NGT App being blocked on broadband connection

[#1]

Hi, 

An odd, complex problem here with no obvious solution - except the suspicion there's some kind of ISP blockage on the service or some SSL inspection interference.

I use an app called NGT - Next Generation Text to make textphone calls from my desktop. This has worked fine on plusnet for ages. Until yesterday, when it won't connect to its server and simply says 'cannot connect to NGT service'. The rest of my internet and phone works fine. I had some engineering work done about 3 days ago (before this started) which raises a suspicion regarding hardware fault, but hardware faults are not usually so specific/awkward.

The app will not connect on my wired PC connection. It will not connect on my wireless Android connection. It WILL connect on my over-the-air android connection. This all helps to confirm that it is not a device or service problem, the problem MUST be either with the Router or something further down the line. The router has sat untouched for many weeks and nothing has changed on these settings.

All I can think of is the engineering work may be partly responsible. Could Plusnet be blocking this app? Why is there such a connection issue? 

Could it be the firewall I hear you ask? - no because it happens on an android with no firewall as well as the PC.

I have spoken to the app support and they say there is no problem with their service.

Any ideas? The app uses TLS 1.2 to connect using port 443 but no incoming IP traffic. 

[#2]

It's not by any chance a geolocation problem? See https://community.plus.net/t5/Plusnet-Feedback/IP-addresses-not-UK-Can-customers-please-report-any-p...

You could try installing a free VPN browser extension (I use Windscribe for Chrome), set the end location to United Kingdom and see if it springs into life.

[#3]

Good suggestion - this is the kind of app that might be geo-limited and i think (?) I caught a glance of my ip location a few days ago and was confused at it being abroad.

The app help pages make no mention of it despite being quite in depth about the type of security and ports it needs but it's worth a look.

I'll check when I'm at home. Thanks!

[#4]

Hello @andrewodonnel,

Thanks for getting in touch. It looks like you may be affected by the ongoing issue with assigned American IP addresses. Please can you turn the router off for 90 minutes and get back to us if the issue persists.

[#5]

Hi

Thanks for the reply. I have checked my IP location using a simple google search and it correctly locates me in Wales (either my real location or Bridgend which I presume is a nearby hub).

Is it still worth cycling 90min despite this?

[#6 · Accepted solution]

Yes, definitely. There are a whole host of DNS servers and whilst the Google one might be up to date it's quite likely that NGT are using a different one.

Have you tried the Windscribe suggestion I made here https://community.plus.net/t5/Broadband/NGT-App-being-blocked-on-broadband-connection/m-p/1546375#M3... If that worked it would confirm that geolocation is the cause. You can always take it off your computer later.

[#7]

As advised above I'd definitely recommend giving it a try

[#8]

This appears to have worked.

I turned router off for about 4-5 hours. Turned back on, checked my IP address on google and it was different.

Turned the app on - connected straight away.

Looks like this is a likely cause, despite some websites reporting my connection correctly it seems there was some kind of geo-limiting on the app. It's not mentioned at all and so I will feed back to them.

Thanks all! Would never have imagined my IP address was incorrect since other websites showed it as correct. It was in the range 147.something.

[#9]

Glad to hear it's sorted.

Technically your IP address is correct. What's most likely the cause of this is that NGT are using a database which still shows the IP address as an American one

[#10]

I have the same problem - NGT applications on my PC and 2 iPads are blocked from connecting.

I last used the NGT app about three months ago and it was working fine.

Then last week I tried to call via NGT but couldn't.

I suspect that the recent firmware upgrade on all Hub One routers may be the cause.

Your LiveChat advisor did mention about something to do with the security in the firmware.

I have followed your advice posted here to switch off the router and wait for few hours then switch it back on.

Still no, NGT connection still blocked !

Any advice please to resolve this ?

[#11]

Have you tried the option suggested by @Baldrick1 in post #6.  This should allow you to get around the problem, but NGA will need to update /  fix their geolocation software to get a permanent resolution.

[#12]

Sorry to hear your having issues.

Can you confirm if you've gone though the steps mentioned above?

[#13]

Hi,

Thanks for all the replies.

MauriceC

I did click on the link in baldrick1 in his post#6 but it came back to his original post!

I could try his suggestion by downloading VPN browser extension or Windscribe, this may solve the problem in my PC but not for the iPads.

MatthewWheeler

Have you checked my IP address and my geolocaltion, I don't know if they are correct!

Everytime I have used broadband speed checker apps occasionally and every time this have showed me that my IP address/locations was always different and in different areas! Last time I have checked that I was in Sheffield with ASK4. ( I am living in Nottingham.)  I wonder if this is the cause ?

I have three NGT apps in my PC and two iPads and they are blocked by my router at home, but when I used one of iPad on two different WiFis which is at my Brother's (he is with Virgin.) and my dongle ( mobile WiFi with Three ), yes the apps do work fine!

As like I have mentioned in my last post NGT apps was working fine before the firmware upgrade!

I will be certainly contacting NGT for support...

Any further advice to solve this will be greatly appreciated !... 

[#14]

Sorry that you're still experiencing problems.

Have you checked my IP address and my geolocaltion, I don't know if they are correct!

From putting your IP address you've got into https://www.iplocation.net/ it looks to be located in this country.

Everytime I have used broadband speed checker apps occasionally and every time this have showed me that my IP address/locations was always different and in different areas! Last time I have checked that I was in Sheffield with ASK4. ( I am living in Nottingham.)  I wonder if this is the cause ?

It's possible though it's not something we'd really have influence over.

I will be certainly contacting NGT for support...

This sounds like something on NGT's side. Let us know what they say.

In the interim, try switching your router off for 65 minutes and back on. That should force your router to connect to a different IP which may be better. 

[#15]

Dear Gandalf,

Thank you for your reply.

How about answering this question ?

NGT applications on my PC and two iPads are blocked at my home Wi-Fi. When I have used one of the iPads to connect two different Wi-Fi networks outside my home, one at my brother's (he is with Virgin Media) and other on my dongle (mobile Wi-fi with Three) the NGT application is working and connecting.

Obviously I know what this means and perhaps can you explain about this?

I am looking at testing the connection by changing back to my old router which I still keep!