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SpiritSoul1008

macrumors member
Original poster
May 23, 2019
82
47
Since yesterday, the News and Stocks apps have not been working with both ExpressVPN and PIA on the Mac. I have also confirmed on Reddit that others are facing the same issues. Can you guys try it and confirm with these and other VPNs? How do we request Apple to fix it?
 

8px

macrumors newbie
Aug 3, 2024
23
10
Do you have DNS filtering control on those services?
 

SpiritSoul1008

macrumors member
Original poster
May 23, 2019
82
47
Do you have DNS filtering control on those services?
DNS is set to default macOS settings. They work when the VPN is off, and don't work when they are on. I think the server is blocking access to these IPs.
 

SpiritSoul1008

macrumors member
Original poster
May 23, 2019
82
47
I was able to fix the News app by unchecking block trackers, malicious sites, and ads in ExpressVPN. Stocks still not working. Hmm.
 
Last edited:

8px

macrumors newbie
Aug 3, 2024
23
10
Consider for a moment NextDNS. It's the best $20 I spend each year. It's a freemium service so if you use fewer than 500,000 resolutions per month it not only is no cost but does not require a financial instrument to signup. Protect ALL your devices. Stick them on one profile if you're lazy (don't do this) or create a profile for categories of devices or users. Simple

Having used Control-D, a different user customizable DNS filtering service, I greatly prefer the flow of NextDNS. Control-D for similar functionality is $40 annually.

Like uBlock Origin, an adblocking web browser extension, one 'subscribes' to different block lists (or not), and can add your own blacklisted or whitelisted domains. There is a feature request to handle inheritance problems (like whitelisting EvilGnome..pro but wanting to blacklist a subdomain of it like TrustMeBro.EvilGnome..pro)

It has a helpful guide for setting up most of your devices.

Everyone is default subscribed to a small blocklist.

I recommend 100% of users subscribe to

OISD

There is also a "secret" global whitelist with a few google items. I suggest complaining about this when you discover what those are. There is a helpful user forum with prompt responses. The dev team was initially available via livechat.

Support requests to Control-D by contrast occasionally receive snarky responses.


To prevent apple [design] from accidentally leaking outside the vpn [on iphone or it's questionable privacy proxies] consider instead of an app on the device to be protected running your VPN client upstream in your network on somehting like OpenWRT (compatible) hardware. This is not an endorsement for all GL-inet hardware. I use GL Slate AX. Add it with wired ethernet or as a wifi client; it provides your devices wifi (or ethernet) BEHIND the VPN. Simple. It would be a good idea with any GL-inet hardware to set it atop a cooling fan. Search your favorite Prime Shipping retailed for: AC infinity usb fan.

You have a choice between openvpn (slow) or wireguard (fast). Expect a 7% to 15% throughput hit depending on factors for you to explore.
 

SpiritSoul1008

macrumors member
Original poster
May 23, 2019
82
47
Thanks for the ad but I use Little Snitch with Peter Lowe's blocklist for free.
 

8px

macrumors newbie
Aug 3, 2024
23
10
If it were an ad I would have tried to slide in an affiliate URL or something shady. Good luck with the one hand tied behind your back approach. ;)
 

lbirunner

macrumors newbie
Feb 14, 2023
2
0
Since yesterday, the News and Stocks apps have not been working with both ExpressVPN and PIA on the Mac. I have also confirmed on Reddit that others are facing the same issues. Can you guys try it and confirm with these and other VPNs? How do we request Apple to fix it?
Stock App still not working on the Mac (14.6.1) but it works just fine on my iPhone.
 
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