CentOS 6: Install VPN PPTP Client

Here is the steps to install Install VPN PPTP Client on CentOS 6

I will be using following variables:

Client OS: CentOS 6.3 64bit
PPTP Server: 192.168.100.1
Username: myvega
Password: CgK888ar$

1. Install PPTP using yum:

$ yum install pptp -y

2. Add the username and password inside /etc/ppp/chap-secrets:

myvega     PPTPserver     CgK888ar$    *

The format will be: [username][space][server name][space][password][space][ip address allowed]

3. Create a configuration files under /etc/ppp/peers directory called vpn.myserver.org using text editor:

$ vim /etc/ppp/peers/vpn.myserver.org

And add following line:

pty "pptp 192.168.100.1 --nolaunchpppd"
name myvega
remotename PPTPserver
require-mppe-128
file /etc/ppp/options.pptp
ipparam vpn.myserver.org

4. Register the ppp_mppe kernel module:

$ modprobe ppp_mppe

5. Make sure under /etc/ppp/options.pptp, following options are not commented:

lock
noauth
refuse-pap
refuse-eap
refuse-chap
nobsdcomp
nodeflate
require-mppe-128

6. Connect to the VPN by executing following command:

$ pppd call vpn.myserver.org

Done! You should connected to the VPN server now. Lets check our VPN interface status:

$ ip a | grep ppp
3: ppp0:  mtu 1456 qdisc pfifo_fast state UNKNOWN qlen 3
link/ppp
inet 192.168.100.10 peer 192.168.100.1/32 scope global ppp0

If you face any problem, kindly look into /var/log/message for any error regards to pppd service:

$ tail -f /var/log/message | grep ppp
Dec 4 04:56:48 localhost pppd[1413]: pppd 2.4.5 started by root, uid 0
Dec 4 04:56:48 localhost pptp[1414]: anon log[main:pptp.c:314]: The synchronous pptp option is NOT activated
Dec 4 04:56:48 localhost pptp[1420]: anon log[ctrlp_rep:pptp_ctrl.c:251]: Sent control packet type is 1 'Start-Control-Connection-Request'
Dec 4 04:56:48 localhost pppd[1413]: Using interface ppp0
Dec 4 04:56:48 localhost pppd[1413]: Connect: ppp0  /dev/pts/1
Dec 4 04:56:48 localhost pptp[1420]: anon log[ctrlp_disp:pptp_ctrl.c:739]: Received Start Control Connection Reply
Dec 4 04:56:48 localhost pptp[1420]: anon log[ctrlp_disp:pptp_ctrl.c:773]: Client connection established.
Dec 4 04:56:49 localhost pptp[1420]: anon log[ctrlp_rep:pptp_ctrl.c:251]: Sent control packet type is 7 'Outgoing-Call-Request'
Dec 4 04:56:49 localhost pptp[1420]: anon log[ctrlp_disp:pptp_ctrl.c:858]: Received Outgoing Call Reply.
Dec 4 04:56:49 localhost pptp[1420]: anon log[ctrlp_disp:pptp_ctrl.c:897]: Outgoing call established (call ID 0, peer's call ID 137).
Dec 4 04:56:49 localhost pppd[1413]: CHAP authentication succeeded
Dec 4 04:56:49 localhost pppd[1413]: MPPE 128-bit stateless compression enabled
Dec 4 04:56:50 localhost pppd[1413]: local IP address 192.168.100.10
Dec 4 04:56:50 localhost pppd[1413]: remote IP address 192.168.100.1

To disconnect the VPN, just kill the pppd process: