Eddie on Android - Error/Warning

[Terry Stanford 11]

I just installed eddie on android. I tried twice, got the same error twice. (Once from Eddie.website, once from the forum how to post)
After installation it says "This app was built for an older version of Android and may not work properly. Try checking for updates or contact the developer."
Can someone please advise if it's safe to use and fully functional/reliable?
thanks

PS - Can I also ask a couple of questions regarding the settngs:

1. There's an option to "forbid quick connect to servers in my country". It says you strongly advise to leave this on or security reasons. Could someone briefly explain those reasons?

2. "Pause VPN when screen is off" - that's on by default, but surely that means my phone will get no data updates when I lock the screen, so I won't receive messages, emails, or any other data? Is that right? If so, I can't use that, suprised it's default!

[Terry Stanford 11]

Sorry, another question - Why doesn't Eddie show up in Android VPN settings? My old VPN provider does.

[Terry Stanford 11]

Crikey this is complicated. I also don't know how to turn off Mater Password, I don't want to have to type that every single time I connect (i want it permanently connected anyway but can't see how to do that if eddie doesn't show up in VPNs in android OS settings!). I can't see how to turn off the master password. This is not at all easy to use

[OpenSourcerer 1435]

18 hours ago, Terry Stanford said:

Can someone please advise if it's safe to use and fully functional/reliable?

It's functional.
 

18 hours ago, Terry Stanford said:

After installation it says "This app was built for an older version of Android and may not work properly. Try checking for updates or contact the developer."

A bit of background: When writing Android apps you can set a target Android version which is more or less an indication which Android version's features you tested the app with, or works "best" according to you, something like that. It's a good practice to always test the app with the newest version of Android and fix bugs occuring there, then target this and take advantage of the Android Support Library from Google for supporting older versions of Android. At least it's Google's recommended approach.
You are getting the message because the target Android version of the app is older than the Android version you're using. In my opinion it's time to throughly retest the app on Android 11 and actually work on it again, but as I wrote above, it's functional, so there is not much incentive.
 

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Sorry, another question - Why doesn't Eddie show up in Android VPN settings? My old VPN provider does.

No OpenVPN app ever showed up for me in the VPN settings on Android.
 

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I also don't know how to turn off Mater Password, I don't want to have to type that every single time I connect (i want it permanently connected anyway but can't see how to do that if eddie doesn't show up in VPNs in android OS settings!). I can't see how to turn off the master password. This is not at all easy to use

Thanks for this testimonial. You're not the first who doesn't like the implementation of the encryption password and likely won't be the last. Because you cannot disable it. If there was an option to use Android Keystore (e.g., unlock it via fingerprint), people would be muuuch more positive towards it.

[Staff 9972]

@Terry Stanford

Hello!

In the next release you will be able to opt-out of Master Password. Currently you can pick a one-letter password (it's allowed) if you don't want to protect effectively locally stored data. A one letter password can be entered very quickly.

You can't reset a Master Password by definition. If you forgot it, you need to delete all app data (not only its cache) and re-start from scratch, because you can't decrypt anymore the data.

Kind regards
 

[Terry Stanford 11]

Thank you both.
I guess this is a case of my knowledge being lacking again.
I thought Eddie was an "app", and openvpn was an "app". I choose VPN provider apps just because they are simpler to use. So Eddie isn't "eddie" in this case, its just openvpn app?
With that in mind, will the normal openvpn app show up in my VPNs and allow me to stay permanently connected? Do people who don't like teh master password and/or want permanent connection via android settings (i..e OS "kill switch") tend to use OpenVPN app instead of Eddie?
I am just trying to work out how to make Eddie work on my phone. I have HUGE problems with it on Mac OS. It just took me an HOUR to get online to post this message, this is a regular thing. I sit down, yellow icon at the top meaning connection isn't established. I click to show main window, and click disconnect then connect, and I will wait 5 minutes or more with only (see attached image) showing.
After 3 or attempts. I force quit Eddie as it locks up and I can't click anything. Of course during it's down time I have to quickly unplug ethernet cables so I am not exposed (this is a scary and regular thing). I run it again, locks up immediately again. I then finally have to shut down my whole machine, tons of programs I need to save the state etc etc, after a restart it usually works fine first time, occasionally it hangs again and i have to restart again.
I hate to complain about eddie, I can't say how much I recommend Air to friends and basically anyone I ever talk to about security/privacy online (which is a lot these days), but I also have to be honest and say the experience compared to PIA, SurfShark, Mullvad or many others is SO painful, I am a millimeter from dumping Air sometimes. But I never will, as the ethos of the guys behind the product is my main focus. But hopefully it's understandable that when I lose 30-60 minutes (not every day, but many) just trying to get Eddie to connect properly, it's not enjoyable.
If only AirVPN had something more like Mullvad's app (with a lot more options, that's fine, but front end speed and ease of understanding) it would LEAD the VPN industry I am sure.

The sad thing is, all these years I have used AirVPN, I have ALWAYS had to run another service alongside, just for these bad days. Some days when I don't have time to go through the force quits, the reboots, the head scratching, I just pull the ethernet cable out, force quit eddie and start PIA, hey presto I am online in seconds and it never disconnects and it never exposes me even if the connection drops, and it NEVER freezes on me! I also need a second one for my wife to use on her laptop and she couldn't handle these Eddie problems, she needs a "push and go" app which just works, and so I need that second option. I HATE PIA, and I don't have them any more, but I am currently deciding SurfShark and VPN.ac (the latter I prefer) as my "backup VPN". I would much rather have only Air, I HATE using anyone else, but sadly Eddie/Air is not stable or reliable enough for me to rely on 100% without a back up plan for days when it's "playing up".

Air is the best VPN company BY A MILE, nobody else comes close, and I feel dirty even looking at another VPN company's website as I know they are not "Air people"! If only their apps could work somewhere close to as reliably as others like PIA, Mullvad, or a hundred others, oh  boy they would rock
 

[Staff 9972]

@Terry Stanford

Hello!

Please open a ticket at your convenience.

Kind regards