Some people requested an updated version of my "How to create an OpenVPN connection" guide.

This example here and the screenshots are done on a Ubuntu 9.10 installation of Linux.
Also this example is based on the OpenVPN configuration / settings of Ivacy.

As described in my previous version, which was based on Ubuntu 8.04 LTS, also in this installation you need to have the following packages installed on your computer, which you easily can install via the Synaptic Package Manager.

• network-manager-openvpn

• openvpn

• openvpn-blacklist

If you have installed the 3 packages written above, right click on your Gnome-Network manager and select:
VPN-Connections → Configure VPN...

Create a new VPN Connection by secting ”Add”.

Select then: ”Connect to: OpenVPN Client”

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Now, give the connection a name. I called my one ”Ivacy OpenVPN”.

Enter the following data.

Gateway Adress: openvpn.ivacy.com

Type: Password with Certificates (TLS)

Username: enter your username you registered you with att www.ivacy.com

Password: enter your password connected to your username

On the next fields, you have to link to the files you downloaded.

User Certificate: select the file ”Ivacy-client.crt”

CA Certificate: select the file ”Ivacy-ca.crt”

Private Key: select the file ”Ivacy-client.key”

Password Key Password: leave this field blank

Screenshot-Editing Ivacy OpenVPN

The "IPv4 Settings" you just keep untouched. It should be by default set to "Automatic (VPN)".

Click now on "Advanced" to continue to the further settings needed to be adjusted.

In the next "General" view just mark "Use LZO data compression".

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Continue to "Security".

Here I had to select "Chipher: BF-CBC" in the previous version of OpenVPN-Network-Manager.

These setting is still working. But I have also seen that it would be enough to just keep both selections on "Default". In this case OpenVPN will automatically use the Chipher needed for the OpenVPN connection to our VPN-Service provider. This was not the case in the previouse version used on Ubuntu 8.04.

So keep the settings either on "Default" or select "Chipher: BF-CBC".

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Continue to the window "TLS Authentication".

Here you have to mark "Use additional TLS Authentification".

As Key file you select the file "Ivacy-tls.key" from the files downloaded at the beginning.

Set the Key Direction to "1" and click on OK to save your settings.

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Now click on OK to come back to the main VPN Connections Editing menu.

Save all your settings made by clicking "Apply".

If you want to make those VPN-Connection later available for all users on your computer, mark the checkbox "Available to all uses" before clicking on Apply.

Close the Network Configuration window.

Now just left click on your Network Manger in Gnome.

Go to "VPN Connections"

Select "Ivacy OpenVPN" and a small should start blinking over your Network-Connection.

When the OpenVPN connection is established, the Network-Manager will look like this: (if using WiFi Connection)

Network-Lock

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Introduction

Nokia released their Nokia Maps 3.0 at the beginning of July this year.

Previously I had Noka Maps 1.0 installed on my Nokia N95, which I never upgraded to any new version. I was instead using Navigon MobileNavigator 6. But for Navigon the maps are now 2 years old, so I was looking for an upgrade or a different version.

Nokia offers a 7 days free navigation license, to test the product.

http://europe.nokia.com/explore-services/maps/free-trial

So I asked for a 7 days license and tested Nokia Maps 3.0 for one week.

The maps can be downloaded for free via Nokias Map Loader.

Nokia Maps combines normal GPS (if included in the phone or via external GPS sensor), Network based location, and A-GPS. If this “positioning” is activated Nokia Maps finds a actual location within 5-15 seconds!

A-GPS uses a network connection, so for this reason it is possible the disable this feature if you are in a foreign country.

Speed Limits

Door to door navigation on Nokia Maps works very well.

All major roads have known Sped Limits included. So if you are driving slower than max. speed limit, you current speed will be shown in green colour.

Driving faster then the current speed limit, the speed will be shown in red together with a speed limit sign / warning above. After driving a some hundred metres faster then allowed, the navigation voice tells you “Observe speed limit!”.

Below, driving slower / faster then current speed limit:

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On smaller roads, the speed limit is not available. In this case, your current speed is shown in with colour.

Picture below, is taken during Night view.

