XPost: alt.comp.microsoft.windows, alt.comp.os.windows-10   
   From: marion@facts.com   
      
   All you need to run VPN on Windows are two simple free things:   
   a. You need the free openvpn.exe executable   
   b. You need a no-registration free text openvpn configuration file   
      
   That's it.   
      
   There are plenty of openvpn.exe binaries compiled for Windows.   
   One of which is at https://openvpn.net/community-downloads/   
   Available for Windows 7, Windows 8, Windows 10, and Windows 11   
       
      
   There are literally thousands upon thousands of free openvpn config files   
   on the Internet, many of which are rather slow (but they're fast enough for   
   textual Usenet); so for those using them on a slow connection, this script   
   I just wrote may be useful to you if your attempts time out unnecessarily.   
      
   This worked for me just now for about three thousand free VPN config files.   
   However, if you want to add improvements for all to benefit, please do.   
   See note in the sig for those who have epileptic fits from the word "VPN".   
      
    @echo off   
    REM 20250714; append_ovpn.bat; Adds wait commands to prevent early timeout.   
    REM This appends any number of lines (with comments) to a set of *.ovpn files.   
    REM Useful when TLS/UDP/TCP handshake negotiations timeout on slow networks.   
    REM Tested by me only on Microsoft Windows 10 using free *.ovpn text files.   
    REM The time-out problem was solved, surprisingly so, with these additions.   
    REM   
    setlocal enabledelayedexpansion   
      
    :: This will look for *.ovpn config files in the current working directory.   
    set "config_dir=%~dp0"   
    :: This will use whatever config directory you specify to run the script in.   
    REM set config_dir="C:\path\folder"   
      
    echo Updating .ovpn files in: %config_dir   
    echo.   
      
    for %%F in (%config_dir%\*.ovpn) do (   
        echo Appending to: %%~nxF   
        call :append_lines "%%F"   
    )   
      
    echo.   
    echo Done. All .ovpn files updated.   
    pause   
    exit /b   
      
    :: Subroutine needed because a "for loop" viciously hates funky characters.   
    REM The uname/pass is usually something like "vpn" & "vpn" on separate lines.   
    REM The data-ciphers is up to the free openvpn servers you're dealing with.   
    REM The rest of the lines are to enable patience in the negotiation process.   
    :append_lines   
    >>%1 echo.   
    >>%1 echo auth-user-pass C:\\path\\config\\username_password.txt   
    >>%1 echo data-ciphers AES-256-GCM:AES-128-GCM:AES-128-CBC   
    >>%1 echo hand-window 120    ; extended TLS handshake wait (default=60)   
    >>%1 echo connect-timeout 30    ; connection timeout (default=10)   
    >>%1 echo connect-retry 10    ; retry delay (default=5)   
    >>%1 echo connect-retry-max 5    ; max retries (default=8)   
    >>%1 echo keepalive 10 60    ; ping every 10s, restart after 60s   
    exit /b   
      
   --   
   For those who are triggered into epilepsy by the mere mention of VPN, we   
   are all well aware that free VPNs might not be secure and they may or may   
   not report all your Usenet posts to a TLA, etc., but if you're using VPN   
   simply as a "proxy" for your IP address on Usenet, then those risks are   
   lower since you don't need the encryption (and you can still get it using   
   port 563 if you really are worried about your public messages in transit).   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)