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VPN

Requirements:

  • u:account

Some servers are only accessible from within the virtual network of the university of Vienna. Therefore access from outside has to be granted via the VPN-Service. Go there and login with your u:account and download the Big-IP Edge client for you system.

Links:

  • ZID-VPN
  • Linux (Ubuntu, Generic), Windows, Mac: VPN user guides
  • Arch based AUR package AUR f5fpc does not contain the correct f5fpc. You can download via yay -Sw f5fpc, replace .deb with .deb from ZID. Then build the package yourself: makepkg --skipinteg -i.

Follow the install instructions for Windows, Mac and Linux and make sure the software works.

On Windows and Mac you get a nice gui that requires you to fill in the VPN server: vpn.univie.ac.at and username and password from the u:account. On Linux execute the following:

Big IP Edge Linux connection
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# split tunnel
f5fpc -s -t vpn.univie.ac.at -u [user]
# full tunnel (everything)
The status can be checked with f5fpc --info.

Using Multi-factor Authentification (MFA)

When you enable MFA (ZID-VPN-MFA) on the VPN login page, you will have to enter the TOTP (time-based one time password) during login:

Big IP Edge Linux connection usinf MFA
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# using the TOTP code (6 digits)
f5fpc -s -t vpn.univie.ac.at -u [user]@[TOTP]

Connect script

One can use the commands above or use the connect2vpn script to connect to the University VPN service. Especially in Linux the interface is much more primitive than on Mac or Windows.

Bash
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$ connect2vpn [u:account username]
[VPN] Using [u:account username] as username
[VPN] BIG-IP Edge Command Line Client version 7213.2021.0526.1 
[VPN] Full (1) or split (None) tunnel? (1/None):
Continue and wait until you get a response that it's connected. The status stays visible. This will block your current terminal window.

Last update: February 1, 2024
Created: January 26, 2023