[Solved] NetworkManager-pptp VPN not working after update to 0.9.10

Question

Hello,
I have a PPTP VPN set up and it's been working for a long time.  However, after I updated last night to networkmanager-0.9.10, it is no longer able to connect to the remote network.  I can activate the VPN connection, enter my password, but after a short period of time, the connection reports:  "Error: Connection activation failed: the VPN service returned invalid configuration."  As I mentioned before, this VPN was working right before the update and I didn't change the configuration on either my computer or the destination network so I'm pretty sure that this is something to do with the update.  I'm wondering if anybody else has run into this problem and if they've been able to find a solution.  I've been searching all over these forums and the internet for some hours now and I haven't found anything yet.  I'm hoping that somebody might be able to point me in the right direction or maybe know of something that might have changed with the new update.
Here is my VPN configuration (using NetworkManager-PPTP.  I've also obscured the public IP address):
[connection]
id=MyVPN
uuid=fe6e6265-1a79-4a69-b6d1-8b47e9d4c948
type=vpn
permissions=user:greyseal96:;
autoconnect=false
timestamp=1408950986
[vpn]
service-type=org.freedesktop.NetworkManager.pptp
gateway=192.168.146.114
require-mppe=yes
user=greyseal96
password-flags=3
[ipv6]
method=auto
[ipv4]
method=auto
route1=10.17.0.0/16,10.17.1.1,1
never-default=true
Here are my logs during the time that I tried to connect:
Aug 24 23:44:15 MyArchBox NetworkManager[578]: <info> Starting VPN service 'pptp'...
Aug 24 23:44:15 MyArchBox NetworkManager[578]: <info> VPN service 'pptp' started (org.freedesktop.NetworkManager.pptp), PID 1938
Aug 24 23:44:15 MyArchBox NetworkManager[578]: <info> VPN service 'pptp' appeared; activating connections
Aug 24 23:44:21 MyArchBox NetworkManager[578]: <info> VPN connection 'MyVPN' (ConnectInteractive) reply received.
Aug 24 23:44:21 MyArchBox NetworkManager[578]: <info> VPN plugin state changed: starting (3)
Aug 24 23:44:21 MyArchBox NetworkManager[578]: ** Message: pppd started with pid 1945
Aug 24 23:44:21 MyArchBox NetworkManager[578]: <info> VPN connection 'MyVPN' (Connect) reply received.
Aug 24 23:44:21 MyArchBox pppd[1945]: Plugin /usr/lib/pppd/2.4.6/nm-pptp-pppd-plugin.so loaded.
Aug 24 23:44:21 MyArchBox NetworkManager[578]: Plugin /usr/lib/pppd/2.4.6/nm-pptp-pppd-plugin.so loaded.
Aug 24 23:44:21 MyArchBox NetworkManager[578]: ** Message: nm-pptp-ppp-plugin: (plugin_init): initializing
Aug 24 23:44:21 MyArchBox pppd[1945]: pppd 2.4.6 started by root, uid 0
Aug 24 23:44:21 MyArchBox NetworkManager[578]: ** Message: nm-pptp-ppp-plugin: (nm_phasechange): status 3 / phase 'serial connection'
Aug 24 23:44:21 MyArchBox pppd[1945]: Using interface ppp0
Aug 24 23:44:21 MyArchBox pppd[1945]: Connect: ppp0 <--> /dev/pts/2
Aug 24 23:44:21 MyArchBox NetworkManager[578]: Using interface ppp0
Aug 24 23:44:21 MyArchBox NetworkManager[578]: Connect: ppp0 <--> /dev/pts/2
Aug 24 23:44:21 MyArchBox NetworkManager[578]: ** Message: nm-pptp-ppp-plugin: (nm_phasechange): status 5 / phase 'establish'
Aug 24 23:44:21 MyArchBox NetworkManager[578]: <info> (ppp0): new Generic device (driver: 'unknown' ifindex: 10)
Aug 24 23:44:21 MyArchBox NetworkManager[578]: <info> (ppp0): exported as /org/freedesktop/NetworkManager/Devices/9
Aug 24 23:44:21 MyArchBox pptp[1947]: nm-pptp-service-1938 log[main:pptp.c:333]: The synchronous pptp option is NOT activated
Aug 24 23:44:21 MyArchBox pptp[1954]: nm-pptp-service-1938 log[ctrlp_rep:pptp_ctrl.c:258]: Sent control packet type is 1 'Start-Control-Connection-Request'
Aug 24 23:44:21 MyArchBox pptp[1954]: nm-pptp-service-1938 log[ctrlp_disp:pptp_ctrl.c:758]: Received Start Control Connection Reply
Aug 24 23:44:21 MyArchBox pptp[1954]: nm-pptp-service-1938 log[ctrlp_disp:pptp_ctrl.c:792]: Client connection established.
