Ubuntu 16.04 LTS Network Manager cannot add VPN - greyed out

networking network-manager vpn openvpn

46,225

Solution 1

In case anyone else has this issue, the wording "Add A VPN Connection" is super misleading as it's telling you that you need to add a VPN connection, not that you are supposed to click to add one from there.

So select Edit Connections, Add, and then select your VPN from there.

Solution 2

I recently set up VPN on Xubuntu 16.04 LTS for the first time. This is what I had to do:

sudo apt install openvpn
sudo apt install network-manager-openvpn-gnome

I used network-manager-openvpn-gnome instead of network-manager-openvpn to get the option to import the VPN configuration files.

After that I could go to:

Edit Connections at the bottom of the menu
Click on the Add button on the next window
Choose Connection type
Import a saved VPN configuration

After that I was able to edit the VPN connection by

Edit Connections... at the bottom of the menu
Select the VPN connection I want to edit
Click on the Edit button

Solution 3

The easy way is using a command on terminal:

nm-connection-editor

nm-applet normally starts at login by the desktop session manager and does not need to be run manually.

In some versions of Ubuntu there were problems in the security policy.

To solve this you should edit the file 'org.freedesktop.NetworkManager.policy' on /usr/share/polkit-1/actions/

sudo -H gedit /usr/share/polkit-1/actions/org.freedesktop.NetworkManager.policy

And change this action:

<action id="org.freedesktop.NetworkManager.settings.modify.own">
.
.
.
<allow_inactive>no</allow_inactive>

<allow_inactive>yes</allow_inactive>

Then restart network-manager

sudo systemctl restart network-manager

46,225

Harmonic

BY DAY: Alt-Rock Ninja Cowgirl at Veridian Dynamics. BY NIGHT: I write code and code rights for penalcoders.example.org, an awesome non-profit that will totally take your money at that link. My kids are cuter than yours. FOR FUN: C+ Jokes, Segway Roller Derby, NYT Sat. Crosswords (in Sharpie!), Ostrich Grooming. "If you see scary things, look for the helpers-you'll always see people helping."-Fred Rogers

Updated on September 18, 2022

Comments

Harmonic over 1 year

I'm trying to add a VPN to my network, but the option is greyed out.

Screenshot of the greyed-out indicator

I installed network-manager-openvpn but still no luck. Editing my connection does not show any VPN settings or tabs.

I'd appreciate it if anyone could point me in the right direction!

EDIT: In case anyone else has this issue, the wording "Add A VPN Connection" is super misleading as it's telling you that you need to add a VPN connection, not that you are supposed to click to add one from there.

So select Edit Connections, Add, and then select your VPN from there.
- You'reAGitForNotUsingGit over 7 years
  
  Can you add one from Settings -- > Network and clicking the + icon?
- Håkon Hægland over 7 years
  
  @AndroidDev Yes that works fine!
- naktinis over 7 years
  
  Does anyone have clues why the entry shown in the image is disabled?
- Christian over 7 years
  
  still greyed out? Same with "configure vpn" after having added a connection.
- Harmonic over 6 years
  
  Did you install network-manager-openvpn ?
Harmonic about 7 years

Thanks, but I actually answered my own question before you posted :) Upvote because your answer will help anyone else who finds this page. Thanks!
grongor about 7 years

Wow ... I consider myself a "power-user" but this had me googling for a while. Thank you!
Nick T almost 6 years

No amount of intelligence can save you from bad UI design
MrMas over 3 years

Strange -- I used the same settings on 20.04 using the Network Setting control control panel and yet "Add" remained greyed out. Just running nm-connection-editor worked!