On Wed, 2 Apr 2025 14:56:23 -0400
Haines Brown via Dng <dng@???> wrote:

> I wanted to install the CLI version of ExpressVPN on Debian
> Bookworm, but that was impossible because I do not have Network
> Manager installed. Over the years I'm always avoided Network
> Manager and have gotton along fine without it.
>
> Are there any reasons why Network Manager should be avoided?
>
> Or how can I install the VPN without it? Could I install the
> manager, then the VPN and then uninstall the manager without
> breaking tje VPN
>
>
> Any recommendation of a VPN that can install on Debian without
> the Network Manager?
>
> Haines Brown
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Hi,
you don't need Networkmanager to run a vpn (even if it makes 
it more comfortable at a first glance). Running a vpn is as easy as:
1) open a terminal
2) get root permissions with su or use sudo
3)  run:  "openvpn --config /home/somedir/somefile.ovpn"
4) when you are done with the vpn hit Ctrl-C in the terminal 
    and everything (routing , etc...) will be reset  as before.

If I recall correctly ExpressVPN supplies .ovpn files to its users.

A .ovpn file looks like:

client
dev tun
proto udp4
remote someserver.com 1194
connect-retry 2 300
resolv-retry infinite
nobind
allow-recursive-routing
ifconfig-nowarn
user nobody
group nogroup
persist-key
persist-tun
preresolve
remote-cert-tls server
cipher AES-256-GCM
auth SHA256
auth-nocache
verb 3
#redirect-gateway def1
#script-security 2
#up /etc/openvpn/update-resolv-conf
#down /etc/openvpn/update-resolv-conf
<ca>
-----BEGIN CERTIFICATE-----
MIIHAzCCBOugAwf2brg150E=
-----END CERTIFICATE-----
</ca>
<cert>
-----BEGIN CERTIFICATE-----
MIIHT6bsG/c+Hx2g==
-----END CERTIFICATE-----
</cert>
<key>
-----BEGIN ENCRYPTED PRIVATE KEY-----
MIIJpDB66h44lgc7Obb
-----END ENCRYPTED PRIVATE KEY-----
</key>

Hope this helps.

Ciao,
Tito