openpyn 3.0.0

Easily connect to and switch between, OpenVPN servers hosted by NordVPN.

openpyn

A python3 script (systemd service as well) to manage OpenVPN connections. Created to easily connect to and switch between, OpenVPN servers hosted by NordVPN. Quickly Connect to the least busy servers with lowest latency from you (using current data from NordVPN’s API). Find servers in a specific country or even a city. It Tunnels DNS traffic through the VPN which normally (when using OpenVPN) goes through your ISP’s DNS (unencrypted) and compromises Privacy!

Features

• Automatically connect to least busy, low latency servers in a given country.
• Systemd integration, easy to check VPN status, autostart at startup.
• Find and connect to servers in a specific city or state.
• Uses NordVPN’s DNS servers and tunnels DNS queries through the VPN Tunnel.
• Use Iptables rules to prevent IP leakage if tunnel breaks (Experimental), ie KILL SWITCH.
• Quickly Connect to any specific server. i.e au10 or us20.
• Downloads and Updates (modifications) the latest config files from NordVPN.
• Option to run the script in background (as a systemd service).
• Options to finetune server selection based on "Server Load" or "Ping Latency".
• Auto excludes the servers if a ping to them fails or some packets drops when pinging or if they don’t support OpenVPN (TCP or UDP depending upon which one you are trying to use).
• Finds and displays NordVPN servers (with extra info) in a given country.
• Now list and connect to servers with "Netflix" --netflix, "Peer To Peer" --p2p, "Dedicated IP" --dedicated, "Tor Over VPN" --tor, "Double VPN" --double, "Anti DDos" --anti-ddos support.
• Desktop notification are shown when VPN connects and disconnects. (needs to run without sudo)
• Auto retry if [soft,auth-failure] received, auto failover to next best server if connection dies.
• NVRAM support for Asuswrt-merlin
• Pass through OpenVPN options, e.g. openpyn uk -o '--status /var/log/status.log --log /var/log/log.log'
• Logs are stored in '/var/log/openpyn/' for information and troubleshooting.
• Temporarily disable IPv6 to prevent leakage (when using -f).

Demo

Instructions

1. Install dependencies if they are not already present.

   # common dependencies
   sudo apt install openvpn python3-setuptools python3-pip
   

2. The following Python dependencies are needed and will be installed when using pip.

   requests colorama coloredlogs verboselogs tqdm jsonschema
   

Installation Methods

1. Install openpyn with pip3 (Python=>3.5) Recommended method to get the latest version and receive frequent updates. Do not install with --user switch, as OpenVPN needs to run as sudo and sudo won’t be able to locate openpyn.

   sudo python3 -m pip install --upgrade openpyn
   

2. Alternatively clone and install.

   git clone https://github.com/jotyGill/openpyn-nordvpn.git
   cd openpyn-nordvpn/
   sudo python3 -m pip install --upgrade .
   

   For the latest in development features, try the 'test' branch instead

   git clone --branch test https://github.com/jotyGill/openpyn-nordvpn.git
   cd openpyn-nordvpn/
   sudo python3 -m pip install --upgrade .
   

3. On macOS (credit: 1951FDG)

   # install Xcode command line tools
   xcode-select --install
   

   # install Homebrew
   curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/Homebrew/install/HEAD/install.sh
   echo 'export PATH="/usr/local/sbin:$PATH"' >> ~/.bash_profile
   

   # common dependencies
   brew install python3 openvpn
   sudo brew services start openvpn
   

   git clone --branch test https://github.com/jotyGill/openpyn-nordvpn.git
   cd openpyn-nordvpn/
   sudo python3 -m pip install --upgrade pip
   sudo python3 -m pip install --upgrade .
   

4. On Asuswrt-merlin, standard installation Entware (credit: 1951FDG)

   Steps below may also work for OpenWrt

   # common dependencies
   opkg install git git-http iputils-ping procps-ng-pgrep python3 python3-pip sudo unzip
   

   # allow admin user to run sudo
   sed -i 's~root ALL=(ALL) ALL~admin ALL=(ALL) ALL~g' /opt/etc/sudoers
   

   cd /tmp/share/
   git clone --branch test https://github.com/jotyGill/openpyn-nordvpn.git
   cd openpyn-nordvpn/
   python3 -m pip install --upgrade pip
   python3 -m pip install --upgrade .
   

