I’ve managed to access Linux partition on the card [installed Debian through Parallels :)]
Here are OpenVPN log and 3 files created yesterday and located in var/log/ - hope this is the right stuff, forum threads are a bit confusing as to location.
Dillthedog, I note your suggestions although do not understand no 1. I will try out a different server if the problem persists but using ethernet may be an issue where Pi is located.
Meanwhile, I’d appreciate comments based on those logs.
Thank you for all your support.
Hi Bart,
Wed May 17 21:38:55 2017 RESOLVE: Cannot resolve host address: uk-london.privateinternetaccess.com: No address associated with hostname
Wed May 17 21:39:35 2017 RESOLVE: Cannot resolve host address: uk-london.privateinternetaccess.com: No address associated with hostname
Wed May 17 21:40:20 2017 RESOLVE: Cannot resolve host address: uk-london.privateinternetaccess.com: No address associated with hostname
Wed May 17 21:41:05 2017 RESOLVE: Cannot resolve host address: uk-london.privateinternetaccess.com: No address associated with hostname
Wed May 17 21:41:50 2017 RESOLVE: Cannot resolve host address: uk-london.privateinternetaccess.com: No address associated with hostname
Wed May 17 21:42:36 2017 RESOLVE: Cannot resolve host address: uk-london.privateinternetaccess.com: No address associated with hostname
We can probably get rid of these, by changing the remote in the conf file to an ip.
ping uk-london.privateinternetaccess.comPING uk-london.privateinternetaccess.com (104.238.169.16) 56(84) bytes of data.
64 bytes from 104-238-169-16.choopa.net (104.238.169.16): icmp_seq=1 ttl=51 time=18.6 ms
64 bytes from 104-238-169-16.choopa.net (104.238.169.16): icmp_seq=2 ttl=51 time=18.4 ms
64 bytes from 104-238-169-16.choopa.net (104.238.169.16): icmp_seq=3 ttl=51 time
sudo nano /etc/openvpn/.conf
change:
remote uk-london.privateinternetaccess.com 1198
to:
remote 104.238.169.16 1198
This will resolve the name resolve issues (recommendation from pia, when I was having a different issue.)
I’m looking at other issues in the log.
Thanks Tom.
P.S
@kosa13
Wed May 17 21:33:35 2017 Authenticate/Decrypt packet error: bad packet ID (may be a replay): [ #31652 ] -- see the man page entry for
From looking online, there could be a number reasons for the issue, one of which may relate to the pia server. So the easiest way to test this, is to change this; as dilthedog suggested. I’ve been using the Southampton server for about 3 weeks now, with no issues (I changed from the one you are using.) So:
remote 31.24.226.241 1198
or
remote uk-southampton.privateinternetaccess.com 1198
No 1 is to try a VPN connection over TCP. Although OpenVPN normally uses the UDP protocol, there are some situations where TCP can be useful, such as this one.
According to this page, it is possible to use a TCP connection to PIA. The third post on that thread has a download link for the TCP config files
I have changed to Southampton server using numeric IP address, openvopn has been running for some time now with no problems, log lie is clear as a bell, even initial connection faults do not show.
Thank you for your help, I hope this is the last post on this issue.
Not the last post! 
Did you use TCP in the end or stick with UDP? And does the issue reappear if you point to the previous IP address? (It might simply have been a general short-term network problem.)
hehe, meant the last post on the problem.
I’ve gone with standard setting for Southampton, only changed ip address to numeric, thinking it would be neater and added logging to .conf file.
Assume standard setting is UDP.
I’ve not tested pointing to London server yet but will do and report once the current runs for a few days.
Just to give an update to anyone experiencing the same problem, following help I got from this thread the OpenVPN worked fine for some time but I encountered other problems and performance was patchy.
It was all finally cured with setting up port forwarding on the router and changing vpn protocol to tcp in the config file.
Happy VPNing!
Thanks for the useful feedback. So TCP did help after all. Good to hear.
should have listened to you early, but I ignored the advice as I was not sure how to change the protocol. Only later I realised it was as easy as changing 3 letters in the config file. Live and learn …
Care to have a look at my most recent problem? exFat usb drive does not automount
Thanks for all the help.
Bart