route traffic trough AirVPN

[astrakan 0]

Good Evening everybody,

I use Viscosity to connect and everything seems allright.

However when I use severs UDP 443 the traffic generated by my usenet client (UNISON or VORTEX) does not go trough the VPN connection, even though i checked the box next to "Route all traffic trough VPN connection".

On the contrary when I use TCP 443 servers the traffic is routed trough the VPN connection.

I'm I missing something or that's the way is suppose to be?

Thank's in advance

[astrakan 0]

Update:

I tested all the servers i have configured.

I have a 10 mb/s internet connection and with ANY TCP/ANY PORT my download rate is around 250 KB/s which is to be expected because of the performance loss due to the VPN connection.

With ANY UDP/ANY PORT my download rate is 1.2 MB/s which is consistent with my nominal 10 mb/s internet connection, so apparently no performance loss.

Is this normal? shouldn't I experience a decrease of download rate with UDP protocol as well?

Thank in advance

[Staff 9973]

Update:

I tested all the servers i have configured.

I have a 10 mb/s internet connection and with ANY TCP/ANY PORT my download rate is around 250 KB/s which is to be expected because of the performance loss due to the VPN connection.

With ANY UDP/ANY PORT my download rate is 1.2 MB/s which is consistent with my nominal 10 mb/s internet connection, so apparently no performance loss.

Is this normal? shouldn't I experience a decrease of download rate with UDP protocol as well?

Thank in advance

Hello!

In optimal conditions UDP is much more efficient than TCP for an OpenVPN connection. Please see our FAQ for more details.

https://airvpn.org/faq#udp_vs_tcp

Kind regards

[FPyro 2]

Hello!

I've had a similar kind of problem, that already established connections wouldn't be disconnected while connecting to the vpn. Specifically that was a stream in a browser tap.

To make sure that all connections are truely connecting hrough the vpn, you'd have to close all applications, then connect to the vpn, then start the applications again.

When downloading with usenet (sucks anyway ) ... you should close usenet app, then connect, then start usenet again.

Greetings

pyro

[astrakan 0]

Hi ,

thank you for the prompt response.

Yes I was aware that UDP is definitely more "performing" than TCP.

However this extra boost is not enough to explain that when connected with Octantis UDP 443 at 23:34 the speed test result was 3.67 mb/s and two minutes later I was downloading at 1 MB/s with Unison.

I also tried to download an Ubuntu .iso and the medium rate was 525 KB/s which is consistent with the result of the test considering the tolerance of such test.

Said tolerance does not explain the 1 MB/s rate with the download client unless the traffic is not going trough the VPN connection.

I have some screen shot with the above mentioned results but I do not seem to be able to upload them (I click on the "Add file" button, I select the file,click Open but nothing happens).

Is there any way to check the route of the traffic? be aware that I'm not very expert in this matter so pls be thorough with any possible explanation.

Sorry for the long reply

Thank you

[Staff 9973]

Hi ,

thank you for the prompt response.

Yes I was aware that UDP is definitely more "performing" than TCP.

However this extra boost is not enough to explain that when connected with Octantis UDP 443 at 23:34 the speed test result was 3.67 mb/s and two minutes later I was downloading at 1 MB/s with Unison.

I also tried to download an Ubuntu .iso and the medium rate was 525 KB/s which is consistent with the result of the test considering the tolerance of such test.

Said tolerance does not explain the 1 MB/s rate with the download client unless the traffic is not going trough the VPN connection.

I have some screen shot with the above mentioned results but I do not seem to be able to upload them (I click on the "Add file" button, I select the file,click Open but nothing happens).

Is there any way to check the route of the traffic? be aware that I'm not very expert in this matter so pls be thorough with any possible explanation.

Sorry for the long reply

Thank you

Hello!

Nothing seems unusual, all the data you report do not show anything strange.

About the routing table, which OS are you running?

Kind regards

[astrakan 0]

hi,

thank you all for the help.

I tried to close and reopen all the apps after I connected to a VPN server but nothing changed.

I even tried to download an ubuntu image with a torrent client (Transmission) and same problem.....1.1 MB/s

I'm using Snow leopard 10.6.8.

As a matter of fact I tried to download a ovpn file form another provider just for testing purposes and I'm facing the same issue with UDP protocol.

it seems that the HTTP traffic is going trough the VPN and the other Internet Traffic generated by stand alone application is not.

As I said I'm not an expert so I don't know how to look deeply into it.

As extra info I can add is that I'm connected to internet trough a MAC -> ROUTER (cisco 4220) -> CABLE MODEM (bridge mode) and , if I'm not mistaken, my ISP uses IPV6.

Let me add that the Dnsleaktest returns no leaks so I think I have configured my connection in a correct way.

Thank you all

BTW....why I cannot upload files?

[Staff 9973]

hi,

thank you all for the help.

I tried to close and reopen all the apps after I connected to a VPN server but nothing changed.

