Ability to choose specific server in configs with multiple servers

[frankhommers]

I would love to create one config for my VPN provider:

Example .opvn file snippet:

# Amsterdam, NL 1
remote ams-a01.wlvpn.com

# Amsterdam, NL 2
remote ams-a02.wlvpn.com

# Ashburn, US 1
remote iad-a01.wlvpn.com

# Ashburn, US 2
remote iad-a02.wlvpn.com

I would love that when I connect, a pop-up shows with a message "Choose server", and a dropdown containing "Amsterdam, NL 1", "Amsterdam, NL 2", "Ashburn, US 1", "Ashburn, US 2".

[chipitsine]

currently the same is implemented using tray menu (with many ovpn files), isn't it ?

[selvanair]

OpenVPN has an option named --management-query-remote that would help implement this in the GUI. I had looked into this in the past, but I don't really understand how querying for remote is supposed to work. When management-query-remote is enabled, querying for proxy no more works. And there is no way to get a full list of all remotes up front --- it queries one by one with a 1 second delay in between etc.

So some changes in the core is needed to support this well. Also we do not have a way of providing a friendly-name for remotes but that could be fixed.

Right now, the only option is to use individual configs as @chipitsine pointed out. But given the GUI design, that quickly becomes very inconvenient. Use of lists in a single config is ideal for situations where the same provider has many alternate remotes all of which work with same cert/key/ca etc. The GUI should provide a nicer UX in such cases. We hear you, but it'll take some work.

[chipitsine]

@selvanair , are you talking about two level grouping ? i.e. vpn providers = first level, vpn endpoints = second level ?

if so, can we also consider some (conditional or unconditional) failover from preferred endpoint to another endpoints ?

so, if user connects to preferred endpoint, and it does not respond, so openvpn-gui will suggest to connect to next endpoint

[selvanair]

@chipitsine I was referring to list and multiple remote support in openvpn. What kind of UI to provide for choosing remote would need some thought and one could consider remembering previous choice, prompt only on error to connect etc.

That said, I use VPN only for connecting to home from outside or to some work places, so choosing from numerous remotes is not a high priority in my TODO list.

[frankhommers]

@selvanair Yeah you got my point! A second level would be great also. So when I select "Amsterdam" I get a sublist "ams-01.wlvpn.com" and "ams-02.wlvpn.com".

@chipitsine I do not need it for failover, I think that would be pretty much a seperate feature ;-)