Connecting to Azure Database Server

[#1]

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  

[#2]

Hi @johngvet 

This sounds like a very odd issue.

I've made some remote changes which may help.

Can you try rebooting your router?

[#3]

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.

[#4]

@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 ?

[#5]

Thanks Matthew
Sadly I still have the issue. 

[#6]

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? 

[#7]

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 ?

[#8]

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.

[#9]

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...

[#10]

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!

[#11]

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)

[#12]

@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. 

[#13]

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

[#14]

Potential bridging.

[#15]

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.