Aug 24 23:44:22 MyArchBox pptp[1954]: nm-pptp-service-1938 log[ctrlp_rep:pptp_ctrl.c:258]: Sent control packet type is 7 'Outgoing-Call-Request'
Aug 24 23:44:22 MyArchBox pptp[1954]: nm-pptp-service-1938 log[ctrlp_disp:pptp_ctrl.c:877]: Received Outgoing Call Reply.
Aug 24 23:44:22 MyArchBox pptp[1954]: nm-pptp-service-1938 log[ctrlp_disp:pptp_ctrl.c:916]: Outgoing call established (call ID 0, peer's call ID 50048).
Aug 24 23:44:25 MyArchBox NetworkManager[578]: ** Message: nm-pptp-ppp-plugin: (nm_phasechange): status 6 / phase 'authenticate'
Aug 24 23:44:25 MyArchBox NetworkManager[578]: ** Message: nm-pptp-ppp-plugin: (get_credentials): passwd-hook, requesting credentials...
Aug 24 23:44:25 MyArchBox NetworkManager[578]: ** Message: nm-pptp-ppp-plugin: (get_credentials): got credentials from NetworkManager-pptp
Aug 24 23:44:25 MyArchBox pppd[1945]: CHAP authentication succeeded
Aug 24 23:44:25 MyArchBox NetworkManager[578]: CHAP authentication succeeded
Aug 24 23:44:25 MyArchBox NetworkManager[578]: ** Message: nm-pptp-ppp-plugin: (nm_phasechange): status 8 / phase 'network'
Aug 24 23:44:25 MyArchBox pppd[1945]: MPPE 128-bit stateless compression enabled
Aug 24 23:44:25 MyArchBox NetworkManager[578]: MPPE 128-bit stateless compression enabled
Aug 24 23:44:25 MyArchBox pppd[1945]: Cannot determine ethernet address for proxy ARP
Aug 24 23:44:25 MyArchBox pppd[1945]: local  IP address 10.17.10.3
Aug 24 23:44:25 MyArchBox pppd[1945]: remote IP address 10.17.10.1
Aug 24 23:44:25 MyArchBox pppd[1945]: primary   DNS address 10.17.2.22
Aug 24 23:44:25 MyArchBox pppd[1945]: secondary DNS address 10.17.2.23
Aug 24 23:44:25 MyArchBox NetworkManager[578]: <info> VPN connection 'MyVPN' (IP4 Config Get) reply received from old-style plugin.
