VPN cannot be disabled for IOS device

[37Diablo]

Hi there.

I have set up Hybrid VPN successfully with NordVPN - OpenVPN setup.  It says "Connected"  I have added the devices I want protected to the VPN Traffic list on the right.  I confirmed this by browsing to the NordVPN website on my Macbook and it says "ISP: UK Dedicated Services Limited. Your Status: Protected".  So far so good, and I love my new router.

I know that the BBC tries to block access to BBC iPlayer if you're behind a VPN.  I did not add my iPad to the VPN Traffic list since I want to be able to watch BBC iPlayer on it.  However, when I try, iPlayer doesn't work. I get "Sorry, this content can only be played within the UK.".  I live in London...?

To troubleshoot, I opened the browser on the iPad and went to the NordVPN website and it says "ISP: UK Dedicated Services Limited. Your Status: Protected".  I cleared the browser cache and cookies and reloaded the web page.  It still shows as "Protected".  This is strange because I did definitely not add the iPad to the Traffic list.  If I try to add a device to the list, the iPad is in the list available to add, so it's definitely not in the VPN Traffic list.

I then removed my Macbook from the VPN Traffic list.  In the browser on the Macbook, I went to the NordVPN website and it says "ISP: Virgin Media. Your Status: Unprotected".  I cleared the browser cache and cookies and reloaded the web page.  It sill shows as "Unprotected".  Definitely not using the VPN. 

So why the iPad thinks it's protected but the laptop doesn't.  I went to the BBC iPlayer website on the Macbook and I can watch shows.  Definitely not using the VPN.

I then went into Hybrid VPN setup and slid the Enable slider to the left (off), so that none of the devices on my network could use the VPN since it's disabled.

I then went back on the iPad, opened the browser, cleared the cache and cookies, went to the NordVPN website and it shows "ISP: Virgin Media. Your Status: Unprotected".  Definitely no VPN.  Good.  I closed BBC iPlayer, reopened it, and now I can watch shows.  Okay.

I went back into Hybrid VPN setup and slid the Enable slider to the right (on).  iPad is still not in the VPN Traffic list.

I then went back on the iPad, opened the browser, cleared the cache and cookies, went to the NordVPN website and it shows "ISP: UK Dedicated Services Limited. Your Status: Protected" and I can't watch BBC iPlayer again?!?

How is this possible if I do NOT have the iPad added to the VPN Traffic list?  Why does it work as expected with all other devices:

My smart TV is also not in the VPN Traffic list and the NordVPN website says "unprotected" and I can watch BBC iPlayer on the TV.

My Chromecast is also not in the VPN Traffic list and on the TV browser NordVPN website says "unprotected" and I can watch BBC iPlayer on the Chromecast.

My Android phone is not on the VPN Traffic list and the NordVPN website says "unprotected".  I don't have BBC iPlayer on my phone (and don't want it).

 

The only device doing this is the iPad... IOS version 12.4.9.  I don't have any other IOS devices...

Do you know of anything about IOS devices that can somehow fool Hybrid VPN into routing through the VPN no matter what?

 

 

[Netduma Fraser]

Hey, welcome to the forum!

Sorry to hear you're having this issue. On the iPad itself, check what the IP address is and then go to the Device Manager and check whether it matches what it says the iPad has there. As it sounds like the device you think you're adding is actually the iPad and somehow the names have got mixed up between devices.

[37Diablo]

Hi.  Thanks for getting back.  I just checked.  It's the same IP address assigned via DHCP in both Device Manager and in the iPad's Wi-Fi connection info.  There is only one device that identifies itself as "IPAD" in Device Manager.

I also checked the MAC address (Settings -> General -> About -> Wi-Fi Address on iPad) and they match as well.  Same goes for all my other devices on the network.

There is one difference:  I'm using the 2GHz Wireless connection on the iPad since I often use it in another room (concrete walls), and it's relatively old and it finds and lists the 2GHz channel immediately, while it takes a few seconds longer to find and list the 5GHz one.  The other devices are either 5GHz (Android phone, Macbook) Wi-Fi or wired connection (smart TV, Chromecast).  And now I just tried switching it to the 5GHz Wireless and it still shows as "protected" (after cleared cache etc.), to eliminate that difference.

I don't know if this will help, but I did notice a strange DHCP/IP address-related behaviour when I first bought and set up the router:  I like to change the network names of my devices.  I changed the router name before doing my preferred configurations.  One thing didn't work and really frustrated me: changing the base IP address in LAN Setup was impossible. 

I prefer to use 192.168.2.x for my local IP addresses (historical personal reasons), so I changed and saved the new base address, the router would do its thing, I followed the instructions that popped up (for manually renewing the lease, if I remember correctly), but when I logged back in to the settings, it would be back to the default.

I eventually gave up, and almost returned the router, but decided to try one more thing.  I restored the router settings to manufacturer defaults, and left the router name the default... and then I could change and save the base IP address...!   Now everything is working as expected except this iPad + Hybrid VPN.  Since then, I have not changed the router name from the default one to try to avoid further weirdness.

Happy to provide more specific info (e.g. logs, other personal config customisations) privately if that will help.

[37Diablo]

Just found my old iPhone 5S (IOS 12.3.1) and connected it to the Wi-Fi.  I did not add it to the VPN Traffic list.  Went to browser in the NordVPN website and it says "protected". 

Checked a couple of older Android phones (HTC One - Android 5, Moto e5 - Android 8).  Both not added to VPN Traffic list.  NordVPN says "unprotected" on both.

Seems clearly to be an IOS-specific issue...

[Netduma Fraser]

Thank you for the information, I think I have a pretty good idea at what this might be. Go to WiFi Settings on the iPAD, then click the 'i' on the XR WiFi network then disable the private address option and then reboot the router. See if it works properly after that.

[37Diablo]

Unfortunately I don't have a private address option under the WiFi connection "i" menu. Looks like that feature was introduced with IOS 14?  This is an iPad Mini 3 and it can't be upgraded past IOS 12.

That said, I just realised I hadn't tried rebooting the router (troubleshooting 101 FAIL hehe). 

I rebooted and re-checked the iPhone and iPad and now they're showing as "unprotected".

So that seems to be the fix.  If I need to change the VPN settings again in the future, I know what to do.  Thanks for your help! 

 

[Netduma Fraser]

Always the most simplest solution, typical haha. Thanks for posting your results, glad it is working now!