Eddie 2.8 available

[Staff 9973]

 

This is a new "feature", am I correct? Eddie 2.7 behaved differently right?

 

 

 

Hello!

 

No. It was meant to behave in the same way. This is a feature and has its good logic. Those who need a permanent Network Lock can achieve the purpose with just a firewall rule. After that, Network Lock will allow communications to VPN servers only. When Network Lock is disabled or Eddie client shuts down properly, the permanent, customized rule blocking everything will be restored. Implementing a permanent Network Lock directly on Eddie can anyway be nice (but nothing more).

 

Kind regards

[ofiris 15]

 

 

This is a new "feature", am I correct? Eddie 2.7 behaved differently right?

 

 

 

Hello!

 

No. It was meant to behave in the same way. This is a feature and has its good logic. Those who need a permanent Network Lock can achieve the purpose with just a firewall rule. After that, Network Lock will allow communications to VPN servers only. When Network Lock is disabled or Eddie client shuts down properly, the permanent, customized rule blocking everything will be restored. Implementing a permanent Network Lock directly on Eddie can anyway be nice (but nothing more).

 

Kind regards

 

Hello.

 

I still don't understand it.

 

So, in "advanced" I have the network lock set to "automatic". I also want the client to block all outside connections at all times. So I activate the network lock feature. Shouldn't said feature remain active when powering down and powering up the computer?

 

Why is it that it remains active if I close/open the client, but not if I restart the computer? Is this how it's supposed to be?

 

If that is so, there a way, for technical deficient people, to block all outside connections without having to tamper with complicated stuff?

 

 

EDIT: If I understand your posts correctly, you want users to use additional software (or additional configuration) to achieve a working "Network Lock", something that blocks all outside connection?

[ofiris 15]

So... Am I the only one weirded out by this?

 

 

I still don't understand if this is normal behaviour. Why can't the network lock just remain active when I restart my computer and open the client?

[htpc 9]

you're not. I discussed the same thing in other threads. first I had trouble explaining my problem. later I was assured the network lock feature should be "sticky". however network lock just doesn't work for me for multiple reasons on OSX. apart from the problem you are describing network lock also makes my local network completely unusable (services get blocked etc.). for now I'll pass on network lock and try to get the same functionality with other tools.

[Guest Chaf]

Hi,

 

OS: Windows 7

Connection method: Eddie 2.8

Eddie configuration: Force TAP interface UP, Force DNS, Switch DHCP to static all activated to prevent dns leaks.

 

After shutting down while connected using eddy 2.8 i experience the following:

 

- At reboot DNS and fixed IP stay assigned not allowing me to surf the web with my regular connection, i have to manually reset auto ip and dns to my device (lan or wlan). After my manual intervention, I can connect to the internet.

- On the other hand, launching EDDIE to reconnect to an air server recovers the previous state from recover.xml file but can't connect to the internet neither to an Airvpn server as it recovers the situation from above. I had to delete airvpn.xml from eddie folder to recover the situation.

 

The point here is that for a non tech guy in the case he is connected to an air server via eddie and shuts down his computer without disconnecting, gets locked in a loop where he won't ever be able to reconnect to the internet...

[Staff 9973]

Hello.

 

I'm using Linux Mint Debian Edition 64-bit with MATE desktop and I'm using portable version of Eddie (inc. Mono).

 

Before the 2.8 version I had this issue - most of the times Eddie froze after double-clicking the "airvpn" file just after entering admin password (sometimes it started, sometimes not) - the Eddie window didn't appear - so I had to kill the "airvpn" process as root and re-run it - that is why I was starting Eddie in terminal with "./airvpn" command which was working all the time. But now the 2.8 version freezes even being started from terminal just after entering the admin password. It freezes every 1st attempt after restarting the system. Then I kill the "airvpn" process as root and re-run the client in terminal - the 2nd attempt always works.

 

I prefer to use portable version of Eddie and I didn't mind to run it from teminal (double-clicking the 'airvpn' file would be more comfortable though), but now with 2.8 version it become a bit harder.

