Cannot access some site using the hostname - But it works with IP on Windows 10

Fábio Correia

Hey guys,

Sorry for the newbie question, but I have tried and searched in every corner of the internet for a solution and didn't have success...

My problem is: Using Windows 10 PRO and the latest OpenVPN client, I can connect to my work's VPN and access several restricted websites, but two of them only works if I access using their IP number. Using the hostname will not open the page at all, and it brokes one of my login routines, since when I enter with the IP and try to logon, it routes back to the authentication using the hostname.

That's my config file:
setenv FORWARD_COMPATIBLE 1
client
proto tcp
remote openvpn.xxx.xxx.xxx
port 443
dev tun
dev-type tun
ns-cert-type server
reneg-sec 604800
sndbuf 100000
rcvbuf 100000
auth-user-pass
static-challenge "Enter Google Authenticator Code" 1
# NOTE: LZO commands are pushed by the Access Server at connect time.
# NOTE: The below line doesn't disable LZO.
comp-lzo no
verb 3
setenv PUSH_PEER_INFO

And I receive some warnings upon my logon:
NOTE: Release of DHCP-assigned IP address lease on TAP-Windows adapter failed: The system cannot find the file specified. (code=2)
TAP: DHCP address renewal succeeded

I don't get how I can connect to some sites through the hostname but I won't work for others.

Thanks in advance for any help! :-)

TinCanTech

Fábio Correia wrote I can connect to my work's VPN

Please speak to your network administrator.

Fábio Correia

TinCanTech wrote
Fábio Correia wrote I can connect to my work's VPN
Please speak to your network administrator.

Already did, but they don't seem to know what is happening and why it is only reproducible using Win10 :-(

TinCanTech

Then get them to post all the required details.

Please see:
HOWTO: Request Help !

Fábio Correia

Thanks for your help but I figured it out.

I tested some scenarios and got:
- Windows 10 + WiFi: I would connect and work properly
- Windows 10 + Cabled: I would connect but only access certain websites via IP Address
- Windows 10 + Routed 4G: I would connect and work properly

I compared the DNS between the three scenarios and only the second one would give me a different result. If I was connecting through Ethernet Cable, the DNS wouldn't be set automatically to the one being used by the VPN, even though all the routes were added successfully, so I disabled the IPv6 protocol on my adapter and forced my DNS to the one I use on my Work's VPN and voilá, it worked flawlessly.

As it seems, there's a bug or conflict between DNS administration going on with Windows 10.

Hope it helps someone with the same problem as me in the future... ;-)