topic Re: Connecting to Azure Database Server in Broadband

Connecting to Azure Database Server

johngvet — Mon, 16 Oct 2023 15:35:55 GMT

Since moving to PlusNet I am no longer to connect to my works Azure server. ('The server was not found or was not accessible'). I can connect to my office VPN and offer office files, printers etc. I have been to hotels, friends houses, airport lounges and can connect to the Azure server with no issue (as long as I am connected to the office VPN). Works IT suggest is a PlusNet issue, PlusNet suggest need it is my work IT dept that need to fix. All are a bit puzzled why this would be an issue when connecting via the VPN.

Most grateful for any shared experiences

Re: Connecting to Azure Database Server

MatthewWheeler — Tue, 17 Oct 2023 09:55:37 GMT

Hi @johngvet

This sounds like a very odd issue.

I've made some remote changes which may help.

Can you try rebooting your router?

Re: Connecting to Azure Database Server

pjmarsh — Tue, 17 Oct 2023 10:39:49 GMT

If the connection to the azure database server is over your VPN then it doesn't touch the Plusnet network directly, as it is being tunneled through the VPN. If you are able to access other resources via then VPN then it can't be anything to do with Plusnet.

Re: Connecting to Azure Database Server

MisterW — Tue, 17 Oct 2023 10:43:58 GMT

@pjmarsh that would be my thought as well, which makes

I've made some remote changes which may help.

by @MatthewWheeler intriguing ? are you able to expand a little ?

Re: Connecting to Azure Database Server

johngvet — Tue, 17 Oct 2023 13:12:05 GMT

Thanks Matthew
Sadly I still have the issue.

Re: Connecting to Azure Database Server

johngvet — Tue, 17 Oct 2023 13:17:46 GMT

It is the VPM conundrum that is confusing my work IT dept as well!. Until the day I changed over to PlusNet no problems. If I tether to my mobile, use friends WiFi (not PlusNet) or about 6 hotel/airport public access connections I can connect my VPN and connect to Azure. My rather basic knowledge would say the VPN removes the PlusNet factor but why does this only happen when I am using PlusNet broadband?

Re: Connecting to Azure Database Server

MisterW — Tue, 17 Oct 2023 13:43:28 GMT

My rather basic knowledge would say the VPN removes the PlusNet factor

@johngvet that's exactly where @pjmarsh and I are!.

but why does this only happen when I am using PlusNet broadband?

You'd normally expect that when the VPN is up, then ALL traffic is routed down the VPN tunnel. I wonder if some traffic is not routed down the VPN ?

Are you able to run a tracert to the Azure URL ?

Re: Connecting to Azure Database Server

pjmarsh — Tue, 17 Oct 2023 13:59:01 GMT

It did cross my mind earlier that maybe the connection to Azure wasn't going over the VPN, but then I thought it would be a rather strange firewall setup that is allowing public wifi IP ranges, whilst blocking this. Maybe they are whitelisting massive IP ranges, but if that's the case you'd have to question the security of the data.

Re: Connecting to Azure Database Server

MisterW — Tue, 17 Oct 2023 14:13:18 GMT

Havent there been some issues in the past with accessing some Microsoft sites including Azure from certain PN IP ranges ? so if the VPN isnt set to route all traffic, then that could be an issue

@pjmarsh in fact I have my office VPN set to tunnel VPN addresses only, but then again its a small office and I have control over my VPN settings. I wouldnt expect a corporate VPN system to be setup this way...

Re: Connecting to Azure Database Server

pjmarsh — Tue, 17 Oct 2023 14:27:16 GMT

It would totally depend on how the Azure resources are setup. For a database server holding any except purely public data I would hope that even a semi-competent engineer would at very least enable the Firewall and whitelist the IPs that are authorised to access it. If there are many and/or they change a lot then routing any traffic for those servers via a VPN and whitelisting the VPN ranges would be far less work. With a little more knowledge you could create a Virtual Network between the office network and selected Azure resources to secure it.

If it isn't going via a VPN of some kind, I'd find it quite worrying that an IT department would be allowing connection from almost anyone. We don't know anything about this company though or how secure their setup might be.

I don't recall any issues connecting from any PN ranges to any Microsoft sites, but that's not unusual for me!

Re: Connecting to Azure Database Server

johngvet — Wed, 18 Oct 2023 17:11:00 GMT

Thanks all for your inputs. Listening to what has been said about 'is all the connection going via the VPN' I've tried connecting via the plus net wifi only (by pulling the RJ45 from my laptop. Bingo! I can connect. So the problem appears to be when I connect to the router (plusnet hub 2) via cable. Not yet tried disabling the wifi to see whether it is the cable connection that is relevant here or potentially simultaneous wifi and cable connection (if that is possible)

Re: Connecting to Azure Database Server

MisterW — Wed, 18 Oct 2023 17:47:54 GMT

@johngvet I suspect its the fact that you have two connections! If you disable the WiFi, then all traffic must go via the vpn over the cable connection.

Re: Connecting to Azure Database Server

ghamilton123 — Wed, 18 Oct 2023 20:32:19 GMT

The only thing that I could think of being plusnets factor is if they're using a domain thats only configured inside their companies network but that is NOT plusnets fault

Re: Connecting to Azure Database Server

greygit1 — Wed, 18 Oct 2023 20:39:28 GMT

Potential bridging.

Re: Connecting to Azure Database Server

ghamilton123 — Wed, 18 Oct 2023 20:43:23 GMT

Seems like it, and its using the PN routers DNS, as "The server was not found or was not accessible", sounds like a DNS related issue.

Re: Connecting to Azure Database Server

johngvet — Wed, 18 Oct 2023 21:18:52 GMT

thought we were onto something there but if I turn Wifi off on my laptop I can connect to the VPN over the cable connection but not Azure. Switch WiFi back on and unplug cable and all is good. Connect to WiFi with cable connected no good. Now that has confused me!

Re: Connecting to Azure Database Server

corringham — Thu, 19 Oct 2023 17:59:22 GMT

It could be an MTU issue. Check whether the MTU is lower when using the WiFi connection...

Re: Connecting to Azure Database Server

DafOwen — Thu, 26 Oct 2023 16:05:49 GMT

Maybe check the DNS server details are same on WiFi vs Wired connection.
Then try a tracerout/ping to the database server name - see if it resolves to the same IP address (will not connect)

Maybe do a
ipconfig /flushdns
inbetween

Re: Connecting to Azure Database Server

DafOwen — Thu, 26 Oct 2023 16:29:10 GMT

Bored + intrigued by the issue - did a bit of googling and found this issue (DNS name resolution working over Wifi+VPN but not Ethernet+VPN) which may be related.

https://community.fortinet.com/t5/Support-Forum/VPN-connection-works-only-over-wifi-not-wired/m-p/68613/highlight/true#M68523

Also made me think - may be worth trying to connect to the DB via IP address rather than DNS name