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NordVPN Installation and Strict Configuration on Lubuntu

This guide provides a step-by-step process for installing NordVPN on a Lubuntu system and configuring a secure "Panama-only" connection with a kill switch while maintaining local network accessibility for Remote Desktop (XRDP) or NAS access.

1. Installation and Permissions

First, install the NordVPN repository and the application. Then, ensure your user has the necessary permissions to control the service.

# Download and install the NordVPN repo
sh <(curl -sSf https://downloads.nordcdn.com/apps/linux/install.sh)

# Add your user to the nordvpn group
sudo usermod -aG nordvpn $USER

# Force apply group changes immediately
su - $USER

2. Local Network Safety (Whitelisting)

To prevent being locked out of your machine during Remote Desktop sessions, you must whitelist your local subnets before enabling the kill switch. Use the callback method for reliable terminal authentication.

# Log in to your NordVPN account using the callback link
nordvpn login --callback "[insert_your_callback_url_here]"

# Whitelist common local subnets
nordvpn whitelist add subnet 192.168.0.0/24
nordvpn whitelist add subnet 192.168.100.0/24

3. Configuring the "Panama-Only" Lock

Configure the client to automatically connect to Panama and kill the internet connection if the VPN tunnel drops.

# Set autoconnect to a specific country
nordvpn set autoconnect on Panama

# Connect to the VPN
nordvpn connect Panama

# Enable the Kill Switch
nordvpn set killswitch on

4. Troubleshooting: "nordvpn.service is masked"

If the service reports as "masked" or fails to start, it is likely due to legacy SysV script conflicts or broken package dependencies (like synosnap) blocking the daemon. Use this "Nuclear Reset" sequence.

# 1. Remove legacy SysV init conflict
sudo rm -f /etc/init.d/nordvpn

# 2. Nuke phantom mask files across all system paths
sudo rm -f /etc/systemd/system/nordvpn.service /run/systemd/system/nordvpn.service /lib/systemd/system/nordvpn.service /usr/lib/systemd/system/nordvpn.service

# 3. Purge blocking agents and fix broken package states
sudo dpkg --purge synosnap
sudo apt install -f

# 4. Reinstall and force-unmask the daemon
sudo apt install --reinstall nordvpn -y
sudo systemctl daemon-reload
sudo systemctl unmask nordvpn
sudo systemctl enable --now nordvpn

5. Management and Verification

Commands for daily use and verification.

# Check current connection status
nordvpn status

# View all current settings
nordvpn settings

# Check if the background service is running
sudo systemctl status nordvpn

# Disable the Kill Switch (restores internet if disconnected)
nordvpn set killswitch off

6. Additional NordVPN Linux Commands

  • nordvpn countries — List all countries where servers are available.
  • nordvpn cities [country] — List cities in a specific country.
  • nordvpn set technology [nordlynx/openvpn] — Switch between VPN protocols.
  • nordvpn set threatprotectionlite on/off — Block ads and malicious sites.
  • nordvpn set lan-discovery on/off — Allow the device to be seen on the local network.
  • nordvpn account — View subscription details.
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