NOT working!

[unblocktheplanet]

I live in heavily-censored Thailand.

After successfully installing VPNGate using a Japanese server, I am able to connect from the Menubar item (Mac).

However, my benchmark sites censored by govt still redirect to the blockpage at the ICT Ministry.

This means the VPN is not working.

Solution please!!!

TIA!

[inten]

What is your IP address when you get connected to the remote server?

[unblocktheplanet]

I connect via Wifi and my normal IP in Thailand is 192.168.1.100. After connecting to VPNGate, my IP Scanner application tells me my current IP address is 10.211.1.39. However, refreshing my IP in Menubar utility still gets me 192.168.1.100.

In System Preferences, the Network panel shows two connections active: Wifi and VPN. Highlighting Wifi, I get the usual IP address. From VPN, I get the address above.

I think this means 192 is overriding 10 so I am really not connected exclusively to VPNGate.

Any ideas on how to get connected? If this issue is addressed somewhere in the FAQs, please just direct me there.

Thank you very much for your help. Censorship here is a pain!

[inten]

Show your traceroute when get connected.

[unblocktheplanet]

Thanks for helping. I don't know how to make my screenshot any smaller so it could not be attached.

In any case, VPNGate showed the IP 10.211.1.5.

A Traceroute showed 64 hops. All looked like this:

1 * * *

Any ideas?

Thanks much.

[inten]

Post an IP of the VPN Gate host you connect to.

[unblocktheplanet]

vg2109766821.opengw.net
125.192.124.165

Japan. I presume picking a server with the largest number of users is best. Correct?

Had a router crash overnight so I had to set everything up again from scratch. I'm now using two of my ISP's DNS servers rather than Google's.

Shows "Connected to VPN" but...still not working.

Any more ideas, please?

Thanks so much.

[inten]

What is your OS?

[unblocktheplanet]

Mac OS X 10.9

Thanks much.

[inten]

show the routing table when connected.

[unblocktheplanet]

This may be useful to work this into a troubleshooting guide for Mac when we're done! Thanks much.

Routing tables

Internet:
Destination Gateway Flags Refs Use Netif Expire
default 192.168.1.1 UGSc 209 66 en1
default 1.0.0.1 UGScI 0 0 ppp0
1.0.0.1 10.211.1.119 UH 0 0 ppp0
10.211/16 ppp0 USc 3 0 ppp0
fl1-125-192-124-16 192.168.1.1 UGHS 0 0 en1
127 localhost UCS 0 276 lo0
localhost localhost UH 9 21302 lo0
169.254 link#5 UCS 2 0 en1
169.254.29.237 link#5 UHLSW 0 12 en1
169.254.167.54 link#5 UHLSW 0 13 en1
192.168.1 link#5 UCS 3 0 en1
192.168.1.1 58:6d:8f:e4:d:a5 UHLWIir 214 516 en1 1129
192.168.1.100 e4:ce:8f:1:b5:22 UHLWI 0 746 en1 1186
192.168.1.101 localhost UHS 3 122 lo0
192.168.1.255 ff:ff:ff:ff:ff:ff UHLWbI 0 29 en1

Internet6:
Destination Gateway Flags Netif Expire
localhost localhost UHL lo0
fe80::%lo0 localhost UcI lo0
localhost link#1 UHLI lo0
fe80::%en1 link#5 UCI en1
macbook-pro.local 0:23:12:10:c5:cc UHLI lo0
ff01::%lo0 localhost UmCI lo0
ff01::%en1 link#5 UmCI en1
ff02::%lo0 localhost UmCI lo0
ff02::%en1 link#5 UmCI en1

[inten]

Which protocol do you use on your Mac to connect?
Can you ping the connection gateway?

[unblocktheplanet]

I'm not very geeky, Friend, and so I have to look up how to do most of the things you're asking!

By connection protocol, I think you mean my Wifi which connects using DHCP. Under TCP/IP, however, VPN is connecting using PPP.

I also note the Option box, "Send all traffic over VPN connection" was NOT ticked. I ticked it, OKed and Applied, however, my benchmark sites still redirect to the censor's blockpage.

