Unable to establish VPN connections (VPN configurations and Personal)

[DoctorApple]

Since updating to iOS 14, all of my VPNs have stopped working. I use AdGuard Pro's local VPN configuration to block trackers and ads. It's infuriating that every time network environment changes, it takes between 1 to 20 minutes for a connection to be established. It's not a connectivity issue as there's no remote server for local VPN to connect to. This happens to every VPN configuration I have ranging from the local ones that act as a DNS filter to the "personal" ones that fully encrypt all traffic.

I've tried resetting network settings and deleting all VPN configurations, the problem still persists.

A call to a senior support yielded no fruit. The support agent told me he does not install even number of updates on his phone. He personally would wait for the .1 version to come out. I cannot believe he would say this on a recorded line as a support agent.

 

[Bigpearl]

I use ExpressVPN and it’s working

 

[DoctorApple]

My vpn proxy master still working as fine.
Maybe you can give it a try.
For the ads blocking I use cloudflare over ad guard.

It’s not working at all. Constant reconnection which take from 5-10 mins during which there’s no data at all.

 

[jscooper22]

good, it's not just me.

 

[jscooper22]

Others have had similar issues, but iOS seems to break VPN functionality. At least, L2TP over IPSEC is no longer working.

No change in settings on either end. Before iOS 14, vpn worked. After, nada.

Anyone have 14 and their VPN still works? Talking about the built-in Mac vpn client, not a personal privacy app.

Thanks,

Jeff

 

[IowaLynn]

I use AG Pro, no issue. There has been an update or two since iOS 14.0

I found that I need to turn off Apple's Private Address options which is on by default and is reenabled after 14.01 as well.

Might want to dig deeper. I swapped around coax, made sure router is current. I had trouble with Apple TV 14.x and also my older iPhone X - the iPhone 11 must better support WiFi-6 "ax" which is what my Netgear router offers.

 

[Ash Pole]

It's been 2 weeks, I assume the OP fixed his issue.....

 

[jscooper22]

I found a thread at the apple developer forums about this: https://developer.apple.com/forums/thread/660499
My vpn is through a Sophos UTM, so I changed my authentication algorithm to SHA2 256 (NOT 96 bits) and it worked.

 

[DoctorApple]

It's been 2 weeks, I assume the OP fixed his issue.....

Nope, it’s not fixed at all. I’m amazed by my patience. Every time I leave home, my phone has no data service for 10-20 minutes because a VPN connection is trying to be established.

 

[ApfelKuchen]

So, this isn't "unable to connect" but rather "takes 10-20 minutes to establish after changing networks" (wi-fi to cellular, cellular to other wi-fi network, cellular back to home, etc.)?

Just how many VPN configurations do you have installed? Have you considered that they may interact with each other (for example, one VPN routing through another)?

You said you reset network settings then deleted all VPN configurations, but then what did you do afterwards? Did you reinstall all those VPNs again?

How about deleting them all, then add one, test, then delete. Do that for every VPN.

If they each work normally it's time to test how they work in combination: Install whatever VPN you consider to be primary (the one you must have), then add a second VPN and test. If that combination works, delete the second VPN, add the third VPN, and test.

If all two-VPN combinations work OK, then it's time to test three VPNs at a time. And so on.

Basically, try all the combinations until you find the combination(s) that break things.

 

[DoctorApple]

When I’m unable to connect half of the time I’m using my phone, I’d say it’s unable to connect. Basically it happens every time network environment changes, including hopping from tower to tower if there’s a brief disconnection. I’ve also noticed that when updating unrelated apps from the App Store, it would break the connection too causing the updates to bypass the Adblock which is really bad when you look at the logs. (Adjust, Branch, etc all ping their servers when an app with their SDK is being updated.)

I only use AdGuard. After I reset network settings and deleted all VPN configurations and profiles, only AdGuard is added back. It doesn’t solve the issue at all.

 

[ApfelKuchen]

So, stripping everything away, this seems to have gone from "Since iOS 14 all my VPNs have stopped working" to something that happens with only AdGuard.

So if you uninstall AdGuard everything works normally? If so, maybe you need to get the folks at AdGuard involved. They did issue a bug fix update about a week ago.

 

[DoctorApple]

No, it happens to other VPNs as well, but I don’t use them enough. Only adguard is what’s essential to me.

 

[schmegs]

I have the exact same problem. I've reset my network settings several times. Tried Lockdown, Guardian, and Windscribe. Same problem, no matter the connection (can choose different connections on Windscribe). I think there's some corrupted setting file somewhere on my phone.

This has happened since iOS 14. I had an iPhone 11 Pro where it started, and upgraded to a 12 Pro. Transferred my data between the phones, and I guess whatever corrupt file came with it, because I have the exact same problem on the new phone. Short of wiping the phone and setting it up from scratch (I have 1500 apps installed, so I'm not exactly motivated to reset the phone...), I'm not sure what to do, either. I don't have the patience of the OP, so I'm just living without a VPN for the moment. Not ideal...

 

[DoctorApple]

I have the exact same problem. I've reset my network settings several times. Tried Lockdown, Guardian, and Windscribe. Same problem, no matter the connection (can choose different connections on Windscribe). I think there's some corrupted setting file somewhere on my phone.

This has happened since iOS 14. I had an iPhone 11 Pro where it started, and upgraded to a 12 Pro. Transferred my data between the phones, and I guess whatever corrupt file came with it, because I have the exact same problem on the new phone. Short of wiping the phone and setting it up from scratch (I have 1500 apps installed, so I'm not exactly motivated to reset the phone...), I'm not sure what to do, either. I don't have the patience of the OP, so I'm just living without a VPN for the moment. Not ideal...

