No connect on some airports (free WiFi / OpenVPN mobile)

[spinmaster 30]

Hi there,

 

I recently had to travel for business for some weeks through Poland and while using AirVPN in Hotels over WiFi worked great, I noticed on two different airports that I did not get a connection to any of the servers. 

 

While being at the airport, I switched to the public/free WiFi, opened up my OpenVPN app (I am using iOS 8) and noticed that it get's stuck while "waiting for server" (see attached screenshot). 

 

Since I've had this issue now on two different airports (Warsaw/Poland and Berlin/Germany), I am eager to know why this is the case. Could it be that the port is blocked on the airport WiFi? The DNS resolving for the server seems to have worked if I remember correctly.

 

 

[eyes878 43]

You should try using a config that is TCP port 443 or UDP port 53.

[spinmaster 30]

You should try using a config that is TCP port 443 or UDP port 53.

 

Thanks! I'll try that next time. What makes you think that those ports work (better)? Do you think that UDP 443 was blocked on the airport WiFi?

[zhang888 1066]

You should better try SSH tunneling. tcp/443 is most likely blocked, udp/53 would be open but only towards the hotspot's LAN resolvers.

They do sometimes forget about SSH.

[Zaroad 26]

SSH/SSL tunneling is not available on iOS

On Berlin you have to change *.airdns.org line of ovpn file to the IP of the server you want to use. CyberGhost, Tunnelbear are also blocked on german airports.

 

Enviado desde mi LG-D802 mediante Tapatalk

[spinmaster 30]

Yes, I was just about say as well, that SSH tunnelig is not supported on mobile (see screenshot).

 

I don't think I will go that far and create airport specific configs ... what might work on a german airport, might not work on another... I thought that a specific protocol or some port which I can use with the OpenVPN mobile app could help and might be an alternative. No big deal though, I'm not much of a super frequent flyer. 

[eyes878 43]

 

You should try using a config that is TCP port 443 or UDP port 53.

 

Thanks! I'll try that next time. What makes you think that those ports work (better)? Do you think that UDP 443 was blocked on the airport WiFi?

TCP 443 is used for https and UDP 53 is used for DNS. These 2 services are often not restricted/throttled. TCP 443 can also successfully connect through any proxy they could be using.

[spinmaster 30]

TCP 443 is used for https and UDP 53 is used for DNS. These 2 services are often not restricted/throttled. TCP 443 can also successfully connect through any proxy they could be using.

Great, will try that next time! 

[nomad11 0]

I had this issue in Germany as well. Airports offer hotspots via T-mobile that blocks VPN through UDP. Using TCP helped and worked perfectly