[inten]

1. Once you ticked "Send all traffic over VPN connection" you need to reestablish the connection (and then re-post the routing table again please).
2. Have you used this http://www.vpngate.net/en/howto_mac.aspx to connect?

[unblocktheplanet]

That How to is what I used to set up!

Routing tables

Internet:
Destination Gateway Flags Refs Use Netif Expire
default 1.0.0.1 UGSc 149 0 ppp0
default 192.168.1.1 UGScI 2 0 en1
1.0.0.1 10.211.1.65 UHr 150 0 ppp0
10 ppp0 USc 2 0 ppp0
fl1-125-192-124-16 192.168.1.1 UGHS 4 4399 en1
127 localhost UCS 0 294 lo0
localhost localhost UH 9 23718 lo0
169.254 link#5 UCS 2 0 en1
169.254.29.237 link#5 UHLSW 0 12 en1
169.254.167.54 link#5 UHLSW 0 13 en1
192.168.1 link#5 UCS 5 0 en1
192.168.1.1 58:6d:8f:e4:d:a5 UHLWIir 5 939 en1 1172
192.168.1.2 link#5 UHLWI 0 3 en1
192.168.1.19 link#5 UHLWI 0 2 en1
192.168.1.100 e4:ce:8f:1:b5:22 UHLWI 0 798 en1 1184
192.168.1.101 localhost UHS 2 231 lo0
192.168.1.255 ff:ff:ff:ff:ff:ff UHLWbI 0 40 en1

Internet6:
Destination Gateway Flags Netif Expire
localhost localhost UHL lo0
fe80::%lo0 localhost UcI lo0
localhost link#1 UHLI lo0
fe80::%en1 link#5 UCI en1
macbook-pro.local 0:23:12:10:c5:cc UHLI lo0
ff01::%lo0 localhost UmCI lo0
ff01::%en1 link#5 UmCI en1
ff02::%lo0 localhost UmCI lo0
ff02::%en1 link#5 UmCI en1

[unblocktheplanet]

Ah, I presume you mention the How to because the Send all traffic box was not ticked.

It WAS ticked until my router crashed a couple of days ago and I had to set up the VPN all over again in Network Preferences.

In any case, doesn't seem it's making any difference in actually using VPN for circumvention.

[inten]

Can you ping 10.211.254.254 when connected?

[inten]

and what crashed router you are talking about?

[unblocktheplanet]

That would be my own crashed router! When I restarted it, I had to redo my locations in Network Preferences and found that VPN had disappeared completely.

Here's that ping:
Ping has started…

PING 10.211.254.254 (10.211.254.254): 56 data bytes
64 bytes from 10.211.254.254: icmp_seq=0 ttl=128 time=182.514 ms
64 bytes from 10.211.254.254: icmp_seq=1 ttl=128 time=158.728 ms
64 bytes from 10.211.254.254: icmp_seq=2 ttl=128 time=199.408 ms
64 bytes from 10.211.254.254: icmp_seq=3 ttl=128 time=159.812 ms
64 bytes from 10.211.254.254: icmp_seq=4 ttl=128 time=161.571 ms
64 bytes from 10.211.254.254: icmp_seq=5 ttl=128 time=163.312 ms
64 bytes from 10.211.254.254: icmp_seq=6 ttl=128 time=194.758 ms
64 bytes from 10.211.254.254: icmp_seq=7 ttl=128 time=184.830 ms
64 bytes from 10.211.254.254: icmp_seq=8 ttl=128 time=162.543 ms
64 bytes from 10.211.254.254: icmp_seq=9 ttl=128 time=168.086 ms

--- 10.211.254.254 ping statistics ---
10 packets transmitted, 10 packets received, 0.0% packet loss
round-trip min/avg/max/stddev = 158.728/173.556/199.408/14.607 ms

Thank you for helping!

[inten]

Looks better. Now traceroute 8.8.8.8, and check your browser proxy settings.

