Well, I downgraded to 14.04 and the problem has gone away completely for me.
Nothing I tried with 14.10 worked. It may have worked if I had done a completely clean install (one where no existing /home partition existed). As I've mentioned, the problem began after I upgraded from 14.04 to 14.10. Then I installed 14.10 again, but I did this 14.10 install while having an existing /home partition (so not a completely clean reinstall). There are two bugs why I cannot continue to run 14.10. This one, and one with Autokey-GTK: https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/autokey/+bug/1395415 Here are my thoughts on this bug. You'd think it have to do with one of those hidden configuration file in the /home/user directory. However, this may not be the case: people having tried deleting those config files and folder completely (so that they are recreated from scratch next use) and the problem didn't go away. Have vpnc or network-manager packages changed since 14.04? You can determine your version by typing this as a single line into the terminal: sudo apt-get install apt-show-versions ; sudo apt-show-versions network- manager network-manager-vpnc In 14.04, I get this output: network-manager:amd64/trusty 0.9.8.8-0ubuntu7 uptodate network-manager-vpnc:amd64/trusty 0.9.8.6-1ubuntu2 uptodate What version of these are running in 14.10? -- You received this bug notification because you are a member of Ubuntu Bugs, which is subscribed to Ubuntu. https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/1297849 Title: Virtual private network connection fails after distribution upgrade due to outdated Network Manager configuration files To manage notifications about this bug go to: https://bugs.launchpad.net/hundredpapercuts/+bug/1297849/+subscriptions -- ubuntu-bugs mailing list ubuntu-bugs@lists.ubuntu.com https://lists.ubuntu.com/mailman/listinfo/ubuntu-bugs