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Speed Cam warning

There is a possibility to add so called “Traffic & Safety” to your Nokia Maps which is a license you can buy.

http://europe.nokia.com/explore-services/maps/features/traffic_safety_maps3

When this license is activated, Nokia Maps will warn you of Speed Cameras. If you are driving faster then the allowed speed limit, you will see a red warning on the screen, together with your speed, how many km/h you are driving too fast and the distance in meters to the speed camera. I really liked that feature!

If you are driving slower then the allowed speed limit, your current speed is shown in green colour again, but the speed cam warning is still flashing.

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To demonstrate how the speed cam warning is working in reality, see the video bellow.

Nokia Maps 3.0 - Speed Camera warning

Day- and Night-view

As you already have seen in some of the screen shots above, Nokia Maps offers a day-view and night-view. This can also be set to automatically switch, depending depending on how much light you have round you. (using the mobile phones light sensor) I think it also uses the local time. Haven't tested this out so much yet. Maybe I will post an updated about this feature later on.

Bellow you can see a small film I made while driving with Night-View:

Nokia Maps 3.0 - Night View

Navigation in general

In general the navigation with Nokia Maps works very well.

If you are reaching a crossroad, Nokia Maps, shows you a lane indicator, on which lane you must use. See screenshot bellow:

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Route recalculation

Several times I was driving the route as Nokia Maps suggested, to see how fast it was recalculating the route. - This is works really fast, as you can see on the video below:

Nokia Maps 3.0 - Route re-calculation

Driving through tunnels

Here in Stockholm we have some tunnels. Even this handles Nokia Maps, and does not stop with the navigation just because it has lost the GPS contact. Instead Nokia Maps continues with the navigation by simulating the driving through the tunnel.

But here comes the problem!

Normally the speed allowed to drive in the tunnels here is 70 km/h or 90 km/h.

But while driving through the tunnels, Nokia Maps reduces the vehicles speed during simulation to 47 km/h or increases the speed to 112 km/h!

As a result of this, you lose navigation in longer tunnels, because the estimated speed is not correct. Alternatively, Nokia Maps loses GPS contact because it simulates the driving at to high speed and expects that you should have come out of the tunnel already, but doesn't gets any GPS signal.

Below you see to screen shots of the two speed simulations in the tunnel.

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Also see this video as an example.

Nokia Maps 3.0 - Driving trought tunnels

This is somehow a bug which needs to be corrected by Nokia as soon as possible!

One more thought is that the voice guide is talking too much when reaching a roundabout.

This feels sometimes like information overload whilst driving.

I made a longer video about driving through roundabouts and tunnels, and route recalculations in the video below.

Nokia Maps 3.0 - Drive navigation

City Explorer – 3D Buildings

Nokia Maps also offers something called “City Explorer”.

http://europe.nokia.com/explore-services/maps/features/city-explorer3

This includes Walk, Guides, Weather Information and 3D Buildings in larger towns.

As you can see some screenshots bellow taken while walking through Stockholm.

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In August, I will go for two weeks to USA. I will use Nokia Maps there as well and buy a 30 days Drive-license for North America and test Nokia Maps there. I will for sure come back with a small review after my trip to USA.

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This example is based on the usage of Ivacy.com VPN-service.

Install the following packages on your Linux computer. (I use for this”Synaptic Package manager”)

• network-manager-openvpn

• openvpn

• openvpn-blacklist

The configuration files for Ivacy's OpenVPN service can be found on the there homepage:

https://pr.ivacy.com/en/doc/help/setup/winxp_openvpn

As alternative you can download the complete fils from my homepage.

Extract all files to a new folder in your /home/user/ folder on your hard disk. You will later need to link to the files when you are configuring the OpenVPN in the Network-Manager.

Left-click now on your Gnome Network-Mangager and select:

VPN-Connections → Configure VPN

Create a new VPN Connection by secting ”Add”.

Select then: ”Connect to: OpenVPN Client”

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Now, give the connection a name. I called my one ”OpenVPN Ivacy”.

Enter the following data.

Gateway Adress: openvpn.ivacy.com

Gateway Port: 1194

Connection Type: X.509 with Password Authentication

On the next fields, you have to link to the files you downloaded.

CA File: select the file ”Ivacy-ca.crt”

Certificate: select the file ”Ivacy-client.crt”

Key: select the file ”Ivacy-clienty.key”.

In the field ”Username” enter your username you registered you with att www.ivacy.com .

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Now, jump to the next window ”Optional”.