 

Hello!

 

We just installed Mint 17.1 Rebecca with Mate desktop, installed the .deb edition, it works every time. We know that sometimes Eddie 2.7 hung at startup under Linux, but we can't reproduce the issue with 2.8 to investigate at the moment.

 

Kind regards

[Staff 9973]

EDIT: Just checked if the client would block connections while changing servers (with Network Lock inactive) and it does not. Seriously, I don't understand this supposedly "feature". Please explain it further. Also, is there any security risk in running Eddie 2.7?

 

 

Hello!

 

This is an expected behavior and a normal feature. In our opinion it's very logic, if not obvious. If Network Lock is inactive no traffic is blocked at all.

 

Kind regards

[ofiris 15]

 

EDIT: Just checked if the client would block connections while changing servers (with Network Lock inactive) and it does not. Seriously, I don't understand this supposedly "feature". Please explain it further. Also, is there any security risk in running Eddie 2.7?

 

 

Hello!

 

This is an expected behavior and a normal feature. In our opinion it's very logic, if not obvious. If Network Lock is inactive no traffic is blocked at all.

 

Kind regards

 

You guys are either joking with me or my english is absolutely horrible. 

 

Please, tell me with a yes or no:

 

- Should Network Lock remain active when restarting the computer?

[Staff 9973]

 

 

EDIT: Just checked if the client would block connections while changing servers (with Network Lock inactive) and it does not. Seriously, I don't understand this supposedly "feature". Please explain it further. Also, is there any security risk in running Eddie 2.7?

 

 

Hello!

 

This is an expected behavior and a normal feature. In our opinion it's very logic, if not obvious. If Network Lock is inactive no traffic is blocked at all.

 

Kind regards

 

You guys are either joking with me or my english is absolutely horrible. 

 

Please, tell me with a yes or no:

 

- Should Network Lock remain active when restarting the computer?

 

 

 

Hello!

 

NO.

 

See also here:

https://airvpn.org/topic/12229-network-lock-in-eddie-25-can-not-share-home-network-with-other-computers-when-enabled/?do=findComment&comment=24563

 

Kind regards

[ofiris 15]

Ok.

 

Then what you said in the following quote is not true, as Eddie 2.7 works as I want. I'll be using Eddie 2.7 then, as I think it makes much more sense. 

 

 

 

 

This is a new "feature", am I correct? Eddie 2.7 behaved differently right?

 

 

 

Hello!

 

No. It was meant to behave in the same way. This is a feature and has its good logic. Those who need a permanent Network Lock can achieve the purpose with just a firewall rule. After that, Network Lock will allow communications to VPN servers only. When Network Lock is disabled or Eddie client shuts down properly, the permanent, customized rule blocking everything will be restored. Implementing a permanent Network Lock directly on Eddie can anyway be nice (but nothing more).

 

Kind regards

[ofiris 15]

Hello,

 

I've been using Eddie 2.7 and it works well. Sometimes it bugs and all that, but I find it better than 2.8.8 still. However, I don't like to use old-software and as such, I have a feature suggestion:

 

As it is, Network-Lock does not survive a reboot (that changed from 2.7 to 2.8). I suppose that needs to be so for some users, for reasons I do not understand (home-network issues?). So, my suggestion is:

 

- Would it be possible to give us an option (something in the preferences) of having Network-Lock survive a reboot?

[Staff 9973]

Hello,

 

I've been using Eddie 2.7 and it works well. Sometimes it bugs and all that, but I find it better than 2.8.8 still. However, I don't like to use old-software and as such, I have a feature suggestion:

 

As it is, Network-Lock does not survive a reboot (that changed from 2.7 to 2.8). I suppose that needs to be so for some users, for reasons I do not understand (home-network issues?). So, my suggestion is:

 

- Would it be possible to give us an option (something in the preferences) of having Network-Lock survive a reboot?

 

Hello!

