topic Re: VPN problem in My Router

VPN problem

longshanks67 — Sun, 07 Aug 2022 07:22:12 GMT

I have been using VPN for a couple of years with no problem but in this last week following an intervention by a Plusnet Tech adjustment to my modem my VPN will not connect. Plusnet then removed this adjustment and put my Hub back to default but all to no avail. After spending hours tinkering with my settings I can only conclude Plusnet are blocking my VPN. I have a new Hub 2months old piggybacked with second router set up with dd-wrt and as I said all worked fine.

Perhaps my accusation that my VPN is being blocked is wrong but I cannot see why it has stop working.

Some advice please

Re: VPN problem

Dan_the_Van — Sun, 07 Aug 2022 07:35:30 GMT

I have a new Hub 2months old piggybacked with second router set up with dd-wrt and as I said all worked fine

How is the Hub Two configured as a Modem/Router or just Bridge Mode (modem ony)

Back to back routers will introduce double nat which could be causing your issue

Dan

Re: VPN problem

longshanks67 — Sun, 07 Aug 2022 07:50:00 GMT

I assume it is bridge mode, but as I said nothing has been touched/changed by me all used to work fine until I contacted Plusnet for an answer on reduced download speed during a Saturday and this drop was about 20 meg. An adjustment was made to my Hub by Pnet and thats when it all went wrong, after many phone calls trying to figure this out. My hub was returned to default but this problem still remains. Although I use my VPN for online banking it is primarily used for streaming with Netflix and other services.

Re: VPN problem

MisterW — Sun, 07 Aug 2022 08:02:01 GMT

I assume it is bridge mode

Why would you assume that ?

An adjustment was made to my Hub by Pnet

That doesnt sound like its in bridge mode, they wouldnt be able to access it remotely in bridge mode

My hub was returned to default

Now it definitely wont be in bridge mode!

As @Dan_the_Van says , you'll have double NAT if not in bridge mode and you'll need some port forwarding to have any possibility of VPN working

Re: VPN problem

Dan_the_Van — Sun, 07 Aug 2022 08:02:39 GMT

The default mode for the Hub Two would be Modem/Router.

Can you now see the wireless SSID for your Hub Two as if you do then it is not it is not in bridge mode.

If you can connect a wired PC to one of the Hub Two LAN ports and take a look at the status page.

What is the router you're using for dd-wrt, I assume you set it to ppoe connection and all your device connect to it?

Re: VPN problem

Baldrick1 — Sun, 07 Aug 2022 08:08:44 GMT

The obvious indication is the colour of the LED. From memory for Bridge mode it should be white.

Re: VPN problem

Baldrick1 — Sun, 07 Aug 2022 08:10:51 GMT

Moderators Note

This topic has been moved from Broadband to My Router

Re: VPN problem

Dan_the_Van — Sun, 07 Aug 2022 08:14:26 GMT

Good suggestion, however the help page says its Pink but looks more Purple to me on my Hub Two

Dan

Re: VPN problem

longshanks67 — Sun, 07 Aug 2022 09:21:27 GMT

Many thanks Dan, as they say learning all the time which is much appreciated.

my second router is an Asus configured with dd- wr which is plugged into a wan port on my hub2 I can see both SSID’s Plusnet and the dd-wrt. This system configuration worked fine as already said above but since Plusnet tinkered with my hub settings the VPN via the dd-wrt modem has stopped although I can see the SSID’s I cannot select it. All was working fine until then and that is the thrust of my question.

Re: VPN problem

MisterW — Sun, 07 Aug 2022 09:26:07 GMT

which is plugged into a wan port on my hub2

Is that a typo or is it really plugged into the red WAN port ?

If so, that's wrong , it needs to be plugged into a LAN port.

Perhaps you could confirm whether the WAN configuration of the Asus is PPPoE or DHCP, then we can decide whether the Hub should be in bridge mode or not

Re: VPN problem

Baldrick1 — Sun, 07 Aug 2022 09:56:11 GMT

Maybe it would be helpful to precis the best, but not necessarily the only way, to set this up.

1. Set the Fub 2 up in Bridge mode, indicated by a pink(ish) light on the hub.

2. Connect one of the LAN ports on the Hub 2 to the second router.

3. Set the second router DNS Protocol to PPoE and enter your Plusnet account username followed by @plusdsl.net and password also into the second router.

This more advanced usage of a Hub 2 is possibly beyond the experience of some Plusnet agents.

