How to use ProtonVPN nodes with the OpenVPN Connect client

The ProtonVPN client seems to randomly disconnect. It also comes with all sort of problems while trying to install it. Eventually I gave up and moved the thing to OpenVPN Connect. I still cannot understand why the VPN seems to be significantly slower when on a router or on a different client than ProtonVPN client, but still. Better something than nothing

While configuring the solution I found an error and here is a reminder on how to get rid of it

Go to ProtonVPN Portal —> Downloads —> OpenVPN configuration files —> Select platform —> Windows —> Select protocol —> UDP —> Select connection and download —> Secure Core Settings —> Secure core configs —> Download the configuration file from one of the countries

Click on the highlighted icon

Click on Import Profile

Click on File and add the just downloaded file

Add Username and Password found under the ProtonVPN Portal —> Account —> OpenVPN / IKEv2 username, then click on Add

The Profile Name 4 (or any name chosen for this connection) is added

And when connecting the “Connection Error”, “Missing external certificate” error is shown:

Clicking con “Continue” solves the issue. Best not to waste time in trying the “select” button. That would show a a screen that helps with the external certificate configuration but in this case no external certificate is needed. To remove the problem, edit the configuration file previously downloaded, delete the recently created profile in OpenVPN Connect (if created), start all over but this time, into the edited configuration file, add the following line:

client-cert-not-required

In the screenshot below it has been added between the CA and tls-auth blocks. Like this:

Let’s not forget to save the file

By doing the procedure all over with this new modified file, OpenVPN Connect will connect without throwing any Connection Error message