 

Network Lock does not survive a reboot in any version, including 2.7. Since Eddie is open source you can verify that the various plug-ins for Network Lock have not been touched from 2.7 to 2.8. So you're running the very same code and we do not have any explanation for your reported different behavior which are not reproducible in our testing systems. An optional and "permanent" Network Lock can be implemented and it might be a good or bad idea, we'll think about it. In the meantime, it is trivial to implement it yourself.

 

Kind regards

[ofiris 15]

@Staff

 

That is very weird. 

 

If any user is reading this message, could you please do me a favour?

 

- Uninstall Eddie 2.8

- Install Eddie 2.7

- Enable network Lock

- Restart computer, open the AirVPN client and see if Network Lock is enabled (if it survived the reboot).

 

 

I seriously doubt I'm the only one seeing this behaviour.

[Staff 9973]

- Restart computer, open the AirVPN client and see if Network Lock is enabled (if it survived the reboot).

 

 

I seriously doubt I'm the only one seeing this behaviour.

 

"Network Lock" surviving the reboot means that Network Lock is active before Eddie is launched. This does not happen for a precise choice, as we explained repeatedly.

 

About Network Lock remaining enabled and active after a reboot, this is the same both in Eddie 2.7 and Eddie 2.8. If Eddie was shut down properly Network Lock will remain in the same previous state (active or inactive). If Eddie was shut down improperly, Eddie will detect that and will disable Network Lock by purpose.

 

Please post if you find different behavior.

 

Kind regards

[ofiris 15]

 

- Restart computer, open the AirVPN client and see if Network Lock is enabled (if it survived the reboot).

 

 

I seriously doubt I'm the only one seeing this behaviour.

 

"Network Lock" surviving the reboot means that Network Lock is active before Eddie is launched. This does not happen for a precise choice, as we explained repeatedly.

 

About Network Lock remaining enabled and active after a reboot, this is the same both in Eddie 2.7 and Eddie 2.8. If Eddie was shut down properly Network Lock will remain in the same previous state (active or inactive). If Eddie was shut down improperly, Eddie will detect that and will disable Network Lock by purpose.

 

Please post if you find different behavior.

 

Kind regards

Hello,

 

I'm not sure if it's mean communicating badly or if it's you not getting what I'm saying.

 

What happens in Eddie 2.8.8 is this:

 

- I open Eddie and I enable network lock.

- I restart the computer

- I open Eddie and network lock is DISABLED

- I need to enable network lock again

- I restart the computer

- I open Eddie

- Network Lock is DISABLED

- I need to enable network lock

- I restart the computer...

 

I believe an AirVPN staff member understand my situation, because I was told to try something, via support ticket. Sadly, it became a feature out of nowhere.

[Staff 9973]

What happens in Eddie 2.8.8 is this:

 

- I open Eddie and I enable network lock.

- I restart the computer

- I open Eddie and network lock is DISABLED

- I need to enable network lock again

- I restart the computer

- I open Eddie

- Network Lock is DISABLED

- I need to enable network lock

- I restart the computer...

 

I believe an AirVPN staff member understand my situation, because I was told to try something, via support ticket. Sadly, it became a feature out of nowhere.

 

Hello!

 

Yes, and this is consistent with the described behavior (see our previous message). In your quoted steps you don't say that you shut down Eddie properly. If you do, then this not a behavior we can replicate, neither on 2.7 nor on 2.8, while if you simply shut down the system without closing Eddie first then this is expected behavior.

 

Kind regards

[ofiris 15]

@Staff

 

Ok, I understand now. So Eddie 2.8.8 works as intended (if I close before restarting, network lock will be active when I re-open Eddie).

 

Eddie 2.7 doesn't need to be closed before restarting though. If I shut-down the system without closing Eddie first, Network Lock will remain active when I re-open Eddie (this in the 2.7 version).

[Staff 9973]

@Staff

 

Ok, I understand now. So Eddie 2.8.8 works as intended (if I close before restarting, network lock will be active when I re-open Eddie).

 

Eddie 2.7 doesn't need to be closed before restarting though. If I shut-down the system without closing Eddie first, Network Lock will remain active when I re-open Eddie (this in the 2.7 version).

