OpenVPN Guide Windows

Introduction

This guide will explain how to install the OpenVPN client on your PC as well as how to execute it in order to access your virtual machines that aren’t accessible from the Internet.

This guide assumes that you have some experience with Windows and that you have administrative rights on the computer on which the client will be installed.

N.B.: This guide is for a Windows 7 operating system. For other Windows versions, the layout may be different, but the principles remain the same.

OpenVPN Client Installation

The OpenVPN Client Installer can be found at https://openvpn.net/index.php/open-source/downloads.html. Make sure to download the version corresponding to your Windows version as well as architecture (32-bit or 64-bit).

Once the download is finished, run the installer. You may get the following warning:

Click on “Yes” to continue. The following screen appears:

Click on “Next >”. The License Agreement screen is displayed:

Click on “I Agree” to continue.

The next screen asks you to choose components to install:

Leave the chosen components unchanged and click on “Next >”.

The next screen asks you for the installation location:

This guide assumes that you will install the OpenVPN client under C:\Program Files\OpenVPN, as it is going to refer to it later on. If you want to change the install location, make sure to remember it afterwards.

Click on “Install”. The installation starts:

The installer may ask you to confirm the installation of the TAP Virtual Ethernet Adapter:

Click on “Install”.

The installation continues:

Click on “Next >” to finish the installation:

Deselect the “Show Readme” and DO NOT select the “Start OpenVPN GUI” as there are a few more steps to be performed beforehand. Click on “Finish”.

Configuration File Installation

At this point, install (copy) the configuration file we sent you into the directory C:\Program Files\OpenVPN\config:

When installing the file, you may get the following warning:

Click on “Continue”:

Before you can use the OpenVPN client, you must make sure that the program will always be run as an administrator.

Navigate to the directory C:\Program Files\OpenVPN\bin:

Right-click on the file “openvpn-gui.exe”:

And select “Properties”.

Click on the tab “Compatibility”:

And under “Privilege Level” check the box “Run this program as an administrator”. If there are other users who need to access the OpenVPN client, click on “Change settings for all users”, otherwise click on “OK”.

You are now ready to run the OpenVPN client.

Running OpenVPN

(including for the first time)

Double-click on the “OpenVPN GUI” icon on your desktop:

You may get the following warning:

Click on “Yes” to continue.

You should now see the following icon at the bottom right of your screen:

If you don’t, follow the instructions described here

When you can see the OpenVPN GUI icon (), double-click on it and the connection will start.

Type the password you have received from us in the “Enter Password” and click on “OK”.

The connection continues.

Then the above window closes and you will see a similar message:

And the OpenVPN icon is now green.

You should now test the VPN connection by opening a command window, (Click on “Start” then under “Search programs and files” type “cmd”) and type “ping xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx”, where xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx is the IP address of a virtual machine, which is not published on the Internet. If you cannot access the virtual machine, please contact us.

To disconnect the VPN connection, double-click on the OpenVPN icon (green):

And click on “Disconnect”.

Make the OpenVPN Icon Visible

Open the “Control Panel”:

In the “Search Control Panel” field, type “Notification”:

And click on “Notification Area Icons”. Scroll until you find the “OpenVPN GUI for Windows” icon:

Under “Behaviors”, select “Show icon and notifications” and then "OK". The OpenVPN icon will be now visible at the bottom right of your screen.