I even tried to download an ubuntu image with a torrent client (Transmission) and same problem.....1.1 MB/s

I'm using Snow leopard 10.6.8.

As a matter of fact I tried to download a ovpn file form another provider just for testing purposes and I'm facing the same issue with UDP protocol.

it seems that the HTTP traffic is going trough the VPN and the other Internet Traffic generated by stand alone application is not.

As I said I'm not an expert so I don't know how to look deeply into it.

As extra info I can add is that I'm connected to internet trough a MAC -> ROUTER (cisco 4220) -> CABLE MODEM (bridge mode) and , if I'm not mistaken, my ISP uses IPV6.

Let me add that the Dnsleaktest returns no leaks so I think I have configured my connection in a correct way.

Thank you all

BTW....why I cannot upload files?

Hello!

In order to show the routing table issue the command (from a shell):

netstat -rn

or

netstat -r

if you wish host names.

Which torrent client are you running? Might it be forced to bind to your physical interface, instead of tun adapter? For example Vuze provides a bind option.

Kind regards

[astrakan 0]

I tried Transmission for the torrent.

Unfortunately my skills are limited so I cannot offer more details, only the ones that you already know.

Bottom line my traffic which is not generated by browser is probably not going trough VPN, it is a matter of simple math, the data doesn't match.

As I previously mentioned, also with another configuration file from another provider I could reach top speed with all application aside browsers and it made me thinking that is not a provider issue.

It might be some hidden (wrong) setting that has not surfaced during my tweaks attempt.

I'll keep looking to see if something will come up and I'll let you know.

In the meantime I will use TCP.

regards

[Staff 9973]

I tried Transmission for the torrent.

Unfortunately my skills are limited so I cannot offer more details, only the ones that you already know.

Bottom line my traffic which is not generated by browser is probably not going trough VPN, it is a matter of simple math, the data doesn't match.

As I previously mentioned, also with another configuration file from another provider I could reach top speed with all application aside browsers and it made me thinking that is not a provider issue.

It might be some hidden (wrong) setting that has not surfaced during my tweaks attempt.

I'll keep looking to see if something will come up and I'll let you know.

In the meantime I will use TCP.

regards

Hello!

Can you please perform the following test (while you're connected to an Air VPN server):

http://checkmytorrentip.com

and check whether the test detects your real IP address or not?

Kind regards

[astrakan 0]

HI ,

It detects the Italy IP address , not my real one.

Thks

[Staff 9973]

HI ,

It detects the Italy IP address , not my real one.

Thks

Hello!

Perfect, Transmission is correctly tunneled as expected.

Kind regards

[astrakan 0]

Hallo!

I'm happy that Trasmission is correctly tunneled.....

However it leaves us with a question for the ages....

Is it possible that a computer connected trough a VPN service reaches it's top nominal speed in downstream as if it was connected in a normal way?

All the tests suggest so but the common sense point the other way.

The reason of a VPN service is to achieve the highest possible level of security ( I know that 100% is not possible) and , for whatever reason ones need it, I would like to be sure that this is happening.

It would be great to have both security and top performance but it seems, to me, to good to be true :-)

I will keep investigate and, with your help, may be we'll sort it out.

Thanks for the support

[Staff 9973]

Hallo!

I'm happy that Trasmission is correctly tunneled.....

However it leaves us with a question for the ages....

Is it possible that a computer connected trough a VPN service reaches it's top nominal speed in downstream as if it was connected in a normal way?

All the tests suggest so but the common sense point the other way.

Hello!

Yes, it's possible, the performance difference may be very small in optimal conditions (for example when your ISP is directly connected to, or IS, the same tier1 provider to which the Air server is connected to). What is your ISP nominal "peak" download bandwidth?

Kind regards

[astrakan 0]

Hi,

I have a 10 mb/s internet connection (with a direct cable ) and I always download at 1.1/1.2 MB/s.

What is intriguing is that with TCP protocol all traffic suffer from a performance penalty when ,instead, with UDP only some traffic (HTTP) suffer from such penalty while other kind of traffic does not.....isn't that curious?

Regards

[Staff 9973]

Hi,

I have a 10 mb/s internet connection (with a direct cable ) and I always download at 1.1/1.2 MB/s.

What is intriguing is that with TCP protocol all traffic suffer from a performance penalty when ,instead, with UDP only some traffic (HTTP) suffer from such penalty while other kind of traffic does not.....isn't that curious?

Regards

Hello!

Not really... HTTP is TCP traffic, while torrent clients rely heavily on UDP. UDP over UDP has some advantages (for some purposes) and disadvantages on UDP over TCP. There's also at least another variable to take into consideration, i.e. with http you normally connect to a single server, while with p2p to a swarm of peers.

Kind regards

[astrakan 0]

I see...

So for the sake of all people like me (very new to the world of VPN) ,

when you connect to a UDP server and you surf the net you basically generate TCP traffic directed into a UDP tunnel....did I get it right?