Installing ProtonVPN on MX KDE, step by step [Solved]

[MarieSophie]

In trying to debug things, one of the first things to try is to launch it from a CLI and see what messages are being brought up.

Yes, that's what I'm asking, what CLI to use to start PVPN and see the messages ... when searching the internet, the only hit I get is how to install PVPN CLI, but not the command itself to start it :(
I don't want to install multiple PVPN "srtuff" to not worsen the situation, I just want to start it from the CLI (not the icon)

I can later today I will get one of my test rigs up and do the install from scratch - I dont use flatpak's, so I know that was not the answer for me - the lsat one I installed vpn on it was 'install from the mx package manager and then one install the one from proton. (the deb) I dont recall having to do anything else.

I used FlatPack because no PVPN entry in MX package installer, not in "popular app" nor in "enabled repo"
Now I have them in "enabled repo" of course, since I've installed the other way

[MarieSophie]

deleted

[MarieSophie]

Suggest,do a simple install without any fancy stuff, maybe just update/ugprade.

By simply following the Debian recommanded install, I thought I did a "simple" install
Adding Kwallet (before install)
Adding Gnome-Keyring is not "fancy, it's part of the recomandation from them :/

I've completely rm PVPN through MX installer (select all and uninstall) and will try your script

Next the simplest might be run the above install-proton-vpn.sh:
Open terminal as normal user and run the script.

How do I run a script ? simply unzip it in /home, then in terminal cd /home and type the script name ?

The script will enable proton's deb-repository,

Same as the protonvpn-stable-release_1.0.3-3_all.deb file they suggest to download and execut prior to running install CLI on their page ?

No sure why you try to install Gnome-keyring, when Kde's native Kwallet is working.

Because proton recommend it, otherwise you get the error: The following signatures couldn't be verified because the public key is not available: NO_PUBKEY 4EDE055B645F044F

[fehlix]

Yes, that's what I'm asking, what CLI to use to start PVPN and see the messages ... when searching the internet, the only hit I get is how to install PVPN CLI, but not the command itself to start it :(

Normaly you just look into the properties of that starter icon,
which is available when you have that icon on the desktop,
or with the menu with right click Edit:
To start in teminal:

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protonvpn-app

here how that looks like in Kde/Pasma fresh installed when booted with sysVinit:

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fehlix@mx233kde:~
$ protonvpn-app
2024-06-27T16:47:44.712962 | proton.vpn.connection.vpnconnector:238 | INFO | CONN:STATE_CHANGED | Disconnected (initial state)
2024-06-27T16:47:44.714916 | proton.vpn.app.gtk.app:57 | INFO | APP:PROCESS_START | self=<app.App object at 0x7f7cb739f1c0 (proton+vpn+app+gtk+app+App at 0x15b3210)>
2024-06-27T16:47:44.810445 | proton.vpn.app.gtk.services.reconnector.reconnector:96 | INFO | VPN reconnector enabled.
2024-06-27T16:47:48.858151 | proton.vpn.app.gtk.controller:144 | INFO | APP.STARTUP:STARTUP_ACTIONS | Running startup actions
2024-06-27T16:47:48.858405 | proton.vpn.app.gtk.widgets.vpn.vpn_widget:178 | INFO | APP.VPN:WIDGET_READY | VPN widget is ready (load time: 4.05 seconds)
2024-06-27T16:47:48.858566 | proton.vpn.app.gtk.services.refresher.vpn_data_refresher:157 | INFO | APP.VPN_DATA_REFRESHER:ENABLE | VPN data refresher service enabled.
2024-06-27T16:47:48.858683 | proton.vpn.app.gtk.services.refresher.client_config_refresher:68 | INFO | Client config refresher enabled.
2024-06-27T16:47:48.858831 | proton.vpn.app.gtk.services.refresher.client_config_refresher:107 | INFO | Next client config refresh scheduled in 3:00:25.129951
2024-06-27T16:47:48.858942 | proton.vpn.app.gtk.services.refresher.server_list_refresher:74 | INFO | Server list refresher enabled.
2024-06-27T16:47:48.859066 | proton.vpn.app.gtk.services.refresher.server_list_refresher:126 | INFO | Next server list refresh scheduled in 0:06:02.169161
2024-06-27T16:47:48.859169 | proton.vpn.app.gtk.services.refresher.certificate_refresher:65 | INFO | Certificate refresher enabled.
2024-06-27T16:47:48.860018 | proton.vpn.app.gtk.services.refresher.certificate_refresher:110 | INFO | Next certificate refresh scheduled in 17:33:08.140031
2024-06-27T16:47:52.736262 | proton.vpn.app.gtk.services.reconnector.reconnector:176 | INFO | Network connectivity was detected.