   Steps below not required if only using --nvram option

   # steps need to be done once after every device reboot
   modprobe tun
   iptables -A FORWARD -i eth0 -o tun0 -s 192.168.1.0/24 -m conntrack --ctstate NEW -j ACCEPT
   iptables -A FORWARD -m conntrack --ctstate ESTABLISHED,RELATED -j ACCEPT
   iptables -A POSTROUTING -t nat -o tun0 -j MASQUERADE
   

   Steps below may be required if not using --nvram option

   # change the DNS, either in LAN or WAN settings
   **DNS Server1** 103.86.96.100
   **DNS Server2** 103.86.99.100
   

Setup

Initialise the script with "--init" (store credentials, install Systemd service, update/install VPN config files)

sudo openpyn --init

Note: if you get ' openpyn: command not found' when using sudo on Fedora, create a symbolic link. sudo ln -s /usr/local/bin/openpyn /bin/openpyn

That’s it, run the script! when done with it, press "Ctr + C" to exit.

Basic Usage

• At minimum, you only need to specify the country-code, default port is UDP-1194, If you want to use TCP-443 instead, use "--tcp" switch.

openpyn us

• Now, you can also specify a city or state, useful when companies (like Google) lock your account if you try to login from an IP that resides in a different physical location.

openpyn us -a ny
openpyn us --area "new york"

• To enforce firewall rules to prevent DNS leakage, also from IP leakage if tunnel breaks. i.e KILL SWITCH also temporarily disables IPv6 by running "sudo sysctl -w net.ipv6.conf.all.disable_ipv6=1"

openpyn us -f # Experimental!, Warning, clears iptables rules!
              # (changes are non persistent, simply reboot if having networking issues)

• When using "-f", To allow custom ports (from internal IP ranges, i.e 192.168 or 10.) through the firewall.

openpyn us -f --allow 22 80 443 # only accessible from local network

• To allow ports from other ranges use the --allow-config or --allow-config-json options. More details can be found here

• To quickly connect to a specific server.

openpyn -s au10

• To list all the Countries and their Country Codes where NordVPN hosts servers.

openpyn -l

• To find detailed information about the available servers in a given country.

openpyn -l uk

• To find servers with features like "peer-to-peer", "netflix", "tor over vpn", "double vpn" in all countries or a given country.

openpyn -l uk --p2p
openpyn --list uk --dedicated
openpyn -l --tor # Tor over VPN in all countries

• To find the least loaded 10 NordVPN servers in US that support "peer-to-peer", sort them by the lowest latency from you, connect to the best one, if connection fails try the next one and so on.

openpyn us -t 10 --p2p

• To update and run the systemd openpyn.service, use "-d" or "--daemon"

sudo openpyn us -d

• To check the status of the systemd openpyn.service.

systemctl status openpyn

• To kill a running OpenVPN connection.

sudo openpyn -k

• To flush the iptables and kill any running OpenVPN connections.

sudo openpyn -x # optionally --allow 22 if using as SSH server

• To download/update the latest VPN config files from NordVPN.

openpyn --update

• To quickly connect to United States "OpenVPN Client 5" (Asuswrt-Merlin).

openpyn us --nvram 5

• To kill "OpenVPN Client 5" (Asuswrt-Merlin).

openpyn -k --nvram 5

Usage Options

usage: openpyn [-h] [-v] [--init] [-d] [-k] [-x] [--update] [--skip-dns-patch]
               [--silent] [--test] [-n NVRAM] [--no-redirect-gateway]
               [-o OPENVPN_OPTIONS] [-s SERVER] [-c COUNTRY_CODE] [--tcp]
               [-a AREA] [-m MAX_LOAD] [-t TOP_SERVERS] [--p2p] [--dedicated]
               [--tor] [--double] [--anti-ddos] [--netflix]
               [-l [LIST_SERVERS]] [--status] [--stats] [-f] [-r]
               [--allow-locally]
               [--allow INTERNALLY_ALLOWED [INTERNALLY_ALLOWED ...]]
               [--allow-config INTERNALLY_ALLOWED_CONFIG]
               [--allow-config-json INTERNALLY_ALLOWED_CONFIG_JSON]
               [country]

A python3 script/systemd service (GPLv3+) to easily connect to and switch
between, OpenVPN servers hosted by NordVPN. Quickly Connect to the least busy
servers (using current data from NordVPN website) with lowest latency from
you. Find NordVPN servers in a given country or city. Tunnels DNS traffic
through the VPN which normally (when using OpenVPN with NordVPN) goes through
your ISP’s DNS (still unencrypted, even if you use a third-party DNS servers)

positional arguments:
  country               Country code can also be specified without "-c,"i.e.
                        "openpyn au"

optional arguments:
  -h, --help            show this help message and exit
  -v, --version         show program’s version number and exit
  --init                Initialise, store/change credentials, download/update
                        VPN config files, needs root "sudo" access.
  -d, --daemon          Update and start systemd service openpyn.service,
                        running it as a background process, to check status
                        "systemctl status openpyn"
  -k, --kill            Kill any running OpenVPN process, very useful to kill
                        openpyn process running in background with "-d" switch
  -x, --kill-flush      Kill any running OpenVPN process, and flush iptables
  --update              Fetch the latest config files from NordVPN’s site
  --skip-dns-patch      Skips DNS patching, leaves /etc/resolv.conf untouched.
                        (Not recommended)
  --silent              Do not try to send notifications. Use if "libnotify"
                        or "gi" are not available. Automatically used in
                        systemd service file
  --test                Simulation only, do not actually connect to the VPN
                        server
  -n NVRAM, --nvram NVRAM
                        Specify client to save configuration to NVRAM
                        (Asuswrt-Merlin)

