OpenVPNAdapter is an Objective-C framework that allows to easily configure and establish VPN connection using OpenVPN protocol. It is based on the original openvpn3 library so it has every feature the library has.
The framework is designed to use in conjunction with NetworkExtension framework and doesn't use any private Apple API. Compatible with iOS and macOS and also Swift friendly.
- iOS 9.0+ or macOS 10.11+
- Xcode 9.0+
To install OpenVPNAdapter with Carthage, add the following line to your Cartfile.
github "ss-abramchuk/OpenVPNAdapter"
Then run carthage update command. For details of the installation and usage of Carthage, visit its project page.
At first, you need to add a Packet Tunnel Provider extension to the project and configure provision profiles for both the container app and the extension. There are official documentation and many tutorials describing how to do it so we won't dwell on this in detail.
Before you can configure and establish VPN connection don't forget to import NetworkExtension.
import NetworkExtensionThen we need to create or load a VPN profile. NETunnelProviderManager is used to configure and control VPN connections provided by a Tunnel Provider extension. Each instance corresponds to a single VPN configuration stored in the Network Extension preferences. Call the following method to load all existing VPN profiles from the system preferences. For the sake of simplicity, we will use only one instance of NETunnelProviderManager assuming that our object has a property named providerManager.
NETunnelProviderManager.loadAllFromPreferences { (managers, error) in
guard error == nil else {
// Handle an occured error
return
}
self.providerManager = managers?.first ?? NETunnelProviderManager()
}The next step is to provide VPN settings to the instance of NETunnelProviderManager. Setup the NETunnelProviderProtocol object with appropriate values and save it in preferences.
self.providerManager?.loadFromPreferences(completionHandler: { (error) in
guard error == nil else {
// Handle an occured error
return
}
// Assuming the app bundle contains a configuration file named 'client.ovpn' lets get its
// Data representation
guard
let configurationFileURL = Bundle.main.url(forResource: "client", withExtension: "ovpn"),
let configurationFileContent = try? Data(contentsOf: configurationFileURL)
else {
fatalError()
}
let tunnelProtocol = NETunnelProviderProtocol()
// If the ovpn file doesn't contain server address you can use this property
// to provide it. Or just set an empty string value because `serverAddress`
// property must be set to a non-nil string in either case.
tunnelProtocol.serverAddress = ""
// The most important field which MUST be the bundle ID of our custom network
// extension target.
tunnelProtocol.providerBundleIdentifier = "com.example.openvpn-client.tunnel-provider"
// Use `providerConfiguration` to save content of the ovpn file.
tunnelProtocol.providerConfiguration = ["ovpn": configurationFileContent]
// Provide user credentials if needed. It is highly recommended to use
// keychain to store a password.
tunnelProtocol.username = "username"
tunnelProtocol.passwordReference = ... // A persistent keychain reference to an item containing the password
// Finish configuration by assigning tunnel protocol to `protocolConfiguration`
// property of `providerManager` and by setting description.
self.providerManager?.protocolConfiguration = tunnelProtocol
self.providerManager?.localizedDescription = "OpenVPN Client"
self.providerManager?.isEnabled = true
// Save configuration in the Network Extension preferences
self.providerManager?.saveToPreferences(completionHandler: { (error) in
if let error = error {
// Handle an occured error
}
})
}Start VPN by calling the following code.
self.providerManager?.loadFromPreferences(completionHandler: { (error) in
guard error == nil else {
// Handle an occured error
return
}
do {
try self.providerManager?.connection.startVPNTunnel()
} catch {
// Handle an occured error
}
}Packet Tunnel Provider extension uses NEPacketTunnelProvider subclass to configure and establish VPN connection. Therefore, that class is the right place to configure OpenVPNAdapter. The following example shows how you can setup it:
import NetworkExtension
import OpenVPNAdapter
class PacketTunnelProvider: NEPacketTunnelProvider {
lazy var vpnAdapter: OpenVPNAdapter = {
let adapter = OpenVPNAdapter()
adapter.delegate = self
return adapter
}()
let vpnReachability = OpenVPNReachability()
var startHandler: ((Error?) -> Void)?
var stopHandler: (() -> Void)?
override func startTunnel(options: [String : NSObject]?, completionHandler: @escaping (Error?) -> Void) {
// There are many ways to provide OpenVPN settings to the tunnel provider. For instance,
// you can use `options` argument of `startTunnel(options:completionHandler:)` method or get
// settings from `protocolConfiguration.providerConfiguration` property of `NEPacketTunnelProvider`
// class. Also you may provide just content of a ovpn file or use key:value pairs
// that may be provided exclusively or in addition to file content.
