Connection fails on iOS 16

[Agenor]

Hi,

I have been using OpenVPN on my iPhone for quite a while without any problems. There never was a problem to connect to any of the configured profiles. However, when starting the app now, I cannot connect to any of my profiles anymore. When activating the connection switch it spins indefinitely, the logs show nothing at all.

Since I have not changed the profiles, the servers or the OpenVPN app (v3.3.3 5109), I assume this can be related to the latest iOS Update to 16.5 (20F66)?

I tried to re-install the app but this did not solve the problem.

To import the profiles I add I connect my iPhone the my Mac and paste the config files to the OpenVPN folder on the device. The app automatically recognizes the files and offers them as import at "Import Profile/File".

After selecting a profile file and entering the private key password a iOS system message pops up "OpenVPN would like to add VPN Configurations - All network activity on this ipHone may be filtered or monitored when using VPN. Allow / Don't allow".

After tapping "Allow" the view switches to the iOS VPN settings screen and then passcode is requested to add confirm the connection. This switches back to OpenVPN whre the connection activity indicator spins and spins...

Only when manually switching back to the iOS VPN settings screen and tapping the connection switch there, the status changes to "Connected". Back in the OpenVPN app the connection is also shown as established. I can now use the VPN connection as usual. Disconnecting and reconnecting within the OpenVPN app is now also no problem. However, when restarting the OpenVPN app, the problem is the same as before: Connection cannot be establishes (nothing in the logs), only manually switching to iOS VPN settings screen does the trick.

I could live with this workaround but I need more than one profile. After importing the second profile, the trick does not work any more. Connection cannot be established on the iOS VPN settings screen as well.

Conclusion:

• I assume that the config files are OK. They can be used on other devices (e.g. with Tunnelblick on macOS) without any problem. Additionally the first imported file (whichever this is) can be used when using the iOS VPN settings screen. The same files worked on iOS without any problem before.
• OpenVPN does not show any logs / problems. It simply does not connect.

This behaviour is perry wired. Any ideas how this can be solved?

[JosephS]

Hi Agenor.

You are right, this issue came with the 16.5 iOS update. Please rest assured the devs are working on a hotfix right now.

And yes, for the time being the workaround is pretty much what you've already described: toggle the VPN connection via the iOS VPN settings screen.
But in my observation that workaround is also viable if you have several profiles imported.

[Levgroup]

Since I have not changed the profiles, the servers or the OpenVPN app (v3.3.3 5109), I assume this can be related to the latest iOS Update to 16.5 (20F66)?

Thank you! I had the added complication of Asus borking their routers last week, OpenVPN failing always on every device running the Merlin version of Asus-WRT with more current versions of OpenVPN server, but OCCASIONALLY working on devices with stock Asus firmware that’s close to a year old.

I hope it is being worked on, and would be willing to supply more information if one of the developers reads this and reaches out.

[Levgroup]

How assured should we rest? The problem has been around over a week, and five days since Agenor first posted.

I can work around this on a Mac by using a different client. Not so easy on my iPad. And the workaround only works when connecting to older versions of VPN.

It would be nice to know there’s some movement.

Hi Agenor.

You are right, this issue came with the 16.5 iOS update. Please rest assured the devs are working on a hotfix right now.

And yes, for the time being the workaround is pretty much what you've already described: toggle the VPN connection via the iOS VPN settings screen.
But in my observation that workaround is also viable if you have several profiles imported.

[kevinkcl]

Hi there,
I have the similar issue with my Iphone running of IOS 16.5.
I have downloaded and moved the file under File sharing in iTune and I can immediately see the profile available to the OPENVPN app.
When I try to connect, it just keeps spinning forever....
I try to toggle the VPN switch on IOS but does not seem to help much.
Any thoughts?
Kevin

[erricodavide]

I also encountered this problem after updating to iOS 16.5.
It is true that, as a workaround, you can connect to a profile in the iOS VPN settings, but this is not the case for profiles for which you have decided not to store the password in the OpenVPN app. These profiles simply do not work.