OpenVPN Options:
  Configurable Options Being Passed Downed To OpenVPN

  --no-redirect-gateway
                        Don’t set --redirect-gateway
  -o OPENVPN_OPTIONS, --openvpn-options OPENVPN_OPTIONS
                        Pass through OpenVPN options, e.g. openpyn uk -o '--
                        status /var/log/status.log --log /var/log/log.log'

Connect Options:
  Connect To A Specific Server Or Any In A Country; TCP or UDP

  -s SERVER, --server SERVER
                        server name, i.e. ca64 or au10
  -c COUNTRY_CODE, --country-code COUNTRY_CODE
                        Specify country code with 2 letters, i.e. au
  --tcp                 use port TCP-443 instead of the default UDP-1194

Filter Options:
  Find Specific Types Of Servers

  -a AREA, --area AREA  Specify area, city name or state e.g "openpyn au -a
                        victoria" or "openpyn au -a 'sydney'"
  -m MAX_LOAD, --max-load MAX_LOAD
                        Specify load threshold, rejects servers with more load
                        than this, DEFAULT=70
  -t TOP_SERVERS, --top-servers TOP_SERVERS
                        Specify the number of top servers to choose from the
                        NordVPN’s server list for the given country, these
                        will be pinged, DEFAULT=10
  --p2p                 Only look for servers with "Peer To Peer" support
  --dedicated           Only look for servers with "Dedicated IP" support
  --tor                 Only look for servers with "Tor Over VPN" support
  --double              Only look for servers with "Double VPN" support
  --anti-ddos           Only look for servers with "Obfuscated" support
  --netflix             Only look for servers that are optimised for "Netflix"

Display Options:
  These Only Display Information

  -l [LIST_SERVERS], --list [LIST_SERVERS]
                        If no argument given prints all Country Names and
                        Country Codes; If country code supplied ("-l us"):
                        Displays all servers in that given country with their
                        current load and OpenVPN support status. Works in
                        conjunction with (-a | --area, and server types
                        (--p2p, --tor) e.g "openpyn -l it --p2p --area milano"
  --status              Show last change in connection status
  --stats               Show OpenVPN connection stats

Firewall Options:
  Firewall, KillSwitch and Route Options

  -f, --force-fw-rules  Enforce firewall rules to drop traffic when tunnel
                        breaks , force disable DNS traffic going to any other
                        interface
  -r, --add-route       Add route to default-gateway; Needed to continue
                        serving any service including SSH. Required on VPSs.
                        To ensure it doesn’t leak traffic use it with -f and
                        --allow
  --allow-locally       To be used with "-f" to allow input traffic on all
                        ports from locally connected / INTERNAL IP SUBNET. for
                        example 192.168.1.* range
  --allow INTERNALLY_ALLOWED [INTERNALLY_ALLOWED ...]
                        To be used with "-f" to allow TCP connections to given
                        ports but ONLY to INTERNAL IP RANGE. for example: you
                        can use your PC as SSH, HTTP server for local devices
                        (i.e. 192.168.1.* range) by "openpyn us -f --allow 22
                        80"
  --allow-config INTERNALLY_ALLOWED_CONFIG
                        To be used with "-f" to allow a complex set of allow
                        port rules. This option requires a path to a JSON file
                        that contains the relevant config
  --allow-config-json INTERNALLY_ALLOWED_CONFIG_JSON
                        To be used with "-f" to allow a complex set of allow
                        port rules. This option works the same as "--allow-
                        config" option but accepts a JSON object as a string
                        instead

Todo

• find servers with P2P support, Dedicated IPs, Anti DDoS, Double VPN, Onion over VPN
• utilise the frequently updated api at "api.nordvpn.com/server"
• clean exit, handle exceptions
• store credentials from user input, if "credentials" file exists use that instead
• sane command-line options following the POSIX guidelines
• ability to store profiles (sort of works as the systemd service file stores last state)
• find and display server’s locations (cities)
• accept full country names
• colourise output
• modularize
• create a combined config of multiple servers (on the fly) for auto failover
• uninstall.sh # sudo pip3 uninstall openpyn
• view status of the connection after launching in --daemon mode
• desktop notifications
• initd script for Asuswrt-merlin: "/opt/etc/init.d/S23openpyn start"