AOVPN issues

[#1]

I posted twice on this but never seems to have made it.

I need to work remotely - we use AOVPN with a work laptop - sometimes the connection works and sometimes not.

After some discussions with work IT (NHS) I've been told this is a Plusnet issue and I need static IP based on these posts.

https://community.plus.net/t5/Fibre-Broadband/AOVPN-Windows-10-connection-issues/m-p/1747032#M113494

https://community.plus.net/t5/Everything-else/IKEv2-VPN-tunnel-for-Always-On-VPN-stopped-working/m-p...

I paid £5 last night for static IP, after that was done the connection worked yesterday evening. This morning I tried again and the same error message came up again. 

Can I please request static IP in 80.229. range as it seems to work in the posts above. I tried asking someone from Plusnet this morning to do this but computer says no which was very frustrating.

According to IT at work, they said "AoVPN uses port numbers TCP 443 and UDP 500 & 4500 and they need to be open for your connection". Can someone check these are open for my connection please?

[#2]

Bump.
Anyone from plusnet can help/anyone else had similar issues and have a solution please ?

[#3]

Whilst it may be possible to change your IP, we cannot easily assign an address from a specific range I'm afraid.

When you say it sometimes 'works' and sometimes doesn't, how does that problem present itself exactly? Does the AOVPN connection fail to establish? Does it establish but you then can't access anything? Something else? Are there any error messages?

Do your IT department have access to any logging at their side that may shed a light on what's happening?

Doesn't help get to the bottom of your problem, however the majority of the remote access to our corporate environment is over AOVPN, and if there were some inherent issue with it as a technology when using a Plusnet line, then I'm fairly certain we'd know about it 😉  

[#4]

“The network connection between your computer and the VPN server could not be established because the remote server is not responding. This could occur because one of the network devices (such as a firewall, NAT, or router) between your computer and the remote server is not configured to allow VPN connections. Contact your administrator or your service provider to determine which device is causing the problem.”

The above is the error message I get. It’s random- one day I can connect, another day I can’t due to this error. I don’t have such issues when I’m connected my mobile hotspot.
Others (see links provided in the above post ) seems to have this fixed with static IT within a specified range. If no fix that’s fine- just simply means I won’t renew with Plusnet and move in to other broadband providers.

[#5 · Accepted solution]

It makes little sense for the issue to be solely IP-related if your IP is now static and it works sometimes but not others. If the issue were specific to a certain IP address then you'd expect an all or nothing scenario

Unfortunately, aside from you trying to traceroute to the VPN address from a command line, or running a packet capture (which requires an element of technical acumen) a lot of the clues lie with the VPN administrator. They are the ones that can see if your connection attempts are hitting them, and if they are, what is happening when they do.

Couple of oither things you can try: -

• Ensure that you do not have the Broadband Firewall enabled. 
• Likewise with Safeguard. If you have it enabled, try disabling it.

I have just allocated you an IP from a different range (starting 212.159). You'll need to disconnect/reconnect to be assigned it. If you're still no further forward though, then we should really be trying to establish and rectify the cause of the problem, rather than arbitarily cycling through IP addresses in the hope that things will start working again.

[#6]

Ok thanks for doing that, VPN is working today but I'll try daily for the next few days.

https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-server/remote/remote-access/vpn/always-on-vpn/deploy/alway...

Apparently the cause of the error is as follow:

Error code: 809

• Error description. The network connection between your computer and the VPN server could not be established because the remote server is not responding. This could be because one of the network devices (e.g., firewalls, NAT, routers) between your computer and the remote server is not configured to allow VPN connections. Please contact your administrator or your service provider to determine which device may be causing the problem.

• Possible cause. This error is caused by blocked UDP 500 or 4500 ports on the VPN server or the firewall.

• Possible solution. Ensure that UDP ports 500 and 4500 are allowed through all firewalls between the client and the RRAS server.

If anyone else has experienced this before and have any solutions let me know.

[#7]

@voctave - what hub are you using?

[#8]

I've tried using AoVPN for 10 days in a row now and re-allocating the static IP address has worked for some reason....so thank you!

[#9]

Alas- I am running into the exact same issues for the past 2 weeks on an off. AoVPN works with my personal hostpot with O2 but not with Plusnet so IT at work is still saying this is a Plusnet issue. Any other solutions please? Do I need my static IP reset to a different one now? A previous post by someone else says a new static IP in 80.229. range worked for him/her/they/them

[#10]

@voctave. No,  you need to get your IT support to check their vpn logs for 'policy' failures and restart the Vpn server if found. Its a known issue with some  Vpn implementations. Check this thread https://community.plus.net/t5/Broadband/VPN-Issues-on-Static-IP/td-p/1903945/page/2

[#11]

I sent the link above to our IT department. Their response is that the VPN is reset anyway everyday at midnight. They are still saying they are not at fault because personal hotspot is working and this is a Plusnet issue which is really frustrating

[#12]

Their response is that the VPN is reset anyway everyday at midnight

TBH i suspect that is bovine excrement. Its disappointing that they arent prepared to investigate, but just wish

to blame others. I can only suggest that you TRY and switch ip by requesting disabling statiic ip and then re enabling it.

That MAY get a different ip but even if it does its 'just kicking the can down the road'

[#13]

Hi @voctave 

I'm sorry to hear about the issues you've had connecting to your work VPN.

If you're wanting to go with the chance of static IP as suggested by @MisterW let me know and I'll get that sorted

[#14]

I already have static IP and paid for it so might be worth getting a new IP address. Can I please request static IP in 80.229. range as it seems to work in the posts above.

[#15]

If your problem is the same as in the other thread https://community.plus.net/t5/Broadband/VPN-Issues-on-Static-IP/td-p/1903945/page/2 (which I suspect it is!) then it doesn't matter what range a new IP is on, it's the fact that it is DIFFERENT to the one you currently have! That's why it works using a Hotspot , that will be presenting a different public IP.

Basically the VPN server has not properly closed down a previous VPN connection from your static IP. The VPN server creates a unique 'policy' based on your IP and VPN credentials. When you attempt to make a new connection from the same IP, it fails to setup because there are the remnants of a previous connection with the same 'policy'. Any change in IP will mean that a different unique ID is being generated and so will work. That is , until the next time when the VPN server fails to properly close down the session and you're back to square one, which is what happened with your previous IP!

I appreciate that doesnt help you , and I sympathise with your situation, my daughter works in the NHS and has experience of NHS IT support, but really they should be investigating this rather than just saying 'its not our fault' with absolutely no evidence.