I also noticed that activating the connection from within the OpenVPN app sometimes works, but very rarely and I could not figure out under what conditions.

Please fix this bug asap!

[Jsmith1002]

This is really causing us some headaches - is there an estimated release date for the updated app?

[naylor2006]

Glad I came across the post, i've been wondering what the heck has been going on, my OpenVPN client has been doing this for a while, never connects first time reporting:

[May 31, 2023, 22:19:36] NIP: iOS reported network status unavailable
[May 31, 2023, 22:19:36] OS Event: NET UNAVAILABLE (PAUSE): Internet:NotReachable/-- -------
[May 31, 2023, 22:19:36] OS Event: NET UNAVAILABLE (PAUSE): Internet:NotReachable/-- -------

Cancel and re-connect and it works fine, also as someone else has pointed out connecting to the VPN using the iOS VPN settings works every single time, my MacBook also works without issue too, wish I knew this before I destroyed my entire OpenVPN Server and rebuilt it haha.

Im glad I know now its not for me to keep investigating and indeed connecting from the VPN settings in iOS native settings app always works so its not the end of the world.

[harley]

Thanks Agenor for reporting this. Same on this end. Unfortunately, i updated our pfsense firewall to the latest revision which also just happened to be the same time as the IOS updates to our phones.

Works sometimes, not others. Usually multiple attempts will eventually work. We need OpenVPN for security camera and security monitoring so quite stressful to be clicking in and out of apps to make those moons and planets come to alignement. Hoping for that fix soon.... thanks again guys...

[cacamille3]

Hi,

I have the same issue. OpenVPN 3.3.3 and iOS 16.5 (20F66)
Using the iOS VPN settings instead of the OpenVPN app is working in my case with multiple VPN configurations.
It will be however good to have it fixed in the OpenVPN application...

Can someone confirm the developers have already been contacted ?

[cacamille3]

I have contacted directly the OpenVPN support.
This is their response:

The case you have raised is well-known to our internal team and they are investigating on it to provide a fix.
No ETA yet for the fix at the moment, but once we have news about it, we'll contact you immediately.

[Jsmith1002]

I switched to another OpenVPN App - until I can migrate to Wireguard - Passepartout VPN client, works fine as long as you're not using TLS Crypt V2.

Unfortunately, for whatever reason, OpenVPN don't appear to test their apps on the iOS/iPadOS betas, before general release. Which, for 'community' fair enough, it might be volunteers, you get what you get and whatever time they have to put into it, I understand this, but for the customers with Access Server, using it for business, it really shouldn't be the case.

[naylor2006]

I switched to another OpenVPN App - until I can migrate to Wireguard - Passepartout VPN client, works fine as long as you're not using TLS Crypt V2.

Unfortunately, for whatever reason, OpenVPN don't appear to test their apps on the iOS/iPadOS betas, before general release. Which, for 'community' fair enough, it might be volunteers, you get what you get and whatever time they have to put into it, I understand this, but for the customers with Access Server, using it for business, it really shouldn't be the case.

Hello dude, haven't we already met on Reddit my friend?

[xander77@gmx.de]

Additional info: On my iPhone in some rare cases the OpenVPN app seems to be able to establish the connection. But the network behind the tunnel is not available, then. In most cases the connection cannot be established at all as described in the posts above. The same profile is working on all my Windows workstations. So, this seems to be also due to the iOS issue.

[myleschanna]

Has there been any update from Open VPN on a timeline of the fix?

[cacamille3]

No update yet...

[ctsuhako]

I hope there is an update soon. Have several devices unable to connect. Thanks!

[Levgroup]

Not only is there not an update, I don’t see any acknowledgement of a problem anywhere I’ve looked.

[cacamille3]

I have open a support ticket.
They have acknowledged the issue and they said they are working on it.
No fix ETA though

[cacamille3]

I have contacted them again. This is the last support update:

The release of the hotfix is tentatively next week, as a temporary workaround, the connection can be established the following way:
iOS Settings > VPN > Select VPN profile > Tap on the toggle to connect.
Please let us know If the workaround works for your case.