DNS lookup error, help!

Kyle123456

Hi all, firstly, I am a pretty NON-TECHNICAL end user of Openvpn, which I use(d) to connect to a VPN service...I don't know if this is even the right forum, as I have no idea what an access server is.

Secondly, if at all possible, I am looking for non-technical, simple help that any laymay would understand. I have done quite a bit of google searching and all the talk of TCP/IP protocols, port, encryption whatever, goes right over my head.

So the problem...the VPN I connected to via OpenVPN USED to work until about 3-4 months ago, then it simply stopped working. This is via vpnbook.com

Since it has stopped working, I uninstalled everything, and did a fresh reinstall from scratch. Openvpn seems to connect fine, but I cannot access the internet via browsers, I'm pretty sure it is a DNS error.

Why I think it is a DNS error:

The google chrome and internet explorer error message says it's a DNS error. Firefox doesn't specify, just says it's an error
I CAN connect to web pages if I input the IP address directly
It appears to connect to the webpage (the status messages in the bottom lefthand corner of the browser), but then hangs up and gives an error before the page displays
I CAN still connect via other applications (online games, etc.)
I CAN successfully ping the google DNS server

What I have done:

Modified my wireless connection properties to specify the DNS servers manually (google servers, for both ipv4 and ipv6)
Completely reinstalled everything (both the Openvpn program and the certificate bundles from the VPN provider)
Flushed the DNS cache (via the command prompt, ipconfig /flushdns
Deleted all cookies, history, etc in the browsers
Turned off my firewall (I think...I turned off Avast, maybe there is a built in Windows 7 firewall running???)

This is on windows 7, using a wireless connection, and chrome, firefox, and ie

At this stage, I am truly at the end of my rope, having spent numerous hours trying to resolve this. I am assuming that if I can't connect via vpnbook, I probably can't use ANY VPN, as the error doesn't seem to be in the service, but somehow in my connection settings.

Thanks for any help anyone might be able to offer!

Traffic

Can you ping google.com by name only ?

Kyle123456

Not entirely sure what that means, I'm afraid. What I did was enter the command prompt /cmd, then typed: ping 8.8.8.8

It indicated it sent four times successfully, snd received four times successfully. Not too sure what you call that...

Kyle123456

Not sure what that means exactly.

I typed the command prompt, /cmd, then typed ping 8.8.8.8

It came back and said that it sent four times and received four times (successfully)

Thanks!

Traffic

Title:

DNS lookup error

Try:

Traffic wroteping google.com by name only

Kyle123456 wroteNot entirely sure what that means, I'm afraid. What I did was enter the command prompt /cmd, then typed: ping 8.8.8.8

Which does not test DNS ...

ping google.com : test DNS by resolving google.com to an IP address.
(which is fairly irrelevant as you can obviously resolve this forum name)

Kyle123456 wroteSo the problem...the VPN I connected to via OpenVPN USED to work until about 3-4 months ago, then it simply stopped working. This is via vpnbook.com

This forum does not provide support for vpnbook.com .. but I presume you paid your bill ..

As for the rest of it .. set your client config to verb 4 (See --verb in The Manual v23x) .. and then post your client log.

Maybe we can help ..

neale

I was having exactly the same problem with vpnbook today and found this post. Following the link given to the openvpn manual the solution that has worked for me is to append 'bypass-dns' to the 'redirect-gateway' line in the vpnbook .ovpn config files.

It then looks like: redirect-gateway bypass-dns

I think this prevents the vpnbook connection from changing your DNS (so you may want to set your normal DNS to an anonymous one first).

Hope this works for you as well.

Cheers,
--
Neale

Traffic

neale wroteIt then looks like: redirect-gateway bypass-dns

This is the same as forcing DNS to leak outside the VPN -- Use it at your own risk.