I believe it’s the number of apps. I had over 2000 apps.
At one point I tried to restore the phone to an older iOS 13 back up. The VPN worked till half way of the restore like around 7/800 apps were downloaded back

 

[cmsdock]

I’ve ran into the same problem.

Configuring L2TP VPN servers to work with iOS 14 and macOS Big Sur client devices - Apple Support

Network admins should be aware of L2TP VPN server configuration enhancements for use with iOS 14 and macOS Big Sur client devices.

support.apple.com

 

[Frixos]

I'm unable to use cellular data with my VPN on; wi-fi works fine. I had to delete my VPN. The developer said it's Apple's fault. Hoping it gets fixed...

 

[dallastigers]

Since updating to iOS 14, all of my VPNs have stopped working. I use AdGuard Pro's local VPN configuration to block trackers and ads. It's infuriating that every time network environment changes, it takes between 1 to 20 minutes for a connection to be established. It's not a connectivity issue as there's no remote server for local VPN to connect to. This happens to every VPN configuration I have ranging from the local ones that act as a DNS filter to the "personal" ones that fully encrypt all traffic.

I've tried resetting network settings and deleting all VPN configurations, the problem still persists.

A call to a senior support yielded no fruit. The support agent told me he does not install even number of updates on his phone. He personally would wait for the .1 version to come out. I cannot believe he would say this on a recorded line as a support agent.

I had hope that the way DNS setting worked in first couple of betas would have been fixed and brought back by now and work with personal VPNs instead of still having to use a faux VPN for DNS when using a personal VPN. There are a lot of app and their analytics partners touching base that i like to filter even using a full VPN.

During these betas it worked great for me and more like i have read Android works. Regular VPN app was included in my choices for DNS. I think problem was in full VPN it was keeping DNS choice regardless of app requiring it’s own DNS (i kind of liked but i think in Android app can require to use its own DNS service to be selected but it all runs through that DNS setting i think and just read some Android comments elsewhere) and maybe some other leakage (i didn’t see any passing through to Wifi set up but i read others did). I also like knowing that when i saw VPN on top of screen it was for standard VPN connection instead of one for DNS especially on demand and waking up sometimes the personal VPN lags behind DNS/VPN which icon is based on in faux VPN for DNS setup or just doesnt connect exposing IP address and having less secure connection to web unknowingly.

With released versions of iOS 14 and having to use faux VPN for DNS with personal VPN connections are dropping constantly (sometimes strolling down a webpage I can se Wifi signal turn to LTE shortly before returning to Wifi but many times i don’t notice this don’t know until i click on something and figure it out myself as everything shows connected and once fixed get a bunch of older notifications and emails), and to actually connect and browse I have to put in airplane mode for a few seconds and let reconnect. I have had issue with full VPN by itself but not as often as using one for DNS along with personal VPN. I also think some DNS apps have delayed releasing updates taking advantage of DNS feature since it doesn’t work with personal VPN. AdGuard hasn’t updated app yet to also uses new DNS feature/setting (they posted profiles for basic services not personalized one and not logged like app).

I have a device that can only run iOS 12 and set up with DNS/VPN and personal VPN runs smoother and rarely drops out. Changing their settings with VPNs restarting works unlike with 14 and still having to put it in airplane mode for a few seconds to get connection right. DNS request do leak on 12 but i have caught that with a Wifi router set up blocking everything except VPN and faux VPN/DNS selection.

 

[DoctorApple]

I have the exact same problem. I've reset my network settings several times. Tried Lockdown, Guardian, and Windscribe. Same problem, no matter the connection (can choose different connections on Windscribe). I think there's some corrupted setting file somewhere on my phone.

This has happened since iOS 14. I had an iPhone 11 Pro where it started, and upgraded to a 12 Pro. Transferred my data between the phones, and I guess whatever corrupt file came with it, because I have the exact same problem on the new phone. Short of wiping the phone and setting it up from scratch (I have 1500 apps installed, so I'm not exactly motivated to reset the phone...), I'm not sure what to do, either. I don't have the patience of the OP, so I'm just living without a VPN for the moment. Not ideal...

Did you find out a way to make it work or gave up and set your phone as a fresh one?

 

[Steve121178]

VPN working just fine for me and has done since iOS 14 was released. I use PIA & Nord.

Maybe perform a clean install or use a tried & trusted VPN service.

 

[schmegs]

Did you find out a way to make it work or gave up and set your phone as a fresh one?

I'm just living with the long delays for my network connection to re-establish any time I switch networks. It sucks, but I really don't want to wipe my phone. Hoping that someday Apple fixes their crappy networking stack...

 

[DoctorApple]

I'm just living with the long delays for my network connection to re-establish any time I switch networks. It sucks, but I really don't want to wipe my phone. Hoping that someday Apple fixes their crappy networking stack...

It gets worse now after iOS 14.5. I just relocated to NYC where there’s no cell service on the subway. It basically renders my phone unusable when signal goes out every stop.

 

[piattj]

L2TP / IPsec working fine for me

 

[DoctorApple]

L2TP / IPsec working fine for me

What about other protocols?

 

[piattj]

What about other protocols?

Occasionally use a Wireguard connection. That works fine too. I use Mullvad. Also I connect successfully to my own VPN server