Aug 24 23:44:25 MyArchBox NetworkManager[578]: <info> VPN Gateway: 192.168.146.114
Aug 24 23:44:25 MyArchBox NetworkManager[578]: <info> Tunnel Device: ppp0
Aug 24 23:44:25 MyArchBox NetworkManager[578]: <info> IPv4 configuration:
Aug 24 23:44:25 MyArchBox NetworkManager[578]: <info>   Internal Address: 10.17.10.3
Aug 24 23:44:25 MyArchBox NetworkManager[578]: <info>   Internal Prefix: 32
Aug 24 23:44:25 MyArchBox NetworkManager[578]: <info>   Internal Point-to-Point Address: 10.17.10.1
Aug 24 23:44:25 MyArchBox NetworkManager[578]: <info>   Maximum Segment Size (MSS): 0
Aug 24 23:44:25 MyArchBox NetworkManager[578]: <info>   Static Route: 10.17.0.0/16   Next Hop: 10.17.1.1
Aug 24 23:44:25 MyArchBox NetworkManager[578]: <info>   Forbid Default Route: yes
Aug 24 23:44:25 MyArchBox NetworkManager[578]: <info>   Internal DNS: 10.17.2.22
Aug 24 23:44:25 MyArchBox NetworkManager[578]: <info>   Internal DNS: 10.17.2.23
Aug 24 23:44:25 MyArchBox NetworkManager[578]: <info>   DNS Domain: '(none)'
Aug 24 23:44:25 MyArchBox NetworkManager[578]: <info> No IPv6 configuration
Aug 24 23:44:25 MyArchBox NetworkManager[578]: <error> [1408949065.481618] [platform/nm-linux-platform.c:1716] add_object(): Netlink error adding 10.17.0.0/16 via 10.17.1.1 dev ppp0 metric 1 mss 0 src user: Unspecific failure
Aug 24 23:44:25 MyArchBox NetworkManager[578]: <warn> VPN connection 'MyVPN' did not receive valid IP config information.
Aug 24 23:44:25 MyArchBox NetworkManager[578]: Cannot determine ethernet address for proxy ARP
Aug 24 23:44:25 MyArchBox NetworkManager[578]: local  IP address 10.17.10.3
Aug 24 23:44:25 MyArchBox NetworkManager[578]: remote IP address 10.17.10.1
Aug 24 23:44:25 MyArchBox NetworkManager[578]: primary   DNS address 10.17.2.22
Aug 24 23:44:25 MyArchBox NetworkManager[578]: secondary DNS address 10.17.2.23
Aug 24 23:44:25 MyArchBox NetworkManager[578]: ** Message: nm-pptp-ppp-plugin: (nm_phasechange): status 9 / phase 'running'
Aug 24 23:44:25 MyArchBox NetworkManager[578]: ** Message: nm-pptp-ppp-plugin: (nm_ip_up): ip-up event
Aug 24 23:44:25 MyArchBox NetworkManager[578]: ** Message: nm-pptp-ppp-plugin: (nm_ip_up): sending Ip4Config to NetworkManager-pptp...
Aug 24 23:44:25 MyArchBox NetworkManager[578]: ** Message: PPTP service (IP Config Get) reply received.
Aug 24 23:44:25 MyArchBox pppd[1945]: Terminating on signal 15
Aug 24 23:44:25 MyArchBox pppd[1945]: Modem hangup
Aug 24 23:44:25 MyArchBox pptp[1954]: nm-pptp-service-1938 log[callmgr_main:pptp_callmgr.c:245]: Closing connection (unhandled)
Aug 24 23:44:25 MyArchBox pptp[1954]: nm-pptp-service-1938 log[ctrlp_rep:pptp_ctrl.c:258]: Sent control packet type is 12 'Call-Clear-Request'
Aug 24 23:44:25 MyArchBox pptp[1954]: nm-pptp-service-1938 log[call_callback:pptp_callmgr.c:84]: Closing connection (call state)
Aug 24 23:44:25 MyArchBox pppd[1945]: Connect time 0.0 minutes.
Aug 24 23:44:25 MyArchBox pppd[1945]: Sent 0 bytes, received 0 bytes.
Aug 24 23:44:25 MyArchBox pppd[1945]: MPPE disabled
Aug 24 23:44:25 MyArchBox pppd[1945]: Connection terminated.
