newb needs help
Posted: Thu Jun 16, 2011 10:17 am
Apologies for the long explanation. You'll see it's not very technical because I'm a networking newb (at least compared to most people on this forum). Hope you can help!
I'm using a VPN service called vpnuk - they provide an already preconfigured openVPN installation. Everything is working fine, but my problem is this: I don't want my actual IP to be revealed if ever their VPN server shuts down.
So here's what happened today - and I don't know if it's standard or not - it seems they had a temporary problem with their VPN server and when it shut down, the Internet connection didn't revert back to my standard non-VPN connection (lucky for me!), the Internet was simply inaccessible until I manually clicked "disconnect" in openVPN. So my question is this: is this normal behavior and can I make sure it always happens this way whenever their VPN server shuts down? (since that way my IP won't be revealed).
To help you better understand my setup, here are a few more details. Normally, when the VPN is successfully connected, the standard Vista icon in the system tray that displays the status of the Internet connection actually changes from "two computers with a globe" (to show everything is OK) to "two computers with no globe" (which under normal circumstances means the "Local Only" status). Again, don't know if it's standard or not. Moreover, if I click on that tray icon to display more details about the current connection, it shows this:
Currently connected to:
MyWirelessConnection - Access: Local and Internet
Unidentified Network - Access: Local Only
(When I don't have VPN running it of course only shows the first line)
Again, is this standard?
Now, all of that is what happens when VPN is successfully connected. But today, when the temporary shutdown occurred, this tray icon changed to "two computers with a yellow triangle and an exclamation point inside" (which usually happens when there's some kind of connection problem).
After I saw this, I went to the menu of the openVPN software and manually clicked "disconnect", after which the icon changed to the usual "two computers with a globe" and my regular non-VPN connection was restored.
The support person at vpnUK told me that if ever the VPN server shuts down the computer should just revert to its non-VPN connection thus revealing my IP (bad for me!). But that's not what actually happened (good for me!). So my question is: is what happened to me standard for openVPN? Can I make sure it always happens this way for me if ever again their VPN server shuts down?
If you managed to finish reading this, you are a hero:) Thank you and hope you can help!
I'm using a VPN service called vpnuk - they provide an already preconfigured openVPN installation. Everything is working fine, but my problem is this: I don't want my actual IP to be revealed if ever their VPN server shuts down.
So here's what happened today - and I don't know if it's standard or not - it seems they had a temporary problem with their VPN server and when it shut down, the Internet connection didn't revert back to my standard non-VPN connection (lucky for me!), the Internet was simply inaccessible until I manually clicked "disconnect" in openVPN. So my question is this: is this normal behavior and can I make sure it always happens this way whenever their VPN server shuts down? (since that way my IP won't be revealed).
To help you better understand my setup, here are a few more details. Normally, when the VPN is successfully connected, the standard Vista icon in the system tray that displays the status of the Internet connection actually changes from "two computers with a globe" (to show everything is OK) to "two computers with no globe" (which under normal circumstances means the "Local Only" status). Again, don't know if it's standard or not. Moreover, if I click on that tray icon to display more details about the current connection, it shows this:
Currently connected to:
MyWirelessConnection - Access: Local and Internet
Unidentified Network - Access: Local Only
(When I don't have VPN running it of course only shows the first line)
Again, is this standard?
Now, all of that is what happens when VPN is successfully connected. But today, when the temporary shutdown occurred, this tray icon changed to "two computers with a yellow triangle and an exclamation point inside" (which usually happens when there's some kind of connection problem).
After I saw this, I went to the menu of the openVPN software and manually clicked "disconnect", after which the icon changed to the usual "two computers with a globe" and my regular non-VPN connection was restored.
The support person at vpnUK told me that if ever the VPN server shuts down the computer should just revert to its non-VPN connection thus revealing my IP (bad for me!). But that's not what actually happened (good for me!). So my question is: is what happened to me standard for openVPN? Can I make sure it always happens this way for me if ever again their VPN server shuts down?
If you managed to finish reading this, you are a hero:) Thank you and hope you can help!