Re: VPN problem

longshanks67 — Sun, 07 Aug 2022 10:36:51 GMT

BaldRick1,

Thanks for your reply, firstly can I say as before everything on my setup worked fine but now it does not as already stated. my hub 2 has Wan port No 1 connected to my desktop Wan port 2 is connected to my second router‘s Lan port this is how it’s always been connected since I have been using a VPN through this second router which is dd-wrt enabled.

Re: VPN problem

MisterW — Sun, 07 Aug 2022 11:09:18 GMT

my hub 2 has Wan port No 1 connected to my desktop Wan port 2 is connected to my second router‘s Lan port this is how it’s always been connected

I think you've got your WAN/LAN ports confused here. II'm assuming you mean LAN ports on the Hub 2 and WAN port on the Asus ( 2nd router ). Given that you seem to have devices connected directly to the Hub 2 , we must assume that it is in normal modem/router mode. The Asus must therefore have its WAN connection as DHCP.

In order for a VPN to work on the Asus, its likely that you would have had some port forwarding rules on the Hub 2 (although UPnP MAY have worked )

These will have been removed by the reversion to default

Re: VPN problem

Baldrick1 — Sun, 07 Aug 2022 11:10:28 GMT

@longshanks67

The Hub 2 has 3 LAN ports and one WAN, which is identified with a red WAN sticker. Presumably you are double NATing the second router? I will leave it to others to see if they can help with this configuration.

Dis you originally set this up?

Re: VPN problem

longshanks67 — Sun, 07 Aug 2022 11:46:52 GMT

hello again Baldeick1

again many thanks, I do not know what Nat is as such Yes I did set this up my self, bought an Asus router which has been configured for dd-wrt which is used for my VPN and.this is connected to one of the three Lan ports (not the red one) on the hub2. Now as originally stated all worked fine with no problems, I then contacted Plus to ask about a big drop off of my download speed which occurred one Saturday two weeks ago, during my phone conversation with a plusnet tech lady (i assume) she checked out all and suggested she make some adjustments to my router, since this I have lost my VPN although I can still see it’s SSID and even select it but that’s it once connected to it it will not fetch any website.

Now after changing and tweaking all settings testing and retesting I just cannot fathom this out. I have come to the conclusion that Plusnet has blocked my VPN as nothing else makes any sense, the only thing I haven’t tried is a new hub2 because I haven’t got one yet.

Re: VPN problem

Baldrick1 — Sun, 07 Aug 2022 12:00:48 GMT

@longshanks67

Plusnet do not block VPNs. If your other devices are connecting then this is a configuration problem at your end.

Plusnet agents are trained to help customers connect a hub to the Internet. Your type of configuration lies outside of this scope. I can only assume that the agent was trying to improve the wireless performance of the Hub 2.

If you want to persevere with this configuration then the @MisterW suggestion that this could be a port forwarding problem is the next thing to investigate. It could have been that the reset triggered a firmware update that stopped UPnP making the connection.

Re: VPN problem

MisterW — Sun, 07 Aug 2022 12:04:56 GMT

@longshanks67 what is the LAN IP of the Asus set to ? AIUI by default dd-wrt will set a default of 192.168.1.1. That's not going to work because its the same subnet as the Hub 2.

Re: VPN problem

longshanks67 — Mon, 08 Aug 2022 08:32:45 GMT

Hello Baldrick1

When this problem manifested itself following the adjustment made to my Hub2 by Plusnet I spent many hours tinkering with my kit, spending many many minutes on the phone with Plusnet than at the end of the day I had to conclude that Plusnet must be blocking my VPN there was no other explanation. They caused the problem and I am still stuck with it. I have posted on the community site and have received some good advice of which I am very grateful. But for me the end user my setup stoped working as far as my VPN goes and has not worked since which is bloody annoying.

Armed with the advice given here from the community I will hopefully solve this problem, I am not a young commuter wizzkid just an ageing hobbyist who needs help.

again many thanks for your help and advice

regards

longshanks67

Re: VPN problem

longshanks67 — Tue, 09 Aug 2022 06:59:15 GMT

hello,

The local I/P on the Asus 192.168.3.1 /24

Hub2 I/P 192.168.1.254.

Re: VPN problem

MisterW — Tue, 09 Aug 2022 07:43:40 GMT

@longshanks67 Ok, so that should be able to work as long as

The WAN configuration of the Asus is set to DHCP

its set to a static IP in the range 192.168.1.1 to 192.168.1.63 i.e in the same subnet as the Hub 2 but out of its dhcp range

Maybe it would be easier if you post the WAN & VPN client configuration details of the Asus ( redact any username/passwords if there are any ) then people here could check to see where the problem may be