Arch Linux User Repository

Please note that, as of version 4.0, ExpressVPN have switched to a new "universal installer" which replaces their previous distro-specific packages (.deb/.rpm/.pkg) and bypasses package managers entirely (mostly dumping stuff to /opt). I have rewritten the PKGBUILD to repackage what this new installer does so it can still be tracked by pacman, but there's no telling how well this will work going forward (particularly since this new version supposedly has a self-updater built in.)

The new ExpressVPN version is still in beta, so I've not pushed an update to this package yet, if you're interested in testing it out, it's available at https://codeberg.org/WorMzy/aur-packages/src/branch/main/expressvpn

Note: you may need to flush your iptables rules after upgrading in order to restore internet access, use iptables -F to do so.

Info from expressvpn's site ...

wget https://www.expressvpn.com/expressvpn_release_public_key_0xAFF2A1415F6A3A38.asc

gpg --import expressvpn_release_public_key_0xAFF2A1415F6A3A38.asc

All installed fine; thank you very much for maintaining.

If anyone else is having the problem where expressvpn disconnect no longer restores your resolv.conf I solved the problem by removing the symlink and rm /var/lib/expressvpn/resolv.conf (not sure if that is needed)

I think that sometimes expressvpn can get into an inconsistent state where the symlink is still there even when expressvpn is not connected.

The official version is 2.6.3.3, no matter whether the Chinese ExpressVPN staff forgot to remove it from their web site... I notified ExpressVPN.

I always protect my resolv.conf by setting the immutable bit (chattr +i), so that no networking software can fiddle with it, be it NetworkManager or expressvpn. The newer expressvpn clients now exit with an error. In previous versions the clients connected without aborting. That's the change.

Interesting, very mixed messages coming from expressVPN then -- the china-status page still lists 2.6.4.5 as the latest version, and it is still downloadable.

The old PKGBUILD is still accessible if you want to downgrade to 2.6.3.3: https://aur.archlinux.org/cgit/aur.git/tree/?h=expressvpn&id=bb798e4d22d3dd8365035bb6bc99f58b0e5bb602

I've had no issue with the latest version, expressvpn has always taken control of resolv.conf for me.

I received the below information by ExpressVPN:

"In the meantime, as you mentioned you are using the 2.6.4.5 app version on your Arch Linux. If I am not mistaken, this version has been removed.

Kindly use the latest app version for the Linux device which is 2.6.3. You can get it by signing in to your ExpressVPN account page here: https://www.expressvpn.com/sign-in"

Version 2.6.4.5 has been removed. Please revert back to version 2.6.3.3 that can currently be downloaded from their web site as the official version for Linux.

I am experiencing connection problems with German servers with versions 2.6.4.x. Also the new client overwrites my resolv.conf file, which it has never done before. My resolv.conf is protected and the client exists with an error as it can't overwrite. I told them that this is not OK for me, reply pending.

Ah @Wormzy apologies, you are correct. It seems that this occurs after installing blackarch. Yet another issue with that package which will undoubtedly be promptly ignored.

Thanks mate, apologies again for the misinformation.

Medicineman25, your system is very broken if your /usr/sbin is not a symlink to /usr/bin. Also, this package installs the service to /usr/lib/systemd/system/expressvpn.service, you don't need to copy it to /etc/systemd/system.

This package is broken from upstream, I have contacted them directly but in case they don't fix it or someone downloads before they do:

cp /usr/lib/expressvpn/expressvpn.service /etc/systemd/system

systemctl daemon-reload

cp /usr/bin/expressvpnd /usr/sbin

Otherwise the service will only half-start and when you go to activate, it will not be able to communicate with the daemon :)

Thanks :-) And, yes, always good to get those kind of messages, lol.

Thanks for sharing that solution. PGP servers are notoriously unreliable, which may have been the cause of that wonderfully informative error message. ;)

Info from expressvpn's site ...

wget https://www.expressvpn.com/expressvpn_release_public_key_0xAFF2A1415F6A3A38.asc

gpg --import expressvpn_release_public_key_0xAFF2A1415F6A3A38.asc

All installed fine; thank you very much for maintaining.