PPTP VPN not working

Ask Fedora
1

Hello,
I have a new laptop and I work from home with it. My company provide a PPTP VPN (I know it is not very safe, but I can’t modify it) in a pbk file format. It worked on my previous computer (Ubuntu 16.04), and works on Windows 10, but the VPN connection profile did not work on my new computer with Fedora 33.

I tried the following things:

  • disable firewall (systemctl stop firewalld)
  • set nf_conntrack_helper to 1
  • re-install NetworkManager-pptp-gnome
  • modprobe nf_conntrack_pptp nf_conntrack_proto_gre
  • Test different settings in the VPN
  • update-crypto-policies to LEGACY (came back to DEFAULT after)

The VPN connection seems to initialize but it fails in a timeout.

journalctl -b -u NetworkManager --no-hostname --no-pager output:

avril 26 12:24:59 NetworkManager[851]: <info>  [1619432699.0260] audit: op="connection-activate" uuid="3dfeca32-6c7b-4962-ae49-af77caf318d3" name="VPN 1" pid=3211 uid=1000 result="success"
avril 26 12:24:59 NetworkManager[851]: <info>  [1619432699.0313] vpn-connection[0x5601bdb8e300,3dfeca32-6c7b-4962-ae49-af77caf318d3,"VPN 1",0]: Started the VPN service, PID 7727
avril 26 12:24:59 NetworkManager[851]: <info>  [1619432699.0421] vpn-connection[0x5601bdb8e300,3dfeca32-6c7b-4962-ae49-af77caf318d3,"VPN 1",0]: Saw the service appear; activating connection
avril 26 12:24:59 NetworkManager[851]: <info>  [1619432699.1170] vpn-connection[0x5601bdb8e300,3dfeca32-6c7b-4962-ae49-af77caf318d3,"VPN 1",0]: VPN connection: (ConnectInteractive) reply received
avril 26 12:24:59 NetworkManager[851]: <info>  [1619432699.1185] vpn-connection[0x5601bdb8e300,3dfeca32-6c7b-4962-ae49-af77caf318d3,"VPN 1",0]: VPN plugin: state changed: starting (3)
avril 26 12:24:59 pppd[7745]: Plugin /usr/lib64/pppd/2.4.8/nm-pptp-pppd-plugin.so loaded.
avril 26 12:24:59 NetworkManager[7745]: Plugin /usr/lib64/pppd/2.4.8/nm-pptp-pppd-plugin.so loaded.
avril 26 12:24:59 pppd[7745]: pppd 2.4.8 started by root, uid 0
avril 26 12:24:59 pppd[7745]: Using interface ppp0
avril 26 12:24:59 NetworkManager[7745]: Using interface ppp0
avril 26 12:24:59 pppd[7745]: Connect: ppp0 <--> /dev/pts/2
avril 26 12:24:59 NetworkManager[7745]: Connect: ppp0 <--> /dev/pts/2
avril 26 12:24:59 NetworkManager[851]: <info>  [1619432699.1246] manager: (ppp0): new Ppp device (/org/freedesktop/NetworkManager/Devices/12)
avril 26 12:24:59 pptp[7748]: nm-pptp-service-7727 log[main:pptp.c:353]: The synchronous pptp option is NOT activated
avril 26 12:24:59 pptp[7760]: nm-pptp-service-7727 log[ctrlp_rep:pptp_ctrl.c:258]: Sent control packet type is 1 'Start-Control-Connection-Request'
avril 26 12:24:59 pptp[7760]: nm-pptp-service-7727 log[ctrlp_disp:pptp_ctrl.c:781]: Received Start Control Connection Reply
avril 26 12:24:59 pptp[7760]: nm-pptp-service-7727 log[ctrlp_disp:pptp_ctrl.c:815]: Client connection established.
avril 26 12:25:00 pptp[7760]: nm-pptp-service-7727 log[ctrlp_rep:pptp_ctrl.c:258]: Sent control packet type is 7 'Outgoing-Call-Request'
avril 26 12:25:00 pptp[7760]: nm-pptp-service-7727 log[ctrlp_disp:pptp_ctrl.c:900]: Received Outgoing Call Reply.
avril 26 12:25:00 pptp[7760]: nm-pptp-service-7727 log[ctrlp_disp:pptp_ctrl.c:938]: Outgoing call established (call ID 58770, peer's call ID 9625).
avril 26 12:25:59 pptp[7760]: nm-pptp-service-7727 log[logecho:pptp_ctrl.c:719]: Echo Request received.
avril 26 12:25:59 pptp[7760]: nm-pptp-service-7727 log[ctrlp_rep:pptp_ctrl.c:258]: Sent control packet type is 6 'Echo-Reply'
avril 26 12:25:59 NetworkManager[851]: <warn>  [1619432759.7253] vpn-connection[0x5601bdb8e300,3dfeca32-6c7b-4962-ae49-af77caf318d3,"VPN 1",0]: VPN connection: connect timeout exceeded.
avril 26 12:25:59 nm-pptp-service[7727]: Connect timer expired, disconnecting.
avril 26 12:25:59 NetworkManager[851]: <warn>  [1619432759.7285] vpn-connection[0x5601bdb8e300,3dfeca32-6c7b-4962-ae49-af77caf318d3,"VPN 1",0]: VPN plugin: failed: connect-failed (1)
avril 26 12:25:59 NetworkManager[7745]: Terminating on signal 15
avril 26 12:25:59 NetworkManager[7745]: Modem hangup
avril 26 12:25:59 NetworkManager[7745]: Connection terminated.
avril 26 12:25:59 pppd[7745]: Terminating on signal 15
avril 26 12:25:59 NetworkManager[851]: <info>  [1619432759.7286] vpn-connection[0x5601bdb8e300,3dfeca32-6c7b-4962-ae49-af77caf318d3,"VPN 1",0]: VPN plugin: state changed: stopping (5)
avril 26 12:25:59 pptp[7760]: nm-pptp-service-7727 log[callmgr_main:pptp_callmgr.c:245]: Closing connection (unhandled)
avril 26 12:25:59 NetworkManager[851]: <info>  [1619432759.7306] vpn-connection[0x5601bdb8e300,3dfeca32-6c7b-4962-ae49-af77caf318d3,"VPN 1",0]: VPN plugin: state changed: stopped (6)
avril 26 12:25:59 pptp[7760]: nm-pptp-service-7727 log[ctrlp_rep:pptp_ctrl.c:258]: Sent control packet type is 12 'Call-Clear-Request'
avril 26 12:25:59 pptp[7760]: nm-pptp-service-7727 log[call_callback:pptp_callmgr.c:84]: Closing connection (call state)
avril 26 12:25:59 pppd[7745]: Modem hangup
avril 26 12:25:59 pppd[7745]: Connection terminated.
avril 26 12:25:59 pppd[7745]: Exit.
1 Like
2

Make sure your settings match the following:
https://discussion.fedoraproject.org/t/pptp-vpn-blocked-by-firewall/74789/2?u=vgaetera

Try disabling SELinux if the issue persists:
https://fedoraproject.org/wiki/Changes/Remove_Support_For_SELinux_Runtime_Disable#Detailed_Description

3

Thank you for the fast answer.
Unfortunately this does not solve my VPN connection isssues.
I added nf_conntrack_helper, disabled SELinux, tested with and without firewall.

1 Like
4

It might be worth reporting this issue as a regression:
How to file a bug :: Fedora Docs

5

I found out my issue.
After using pptp from command line.
I had to comment the “silent” option in /etc/ppp/options.

1 Like
6

This topic was automatically closed 28 days after the last reply. New replies are no longer allowed.