topic Re: Mullvad VPN in Everything else

Mullvad VPN

omnicaritas — Sat, 16 Dec 2023 15:18:08 GMT

I can no longer access this site as it's been blocked by PlusNet. Are all VPNs blocked?

Best,

Tim

Re: Mullvad VPN

jab1 — Sat, 16 Dec 2023 15:21:06 GMT

Not so far as I'm aware - is it a legitimate site?

Re: Mullvad VPN

omnicaritas — Sat, 16 Dec 2023 15:24:06 GMT

Yes. I've been using it successfully until about 4 weeks ago.

mullvad.net

This is forwarded to block.opendns.com which tells me that the site is blocked due to content filtering.

Re: Mullvad VPN

jab1 — Sat, 16 Dec 2023 15:28:01 GMT

I'm possibly not the best person to answer this, as I'm not on the PN network, but it looks legit enough to me - I can certainly access it.

You really need a PN customer to check this for you.

Re: Mullvad VPN

MisterW — Sat, 16 Dec 2023 15:29:39 GMT

This is forwarded to block.opendns.com

@omnicaritas are you using the OpenDNS DNS servers ? sounds like its those that are blocking it

Re: Mullvad VPN

Champnet — Sat, 16 Dec 2023 15:32:33 GMT

I’m a Plusnet customer and can access the site with it’s bright yellow background….

Re: Mullvad VPN

omnicaritas — Sat, 16 Dec 2023 15:33:05 GMT

I'm not sure. What is the default for plusnet users?

Re: Mullvad VPN

omnicaritas — Sat, 16 Dec 2023 15:33:53 GMT

OK. Thanks for letting me know. I'll contact PlusNet directly.

Re: Mullvad VPN

MisterW — Sat, 16 Dec 2023 15:35:00 GMT

The default is to use Plusnet's DNS servers.

Re: Mullvad VPN

Baldrick1 — Sat, 16 Dec 2023 15:57:24 GMT

Moderator's note:
Thread moved from Broadband to Everything Else

Re: Mullvad VPN

Anonymous — Sat, 16 Dec 2023 16:02:16 GMT

@omnicaritas

It could be Plusnet's server side firewall, which occasionally gets altered (on an account change/upgrade) to "High" (i.e. maximum protection), which unfortunately will block a VPN connection.

To check this,

then use this link to navigate to the "Broadband Firewall"

If it's not set "Low" already, change the firewall level to "Low", and then reboot your router for the change to occur.

The "Low" setting should allow a VPN to connect from your home network.

If you are running OpenDNS -

click on the orange "SETTINGS" tab, and then in "Select a network" click on your connection,

then choose "Web Content Filtering"

scroll down to the bottom of that page and find "Manage individual domains"

click on the "Always block" button to reveal a drop down list, then select "Never block"

in the box to the right, enter the domain to NOT be blocked - presumably "mullvad.net"

then hit the "ADD DOMAIN" button

wait three minutes, and the domain should be whitelisted and not blocked - assuming that the URL is correct !

Re: Mullvad VPN

Anonymous — Sat, 16 Dec 2023 18:48:55 GMT

@MisterW wrote:

@omnicaritas are you using the OpenDNS DNS servers ? sounds like its those that are blocking it

@omnicaritas wrote:

I'm not sure. What is the default for plusnet users?

@omnicaritas

You can test whether your connection is using OpenDNS by clicking on their checker - welcome.opendns.com

If your home network is using OpenDNS (as mine is), the above link will show -

If you're not using OpenDNS then it'll show a cross -

Re: Mullvad VPN

RealAleMadrid — Sat, 16 Dec 2023 19:05:23 GMT

@Anonymous You've jumped in here with a number of posts, firstly I don't believe it is anything to do with the Plusnet firewall. From what I can gather the OP is just trying to access the Mullvad website not connecting via a VPN. Not sure why you think the firewall can change to high either, not seen any evidence of this.

Re: Mullvad VPN

Anonymous — Sat, 16 Dec 2023 19:28:09 GMT

@RealAleMadrid wrote:

... I don't believe it is anything to do with the Plusnet firewall. From what I can gather the OP is just trying to access the Mullvad website not connecting via a VPN

From the original post Message #1 -

@omnicaritas wrote:

I can no longer access this site as it's been blocked by PlusNet. Are all VPNs blocked?

@RealAleMadrid wrote:
Not sure why you think the firewall can change to high either, not seen any evidence of this.

It's happened to me TWICE, coincident with upgrading my Plusnet account. It has also randomly gone to "Off" on several occasions !

In the past others complaining of being unable to connect via VPN have fixed the issue by switching the firewall to "Low" from "High" having previously being unaware that the "Broadband Firewall" existed - so obviously THEY hadn't altered the setting in their "Member Centre" console.

Re: Mullvad VPN

RealAleMadrid — Sat, 16 Dec 2023 19:55:05 GMT

@Anonymous On a recent thread about a VPN not working a forum member said their firewall settings did not change after many upgrades and re-contracts, you obviously have had a different experience.

I have always set the firewall off as it's a legacy service that is no longer needed, perhaps you should do the same.

I would say that "I can no longer access this site" means the website rather than using their VPN service, you seem to have interpreted it in a different way.

Re: Mullvad VPN

omnicaritas — Sun, 17 Dec 2023 07:41:49 GMT

Hi.

Yes, it looks like I'm using OpenDNS

Re: Mullvad VPN

omnicaritas — Sun, 17 Dec 2023 08:35:28 GMT

I'll need to investigate this more deeply. I've renewed my VPN sub via my phone (data) for now.