How to Set Up and Use the ExpressVPN App for Raspberry Pi

Последнее обновление: 2 октября 2023

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This tutorial will show you how to set up the ExpressVPN Linux app on Raspberry Pi. ExpressVPN is compatible with Raspberry Pi using ARMv7 CPUs and running Raspberry Pi OS versions supported by Debian’s Long Term Support Window.

Note: If you prefer to control the ExpressVPN Linux app with a graphical user interface (GUI), you can do so with the ExpressVPN browser extension for Chrome or Firefox. Install the browser extension after setting up the app.

Jump to…

1. Download the installer
2. Install and activate the app
3. Connect to a VPN server location
Disconnect from a VPN server location
Choose a different VPN server location
Switch to a different VPN protocol
Open the manual
Use the autocomplete feature
Use the ExpressVPN browser extension
Uninstall your app
Troubleshoot your connection

Download the installer

Go to the ExpressVPN setup page. If prompted, enter your ExpressVPN credentials and click Sign In.

Enter the verification code that is sent to your email.

On the right, select Raspberry Pi OS. Click Download.

You will also see your activation code below.

Keep this browser window open. You will need the information for the setup later.

Optional: Learn about downloading the PGP key and verifying the signature.

Need help? Contact the ExpressVPN Support Team for immediate assistance.

2. Install and activate the app

Install the app

Open Terminal. Run this command:

cd ~/Downloads/

Then run this command:

sudo dpkg -i [installer filename]

The installation will begin.

Note: If you see the error message, “Cannot connect to expressvpn daemon,” enter the following command to restart ExpressVPN:

sudo service expressvpn restart

Activate the app

In the Terminal window, run this command:

expressvpn activate

Paste the activation code you found earlier. Note that the code won’t appear on the screen. Hit Enter.

You will be notified when the app has been activated.

You can help improve ExpressVPN by sharing anonymized diagnostic reports. Enter Y to accept or n to decline.

If you want to opt out of sending diagnostics to ExpressVPN in the future, run this command:

expressvpn preferences set send_diagnostics false

Need help? Contact the ExpressVPN Support Team for immediate assistance.

3. Connect to a VPN server location

In the Terminal window, run this command:

expressvpn connect

If you are connecting for the first time, ExpressVPN will use the Smart Location feature to select a server location, which is recommended to you based on factors such as speed and proximity.

If this is not your first time connecting, ExpressVPN will connect to the server location you were most recently connected to.

Once you are successfully connected, you will see the “Connected to…” message.

Note: With a single ExpressVPN subscription, you can connect to the VPN on up to eight devices at the same time, regardless of platform. If you try to connect to more than eight devices at once, you will see a message that says, «You’ve exceeded ExpressVPN’s device usage limit for this subscription.»

Need help? Contact the ExpressVPN Support Team for immediate assistance.

Disconnect from a VPN server location

To disconnect from a server location, run this command:

expressvpn disconnect

You will be notified when the app has been disconnected.

Need help? Contact the ExpressVPN Support Team for immediate assistance.

Connect to a different VPN server location

Note: Before connecting to a different server location, you must disconnect from your current server location.

To find a list of recommended locations to connect to, run this command:

expressvpn list

By default, ExpressVPN will suggest the location that provides the most optimal experience for you, called Smart Location, at the top of the list.

Connect to a specific country

To connect to a specific country, run this command:

expressvpn connect [COUNTRY]

For example, to connect to Germany, run this command:

expressvpn connect Germany

ExpressVPN will select a server location in Germany that provides the most optimal experience for you.

Connect to a specific server location

To connect to a specific server location, run this command:
expressvpn connect “[LOCATION]”

or
expressvpn connect [ALIAS]

For example, to connect to the U.S.’s Santa Clara server, run this command:

expressvpn connect "USA - Santa Clara"

expressvpn connect ussc

Connect to Smart Location

To connect to the Smart Location:

expressvpn connect smart

Need help? Contact the ExpressVPN Support Team for immediate assistance.

Switch to a different VPN protocol

Important: Disconnect from the VPN before switching to another protocol.

VPN protocols are the methods by which your device connects to a VPN server. For the best experience, ExpressVPN recommends using the Automatic protocol option. This is selected by default and automatically picks the protocol most appropriate for your network.

In some cases, switching to a different protocol can help you achieve faster connection speeds.

To switch to Lightway — TCP, run the following command:

expressvpn protocol lightway_tcp

To switch to Lightway — UDP, run the following command:

expressvpn protocol lightway_udp

To switch to OpenVPN — TCP, run the following command:

expressvpn protocol tcp

To switch to OpenVPN — UDP, run the following command:

expressvpn protocol udp

You will see the message, “Protocol changed.”

To use the Automatic option, run this command:

expressvpn protocol auto

Need help? Contact the ExpressVPN Support Team for immediate assistance.

Open the manual

To view a full list of the ExpressVPN app’s functions, run this command:

man expressvpn

You will see the different commands listed there.

Need help? Contact the ExpressVPN Support Team for immediate assistance.

Use the autocomplete feature

After typing a command, hit the tab key twice to see a list of available options.

For example, type:

expressvpn protocol

Then hit the tab key twice. This will list all the available protocols.

Need help? Contact the ExpressVPN Support Team for immediate assistance.

Use the ExpressVPN browser extension

If you prefer to control the ExpressVPN Linux app with a graphical user interface (GUI), you can do so with the ExpressVPN browser extension for Chrome or Firefox.

Note: To use the browser extension, make sure to download and activate the ExpressVPN Linux app (Version 2.0 or newer) first.

To get the ExpressVPN browser extension, run one of the following commands:
expressvpn install-firefox-extension
expressvpn install-chrome-extension