Apple devices have recently been improved to work great with personal VPNs. In the past, these devices were somewhat of a hassle to configure and get running. But now they have better support and more features that make using a VPN smooth and convenient.
Setting Up for PPTP, L2TP/IPSec and Cisco VPNs
If you are using a newer iPad or iPhone, you will find that using a VPN has gotten a lot easier. These devices come with the VPN protocols PPTP, L2TP/IPSec, and Cisco IPSec already integrated. Before you begin, check if there are any certificate files for the VPN connection because you will need to import these first. This is very easy to do by accessing the Mail app if you have them in your email, or if you know where to find them on a website. The certificates should also come with instructions for their use, and must be in .cer, .crt, .der, .p12, or .pfx format – these are PKCS#1 and PKCS#12. These certificates will be installed under Profiles in the General menu. If you are setting up a VPN for work, the office may have set up a device management server to push the certificates and some settings to mobile devices. In this case, all you have to do is accept the profile installation and let the VPN set itself up. Some VPN providers may also have an automatic installation feature, so check with your provider about how to set up their VPN app on iOS.
To get started with a manual setup, open the app for Settings and look for “VPN” under the General menu, near the end. The section called “Add VPN Configuration” is where you will enter the details of your VPN to get it set up. You will need to select what protocol your VPN uses, and choose a description for the VPN connection. When you signed up for your VPN, you should have received some information about the connection, or have an account page and setup information on the VPN’s website that you can get the details from. You will need to type in some information about what VPN server is used, your account, your password, and your RSA SecurID if desired. You can then set what level of encryption you want to use or leave it at the default setting. There is also a toggle switch that tells the VPN to route all traffic. Leave the Proxy setting off unless otherwise instructed by the VPN provider.
Connecting to your VPN on iOS 8 is much more convenient since you do not need to reestablish the connection every time your device sleeps. All you need to do is go back to Settings and find the VPN connection toggle switch at the upper portion of your screen. You will then see the condition of your VPN connection in the status bar. If you have more than one VPN connection set up, you can switch between them by selecting which one to use in the VPN section under the General menu in Settings.
Setting Up for the OpenVPN Protocol
Apple Devices do not have native support for OpenVPN, but you can still use it by way of a third party app. But don’t worry about the security of these apps – OpenVPN is simply handled by iOS in a different way than other protocols. Just make sure that you are downloading a legitimate OpenVPN implementation app like OpenVPN Connect, which is the recommended app, and you will be fine. Once you have installed the app, open it and you can begin setting up your OpenVPN VPN.
First, you will need the .ovpn file, which contains the profile information that you need to import. This configures your OpenVPN server. You can get this file securely from your iTunes account by manually connecting your iPhone or iPad to your computer and selecting the device you just connected. The file will be in the Apps area. Copy it – not move! – to the OpenVPN Connect app, along with any other files like keys and certificates that your OpenVPN will need. You can also get it from the Mail app, an OpenVPN access server, or other features you have installed. The OpenVPN Connect app will show you the available options.
Once this is done, you should be able to seamlessly connect to the OpenVPN server of your choice from the app. By using OpenVPN Connect, your device will automatically route your Internet connection and all the apps that use it through the OpenVPN server that you have opted to use. VPN providers again may have their own installation and setup apps, so check with them for specific instructions on getting their OpenVPN connections set up. Turning the VPN on and off, switching servers, and all other settings for your new OpenVPN connection will be dictated by the app that you used to set it up, so read through any documentation provided, including VPN provider website tutorials, and get support from your provider or the app developers if needed.
