Store.
• Alternatively, you can download WG Tunnel from F-Droid which does not require a Google Account.

3. Import Configuration:

• For OpenVPN, import the .ovpn configuration file into the OpenVPN app.
• For WireGuard, import the wg0.conf file into the WireGuard app.

4. Activate the VPN:

• Open the app and activate the VPN by switching the toggle to On.

5. Verify the VPN Connection:

• Once the VPN is connected, verify the connection by visiting psafe.ly/myip. Your public IP should now match the VPN server's IP. Your should be connected to Iceland in Europe.

Router Setup (OpenVPN & WireGuard)

We recommend using a travel router such as the easy-to-use GL.iNet VPN Travel Router models. Alternatively, you can set up your PrivacySafe VPN on a local Ethernet router or WiFi access point, using DD-WRT or OpenWRT if necessary. Setting up PrivacySafe VPN on the physical gateway to your network provides seamless connectivity for all connected devices, without the need for configuring individual operating systems.

GL.iNet VPN Travel Router

This guide is for the GL.iNet GL-A1300 which provides easy VPN setup with our PrivacySafe VPN and supports both OpenVPN and WireGuard. Here's how to set it up:

1. Log in to the Router Interface:

• Connect your computer to the GL-A1300 router via Wi-Fi or Ethernet.
• Open a web browser and navigate to http://192.168.8.1.
• Log in using the default credentials. These are found on a barcode sticker on the router case.

2. Set Up OpenVPN:

• Navigate to the VPN section in the router's settings.
• Upload the provided OpenVPN configuration file to the router's OpenVPN configuration section.
• Apply the settings and enable the VPN.

3. Set Up WireGuard:

• Navigate to the WireGuard settings in the VPN section.
• Import the wg0.conf configuration file provided by the PrivacySafe server.
• Activate the VPN on your router.

4. Verify the VPN Connection:

• Once the VPN is connected, verify the connection by visiting psafe.ly/myip. Your public IP should now match the VPN server's IP. Your should be connected to Iceland in Europe.

Troubleshooting

If you encounter any issues with the PrivacySafe Enterprise Suite, follow these troubleshooting steps:

• Step 1: Check that your internet connection is stable and active.
• Step 2: Ensure that you have followed the instructions for your operating system and device.
• Step 3: If the problem persists, contact our support team.
• Email us directly at support@privacysafe.net with:
  • A brief description of the issue
  • The error message (if any)
  • Your operating system and device model
  • Steps to replicate the issue, if applicable

Technical Notes

These are technical notes for advanced users, and may only apply in cases where you are working directly with PrivacySafe support. Please contact support@privacysafe.net before attempting to generate new fingerprints or credentials.

Server Fingerprints

To check the server fingerprint on your system, you can run the following:

• For OpenVPN:

openvpn --config your-vpn-config.ovpn --verify-fingerprint

• For WireGuard: Check the fingerprint using:

wg show

Regenerating Client & Server Keys (OpenVPN)

• To regenerate the client and server keys, run:

/usr/local/bin/regenerate-vpn-config.py

Adding Clients to the OpenVPN Server

• To add additional clients, run:

/usr/local/bin/add-vpn-client.py

• This will generate a new client configuration file.

This guide is part of the PrivacySafe user guides. It is licensed under the Apache License 2.0 and contributed through IEEE SA Open under the IEEE SA Open CLA.