Better to USE 18.04 LTS x64 2023 ?

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DonM
OpenVpn Newbie
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Joined: Wed Jan 11, 2023 7:03 pm

Better to USE 18.04 LTS x64 2023 ?

Post by DonM » Sun Jan 15, 2023 7:05 pm

SEE to the ********************** Where i get to the main point of this post :
I noticed that the hyper v version still uses Linux Ubuntu 18.04 LTS x64 and It does not say SERVER it just says its the 18.04 LTS x64 It seams I would have better luck setting this up for the first time. I want to setup a remote access server. I want to learn about how they work. All this encryption and tunneling and gaining remote access is all fascinating to me. For years I have been totally frustrated when I would see IP addresses and subnet masks. Well today I know what CDIR means. I was able to get a server 22.04 installed, up and going with a desktop but I was not able to realize an install of Open VPN. after I typed in sudo -s it allowed me to run the commands for isntalling the openvpn remote access server But it kept saying that It could not make a secure connection so it did some things but I don't think it did all of it.

I do not understand what the SSH is when I try to install Ubuntu - The tutorial I used said it was for headless installs
I do not know what the update package is talking about
I do not know how to get a setup with ssh keys from github or lunchpad
I do not know why the apt get repository was saying that it did not have a secure connection and it was refusing things when I tried to install openvpn.
I do not know if it is ok to have a desktop installed on a remote access server.
If I did not have a desktop installed how would I get a text document opened up so I could copy and paste commands.
**** I do not know if the server edition of ubuntu is required to run open vpn server
**** IF I get setup with the SSH THEN it would mean I could access my server from a webpage and I could copy and paste commands in. It seams that is a must do. ? I did reserve A Static IP for my bare metal server on my router. I put the mac address of the bare metal Ethernet card so it would seam I should be able to gain access to it once I get the SSH setup right.

Hey well here is a funny thing -
https://ubuntu.com/server/docs/installation
! I have been looking everywhere for the answers but where they are all at. I think it is best I go ahead and read it. I am going to make an attempt with a hyperv gen 1 install. At least then I will get to see what it is supposed to be like and then I will try installing the 18.04
I have a head full of questions so that will make reading and learning easer. If every thing works as planned, in a few weeks I will have a server setup and I will understand how to configure and use it. ANY advice ?

My main question is this:
************************
Because 18.04 is still being used as a hyper V it would make sense that I should be still using that version when I try to set it up on bare metal after all there must be a reason why they are not offering hyper-v in 22.04 there is a reason for lts In the windows world every new os has a very frustrating learning curve.

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openvpn_inc
OpenVPN Inc.
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Re: Better to USE 18.04 LTS x64 2023 ?

Post by openvpn_inc » Sun Jan 15, 2023 7:27 pm

Hello,

I'd recommended Ubuntu 22.04 LTS now, that is the most recent version. Version 18.04 LTS will reach end of normal support soon. Our images are just behind a bit, but they'll be updated soon to Ubuntu 22.04 LTS. Our OpenVPN Access Server software has already been tested on Ubuntu 22.04 LTS and that works fine.

SSH is a way to control a Linux server via the network. You don't have to use that. You can also attach a keyboard and monitor, and use that directly. That's often not practical or even possible when it's a server on the Internet though. If you set up a server that has network connectivity, you should install SSH server on it and use that to access things over the network. SSH can work with username/password authentication, or with private and public keys. Most cloud providers provide an easy way to create a private/public key pair for SSH access. If not, it can be done using available tools designed for the purpose.

I don't know what instructions you followed that lead to 'did not have a secure connection'. For OpenVPN Access Server, the communication to retrieve packages actually goes over an unsecured connection (HTTP) but the files downloaded must pass validation using a signing key. This ensures the packages are intact and correct before even accepting them for installation. I don't know where you saw warning messages, because I don't know what steps you took before you saw those messages. It would help if you explained and provided information.

It is okay to have a desktop installed on a remote server, but it also is a waste of resources. You're not likely to connect a monitor to a remote server to use a GUI to configure things. You're much more likely to just go in through SSH and access the command line and control things through there, without a GUI. Just command line stuff is the most common implementation for Linux servers.

Programs like nano and vim can be used to edit text files. These are command line tools to edit text files.

Server edition of Ubuntu just means it's got less desktop oriented packages. This is the most reasonable direction to go when you set up a network server. It doesn't mean you HAVE to do it this way, it just makes the most sense, because you're not likely to use a network server as a desktop system.

With SSH you can get access to the command line of the server over the network or Internet, and then you can run the necessary commands to install software. This is not usually done through a webpage, because a webpage is something that you open in a web browser. For SSH you need an SSH client. If your desktop computer is Windows, you can use PuTTY for that. If your desktop computer is macOS or Linux, SSH client is usually already built-in and you can access it via the terminal or console using the 'ssh' command.

