App doesn't work in iOS with VPN active

MailWasher Mobile for IOS (iPhone, iPod touch, iPad), Android devices and Windows Phone 8.
csfuser
Rattled Rabbit
Posts: 3
Joined: Wed Feb 13, 2019 8:14 am

App doesn't work in iOS with VPN active

Wed Feb 13, 2019 10:01 am

I get the age-old "unable to connect to server" when my vpn connection (nordvpn) is active on my iphone X.
If I shut off the VPN, then I have no issues connecting.
Nordvpn claims they are not blocking anything on their end..
I also have similar issues when connecting to Amazon and other sites that use TLS, etc.

Thoughts?
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nick.bolton
The Big Cheese
Posts: 2468
Joined: Thu Aug 28, 2008 4:02 pm

Re: App doesn't work in iOS with VPN active

Wed Feb 13, 2019 11:06 am

NordVPN are probably not blocking anything. Is the 'Unable to connect to server' message when you're trying to view emails? Or just trying to load the app? If it's when you're trying to view emails and it's one of the major players like Gmail, Outlook.com then they'll probably block it because it looks like you're trying to get your emails from another location than your usual.
csfuser
Rattled Rabbit
Posts: 3
Joined: Wed Feb 13, 2019 8:14 am

Re: App doesn't work in iOS with VPN active

Thu Feb 14, 2019 3:38 am

Nick,
I don't believe the VPN vendor is blocking anything either,. :)

It appears that the Firetrust servers are rejecting the request.
I can be logged into Mailwasher (2.0.0), start the VPN client, switch back to Mailwasher and be INSTANTLY presented with the starting "create acct / Login" screen.
After entering credentials and pressing the login button.. the "unable to connect..." msg appears.
At that point (I assume) none of the attached email providers/accounts have been contacted, and starting the VPN client kills any existing/dormant firetrust server connections.

FWIW - the iPhone X iOS (12.1.4) mail app connects to the SAME email accounts (that I setup in MW) over the same VPN connection quite happily.. the providers are NOT rejecting those connections. Of course, I prefer to use MW to reject all the spam - versus doing it manually in the iOS mail app :)

And.. FWIW (#2) - the MW app I use at home on win10x64 (using the SAME VPN provider) works OK, tho I don't recall that I have to login to use it.
If it helps, I can reach out to NordVPN and see how to get logs/debug info off the iOS app like I can off their win client.
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nick.bolton
The Big Cheese
Posts: 2468
Joined: Thu Aug 28, 2008 4:02 pm

Re: App doesn't work in iOS with VPN active

Thu Feb 14, 2019 8:04 am

Ok thanks for the explanation. There's a bug in the IOS app that when it loses the connection, it logs out unfortunately. And when you turn on the VPN, it's doing that - switching connections.

It doesn't really explain why you can't login afterwards though. The IOS app is pretty basic and nothing like the desktop app, in fact we're re-writing the IOS app at the moment.
csfuser
Rattled Rabbit
Posts: 3
Joined: Wed Feb 13, 2019 8:14 am

Re: App doesn't work in iOS with VPN active

Thu Feb 14, 2019 1:20 pm

Thanks for the heads up Nick.
It NOT a showstopper, more of an inconvenience, but what you stated makes perfect sense.
I'll just shut off vpn while using the app!

thx again.

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