IMPORTANT CHANGE
On January 3rd, 2020 the standard behavior of the VPN tunnel was changed from full tunnel to split tunnel. This change does not affect users of RUB services. For older library services, the loginID extension bib must be added to the username, e.g. loginID.bib.
Before adding the loginID extension bib, please check whether VPN is required for the desired (library) service provider. Please also check whether a more up-to-date authorization (such as AAI, Shiboleth or EDU login) is offered by the (library) service provider .
If the service provider does not offer such an option or has not (yet) activated it for the RUB, please contact the university library
Overview of OpenVPN settings
The OpenVPN configuration for various operating systems is available for download here:
| Microsoft Windows, Linux, Android, iOS | RUBvpn_Standard.ovpn |
| Apple Mac OS X | RUBvpn_Standard.tblk.zip |
In case your internet provider blocks the required port udp/1194, you can use an alternative configuration, which uses the port tcp/443. However, this configuration should only be used in exceptional cases (if the ISP blocks the UDP port as mentioned above), because the use of TCP can lead to a loss of performance and far fewer simultaneous connections are possible. In addition, the loginID extensions cannot be used with TCP.
| Microsoft Windows, Linux, Android, iOS | RUBvpn_TCP.ovpn |
| Apple Mac OS X | RUBvpn_TCP.tblk.zip |
Use of loginID extensions when logging in
Usually the OpenVPN tunnel is a so-called split tunnel. This means that after the tunnel is established, only data traffic (IPv4 and IPv6) that is intended for the RUB passes through the tunnel. However, the behavior of the OpenVPN tunnel might be influenced by the addition of extensions for the loginID. For this purpose, we have created the private / personal IP:
- Information on private / personal IP is available here
The following extensions – based on the PIP – are currently implemented:
| Registration | description |
|---|---|
| loginID | Without extension, the OpenVPN tunnel is a split split tunnel. → Only IPv4 and IPv6 traffic to the RUB goes through the tunnel. |
loginID.pip | The OpenVPN client is assigned to the PIP address. The VPN connection is now a split tunnel → Only IPv4 and IPv6 traffic to the RUB goes through the tunnel. → Does not work with the alternative OpenVPN connection via TCP. |
loginID.bib | The VPN connection is a full tunnel. → All IPv4 and IPv6 traffic goes through the tunnel. → Does not work with the alternative OpenVPN connection via TCP. |
Before adding the loginID extension bib, please check whether VPN is required for the desired (library) service provider. Please also check whether a more up-to-date authorization (such as AAI, Shiboleth or EDU login) is offered by the (library) service provider . If the service provider does not offer such an option or has not (yet) activated it for the RUB, please contact the university library
Please note: In order to use a private / personal IP, you have to assign a personal IP address to your RUB account via the service page: https://www.ruhr-uni-bochum.de/loginID.
Information about OpenVPN
You can find more information about OpenVPN here:
- Wikipedia: https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/OpenVPN
- on the official OpenVPN homepage https://openvpn.net
Many thanks to Michael Szybko and a reseach group of the faculty of chemistry and biochemistry for the translation of this page.