Site blocked despite using vpn
 

I have just setup a vpn connection for the first time ever and have had a little play with it to see how things have changed. I ran a speed test before and after and through the vpn I only get about 70mbits whereas without I am getting 123mbits.
The interesting thing is this, even though I am using the vpn and google's dns servers, if I try to go to a restricted site such as www.thepiratebay.se I still get VM blocking page. How on earth does that happen when VM aren't supposed to be able to see where I am going and what I am doing? It isn't because the page is cached or anything because I haven't tried using that url since it was blocked over 2 years ago. I am very confused. I have run a trace route to the BBC to see is happening and the paths are completely different even though the vpn server is actually quite close to me geographically.

https://www.cableforum.co.uk/images/...2014/08/15.jpg



Before the admins start getting in flap I am not seeking assistance in circumventing court orders, I am merely seeking to understands the networking principles behind the technology because I don't understand why I am being re-directed to a VM page when I am supposed to be using an encrypted tunnel. I am more than happy to test other sites if somebody wants to give me a url.

Re: Site blocked despite using vpn
 

Most likely is that the piratebay is being blocked on the vpn, I just checked mine and there both ok, try a differnt vpn. ghost vpn is quite good.

Re: Site blocked despite using vpn
 

Re: Site blocked despite using vpn
 

It'd be helpful if you actually did a traceroute to the site in question.

Re: Site blocked despite using vpn
 

all I am going to say is :wtf:

With VPN
https://www.cableforum.co.uk/images/...2014/08/12.jpg

Without VPN
https://www.cableforum.co.uk/images/...2014/08/13.jpg

Re: Site blocked despite using vpn
 

You're not routing through your VPN, that's why. What VPN are you using?

EDIT: To clarify, mon general, here's a test I just did. On the same machine, on the left is routing through my work's connection, on the right is AFTER I connected to my VPN at home. Notice that when connected to the VPN, you don't see any trace of the network you're on:

https://www.cableforum.co.uk/images/local/2014/08/7.png

The issue is your VPN, it's not set up right and you're not actually routing through it.

Re: Site blocked despite using vpn
 

Strong VPN and I am going through it because the first hop in that trace is the ip address of the vpn server I am connected to. For some reason it looks like it is bouncing the traffic back through VM. In the traces above to the BBC, you can see that the normal connection is routed through VM's network and the second one doesn't touch it, it goes through the VPN and onto BT's backbone. I am going to run another trace without the vpn and see what the difference is.

Re: Site blocked despite using vpn
 

Which setup did you use, General? PPTP or "Open"?

Re: Site blocked despite using vpn
 

I set the connection up manually and it is SSTP

Re: Site blocked despite using vpn
 

Hmm, very odd. You definitely shouldn't be seeing any Virgin hops there. Try changing to one of the other VPN types, just to see? I'm not familiar with SSTP so I can't really say much else.

Re: Site blocked despite using vpn
 

I know and that is why I did a trace route to the BBC for comparison and that worked like a charm. I am wondering whether the company(s) that run the vpn service have a blacklist of some sort and when somebody tries to go to one of the sites the company routes the traffic back to the isp and lets them deal with the site block.

That being said, I have just done a trace to this site and this is what I get:

https://www.cableforum.co.uk/images/...2014/08/11.jpg

I am very confused :eh:

I have just run traces to BBC again and Google and they don't through VM.

Re: Site blocked despite using vpn
 

Umm, occam's razor again. The explanation turns out to be the first and simplest thing I thought of yesterday. The company you're using for your VPN use Virgin Media (and BT) for their internet connectivity.

Re: Site blocked despite using vpn
 

I have already used whatismyip.com several times and each time it comes back with the ip address of the vpn server. If you want to pm the details on a route print and packet dump I'll be more than happy to comply.

