We don't know what will happen to the LaLiga blockades, with Tebas at the helm, nor the future of the Internet. But we've learned over the years that a VPN can be useful in some cases. They initially became popular for watching Netflix and other services in unsupported areas, but they serve much more than that. How do you use quality software on Linux? It's easy thanks to openvpn, included by default in many distributions.
OpenVPN is an open-source protocol and software for creating secure VPN connections using SSL/TLS encryption, compatible with multiple platforms, and highly configurable. Another simpler explanation is that it's a VPN client that allows us to use a Virtual Private Network service. If we're registered with one of these services, such as ProtonVPN, we can connect to them from Linux.
ProtonVPN offers apps for almost any operating system, but you know the drill. On Linux, the official option is severely lacking, and I'd recommend using the flatpak package, which is packaged and uploaded by a third party, if you prefer the app. But it still leaves a lot to be desired. Therefore, I think it's best to learn how to use OpenVPN, and if I'm adding ProtonVPN to the mix, it's because it's a reputable service that also offers a free option.
OpenVPN and ProtonVPN: The Winning Combination
Using ProtonVPN with OpenVPN is easiest in GNOME and KDE environments, which in most cases already have the necessary packages installed. If not, open a terminal and install them. openvpn y network-manager-openvpn. For example, in Ubuntu it would be with sudo apt install openvpn network-manager-openvpn, but in Canonical systems it already comes by default.
With the packages already installed, you have to go to account.protonvpn.com and there we move to the Downloads section.
Scroll down to "OpenVPN Configuration Files" and select "GNU/Linux" and "Free Server Configurations." Click "Download" to download the necessary profile with the .ovpn extension.
GNOME
In GNOME, to add the profile, go to Settings/Network/Click the plus sign (+) next to VPN/Import from file. In the "Identity" section, enter your credentials. These are not the ProtonVPN username and password; they're the ones you'll see in the "Account" and "OpenVPN/IKEv2 Username" sections.
To connect, simply click the button in the system tray and then click VPN. You'll know you're connected because you'll see "VPN" in the text. To verify that it's working, simply go to speedtest.net and see where we connect from.
KDE
In KDE, it's a little simpler: double-clicking the .ovpn file adds it to the network settings. All that's left to do is go to the VPN connection settings and enter the same credentials we mentioned above.
We'll connect by clicking on the Wi-Fi/Wired Connection icon and then clicking on the VPN. In this case, we'll know we're connected because a padlock appears.
Steam deck
The Steam Deck uses Plasma, but at the time of writing, it doesn't allow you to import profiles as directly as other distributions. You have to do it from the terminal, with this command:
nmcli connection import type openvpn file /path/to/protonvpn/profile
The device will inform us that the import was successful, and we can now add the credentials from the network settings. It will likely ask for the "Wallet" password; if we've never used it before, we'll need to add one. It's not the same as the user password, which isn't set by default in SteamOS.
Use OpenVPN and forget about annoying apps
OpenVPN works much better than apps and is well worth using. Just remember one thing: even if you use a service like ProtonVPN, free VPNs aren't the most secure. For extra security, it's worth using a paid one. For everything else, use OpenVPN.