TVIP Knowledge Base TVIP OVPN Configuration

TVIP OVPN Configuration

This guide describes how to set up OpenVPN on a TVIP STB of the 6xx Series using a USB storage device or SD card.

The folder structure and procedure described here are specifically intended for TVIP devices of the 6xx Series.

What is OVPN?

OVPN is a VPN tunneling protocol that runs over UDP (often port 1194) or TCP. The traffic is transmitted through an encrypted tunnel between client and server.

Requirements

  • USB stick or SD card
  • An OVPN configuration file from your VPN provider (*.ovpn)
  • The login credentials provided by your VPN provider (username + password)

Important: Use the exact file names

Please use the following file names exactly as shown. Pay attention to uppercase/lowercase letters and correct file extensions:

  • tvip.ovpn
  • credentials.txt
  • start (without extension)
  • tvip_provision.xml

Note: Some operating systems hide file extensions. Make sure the file is actually named tvip.ovpn.

Step 1: Get the OVPN file from your provider

Visit your VPN provider’s website and look for an OpenVPN option. Depending on the provider, this may be called “OpenVPN”, “OVPN”, or “manual setup”.

You will usually then choose a protocol such as UDP or TCP.

For the initial setup, TCP is recommended because it is more compatible with most firewalls.

Step 2: Check and adjust the OVPN file (auth-user-pass)

Open the OVPN file in a text editor and check whether it contains a line with auth-user-pass.

If this line is present, change it as follows: 

auth-user-pass credentials.txt

Note: Depending on the VPN provider, the OVPN file may be structured differently. This guide covers the usual case, but additional adjustments may sometimes be required.

Step 3: Rename the OVPN file

To ensure that the configuration is detected reliably, rename your OVPN file.

Examples:

de-frankfurt-tcp.ovpn
provider-nl-tcp443.ovpn
nl-amsterdam-udp.ovpn

The file must then be named as follows: 

tvip.ovpn

Step 4: Create credentials.txt

Create a text file named credentials.txt.

Write the username in the first line and the password in the second line.

Step 5: Create the start file

Create a file named start without any extension. This file is used to copy and apply the configuration.

Insert the following content: 

#!/bin/sh
CUR_DIR="$(dirname "$0")"
mkdir -p /var/tvip/openvpn
cp "$CUR_DIR/tvip.ovpn" /var/tvip/openvpn/tvip.conf
cp "$CUR_DIR/credentials.txt" /var/tvip/openvpn/credentials.txt
echo localhost > /var/tvip/provision_server
cp $CUR_DIR/tvip_provision.xml /var/tvip/
sync

Important: The file name must be start and it must not have any extension.

Step 6: Create tvip_provision.xml (optional)

As a final step, you can create the file tvip_provision.xml.

In this file, you can preconfigure your STB.

If this is not relevant for your setup, tvip_provision.xml can also remain empty.

Step 7: Create the folder structure on USB/SD

Create the folder s6xx on the storage medium. The name must be written exactly like this.

Place all four files into this folder: 

s6xx/
├── credentials.txt
├── start
├── tvip_provision.xml
└── tvip.ovpn

Step 8: Integrate OVPN on the STB

Insert the prepared storage medium with the s6xx folder into the STB.

Wait 1 to 2 minutes so the box can apply the configuration and establish the VPN tunnel, especially during the first test.

After that, you can briefly disconnect the STB from the power supply and reconnect it.

The STB will then start and automatically connect to the VPN server.

Step 9: Check the connection

Open the web browser and go to Google. If the language or region changes visibly, this is often a first sign that the connection was successful.

For a more reliable test, open http://icanhazip.com in the browser and compare the displayed IP address.

Note: Depending on the VPN server load and your local network, the connection setup may take longer than 1 to 2 minutes.

If everything is configured correctly, your STB is now connected through the VPN server.