As you can see, the first query the "secret service" through dbus, where the running and opened kwalled is responding.
Next it retrieves build the list of the vpn-server list to be shown in the GUI.
Now when clicking an a server, here select netherland server:

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2024-06-27T16:53:51.033129 | proton.vpn.core.session.utils:25 | INFO | API:REQUEST | '/vpn/loads'
2024-06-27T16:53:52.561758 | proton.vpn.core.session.utils:29 | INFO | API:RESPONSE | '/vpn/loads'
2024-06-27T16:53:53.168421 | proton.vpn.app.gtk.services.refresher.server_list_refresher:126 | INFO | Next server list refresh scheduled in 0:17:11.589209
2024-06-27T16:54:49.675718 | proton.vpn.core.connection:160 | INFO | CONN.CONNECT:START | Server: NL-FREE#662143 / Domain: node-nl-183.protonvpn.net / IP: 169.150.218.16 / OpenVPN Ports: ProtocolPorts(udp=[80, 51820, 4569, 1194, 5060], tcp=[443, 7770, 8443]) / WireGuard Ports: ProtocolPorts(udp=[443, 88, 1224, 51820, 500, 4500], tcp=[443]) / Protocol: openvpn-udp / Backend: None
2024-06-27T16:54:49.676846 | proton.vpn.connection.vpnconnector:238 | INFO | CONN:STATE_CHANGED | Connecting
2024-06-27T16:54:49.974090 | proton.vpn.backend.linux.networkmanager.core.networkmanager:91 | INFO | VPN server REACHABLE.
2024-06-27T16:54:51.534959 | proton.vpn.connection.vpnconnector:238 | INFO | CONN:STATE_CHANGED | Connected

and connects and establish the VPN.
That's how it look here, whith just two click installation of proton-vpn with Kde/Plamsa fresh install and booted with sysVinit.
The important to note, it requires a "secret service" running either Kwallet ( with an open wallet)
or alternatively Gnome's "secret service" "Gnome keyring" ( with an unlocked keyring)
Both will work.

[MarieSophie]

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root@T440p:/home/sophie/Downloads# install-proton-vpn.sh
install-proton-vpn.sh: command not found
root@T440p:/home/sophie/Downloads# chmod +x install-proton-vpn.sh
root@T440p:/home/sophie/Downloads# install-proton-vpn.sh
install-proton-vpn.sh: command not found

aaaarrrr I'm so helpless !

[CharlesV]

you should be able to call the script using sh ( Konsole is a little different in KDE ) so

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sh install-proton-vpn.sh

( might need to prepend sudo to that as well. )

[fehlix]

you should be able to call the script using sh ( Konsole is a little different in KDE ) so

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sh install-proton-vpn.sh

( might need to prepend sudo to that as well. )

In case you refer to the bash-script provided earlier within the thread:
Never run a bash script with /bin/sh the way you have shown,
b/c running
sh my-bash-script.sh
means read the lines and execute /interpreted with /bin/sh
but bash-lines may error in /bin/sh and the script may fail.
( maybe newer kernel would be smarter and read the shebang
and re-exec the script as bash.)

Always better run this way, where the shebang "#!/bin/bash"
will tell the kernel what shell-interpreter to use.

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./install-proton-vpn.sh

( after made it executable in case it is not already.)

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chmod +x ./install-proton-vpn.sh

The script provided will asks for sudo
or run with sudo

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sudo ./install-proton-vpn.sh

[CharlesV]

you should be able to call the script using sh ( Konsole is a little different in KDE ) so

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sh install-proton-vpn.sh

( might need to prepend sudo to that as well. )

In case you refer to the bash-script provided earlier within the thread:
Never run a bash script with /bin/sh the way you have shown,
b/c running
sh my-bash-script.sh
means read the lines and execute /interpreted with /bin/sh
but bash-lines may error in /bin/sh and the script may fail.
( maybe newer kernel would be smarter and read the shebang
and re-exec the script as bash.)

Always better run this way, where the shebang "#!/bin/bash"
will tell the kernel what shell-interpreter to use.

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./install-proton-vpn.sh

( after made it executable in case it is not already.)

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chmod +x ./install-proton-vpn.sh

The script provided will asks for sudo
or run with sudo

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sudo ./install-proton-vpn.sh

Thank you fehlix ! That is VERY good to know.

