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forza_125
Mentor

NOW Broadband drops connection to work VPN

I think this is a fairly recent problem for me - certainly only been a noticeable problem in the last few weeks.

My work ask me to connect to a VPN (BIG-IP is the client that we use). However this connection drops a lot - sometimes only staying connected for seconds, and even on a good run it might only stay connected for 10-15 minutes.

Looking at the logs from my side, it seems to have problems with the routing to the company VPN IP, although it does seem to re-establish a connection successfully eventually.

Thousands of others are using the same VPN without a problem. Every other device in the house connects to the internet succesfully, and the work laptop connects to other services that don't use the VPN without an issue.

Is there anything I can do to "clear the path" to the VPN IP? Or what is the best way to get NOW TV broadband to get a look (I have spoken to customer support but I think the issue was far too unusual for them to be able to help).

5 REPLIES 5
gavs82008
Legend 5
Legend 5

@forza_125 

Not a broadband customer with NOW so I can’t be much help apart from pointing you in the direction of the help pages.

https://help.nowtv.com/article/cant-access-vpn

@chilli2 @Jayach 

Not sure if this is something you might be able to help out with?

FYI that I do not work for NOW, just a NOW customer trying to help
forza_125
Mentor

Thanks, I already had the Broadband Buddy completely switched off, just tried the "whitelist" approach in the help article but it hasn't made a difference.

chilli2
Elite

Turn it on and off again?

 Now use something called a dynamic IP address , in other words your physical address on the internet changes each time you connect - you can see your IP adress on sites such as speed test as a string of numbers under where it says Sky ( parent company of Now) - if you go to the router settings and disconnect then re connect this IP may change and this could have an effect on connecting to your work VPN.

 Another issue could be flaky wifi from the wonky now router ( if thats what you are using) try connecting via ethernet ( wired) you could try your own router as well instead of relying on the supplied Now router

 

If Thousands are using the work VPN odds are some are also on Now Broadband - have you tried asking on a work site/whats app/facebook/whatever? you will get a load of negative reviews/responses but this is primarily down to the bad router - you may find someone for whom everything works and may be able to help

 

One tying you should know about Now is that its a stripped back budget no frills   domestic residential internet service, and as such there can be some effort to get it to work, but for under £25/month you cant expect all the bells and whistles

 It works for most and for those of us who understand its limitations and where needed can work round them its fine .

 As you have previously said if everything else in your property works fine and its just the works VPN, and you have tried Ethernet and a re fresh of the IP address, then that points to an issue at your works end and not Now's and for support you would be better off getting in touch with your workplaces IT department

Jayach
Elite 3

@chilli2 wrote:

 Another issue could be flaky wifi from the wonky now router ( if thats what you are using) try connecting via ethernet ( wired) you could try your own router as well instead of relying on the supplied Now router


This is what I would suspect first, so try on Ethernet if you can.

 

forza_125
Mentor

Reset the router many times, issue is on wifi and ethernet, and only with work VPN. It connects, but drops regularly.

IT will take the laptop in for a longer test but I was hoping there were some router settings I could try toggling that might make connections more reliable.