---------- Post added at 19:14 ---------- Previous post was at 19:13 ----------

:doh:

Re: Site blocked despite using vpn
 

P.S. I was going to run a neighbour/reachability trace on their ASN but it turns out googling "cwcs virgin media" was easier:

https://www.cwcs.co.uk/dedicated-servers/technology/

Re: Site blocked despite using vpn
 

But surely they don't filter all IP traffic across their network? Even if it's just passing through from somewhere else going to somewhere else? Why would the traffic go out of the UK (I don't know if it does from the tracert) then back to the UK then over to Sweden or wherever TPB is hosted just now?

Re: Site blocked despite using vpn
 

They are not just passing data from somewhere else to somewhere else. Virgin Media is acting as an internet service provider. Imagine it just like a really really fast broadband connection (10Gbps in this case)

Re: Site blocked despite using vpn
 

So this must be a VPN that has been ordered to comply with the UK high court judgements, I presume?

It's not like its hard to get to that or similar sites anyway.

Re: Site blocked despite using vpn
 

looooooool, I signed up for a vpn with my own isp. I'll never forget this one.

Re: Site blocked despite using vpn
 

I don't know, but are these type of sites filtered on the business connections too?

for example lots of smaller ISP's use BT or Talktlak networks and these sites aren't filtered on them?

Re: Site blocked despite using vpn
 

Virgin Media isn't BT.
---------- Post added at 19:31 ---------- Previous post was at 19:30 ----------
Strictly speaking it's an independent company that just happens to basically 'resell' a different branch of your own ISP

But yes. This is very lol.

Re: Site blocked despite using vpn
 

Sorry, just wondered why it was different on Virgin network for what is essentially a wholesale service. So would a Sky customer in areas where the link to the backhaul is on Virgin's network get a Sky or Virgin blocked message?

Sorry to be awkward, just wondering how these things work.

Re: Site blocked despite using vpn
 

Sky do not use Virgin Media's IP backhaul.

There's a difference between renting dark fibre, renting WDM wavelengths, renting ethernet links, renting point-to-point IP links, and renting internet connectivity (IP transit), all of which VM do.

Re: Site blocked despite using vpn
 

If you was with Sky and signed up for the same VPN I have done then you would get the VM blocked message because your traffic to that particular url is routed through VM's network and VM are filtering it. It must be very confusing for vpn customers.

Re: Site blocked despite using vpn
 

I do know that the Sky connections (the few that there are) aren't over the Virgin media backhaul. I do understand that they are just links over fibre to a point where they go onto Sky's network. I just wondered at what point the filtering takes place. So I take it from your answer that the filtering on Sky and Virgins networks is at some point along the core network not the smaller localised links (might not be saying this very well?).


Why did you sign up for the VPN anyway? Not for the purpose of avoiding this I hope? Hope you only paid a month if it was and not the year up-front.

Re: Site blocked despite using vpn
 

I don't see why it would be. Most people who use VPNs aren't buying them from some obscure amateurish reseller of some other small obscure reseller of some IP transit services. But for customers of that specific VPN provider it could be, yes, although I'm still not entirely sure it's supposed to work that way.

That said, are you specifically locked to that one particular server? Strongvpn seem to have dozens of gateways in the UK, not all of them running through VM.

Re: Site blocked despite using vpn
 

out of genuine curiosity. Firstly I have seen quite a few forum members mention them over the last couple of months and how handy they are in circumventing some access restriction policies with regards to ports. Secondly, I have been doing some MS certifications to do with servers, security and vpns so I wanted to have a crack at it.
Like I said from the get go, this wasn't about trying to access tpb. I am a genuinely curious guy and I like to understand how things work (I have actually got a degree in microbiology) so when something like this happens and I cannot explain it with my current level of networking knowledge, I seek to gain more information and knowledge so I can learn and understand and apply the principles going forward.
I wanted to sign up on a month by month basis but the minimum is 3 months. It doesn't matter because the vpn works great and does what I want it to anyway so there is no need think about cancelling it.