Aug 24 23:44:25 MyArchBox dbus[579]: [system] Rejected send message, 10 matched rules; type="error", sender=":1.51" (uid=0 pid=1938 comm="/usr/lib/networkmanager/nm-pptp-service ") interface="(unset)" member="(unset)" error name="org.freedesktop.DBus.Error.UnknownMethod" requested_reply="0" destination=":1.52" (uid=0 pid=1945 comm="/sbin/pppd pty /sbin/pptp 192.168.146.114 --nolaunc")
Aug 24 23:44:25 MyArchBox dbus[579]: [system] Rejected send message, 10 matched rules; type="error", sender=":1.51" (uid=0 pid=1938 comm="/usr/lib/networkmanager/nm-pptp-service ") interface="(unset)" member="(unset)" error name="org.freedesktop.DBus.Error.UnknownMethod" requested_reply="0" destination=":1.52" (uid=0 pid=1945 comm="/sbin/pppd pty /sbin/pptp 192.168.146.114 --nolaunc")
Aug 24 23:44:25 MyArchBox dbus[579]: [system] Rejected send message, 10 matched rules; type="error", sender=":1.51" (uid=0 pid=1938 comm="/usr/lib/networkmanager/nm-pptp-service ") interface="(unset)" member="(unset)" error name="org.freedesktop.DBus.Error.UnknownMethod" requested_reply="0" destination=":1.52" (uid=0 pid=1945 comm="/sbin/pppd pty /sbin/pptp 192.168.146.114 --nolaunc")
Aug 24 23:44:25 MyArchBox dbus[579]: [system] Rejected send message, 10 matched rules; type="error", sender=":1.51" (uid=0 pid=1938 comm="/usr/lib/networkmanager/nm-pptp-service ") interface="(unset)" member="(unset)" error name="org.freedesktop.DBus.Error.UnknownMethod" requested_reply="0" destination=":1.52" (uid=0 pid=1945 comm="/sbin/pppd pty /sbin/pptp 192.168.146.114 --nolaunc")
Aug 24 23:44:25 MyArchBox dbus[579]: [system] Rejected send message, 10 matched rules; type="error", sender=":1.51" (uid=0 pid=1938 comm="/usr/lib/networkmanager/nm-pptp-service ") interface="(unset)" member="(unset)" error name="org.freedesktop.DBus.Error.UnknownMethod" requested_reply="0" destination=":1.52" (uid=0 pid=1945 comm="/sbin/pppd pty /sbin/pptp 192.168.146.114 --nolaunc")
Aug 24 23:44:25 MyArchBox NetworkManager[578]: inet 10.17.0.0/16 table main
Aug 24 23:44:25 MyArchBox NetworkManager[578]: priority 0x1 protocol static
Aug 24 23:44:25 MyArchBox NetworkManager[578]: nexthop via 10.17.1.1 dev 10
Aug 24 23:44:25 MyArchBox NetworkManager[578]: <error> [1408949065.487073] [platform/nm-linux-platform.c:2252] link_change(): Netlink error changing link 10:  <DOWN> mtu 0 (1) driver 'unknown' udi '/sys/devices/virtual/net/ppp0': No such device
Aug 24 23:44:25 MyArchBox NetworkManager[578]: <error> [1408949065.487153] [platform/nm-linux-platform.c:1777] delete_object(): Netlink error deleting 10.17.10.3/32 lft forever pref forever lifetime 1862-0[4294967295,4294967295] dev ppp0 src kernel: No such device (-31)
Aug 24 23:44:25 MyArchBox NetworkManager[578]: ** Message: Terminated ppp daemon with PID 1945.
Aug 24 23:44:25 MyArchBox kernel: Loading kernel module for a network device with CAP_SYS_MODULE (deprecated).  Use CAP_NET_ADMIN and alias netdev- instead.