// In our case we need providerConfiguration dictionary to retrieve content
// of the OpenVPN configuration file. Other options related to the tunnel
// provider also can be stored there.
guard
let protocolConfiguration = protocolConfiguration as? NETunnelProviderProtocol,
let providerConfiguration = protocolConfiguration.providerConfiguration
else {
fatalError()
}
guard let ovpnFileContent: Data = providerConfiguration["ovpn"] as? Data else {
fatalError()
}
let configuration = OpenVPNConfiguration()
configuration.fileContent = ovpnFileContent
configuration.settings = [
// Additional parameters as key:value pairs may be provided here
]
// Apply OpenVPN configuration
let properties: OpenVPNProperties
do {
properties = try vpnAdapter.apply(configuration: configuration)
} catch {
completionHandler(error)
return
}
// Provide credentials if needed
if !properties.autologin {
// If your VPN configuration requires user credentials you can provide them by
// `protocolConfiguration.username` and `protocolConfiguration.passwordReference`
// properties. It is recommended to use persistent keychain reference to a keychain
// item containing the password.
guard let username: String = protocolConfiguration.username else {
fatalError()
}
// Retrieve a password from the keychain
guard let password: String = ... {
fatalError()
}
let credentials = OpenVPNCredentials()
credentials.username = username
credentials.password = password
do {
try vpnAdapter.provide(credentials: credentials)
} catch {
completionHandler(error)
return
}
}
// Checking reachability. In some cases after switching from cellular to
// WiFi the adapter still uses cellular data. Changing reachability forces
// reconnection so the adapter will use actual connection.
vpnReachability.startTracking { [weak self] status in
guard status != .notReachable else { return }
self?.vpnAdapter.reconnect(interval: 5)
}
// Establish connection and wait for .connected event
startHandler = completionHandler
vpnAdapter.connect()
}
override func stopTunnel(with reason: NEProviderStopReason, completionHandler: @escaping () -> Void) {
stopHandler = completionHandler
if vpnReachability.isTracking {
vpnReachability.stopTracking()
}
vpnAdapter.disconnect()
}
}
extension PacketTunnelProvider: OpenVPNAdapterDelegate {
// OpenVPNAdapter calls this delegate method to configure a VPN tunnel.
// `completionHandler` callback requires an object conforming to `OpenVPNAdapterPacketFlow`
// protocol if the tunnel is configured without errors. Otherwise send nil.
// `OpenVPNAdapterPacketFlow` method signatures are similar to `NEPacketTunnelFlow` so
// you can just extend that class to adopt `OpenVPNAdapterPacketFlow` protocol and
// send `self.packetFlow` to `completionHandler` callback.
func openVPNAdapter(_ openVPNAdapter: OpenVPNAdapter, configureTunnelWithNetworkSettings networkSettings: NEPacketTunnelNetworkSettings, completionHandler: @escaping (OpenVPNAdapterPacketFlow?) -> Void) {
setTunnelNetworkSettings(settings) { (error) in
completionHandler(error == nil ? self.packetFlow : nil)
}
}
// Process events returned by the OpenVPN library
func openVPNAdapter(_ openVPNAdapter: OpenVPNAdapter, handleEvent event: OpenVPNAdapterEvent, message: String?) {
switch event {
case .connected:
if reasserting {
reasserting = false
}
guard let startHandler = startHandler else { return }
startHandler(nil)
self.startHandler = nil
case .disconnected:
guard let stopHandler = stopHandler else { return }
if vpnReachability.isTracking {
vpnReachability.stopTracking()
}
stopHandler()
self.stopHandler = nil
case .reconnecting:
reasserting = true
default:
break
}
}
// Handle errors thrown by the OpenVPN library
func openVPNAdapter(_ openVPNAdapter: OpenVPNAdapter, handleError error: Error) {
// Handle only fatal errors
guard let fatal = (error as NSError).userInfo[OpenVPNAdapterErrorFatalKey] as? Bool, fatal == true else {
return
}
if vpnReachability.isTracking {
vpnReachability.stopTracking()
}
if let startHandler = startHandler {
startHandler(error)
self.startHandler = nil
} else {
cancelTunnelWithError(error)
}
}
// Use this method to process any log message returned by OpenVPN library.
func openVPNAdapter(_ openVPNAdapter: OpenVPNAdapter, handleLogMessage logMessage: String) {
// Handle log messages
}
}
// Extend NEPacketTunnelFlow to adopt OpenVPNAdapterPacketFlow protocol so that
// `self.packetFlow` could be sent to `completionHandler` callback of OpenVPNAdapterDelegate
// method openVPNAdapter(openVPNAdapter:configureTunnelWithNetworkSettings:completionHandler).
extension NEPacketTunnelFlow: OpenVPNAdapterPacketFlow {}Any contributions and suggestions are welcome! But before creating a PR or an issue please read the Contribution Guide.
Special thanks goes to @JonathanDowning for great help in development of this project and bug fixing.
OpenVPNAdapter is available under the AGPLv3 license. See the LICENSE file for more info. Also this project has a few dependencies:
See the NOTICE file for more info about their licenses and copyrights.