OpenVPN
A VPN (Virtual Private Network) provides a mechanism whereby a machine outside of the CS department's trusted network can securely access the department's resources. Typically, users connect to the VPN when they have access to a high speed internet connection, i.e. a cable modem or another university intranet, and require access to departmental resources which are not typically provided outside the firewall.
Departmental VPN servers
The department provides an OpenVPN server. This server has two connection options: browncs and browncs-gateall. Browncs routes only traffic destined for a brown CS department IP through our VPN, leaving your computer to route other traffic as it sees fit. Browncs-gateall passes all traffic through the CS department. While browncs-gateall is not optimal for continual use, it does have some benefits over browncs - for example, if you wish to access Brown University Library services or other university-based web services.
To use the Brown CS VPN, you will first need to know your LDAP account password. See the LDAP page for more information.
Once you have set up your LDAP password, you can install OpenVPN. You can download the orginial Windows openvpn installer, openvpn-2.1.4-install.exe here, or from the OpenVPN Download site. You will also need the Brown CS OpenVPN client certificate and config files, browncs-openvpn.msi, which is only accessible through the internal web server from within the CS department. See OpenVPN certificates section below.
On other platforms (Linux/UNIX/OSX), you will need to install and configure OpenVPN client yourself. You can download the CS department OpenVPN config and certificate file, browncs-openvpn.tgz, (only available on the internal web). This tgz file contains the configuration file, certificates, and keys necessary to configure your vpn client to connect to our server. Once placed in the appropriate directory for your platform, these files should allow you to connect to our VPN.
Setup and Configuration
The following FAQs should lead you through step-by-step configuration of your windows client software:
OpenVPN certificates
The BrownCS OpenVPN package, browncs-openvpn, is custom software package containing only the client certificates and configuration files for the OpenVPN software. The client certificates in this package will expire yearly on December 31st. The browncs-openvpn.msi package does not contian the OpenVPN software. It contains only the configurations and certificates for the CS department.
The BrownCS OpenVPN certificate was updated on 12/1/2011. Be sure to download the new certificate before the old certificate expires on December 31st!
Please download the new certificate file from the links below:
Window version: browncs-openvpn.msi
(If you're having problem installing browncs-openvpn.msi, uninstall the previous browncs-openvpn version through Programs And Features under Control Panel.)
Linux version: browncs-openvpn.tgz.
Access to the CS internal web server is only available through a vpn connection or from within the CS department network.
You may also download the browncs-openvpn.msi under /pro/web/web/system/remote/vpn through ssh using scp or WinSCP. Refer to the SSH section for more info.
External download of the browncs-openvpn package is available at the Software Download page using your LDAP credential.
Problems
If you've followed the directions here and still can't connect to the department's VPN, then contact our technical staff for help.