Boxee VPN Plugin (ATV)

mwpei · #1 February 8th, 2009, 03:37 PM

Below is my first official Boxee Plugin, it is still in alpha but I wanted to let others have a look and see what they think and if they would want it to do more.

This plugin allows you to control (start, stop, pause, resume, restart) you openvpn client from within boxee. It also allows you to have multiple config files pointing at different servers and pick what VPN service you want to use.

The plugin will work with both TunnelBlick or/and Hotspot shield (although you have to rename the "hotspot shield.app" to "hotspot.app", sorry about this maybe I will fix this in the next version). You can have both installed and pick the one you want to start at any given time.

Note: I set this up so if you get the Witopia VPN service you can copy over the TunnelBlick.app as well as your key and conf files and it should work (there are a few more steps then this, but that was the org idea)

here is the Link to the zip file, just unzip it then copy it to your atv.

Link: http://code.google.com/p/boxeevpn/downloads/list

It is a python script plugin and should be placed in the following directory on our ATV.
/OSBoot/Applications/Boxee.app/Contents/Resouces/Boxee/plugins/video/

You will then need to add it as an application in boxee by going to settings/applications and selecting BoxeeVPN, I suggest setting it as a private video source.

If you need to install Hotspot or TunnelBlick you can read over the following posts:
http://forum.boxee.tv/showthread.php?p=35536#post35536

Basicly you need to do the following: (for HotSpot Shield just replace TunnelBrick with HotSpot Shield)

1. Install TunnelBrick.app on your mac
2. open terminal
3. cd "/Applications/TunnelBrick.app/Contents/Resources"
4. sudo chmod ugo+r openvpnstart
5. open finder and copy TunnelBrick.app from your mac to the appletv (/Users/frontrow/applications)
6. copy (from your mac) the contents of /Users/{User}/Library/openvpn to the atv /Users/frontrow/Library/openvpn (this directory contants the key, crt and conf files for your connection)
7. ssh into the atv and run the following commands:
cd "/Users/frontrow/Applications/TunnelBrick.app/Contents/Resources"
sudo chown -R root:wheel tun.kext
(you can also run the following two commands to see if your vpn will start, it is assumed the config file is call openvpn.conf, yours maybe different)
sudo kextload tun.kext
sudo openvpn --config /Users/frontrow/Library/openvpn/openvpn.conf

HOTSPOT NOTES:
1. rename "hotspot sheild.app" to "hotspot.app" (I will try to fix this at some point)
2. Your config file is likely inside the HotSpot.app directory so look in the /Users/frontrow/Applications/HotSpot.app/Contents/Resources and copy any .hvpn files to the /Users/frontrow/Library/openvpn

OTHER NOTES:
1. The plugin looks in the /Users/frontrow/Library/openvpn directory for .conf and .hvpn files. The .conf will be launched using TunnelBlick and .hvpn will be launched using Hotspot.
2. The commands that start the vpn are run with a working directory of /Users/frontrow/Library/openvpn so put your key files in the this directory as well.
3. The scripts require that your password be frontrow, you can modify the script if you have changed your password, just look at the top of boxeeplugin_openvpn.py file, here is a constant that contains the psw.

If you have problems, there is a log file produced with the output of the commands that are used to start the vpn at the following location /Users/frontrow/Library/openvpn/vpn.txt. Please check this file if you are having problems.

Happy VPNing

Edit:
I have noticed that sometimes I get the following error when I try to start the vpn:
"2009 Mac OS X ifconfig failed: shell command fork failed"
I am not sure why this is happening yet, but I have found that if you exit boxee then re-enter it seems to fix the problem. If anyone knows what maybe causing this please post.

__________________
Running Boxee on AppleTV 2.3

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loonix · #2 February 8th, 2009, 04:59 PM

@mwpei

You the man.

Thank you so much

Installed and works like a charm

AR

gbmorrell · #3 February 8th, 2009, 07:33 PM

I don't have a mac only an Apple TV and a Windows laptop and a username/password/ip address for a vpn connection, any chance that you'll be developing your plug-in for boxee to meet the needs of those without an apple or config files?

Here's hoping...

mwpei · #4 February 8th, 2009, 08:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gbmorrell

I don't have a mac only an Apple TV and a Windows laptop and a username/password/ip address for a vpn connection, any chance that you'll be developing your plug-in for boxee to meet the needs of those without an apple or config files?

Here's hoping...

If you can get the vpn client installed then you can use the plugin. Once you have it installed then I think the config files that would be on a windows machine are the same so they would work. Check out the other threads around setting up a vpn on the atv.
http://forum.boxee.tv/showthread.php?p=35536#post35536

Maybe someone can come up with an install script that can install both a vpn client and the plugin. If no one else does this I will try to look into doing in the next few weeks.

**tranceparance** · #5 February 8th, 2009, 09:43 PM

@mwpei:

It there a way to setup the plugin/script to auto-recognize the region? I.e. use U.S profile for US content (Hulu...), CDN for Canadian, U.K for U.K (BBC...) etc? Essentially any user who has the proper VPN credentials would be able to freely browse all the available content on Boxee. It would be great if you could input your certificates and "fogettabout it" :-)

I am not a coder but would be neat to see the development of such functionality.

Let me know your thoughts.

Keep up the excellent work!

Peace,

Tranceparance :-)

**marcel** · #6 February 9th, 2009, 04:11 AM

@mwpei nice one will check it out...

foghorn2 · #7 February 9th, 2009, 10:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tranceparance

@mwpei:

It there a way to setup the plugin/script to auto-recognize the region? I.e. use U.S profile for US content (Hulu...), CDN for Canadian, U.K for U.K (BBC...) etc? Essentially any user who has the proper VPN credentials would be able to freely browse all the available content on Boxee. It would be great if you could input your certificates and "fogettabout it" :-)

I am not a coder but would be neat to see the development of such functionality.

Let me know your thoughts.

Keep up the excellent work!

Peace,

Tranceparance :-)

This would be a great plugin! I want to see BBC!! Where do I get VPN from the UK?

mwpei · #8 February 9th, 2009, 01:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by foghorn2

This would be a great plugin! I want to see BBC!! Where do I get VPN from the UK?

According to Witopia they are going to have a UK VPN connection in about 60 days. I hope they do because I just paid for 1 year of vpn service, I also hope they allow current customers to use either server.

**tranceparance** · #9 February 9th, 2009, 06:04 PM

@mwpei

I asked Witopia about their UK server implementation a while back ago and here is a direct quote from their sales group for your reference:

"Nope, there will be no additional fee - it'll be included in the base price for personalVPN. We will have instructions on how to manually change your config file to use whichever server you need. "

Peace,

Tranceparance :-)

nick247365 · #10 February 11th, 2009, 08:19 AM

For some reason I can't copy the necessary files over to the plugins directory via Transmit.

/OSBoot/Applications/Boxee.app/Contents/Resouces/Boxee/plugins/video/

I get a failure - any suggestions?

Thanks