weird VPN issue (10.5)

[topcomer]

Hi,

I recently signed up a contract with a VPN provider (using PPTP). The issue is that I can connect to all their servers, but only with the windows-based ones I can browse the internet, with the others I can only use Skype. This latter thing would suggest I have a DNS problem, but then how come that windows based servers work?

Alessio

 

[belvdr]

It sounds like a DNS issue indeed. It is possible for the OS X clients not to be using the DNS servers on the tunnel.

Also, I'd choose something other than a PPTP client if you care anything at all about your data. That's a very weak VPN tunnel.

 

[topcomer]

thx for the reply.

is there something I can do to solve the issue? I tried to set the DNS my provider indicates on its website but it didn't help. sorry for the perhaps dumb question but I'm not an expert of networking.

I use the VPN basically just to watch US and UK streaming from germany (for 3€/month was very convenient), so I think a PPTP would suffice for this purpose.

 

[belvdr]

Yeah PPTP should be fine.

What if you go to Terminal, and do:

nslookup www.google.com <DNS server IP>

It should work. If not, check your routing table in Terminal:

netstat -rn

If you post the routing table and the DNS server IPs, I can assist you further.

 

[topcomer]

I connected to the VPN server, then did tested the two DNS as follows:

alessios-macbook-pro:~ ale$ nslookup www.google.com 216.131.94.5
Server:		216.131.94.5
Address:	216.131.94.5#53

Non-authoritative answer:
www.google.com	canonical name = www.l.google.com.
Name:	www.l.google.com
Address: 64.233.169.147
Name:	www.l.google.com
Address: 64.233.169.99
Name:	www.l.google.com
Address: 64.233.169.103
Name:	www.l.google.com
Address: 64.233.169.104

alessios-macbook-pro:~ ale$ nslookup www.google.com 216.131.95.20
Server:		216.131.95.20
Address:	216.131.95.20#53

Non-authoritative answer:
www.google.com	canonical name = www.l.google.com.
Name:	www.l.google.com
Address: 64.233.169.99
Name:	www.l.google.com
Address: 64.233.169.103
Name:	www.l.google.com
Address: 64.233.169.104
Name:	www.l.google.com
Address: 64.233.169.147

I saw that in the Network Options in addition to the two DNS I manually set, when I am connected to the VPN, two other IP appear (in gray), which I also tried:

alessios-macbook-pro:~ ale$ nslookup www.google.com 195.242.214.59
Server:		195.242.214.59
Address:	195.242.214.59#53

Non-authoritative answer:
www.google.com	canonical name = www.l.google.com.
Name:	www.l.google.com
Address: 74.125.87.99
Name:	www.l.google.com
Address: 74.125.87.104
Name:	www.l.google.com
Address: 74.125.87.103
Name:	www.l.google.com
Address: 74.125.87.105
Name:	www.l.google.com
Address: 74.125.87.147

Thank you again.
Alessio

 

[belvdr]

Well DNS is working, so that is fine. Have you tried clearing the browser's cache and then trying to surf?

 

[topcomer]

Well DNS is working, so that is fine. Have you tried clearing the browser's cache and then trying to surf?

I've just tried and it does not work.

However, if I type "www.google.com", Safari changes it to "www.google.co.uk" so Google somehow sees that I have a UK IP address and I am redirected, but then the page won't load.