Hi, I'm trying to use the install Media Center option via the Sparkbox dashboard on my UGREEN DH4300Plus NAS. I'm not using Surfshark as my VPN provider, but ExpressVPN. The user variable prompts the pre-installer requests suggests that you can just use OpenVPN instead of WireGuard, so anything WireGuard related I leave blank as the text below each relevant prompt suggests to do so if using OpenVPN. So I've entered my VPN username and password, left the WireGaurd Private Key blank, as well as WireGaurd Address, entered my country name and chosen two cities, VPN Server Hostname left blank and Install Moonfin Jellyfin plugin to the default of false. However when selecting Save & Install a message pops up on the main dashboard appears which when clicking cancel to view states "Please fill in: WireGuard Private Key (from your VPN provider), WireGuard Address (your assigned internal IP). Is this a non starter without WireGuard and the install cannot be achieved purely using OpenVPN? Sparkbox Dashboard version reports "Latest Release v1.6.115". I used the automated installer for Pi-Hole and it worked great, thanks, and thanks in advance for any help or answers with this. Shay
7 replies
tomspark wrote:
Hi Shay — totally hear you, but we don't currently optimize for every VPN provider since each behaves a bit differently. Paying monthly for a subscription to every VPN just to verify and tune each one is too expensive for a free project, so we prioritize Surfshark as the true one-click solution — those affiliate signups are what funds development. Smoothest Media Center setup on UGREEN right now is Surfshark, works out-of-the-box with WireGuard fields auto-populated. There's a deal active: Surfshark (87% off + 4 months free): https://get.surfshark.net/affc?offerid=1126&affid=9447&affsub=hr52es When V2 releases (and if we move to a paid model) we plan to broaden VPN support. For now ExpressVPN via OpenVPN means manual wiring outside the wizard — happy to point at docs if you want to go that route.
Numan0id wrote:
Hi Tom, Thanks for the reply. My ExpressVPN subscription is due for renewal so I'll take a look at Surfshark using your affiliate link. Just out of curiosity though would you also be able to point me in the right direction to the docs you mentioned for manual wiring? Thanks.
Numan0id wrote:
Hi Tom, Thanks for the reply. My ExpressVPN subscription is due for renewal so I'll take a look at Surfshark using your affiliate link. Just out of curiosity though would you also be able to point me in the right direction to the docs you mentioned for manual wiring? Thanks.
Numan0id wrote:
Hi Tom - Thanks for the reply. My ExpressVPN subscription is due for renewal so I'll take a look at Surfshark using your affiliate link. Just out of curiosity though would you also be able to point me in the right direction to the docs you mentioned for manual wiring? Thanks.
Numan0id wrote:
Hi Tom - Thanks for the reply. My ExpressVPN subscription is due for renewal so I'll take a look at Surfshark using your affiliate link. Just out of curiosity though would you also be able to point me in the right direction to the docs you mentioned for manual wiring? Thanks.
tomspark wrote:
Hey Shay — Surfshark trial is the path of least resistance for sure; the WireGuard fields auto-populate if you go that way and you skip the manual wiring entirely. For the ExpressVPN/OpenVPN manual path: we don't keep polished docs (same bandwidth reason), but our underlying VPN container is gluetun (github.com/qdm12/gluetun) — their wiki has provider-specific setup pages including ExpressVPN. The relevant keys to set live in /opt/sparkbox/.env: VPNSERVICEPROVIDER=expressvpn, OPENVPNUSER, OPENVPNPASSWORD, plus a couple of server-selection vars gluetun's docs list. Heads up I haven't personally tested that path end-to-end, so you may hit bumps I can't help diagnose. Also noting: the wizard requiring WireGuard fields even when you picked OpenVPN is a real bug on our end — thanks for surfacing it, we'll get it sorted.
tomspark wrote:
Sure — head to tomsparkbox.com/docs.htmlmedia-setup and scroll to "OpenVPN providers" (ProtonVPN walkthrough is there, ExpressVPN follows the same pattern). TL;DR: grab your OpenVPN credentials from ExpressVPN's account page, paste username/password into the wizard's VPNUSER / VPNPASSWORD fields, set VPNTYPE=openvpn, leave the WireGuard fields blank. Let me know if you hit a snag.