OpenVPN Connect for Android won't connect over 3G

[spartan1833]

Hi,

Just loaded ver 1.1.9 (Build 35) on my Verizon Razr. Connection to my remote OpenVPN server (Community) works fine over WiFi network but will not connect over 3G / 4G connection - connection just times out. Droid log shows "session invalidated" and my server log shows the standard "TLS negotiation failure..." after 60 seconds. No error messages reported other on either side.

Any ideas? Thanks again for the great software

[spartan1833]

Nobody else have this problem? Anyone on Verizon able to connect over 3G/4G?

Thanks

[Zsombor]

Hi,

I have a similar problem, but i'm using Orange instead of Verizon. The server that I am trying to connect to is runing on a Linux machine and has a fixed IP. I am able to connect using wireless connection, but when I switch to 3G it fails.

I have to admit that I am new to openVPN and maybe I made some mistakes, but so far I couldn't fix the problem, nor was I able to find solutions online.

[spartan1833]

What's the IP subnet that your VPN tun adapter provides? I'm wondering if there is some internal conflict between subnets - my phone appears to have an internal IP 10.170.xx.xx when on the 3g/4G connection (assuming this - 10.170.xx.xx is not the IP subnet of my local wi-fi router). My VPN tun subnet is 10.8.xx.xx but it has a /24 subnet mask so if the Verizon subnet is using a class A subnet mask I believe that there will be a conflict though not 100% sure about that.

Sometime in the next week or so I'm going to try and set up another VPN instance using a 172.xx.xx.xx subnet - test my theory. I'll post back success or failure.

[owense]

Issue: OpenVPN Connect application works perfectly when connecting through a pfSense firewall over wifi, but fails over 3G.

Resolution: Enable Firewall Scrub.
In pfSense:
System -> Advanced -> Firewall / NAT tab -> Uncheck 'Disable Firewall Scrub'

Sorry for the necro-thread, but hopefully this saves someone some time in the future.

[klaipedaville]

Issue: OpenVPN Connect application works perfectly when connecting through a pfSense firewall over wifi, but fails over 3G.

Resolution: Enable Firewall Scrub.
In pfSense:
System -> Advanced -> Firewall / NAT tab -> Uncheck 'Disable Firewall Scrub'

Sorry for the necro-thread, but hopefully this saves someone some time in the future.

Hello there!

Appreciate your posted solution but I do not quite understand it where did you find pfSense on your Android?

I have the same problem, that is OpenVPN connects perfectly fine over Wi-Fi but it simply fails on any other connections on my Android such as 3G, 4G, H+ and so on. However, I do not have any pfSense installed anywhere neither on my router (TP-Link TL-WR842ND), nor on my computer (Windows 8) nor on my Android.

Any more suggestions anyone, please? Would highly appreciate any comments / advises at all as I am totally clueless where even to start looking for solutions of this issue. Many thanks in advance!

[reggie14]

For what it's worth, OpenVPN Connect wont' reliably stay connected to my OpenVPN server (not an Access Server- just the OpenVPN server included on Asus routers) from my Droid Turbo operating on Verizon's LTE network. I connect, but it immediately disconnects, reconnects, disconnects, etc. However, it works fine when I connect via wifi (from my own network- that's the only thing I could easily test). Also, OpenVPN works fine from my laptop when connected through through via wifi tethering.

I mostly chalked it up to some incompatibility between the OpenVPN server and the OpenVPN Connect Android client. Personally, I switched to Arne Schwabe's client, which seems to work fine.

[klaipedaville]

Hey, I have one clear and perfect explanation to this problem.

The only reason we could come up with my provider was that the signal of any data connection was weaker than Wi-Fi's that's why it did not work unless I moved closer to their data connection transmitters’ antennas / stations. It appears to be that any VPN requires constant ping, that is the signal has to be of a strong constant origin and flow in order for any VPN to work on data connections. This type of signal strength is provided over Wi-Fi or direct cable connections therefore that is why your VPN works on Wi-Fi only and has trouble over 3G, 4G, H+ or any other data connection / packages.

Now based on this I simply moved over, walked over that is, to my provider's 3G and 4G station / antenna with my mobile phone in hands. I looked up where they had their stations / antennas on their website. Then it worked like magic. My OpenVPN connected perfectly fine over 4G and worked without any times out and so on because standing right beneath their stations / antennas gave me the strength of a 4G signal required for my VPN flawless operation.

Hope it will help someone and you will stop pulling your hair out trying to understand why your VPN has issues over 3G. Do the test I described above.

Plus, VPNs might be simply blocked over 3G or any other any data connections by your service providers so make sure you double-check with your mobile network provider / operator to see if they block any VPNs in the first place.

[MiquelAgreste]

my friend bought a 3g 4g signal blocker from the site (jammerinthebox.com) ,i like the compeitive price and wanna buy one use in my house...just i am not sure is that permitted ?

[spartan1833]

Hi all,

Thought I had replied back to this forum with a workaround that I found elsewhere. I can't find the thread anymore but it recommended using a TCP vpn config which appears to work just fine. I was also having the problem on iOS devices and using a TCP-based config works on the I-Things as well so if you can spin up a second instance that is TCP you should be good.

Hope this helps someone....

[kernelbug]

Issue: OpenVPN Connect application works perfectly when connecting through a pfSense firewall over wifi, but fails over 3G.

Resolution: Enable Firewall Scrub.
In pfSense:
System -> Advanced -> Firewall / NAT tab -> Uncheck 'Disable Firewall Scrub'

Sorry for the necro-thread, but hopefully this saves someone some time in the future.

Worked for me flawlessly, thank you kind sir!

Interesting fact is the problem was only with an Android device, all iphones worked well via mobile/wifi.