Aug 24 23:44:25 MyArchBox NetworkManager[578]: Terminating on signal 15
Aug 24 23:44:25 MyArchBox NetworkManager[578]: Modem hangup
Aug 24 23:44:25 MyArchBox NetworkManager[578]: ** Message: nm-pptp-ppp-plugin: (nm_phasechange): status 8 / phase 'network'
Aug 24 23:44:25 MyArchBox NetworkManager[578]: Connect time 0.0 minutes.
Aug 24 23:44:25 MyArchBox NetworkManager[578]: Sent 0 bytes, received 0 bytes.
Aug 24 23:44:25 MyArchBox NetworkManager[578]: MPPE disabled
Aug 24 23:44:25 MyArchBox NetworkManager[578]: ** Message: nm-pptp-ppp-plugin: (nm_phasechange): status 10 / phase 'terminate'
Aug 24 23:44:25 MyArchBox NetworkManager[578]: ** Message: nm-pptp-ppp-plugin: (nm_phasechange): status 5 / phase 'establish'
Aug 24 23:44:25 MyArchBox NetworkManager[578]: ** Message: nm-pptp-ppp-plugin: (nm_phasechange): status 5 / phase 'establish'
Aug 24 23:44:25 MyArchBox NetworkManager[578]: ** Message: nm-pptp-ppp-plugin: (nm_phasechange): status 11 / phase 'disconnect'
Aug 24 23:44:25 MyArchBox NetworkManager[578]: Connection terminated.
Aug 24 23:44:25 MyArchBox NetworkManager[578]: ** Message: nm-pptp-ppp-plugin: (nm_phasechange): status 1 / phase 'dead'
Aug 24 23:44:25 MyArchBox dbus[579]: [system] Rejected send message, 10 matched rules; type="error", sender=":1.51" (uid=0 pid=1938 comm="/usr/lib/networkmanager/nm-pptp-service ") interface="(unset)" member="(unset)" error name="org.freedesktop.DBus.Error.UnknownMethod" requested_reply="0" destination=":1.52" (uid=0 pid=1945 comm="/sbin/pppd pty /sbin/pptp 192.168.146.114 --nolaunc")
Aug 24 23:44:25 MyArchBox NetworkManager[578]: ** Message: nm-pptp-ppp-plugin: (nm_exit_notify): cleaning up
Aug 24 23:44:25 MyArchBox pppd[1945]: Exit.
Aug 24 23:44:25 MyArchBox NetworkManager[578]: ** (nm-pptp-service:1938): WARNING **: pppd exited with error code 16
Aug 24 23:44:45 MyArchBox NetworkManager[578]: <info> VPN service 'pptp' disappeared
If you've gotten this far, thank you for taking the time to read through all this!  Any help that you can give would be much appreciated.
Last edited by greyseal96 (2014-08-27 15:20:02)

Answer 1

Hmm, not sure about the 3.16 series kernel, but I found that when I upgraded to kernel 3.18 the PPTP VPN also stopped working.  This time, though, it was because, for some reason, there was a change in kernel 3.18 where the firewall kernel modules necessary for the VPN don't get loaded so the firewall won't allow some of the PPTP traffic from the remote side back in.  Since the firewall is stateful, these modules need to be loaded so that the firewall can know that the incoming PPTP traffic from the remote side is part of an existing connection.  Here's what my network manager logs looked like:
NetworkManager[619]: <info> Starting VPN service 'pptp'...
NetworkManager[619]: <info> VPN service 'pptp' started (org.freedesktop.NetworkManager.pptp), PID 31139
NetworkManager[619]: <info> VPN service 'pptp' appeared; activating connections
NetworkManager[619]: <info> VPN connection 'MyVPN' (ConnectInteractive) reply received.
NetworkManager[619]: <info> VPN plugin state changed: starting (3)
NetworkManager[619]: ** Message: pppd started with pid 31148
NetworkManager[619]: <info> VPN connection 'MyVPN' (Connect) reply received.
pppd[31148]: Plugin /usr/lib/pppd/2.4.7/nm-pptp-pppd-plugin.so loaded.