I chose Nottingham because it is the closest to me. I can choose any server I want in 19 countries apparently so I might have a crack at changing it somewhere completely different in Europe and see if I get hit with the same message.

Re: Site blocked despite using vpn
 

My VPN blocks the Tesco shopping website.:shocked: Is it the DNS blocking things? I should imagine accessing DNS info bypasses the VPN as it is accessed directly using the IP address.

Re: Site blocked despite using vpn
 

that is why I use google dns

Re: Site blocked despite using vpn
 

You'll definitely get around it. Their various endpoints are all hosted by different companies, most will not be with small obscure providers using VM transit. ---------- Post added at 11:48 ---------- Previous post was at 11:48 ---------- He quite clearly posted earlier showing it is not the DNS

Re: Site blocked despite using vpn
 

Our leased line in work uses Virgin Media (And BT) for part of the link and nothing is filtered.

Re: Site blocked despite using vpn
 

If it's only part of the link then it's not an IP transit service then

Re: Site blocked despite using vpn
 

You probably found the only VPN node of theirs that has that type of blocking.

Some VPN providers do block tpb.se and similar sites on nodes in a couple of countries that they operate, but not others. Different to the issue you was seeing though and im surprised a vm reseller data centre type place has the residential blocking stuff tbh.

Re: Site blocked despite using vpn
 

yeah it is a bit of a joke considering a major part of their marketing the product revolves around "accessing geographically restricted sites". I suppose they would argue though I need to use a vpn server in another country whether the restriction is no in effect just as they site examples of where stuff like twitter is blocked in China and BBC is blocked wherever (for some reason) and if you connect to a vpn server in the UK then you can access those sites).

Re: Site blocked despite using vpn
 

Out of curiosity, does it mention this in their T's & C's? Would it be worth emailing them and asking why some sites are blocked?

Re: Site blocked despite using vpn
 

Hey I have Strong VPN as well.. I just connected to it using L2TP and it works fine... Not really sure why you cannot connect... Weirdness...

Re: Site blocked despite using vpn
 

how very interesting. I set mine up to use sstp because it is more secure. I didn't see the point in using pptp or l2tp when it can be cracked and people can be nosey and see what I am up to. I'll defo give it a go though and see if it works.

Re: Site blocked despite using vpn
 

I thought L2TP was quite secure.

Re: Site blocked despite using vpn
 

afaik it is frowned upon these days. The preferred encryption methods are ikev2 and sstp. The only reason stuff like pptp and l2tp are still around is for compatibility with routers because everyone supports it.

Re: Site blocked despite using vpn
 

Use Opera and their turbo mode if you want to bypass the blockade ;)

Re: Site blocked despite using vpn
 

Doe's Strong VPN give unlimited bandwidth.

Re: Site blocked despite using vpn
 

If you or any one else want to read up on different providers etc this is good place to start
http://torrentfreak.com/which-vpn-se...dition-140315/

I personally went with PrivateInternetAccess as it had good reviews and $39.95 which is just over £24 for a year. They also do a free trial so I tested it out before signing up and noticed I could get very good speeds using their services even using non uk exist to allow portforwarding.

Another good one I found on a trial is AirVPN it is a bit more expensive and at the time it didn't allow multiple devices connected at the same time which I found is very handy with PIA as trying to use my Asus rt-n66u router just takes to much of a hit in speed for my liking.

Re: Site blocked despite using vpn
 

yup, no restrictions on speed or usage limits. Over the weekend I downloaded about 1TB and my speed maxed out around 14MB/sec which isn't bad.

Re: Site blocked despite using vpn
 

Got through to Pirate Bay using BTGuard. I don't intend to use PB either. There may be something wrong with your VPN set up. BTGuard uses offshore servers. Would that make a difference?

Re: Site blocked despite using vpn
 

No, L2TP is still the gold standard for enterprise. Practically nobody except Microsoft uses IKE or SSTP.