It sounds to me like you have a lot to learn yet on Linux administration. I hope the above helped to guide you. Good luck.

Kind regards,
Johan
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DonM
OpenVpn Newbie
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Joined: Wed Jan 11, 2023 7:03 pm

Re: Better to USE 18.04 LTS x64 2023 ?

Post by DonM » Sun Jan 15, 2023 11:49 pm

Johan,
Thank you for the Enlightenment and getting me on the right track so I can begin to learn !
Don

DonM
OpenVpn Newbie
Posts: 15
Joined: Wed Jan 11, 2023 7:03 pm

Re: Better to USE 18.04 LTS x64 2023 ?

Post by DonM » Wed Jan 18, 2023 9:14 pm

I made a clonezilla flash drive and I cloned the 22.04 sever install to a image file. I cloned my initial install to an image with clonezilla. Then today I booted to that flash and restored the image to the disk. When I booted the computer after the restore it came up with a screen that almost looked like a install screen but it was not it was just different. It gave me a choice between ubuntu and Advanced options, - THE OS booted I was able to restore my ubuntu server OS OK SO now I will proceed to learn how to install remote access server and I will do image clones from the ssd to ssd with clonzilla as I go along. I am using a dell optiplex with a i3 and 8 gig of ram. I am still trying to figure out how to create these key files. I still need to learn how to list files copy files make folders and such. IF I do not have a file browser application I am a bit lost. There are 3 files that need to be put in place, a public and private crypt files and a certificate. I am pretty sure these are actual files that need to be put in place and created somehow. And only then I can access this server with putty.

DonM
OpenVpn Newbie
Posts: 15
Joined: Wed Jan 11, 2023 7:03 pm

Re: Better to USE 18.04 LTS x64 2023 ?

Post by DonM » Mon Jan 23, 2023 7:21 am

I put 16 gig of memory in my optiplex ultra micro form factor 7010 hey I got it off ebay for 16$ This has AES support I set up ubuntu server 22.04 on it I put a desktop on it with firefox because I could not figure out a way to get the install txt over too it. I need a desktop to open a txt file on a ubuntu machine. I dont have the drive file access in command line down in ubuntu yet. SO i FINALLY install and activated Ubuntu remote access server. I am reading THREE books, BEGINNING OPEN VPN ( I wish it was newer ) and Troubleshooting OPEN VPN and SSL cookbook --- Then I am studying pfSense firewalls. Now that I have FINALLY installed OPENVPN remote access server and have it successfully licensed I am going to take a "snapshot" of this setup. I have 2 ssd drives installed and I have a clonzilla flash drive to boot to so I can backup the work I have done. A MUST DO before I start screwing around with all the settings. The log files and the methods of searching them is all new and fascinating to me. So glad I bot the books. I really like the troubleshooting open vpn because the author is talking to me and not leaving me confused or making me guess or leaving me feeling hazed. So often I feel like the manuals and tutorials are more about hazing than they are about telling me or teaching me. On the windows side of things -- when I am following along some tutorials -- im like omg a new person would never get this. Ive been on the windows side of things since DOS 3.1 I really like open source software well, my favorite program ever BLENDER introduced me to a lot of things like python and github Appreciate the direction from Johan. I was supposed to only spend 1 hr a day on this project but so far I am obsessed with openvpn and pfSense and learning about encryption and certificates and ip addresses CIDR wacks and NAT and DNS and PPOE and static public and private. All of this stuff, and its been more like 6 -8 hours a day. hopefully I will be able to put it all together and be able to setup a remote access to my drives ! If any of you gurus want to help me setup a few remote access servers - I do custom artwork on deerskins - I use a large format printer and transfer carbon black images on leather hides - then I paint on them. you can see some of it by going to my wyomingcreations website. We could do a trade.

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openvpn_inc
OpenVPN Inc.
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Re: Better to USE 18.04 LTS x64 2023 ?

Post by openvpn_inc » Tue Jan 24, 2023 12:46 pm

Hello DonM,

I'm sorry but we're straying too far off the topic of OpenVPN Access Server in this thread. I understand you want to learn to use Linux. However that is not the primary goal of this forum. Therefore I'll move this topic to the off-topic area.

Good luck in your endeavours,
Johan
Image OpenVPN Inc.
Answers provided by OpenVPN Inc. staff members here are provided on a voluntary best-effort basis, and no rights can be claimed on the basis of answers posted in this public forum. If you wish to get official support from OpenVPN Inc. please use the official support ticket system: https://openvpn.net/support

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