NetworkManager[619]: Plugin /usr/lib/pppd/2.4.7/nm-pptp-pppd-plugin.so loaded.
NetworkManager[619]: ** Message: nm-pptp-ppp-plugin: (plugin_init): initializing
pppd[31148]: pppd 2.4.7 started by root, uid 0
NetworkManager[619]: ** Message: nm-pptp-ppp-plugin: (nm_phasechange): status 3 / phase 'serial connection'
pppd[31148]: Using interface ppp0
pppd[31148]: Connect: ppp0 <--> /dev/pts/5
NetworkManager[619]: Using interface ppp0
NetworkManager[619]: Connect: ppp0 <--> /dev/pts/5
NetworkManager[619]: ** Message: nm-pptp-ppp-plugin: (nm_phasechange): status 5 / phase 'establish'
NetworkManager[619]: <info> (ppp0): new Generic device (driver: 'unknown' ifindex: 7)
NetworkManager[619]: <info> (ppp0): exported as /org/freedesktop/NetworkManager/Devices/6
pptp[31150]: nm-pptp-service-31139 log[main:pptp.c:333]: The synchronous pptp option is NOT activated
pptp[31157]: nm-pptp-service-31139 log[ctrlp_rep:pptp_ctrl.c:258]: Sent control packet type is 1 'Start-Control-Connection-Request'
pptp[31157]: nm-pptp-service-31139 log[ctrlp_disp:pptp_ctrl.c:758]: Received Start Control Connection Reply
pptp[31157]: nm-pptp-service-31139 log[ctrlp_disp:pptp_ctrl.c:792]: Client connection established.
pptp[31157]: nm-pptp-service-31139 log[ctrlp_rep:pptp_ctrl.c:258]: Sent control packet type is 7 'Outgoing-Call-Request'
pptp[31157]: nm-pptp-service-31139 log[ctrlp_disp:pptp_ctrl.c:877]: Received Outgoing Call Reply.
pptp[31157]: nm-pptp-service-31139 log[ctrlp_disp:pptp_ctrl.c:916]: Outgoing call established (call ID 0, peer's call ID 25344).
pppd[31148]: LCP: timeout sending Config-Requests <===HERE IS WHERE THE CONNECTION FAILS BECAUSE THE MODULES AREN'T LOADED.
pppd[31148]: Connection terminated.
NetworkManager[619]: LCP: timeout sending Config-Requests
NetworkManager[619]: ** Message: nm-pptp-ppp-plugin: (nm_phasechange): status 11 / phase 'disconnect'
NetworkManager[619]: Connection terminated.
NetworkManager[619]: <warn> VPN plugin failed: connect-failed (1)
NetworkManager[619]: ** Message: nm-pptp-ppp-plugin: (nm_phasechange): status 1 / phase 'dead'
pppd[31148]: Modem hangup
pppd[31148]: Exit.
NetworkManager[619]: <warn> VPN plugin failed: connect-failed (1)
NetworkManager[619]: Modem hangup
NetworkManager[619]: ** Message: nm-pptp-ppp-plugin: (nm_exit_notify): cleaning up
NetworkManager[619]: <warn> VPN plugin failed: connect-failed (1)
NetworkManager[619]: <info> VPN plugin state changed: stopped (6)
NetworkManager[619]: <info> VPN plugin state change reason: unknown (0)
NetworkManager[619]: <warn> error disconnecting VPN: Could not process the request because no VPN connection was active.
NetworkManager[619]: ** (nm-pptp-service:31139): WARNING **: pppd exited with error code 16
NetworkManager[619]: <info> VPN service 'pptp' disappeared
To fix this, I had to add a file to the /etc/modules-load.d directory to have the modules loaded into the kernel at boot.  I just created a file called netfilter.conf and put the following in it:
nf_nat_pptp
nf_conntrack_pptp
nf_conntrack_proto_gre
Not sure if this addresses your problem or not, but maybe it's worth a look.