 

Hello,

 

understood. This will need an investigation because the code pertaining to Network Lock activation/deactivation etc. has not been touched, so it must be something else... forwarded to developer.

 

Kind regards

[gurejoks 4]

I'd like to echo the observation that in Eddie 2.8.8, Network Lock is less "sticky" than in 2.7, i.e. it is frequently disabled. (OS X 10.10.1).

As others apparently, I preferred the behaviour in 2.7, where I could rely on Network Lock being active, even after the system crashed. 

 

I can always restart Eddie to disable Network Lock if I don't want it anymore. Not being able to get online until one restarts Eddie and disables Network Lock seems a less serious problem than connecting to the network without VPN, though I can see how that might be different if running on a server. A preference might be good.

 

(Note also that the /etc/ip.conf does not seem to change, so it is unclear how the Network Lock is switched on (there is a <random-name>.tmp.pf.conf in ~/.airvpn, but I don't know how that is chosen rather than the /etc/ip.conf one).)

[Opayq 1]

So we're talking about properly shutting down Eddie... What is the proper way of shutting down Eddie client when it is launched in -cli mode on startup via the /etc/rc.local file on Ubuntu?

 

I run the latest portable airvpn_linux_x64 version with the -cli switch on startup. It seems there are 2 processes running, the airvpn process and the openvpn process. To terminate airvpn, I tried opening the airvpn gui after logging into my server but it says that openvpn is already running. The gui doesn't let me terminate the running process though, because the "Connect to a recommended server" is still active.

[Staff 9973]

So we're talking about properly shutting down Eddie... What is the proper way of shutting down Eddie client when it is launched in -cli mode on startup via the /etc/rc.local file on Ubuntu?

 

 

Hello!

 

You can do that just like you do with any other process lacking an interactive user interface: an ordinary kill as root ("sudo kill "). Detect the PID as usual ("ps aux | grep airvpn"). You need to kill the process with grace (i.e. NOT with "-9" option). It will shut down OpenVPN as well. Root privileges are required because the client runs with them.

 

Kind regards

[Opayq 1]

Thanks for the reply, I'll try that out. Is there a way to automatically kill the process with grace on shutdown/reboot? Or is this done automatically on Ubuntu? Because I understand the network lock will get disabled if AirVPN is not shut down properly.

 

It has also been mentioned several times that a permanent network lock would be easily implemented using iptables. But how exactly? I'm considering setting up a permanent network lock on my DD-WRT router using iptables. But to do that I think I'd need to know all the AirVPN ip addresses and domains to white-list. But I assume AirVPN servers and ip addresses can occasionally change... so the iptables will break over time. Is that right?

[Staff 9973]

Hello!

 

Normally "shutdown -h now" for halt and "shutdown -r now" for reboot are what you want. shutdown -r or -h changes init level and calls shut down scripts which normally will try to kill all processes with grace. They will send a "kill -9" only if processes survive to the 'kill with grace' attempt.

 

The quickest solution to isolate your system before you run Eddie is just something like

iptables -P OUTPUT DROP

iptables -A OUTPUT -i lo -j ACCEPT # to allow loopback just in case...

 

etc .

 

and make it permanent (some init script). WARNING: do NOT do it on some machine which you have only remote access to!

 

When you run Eddie, activate Network Lock. It will write essential rules to allow DHCP and communications to your router, so your computer will get out of the isolation. When you shut down Eddie it will restore previous rules (i.e again complete isolation).

 

Kind regards

[lancelot48 1]

Everything was working fine on my Windows 7 64 bit computer with Version 2.7. Should have left it alone. Installed Eddie 2.8.8 and its trying to connect for last hour.

[Staff 9973]

Hello!

 

Please send us the logs pertaining to the problem. You can also go back to Eddie 2.7 anytime. In the download page click "Other versions" and select "2.7" to download it, in case you don't have it anymore. You can keep simultaneously different versions, just use the portable editions and put each of them in a different directory of your choice.

 

Kind regards