[unblocktheplanet]

Here's that Traceroute (while VPNGAte is connected). Incidentally, Google's public DNS 8.8.8.8 is one of the DNS servers I use for VPNGate BUT not one I use for WiFi.

Should they be identical? Suggestions, please. Should I use my ISP's here in Thailand, Google's or both?

Traceroute has started…

traceroute to 8.8.8.8 (8.8.8.8), 64 hops max, 72 byte packets
1 public-gw.vpngate.net (10.211.254.254) 163.302 ms 163.996 ms 276.637 ms
2 192.168.254.254 (192.168.254.254) 223.197 ms 209.894 ms 285.209 ms
3 datacenter8gw.softether.co.jp (114.160.71.145) 182.674 ms 199.976 ms 222.886 ms
4 118.23.8.183 (118.23.8.183) 305.178 ms 246.859 ms 269.912 ms
5 118.23.10.189 (118.23.10.189) 242.808 ms 236.344 ms 236.946 ms
6 221.113.151.197 (221.113.151.197) 230.769 ms 235.004 ms 236.621 ms
7 122.1.246.181 (122.1.246.181) 231.156 ms 225.606 ms 268.423 ms
8 60.37.27.96 (60.37.27.96) 351.560 ms 266.836 ms 220.326 ms
9 180.8.126.2 (180.8.126.2) 296.126 ms 248.259 ms 231.261 ms
10 211.0.193.98 (211.0.193.98) 270.683 ms 236.160 ms 238.988 ms
11 72.14.239.202 (72.14.239.202) 246.088 ms 238.950 ms 247.382 ms
12 209.85.255.36 (209.85.255.36) 301.759 ms
72.14.239.88 (72.14.239.88) 225.124 ms
209.85.255.36 (209.85.255.36) 252.752 ms
13 209.85.255.217 (209.85.255.217) 291.207 ms
64.233.175.114 (64.233.175.114) 282.271 ms 285.542 ms
14 209.85.250.101 (209.85.250.101) 311.316 ms 304.708 ms
209.85.243.23 (209.85.243.23) 375.583 ms
15 * * *
16 google-public-dns-a.google.com (8.8.8.8) 324.987 ms 326.003 ms 287.754 ms

[inten]

Now check your internet using VPN connection, regarding the traces it should be working now.

[unblocktheplanet]

BRILLIANT! I simply cannot thank you enough!

I would, of course, like to use your hard work to help others.

Have you identified precisely the cause of my inability to connect?

As an activist, I tend to try every solution coming down the pike. So far, for example, the rather mysterious Lantern doesn't work for me in Thailand at all.

I have not experimented with Spotflux or JonDo (JAP) and now I am reluctant to do so in fear it might screw up VPNGate!

In any case, if you let me know where my config went wrong, I'd like to write it up and submit it so all Mac users can benefit.

I'd also like you to answer my question about DNS. Should the DNS servers be the same for WiFi (and/or Ethernet) and VPNGate? And which public DNS servers do you like personally?

WOW! I'm still in shock! You are AWESOME!

[inten]

You have answered your question :)

===
It WAS ticked until my router crashed a couple of days ago and I had to set up the VPN all over again in Network Preferences.
===

If your ISP allows you to use Google DNS use it for sure.
I use OpenDNS, Google DNS, Yandex DNS and many others.

Have fun.

[unblocktheplanet]

Okay, OUTSTANDING! Can't believe it was that simple because the box was ticked when I first set up.

Definitely, highlight that point in RED!

Can't tell you how much I appreciate your help.

[unblocktheplanet]

SHIT! A mob of demonstrators here in Thailand disabled our ISP.

They just sent the techs to get us up again. We've got Internet. VPN had (of course) disappeared from our settings.

I set it all back up again precisely the same but now IT'S NOT WORKING (again).

Here's the error:
VPN Connection
The L2TP-VPN server did not respond. Try reconnecting. If the problem continues, verify your settings and contact your Administrator.

Can someone please help (again). TIA!

[unblocktheplanet]

FIXED! After clearing all my caches and restarting, VPN is working.

Still don't know why, though!