[MarieSophie]

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./install-proton-vpn.sh

looks like it's alive .... animated and full of colors !
I was a bit afraid when I saw the

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Error: https://repo.protonvpn.com/debian stable InRelease
  The following signatures couldn't be verified because the public key is not available: NO_PUBKEY 8DD48989F43719CA

But at the end, I typed a zypper ref and it didn't show any error !




Now, for the moment of truth .... starting it ...

[MarieSophie]

apt update, not zypper ref, sorry :/

And no new entry in kwallet (no secret service)
and still the 1 second crash when clicking the icon :(

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ll packages are up to date.
root@T440p:/home/sophie/Downloads# protonvpn-app
Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "/usr/lib/python3/dist-packages/secretstorage/__init__.py", line 73, in dbus_init
    connection = open_dbus_connection()
                 ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
  File "/usr/lib/python3/dist-packages/jeepney/io/blocking.py", line 341, in open_dbus_connection
    bus_addr = get_bus(bus)
               ^^^^^^^^^^^^
  File "/usr/lib/python3/dist-packages/jeepney/bus.py", line 53, in get_bus
    return find_session_bus()
           ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
  File "/usr/lib/python3/dist-packages/jeepney/bus.py", line 42, in find_session_bus
    addr = os.environ['DBUS_SESSION_BUS_ADDRESS']
           ~~~~~~~~~~^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
  File "<frozen os>", line 679, in __getitem__
KeyError: 'DBUS_SESSION_BUS_ADDRESS'

The above exception was the direct cause of the following exception:

Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "/usr/bin/protonvpn-app", line 33, in <module>
    sys.exit(load_entry_point('proton-vpn-gtk-app==4.3.2', 'console_scripts', 'protonvpn-app')())
             ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
  File "/usr/lib/python3/dist-packages/proton/vpn/app/gtk/__main__.py", line 34, in main
    controller = Controller.get(executor)
                 ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
  File "/usr/lib/python3/dist-packages/proton/vpn/app/gtk/controller.py", line 59, in get
    executor.submit(controller.initialize_vpn_connector).result()
  File "/usr/lib/python3.11/concurrent/futures/_base.py", line 456, in result
    return self.__get_result()
           ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
  File "/usr/lib/python3.11/concurrent/futures/_base.py", line 401, in __get_result
    raise self._exception
  File "/usr/lib/python3/dist-packages/proton/vpn/app/gtk/controller.py", line 94, in initialize_vpn_connector
    self._connector = await self._api.get_vpn_connector()
                      ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
  File "/usr/lib/python3/dist-packages/proton/vpn/core/api.py", line 57, in get_vpn_connector
    settings = await self.load_settings()
               ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
  File "/usr/lib/python3/dist-packages/proton/vpn/core/api.py", line 67, in load_settings
    if self._session_holder.session.logged_in:
       ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
  File "/usr/lib/python3/dist-packages/proton/vpn/core/session_holder.py", line 73, in session
    self._session = self._proton_sso.get_default_session(
                    ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
  File "/usr/lib/python3/dist-packages/proton/sso/sso.py", line 192, in get_default_session
    sessions = self.sessions
               ^^^^^^^^^^^^^
  File "/usr/lib/python3/dist-packages/proton/sso/sso.py", line 130, in sessions
    keyring = self._keyring
              ^^^^^^^^^^^^^
  File "/usr/lib/python3/dist-packages/proton/sso/sso.py", line 111, in _keyring
    self.__keyring_backend = Keyring.get_from_factory()
                             ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
  File "/usr/lib/python3/dist-packages/proton/keyring/_base.py", line 49, in get_from_factory
    keyring_backend = Loader.get("keyring", class_name=backend)
                      ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
  File "/usr/lib/python3/dist-packages/proton/loader/loader.py", line 105, in get
    if entry.cls._validate():
       ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
  File "/usr/lib/python3/dist-packages/proton/keyring_linux/secretservice/secretservice_backend.py", line 43, in _validate
    return cls._is_backend_working(SecretService.Keyring())
           ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
  File "/usr/lib/python3/dist-packages/proton/keyring_linux/core/keyring_linux.py", line 110, in _is_backend_working
    keyring_backend.get_password(
  File "/usr/lib/python3/dist-packages/keyring/backends/SecretService.py", line 78, in get_password
    collection = self.get_preferred_collection()
                 ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
  File "/usr/lib/python3/dist-packages/keyring/backends/SecretService.py", line 56, in get_preferred_collection
    bus = secretstorage.dbus_init()
          ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
  File "/usr/lib/python3/dist-packages/secretstorage/__init__.py", line 79, in dbus_init
    raise SecretServiceNotAvailableException(reason) from ex
secretstorage.exceptions.SecretServiceNotAvailableException: Environment variable DBUS_SESSION_BUS_ADDRESS is unset