Mark there the checkbox “Use LZO Compression”

Mark “Use cipher” and select “BF-CBC” (This stands for Blowfish encryption)

Mark “Use TLS auth:” and select the file “Ivacy-tls.key” you saved on your hard disk.

Select then under Direction: “1”.

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Click then on “Apply” to save your settings.

Close the VPN Connection window.

Now, left-click on your Network-Manager and select “VPN-Connection” → “OpenVPN Ivacy”.

You will be asked for the password. Enter your password and mark the checkbox “Save in keyring”. Then the next time you connect to your OpenVPN connection you don't have to enter your password again.

When the connection was successful you will see a small Lock together with your Network-Manager symbol.

NetworkManager

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SoftwareFreedomDay firades i Stockholm tillsammans med flera deltagare från Svenska Linuxföreningen, Föreningen Ubuntu Sverige, samt andra Linux- och Opensource-entusiaster. Evenemanget planerades tillsammans via forumet på internet.
Vi träffades på Sergels torg i Stockholm, med mycket informationsmaterial kring Linux & OpenSource.
En Tux var så klart också med oss på plats! :)

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Totalt hade vi med oss:
- 300 Ubuntu flygblad
- 200 Infoblad Svenska Linuxföreningen
- ca. 100 OpenSolaris DVD/CD skivor
- 100 Ubuntu CD-skivor
- 80 Fedora CD-skivor

Ett färdigt informationspacket förbereddes som innehöll:
- Ubuntuflygblad
- Infoblad om Svenska Linuxföreningen
- 1 CD-skiva Ubuntu, Fedora eller OpenSolaris

Detta visade sig vara ett vinnande koncept för att ge intressenter ett "Allt i Ett Informationspaket".
Bilden nedan visar Jens i samtal med en förbipasserande.

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I samtal med förbipasserande och intressenter informerade vi om Linux och Opensoruce.

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Astrid informerar om Ubuntu och samlar ihop informationsmaterial.

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Vi började med att dela upp oss i flera små grupper. Några gick till Webhallen på Sveavägen, andra till Inwarehouse- och Komplett.se butiken för att dela ut informationsmaterial på olika ställen i Stockholm.
Tillsammans med Jens lämnade jag en bunt med informationsmaterial hos Siba, Elgiganten och OnOff på Kungsgatan i Stockholm. Där tog man tacksamt emot informationsbladen. Eftersom alla säljer Eee PC'n med Linux förinstallerat, var detta ett välkommet infopaket som man på plats kan dela ut till nya Linuxköpare.

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Inte bara svensktalande personer fanns kom förbi. Även engelskt talande.
I videon nedan informerar Anders Lindbäck.

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Även i Kulturhuset lämnade vi några Ubuntuflygblad.

Här ser vi Roger Sinel sorterar CD-skivor. Pingvinen Tux är alltid med på plats som det syns på bilden. :)

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Några flera bilder från evenemanget.

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Henrik sorterar OpenSolarispåsar.

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En video till.

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Roger lämnar över informationsmaterial.

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En liten summering där vi diskuterade dagens evanemang. På bilden Jens, Roger, Tomas och Henrik.

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Jag vill passa på att tacka alla deltagare för en mycket lyckad dag.
Ser redan nu fram emot nästa års SoftwareFreedomDay som vi kommer att organisera via våran SoftwareFreedomDay hemsida.

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Den här 3G-routern från D-Link (D-Link DIR-451) köpte jag redan igår. Den fungerar med dom flesta 3G-modem som finns ute på marknaden. Även med mitt 3G-modem från Tre (GlobeTrotter GT MAX "7.2 Ready").
Vi använde den här routern tillsammans med mitt 3G-modem, så att alla bärbara datorer kunde surfa på nätet via WLAN. Tack vare att det fanns Turbo3G-täckning gick detta som en dans!

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Tomas och jag på väg från Stockholm till Göteborg.
Tomas tog med sig en bärbar dator för att installera Ubuntu Linux på den. Själva installationen tog dock lite längre tid än planerat. Så det var bara och ta datorn med sig påslagen, mitt under installationen när vi anlände i Göteborg.

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Nästa intressent är imponerad av Ubuntu. Flera språk finns att välja emellan. Det uppskattade just han och tog direkt med sig en Ubuntu CD-skiva. Tomas och Kristian förklarar Ubuntu för honom.

