VPN Always on unable to connect

[#1]

In the last 10 days I have not been able to connect to my work VPN.  This has not been an issue previously.

the address is remoteaccess.nfdc.gov.uk.  We use alwayson

My ICT department have suggested several things none of which have worked.

we turned off safeguard, firewall and enabled port clamping.

we turned the router off for an hour to try and force the router to find a new IP address but it was still the same

please can you let me know what has changed and the reason I can no longer access VPN in order to work at home?  My ICT department suggested that my DNS settings may need updating to some servers that work?  I look forward to your help 😊

[#2]

Do you have a static or dynamic IP? Some have said that a static IP seems to work better as some dynamic IPs don’t play well with certain VPNs.

[#3]

How do I know whether it is static or dynamic? I am assuming static as it won't change when I turn the router off? Unless there is a way to force it to change?

[#4]

@AnnJezLucy Unless you have requested a static IP (and paid the one-off £5.00 setup fee), you will be on a dynamic IP.

Because of the way PN IPs are now allocated, it is quite possible you will get the same one if you just do a simple router reboot. To (hopefully) get a new one, you need to disconnect for at least 65 minutes.

[#5]

Ah ok so would a static VPN work do you think?
I have tried turning the router off for 10 minutes and longer than 65 minutes and it always comes back with the same IP!
I am assuming at some point I must have had a different IP as it used to connect no problem

[#6]

No guarantees that a static IP would cure it, but it might. For £5 it's worth a shot. Strange that you always get the same IP back, even after the extended down-time.

[#7]

@bobpullen 

Might this match the profile of VPN issues we have seen before with some IP address ranges?

@AnnJezLucy 

What are the first 2 parts of your external IP address please?

[#8]

31.125

[#9]

That looks like an acquired IP address pool - many IP Location databases report that range as belonging to EE.

[#10]

How have Plusnet got hold of it? Is this why it doesn't connect to my work VPN?

[#11]

IP address ranges are often moved between suppliers.  Remember that BT, EE and Plusnet are all part of a larger group and Plusnet (some might argue as a consequence of not having deployed IPv6) has needed to acquire new ranges of IP addresses.

This has largely been done from within the BT group.  In the past we have seen IP addresses in such groups being problematic with some VPN services.  @bobpullen is the expert on this subject ... he would need to know this information to examine the specific details here.

Does either end of your VPN implementation indicate why the connection is being refused?  have your IT people looked to see if that IP range has been excluded?  We have seen incorrect data supplied by Geolocation data providers result in some IP ranges being blocked from UK services.  I might be barking up the wrong tree here, but the is merit in looking at similar profiles we have seen before.

As some one mentioned, a static IP address allocated from Plusnet's core pool is likely to circumvent this issue.

[#12]

Hi

I have the same issue with my work laptop as the always on VPN is disconnected for the last one week.

Our IT team has looked into this and confirmed no problem from their end. I have done factory reset of the modem, shut it off & on etc and nothing seem to work.

My IT team  has asked to check if there is any blockages or issues with the mainly used VPN ports like: 

Web traffic - Port 80

And IKEv2 - port 500 UDP

Please help!

Many thanks

[#13]

@BB20 

Similarly, what are the first two parts of your external IP address please?

@bobpullen 

Nudge - any thoughts here please?