VPN Connects but doesn't work

[coolblu211236]

I'm using the VPN on my Windows 7 PC and my Android phone/tablet. I've tried to get it working on multiple networks already so I know it isn't an issue with my computer or internet connection. About two weeks ago the service was working great with the exception that PPTP is blocked on a lot of public networks (can't help that). Now when I connect it successfully connects to the VPN but when I try browsing the Internet it just hangs at "sending request" then finally times out. Programs like Skype don't work either.

So I'm guessing something like the server-side DNS isn't working or my account doesn't have access outside of the VPN network somehow.

 

[stutyax1]

same here.. It connects but shows no network access.. :frown:

 

[Linkz0rs]

It connects for me, but services such as Windows Live Messenger and Skype don't connect at all.
I've done some diagnostics, it appears the VPN service blocks them. Because a few network tools tells me that it cannot connect to remote host, it is however doing a successful DNS lookup of the services.

 

[Corey]

Pushed another update out this evening, verified Skype works along with a bunch of other stuff.

 

[posidyn]

Hello Everyone.
Is it normal that some websites connect properly and others do not? eg. I can browse to yahoo.com but cannot connect to google.com. I can browse gog.com but cannot browse gamefly.com

It looks like all other connections work great through the VPN.
Thanx.

 

[ckster60]

Hello Everyone.
Is it normal that some websites connect properly and others do not? eg. I can browse to yahoo.com but cannot connect to google.com. I can browse gog.com but cannot browse gamefly.com.

You probably got DNS error or DNS poisoning, I don't have problem to connect to google.com and gamefly.com through the vpn.

Btw, don't change the DNS setting inside the vpn, just use the default.

 

[posidyn]

I haven't changed any DNS settings. Don't know where they are or how to change them.

Is there a way to fix DNS error/poisoning?

Although I am not sure if it is a DNS issue because the browser seems to show that it resolves fine. It just sits at connecting forever.

 

[ckster60]

If you never change any DNS settings, it probably is not caused by DNS error or poisoning. To make sure, just open a CMD window and type "ipconfig /all" and check the wan interface has the DNS servers ip listed as 8.8.8.8 and 8.8.4.4, and double check your hosts file has no modification regarding google.com and gamefly.com.

If both DNS servers ip are correct and hosts file is correct, then you need to check tcp MTU setting. The MTU setting problem is subtle to debug, and not easy to explain it in just few lines, so you need to do your own research with the keywords like "vpn MTU siize", etc. In the pass more than 10 years, I saw a few case of MTU problem affected windows 2K and XP series PC. General speaking, if you are using PPPoE connection and broadband, the MTU needs to be set to 1492 or even lower. In an extreme case, I even need to change other setting on the XP tcp stack.

 

[posidyn]

I have checked the DNS servers and the hosts file and all is good.

I also read up and mucked around with different MTU values, but it did not help.

On the bright side, it looks like my normal Internet browsing speed has gotten faster from all that messing around.

Thank you.

 

[posidyn]

Solved! YAY!
All this time I have been changing the MTU for my LAN and ADSL connection. Finally found out how to change the MTU of the VPN connection interface. Found the info from here.
http://www.acevpn.com/2009/12/01/change-mtu-setting-to-fix-connectivity-issues/


In Summary:
Open command line window (cmd.exe) and run as administrator.
Run this
netsh interface ipv4 show subinterfaces

Which gives the interfaces and what MTUs are set at.

Then run this
netsh interface ipv4 set subinterface "VPN Connection Name" mtu=1400 store=persistent

Where "VPN Connection Name" is the name of the interface for the VPN connection. I had to set mine to 1000 for it to work.

 

[ckster60]

Glad to hear the nice outcome!