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Hi people out there,
now I'm back in Sweden and made some nice screenshots of Navigon MN6 while navigating trough Budapest.

So as you maybe where reading in one of my previous posts, I was on vacation in Romania and now traveling back to Budapest in Hungary. Here I have a screen shot of the Navigon before I was crossing the border to Hungary.

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Navigon was showing where patrol stations are, car dealers, hispital and other points of interest. A very nice feature.
The navigation in Budapest was no big problem. Only one problem we have seen several times. Quit often, Navigon said that we should turn left on main roads, where it was not possible to turn left. Ok, it was possible, but according to the signs on the crossroad it was not allowed. So we had to contiue strait ahead or turn right somehow to get to this road. All the time, the way to our planed tagret was re-calculated and somehow we finally got to the place we want.
But it was a bit frustrating. Aways when Navigon MN6 told us "in 700 meters, turn left" we where asking ourself: Will it really be possible to turn left there!?. Everytime when it was possible we where happy! :-)
The most of the screenshots from Navigon MN6 are taking while using the 3D View. I like this most.
But here is one screenshot taking in 2D view.

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One evening, we took the car into the town and parked it in one road near a hospital. To be sure to find the car back, I just saved the actuall GPS position at Navigons software and named it "Car Parking". The we took the subway into the center of town. After a nice evening we decided to have a evening walk back to the car instad of using the subway.
I just took out my Nokia N95, started Navigon MN6 and changed in the preferences the way of navigating to "Pedestrian route" instead of "Car". And  we had a nice walk back to our car by just taking out the N95 of my pocket from time to time. - Great feature!

Finally I can say, I had really good help with the Navigon MobileNavigator 6 on my trip trough Budapest. The capital of Hungary with about 1.69 Million inhapitants. All the 4 adresse I was searching for, where found and also the nice feature of saveing the actual possition was helpful.
Even if we sometimes couldn't turn left, where we Navigon suggested to turn left, we finally reached our tagret and did not need to handle with paper maps in the car.

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Now, my vacation in Romania is nearly over. Tomorrow I'm going to Budapest in Hungary where I will stay at friends for two more days before the flight goes back to Sweden from there.
Today, still in Romania, I'm preparing my N95 with Navigon MobileNavigator 6 for the journey to Budapest. The map detail for Hungary is much better then for Romania.
So I was searching for the adresses in Navigon MN6. See the screenshot from the program while selecting the adress.

Screenshot0111

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Finally access to the internet again. I use this to post some pictures and news about my trip through Romania.
As I wrote before, the Navigon MN6 is a good program for GPS navigation. Unfortunately it has only about 10% of the roads in Romania on it's Romanian-Map. But anyway, I was quite impressed to see how many roads it knows.

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So I switched both Navigon and Nokia Maps off and started to use Nokias Sports Tracker instead.
A nice little program which registers a lot of data while driving. You also can use it while walking and cykling. This time we used it in our car. Posting some screen shots here:

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But the bad road where forgotten when we arrived at this place with a beautyfull view. :-)

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Finally I just want to add some pictures which I was taking during traveling trough Romania. Mostly I used Navigon MN6 which is visiable on the pictures.
One problem I had in planing routes was that there are not many towns known or places where I want to drive to. While driving on the country roads trough villages, Navigon NM6 often showed nothing then the road. But ok, keep in mind, that it coveres only about 10% of the roads and details on the Romanian Map!! So I'm anyway really pleased with the program.
See here some more pictures.

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At the end some print screens from Navigon Mobile Navigator 6 while driving trough same smaller and larger towns.

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Just a small post to compare Nokia Maps for Romania with Navigon MN6.
In general the Nokia Maps are more detailed for Romania then Navigon MN6. As seen on the picture bellow, the railroad is shown on the map when using Nokia Maps.
But what I very often see here in Romania is that the roads are not correct. Of course I'm driving on the roads and not offroad, but Nokia Maps very often shows that I'm driving next to the road, somewhere on the field and not on the road.
See the screenshot of Nokia Maps while driving on a country road in the north east of Romania.

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The same position as shown with Navigon MN6 on the picture bellow. The railroad is not shown, but I'm clearly driving on the road according to the map even if the maps is not as detailed as at Nokia Maps.

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