This topic

VPN access via SH2 - help

Simon_F — Sun, 05 Sep 2021 13:31:47 GMT

Hey folks...

This one seems to have frustrated a number of people but I'm still trying to find a definitve fix or work around.

In essence: Upgraded to a SH2 last year but subsequently couldn't access essential business systems that require VPN when working from home. No problem, I simply switched back my older Smart Hub which worked perfectly with our company VPN.

But now Digital Voice has began to roll out, I've now lost my landline as that only works with SH2.

Had a new SH2 sent out in the hope the router was the problem but alas no. Read various fixes such as turning Port Clamping ON and Smart Setup OFF within Smart Hub Manager but none work for me....aarrgghh!

Has anybody ever resolved this? Not sure whether setting up a Port Forwarding rule would help but I'm way out of my technical comfort zone with that.

It feels like the only option left is to leave BT . I'm a Fibre To Property customer so not even sure this problem would follow me around wherever I went .

Help me Obi Wan Kenobi...your my only hope!

Re: VPN access via SH2 - help

Martin1050 — Sat, 11 Sep 2021 11:27:38 GMT

I've been on the phone to BT support for two hours.

The poor techie has been told by her manager to tell me that BT does not support VPN connections

I'm waiting to speak to the manager now.

Re: VPN access via SH2 - help

Martin1050 — Sat, 11 Sep 2021 11:42:26 GMT

The manager has confirmed that they do not support VPNs.
I'm staggered.
Apparently I have to speak to the IT teams of all of my clients to tell them that their VPNs are not set up correctly.

Re: VPN access via SH2 - help

Simon_F — Sat, 11 Sep 2021 11:46:22 GMT

Thanks for the reply Martin....I feel your pain!

The annoying thing is, when you go into into Advance Settings/VPN in your Smart Hub manager, you see this proud statement!

Your BT Smart Hub has been designed to work with most virtual private network (VPN) software.
If you're having problems connecting, try turning port clamping on.
(This will set the internet key exchange to UDP port 500, rather than allowing a floating port - a setting which is sometimes required by older VPN clients.)

Au contraire

Re: VPN access via SH2 - help

gg30340 — Sat, 11 Sep 2021 11:50:03 GMT

I think what you will find is that when the BT Manager said they do not support VPNs what it means is that they can not offer any help/assistance if your VPN does not work, not that a VPN will not work on their network.

There are very many different VPN programs and set ups that BT could not possibly train their staff regarding all of them so it is much easier not to support them.

Re: VPN access via SH2 - help

Keith_Beddoe — Sat, 11 Sep 2021 11:52:42 GMT

Is the solution to this thread any help https://community.bt.com/t5/Home-setup-Wi-Fi-network/VPN-will-not-connect/td-p/2131831

Re: VPN access via SH2 - help

Simon_F — Sat, 11 Sep 2021 12:01:59 GMT

Good point well made Distinguished Sage....it's just annoying that the original BT Smart Hub continues to work absolutely fine when using our company VPN so guessing there's a tweak in the SH2 firmware that just won't let you in.

Thanks for posting the link...will work me way through suggestions and report back!

Re: VPN access via SH2 - help

Martin1050 — Sat, 11 Sep 2021 12:16:44 GMT

I appreciate that support staff can't be trained in supporting VPNs.
I don't need that, the VPNs are fine, I can connect to them using my TP-Link router and using my old Plusnet router (essentially and old BT Home hub).
The only thing that doesn't work is the SH2, my colleagues can connect to the exact same VPNs (some PPTP, some L2TP) using a variety of hubs, none of them SH2s.

I've just put the SH2 back in its box, plugged the TP-Link in and everything's fine.

I couldn't help but laugh when she said that I was the first person to report this issue.

Re: VPN access via SH2 - help

Keith_Beddoe — Sat, 11 Sep 2021 12:36:09 GMT

@Martin1050

Can yo confirm that you are using a direct Ethernet connection between the home hub and your computer?

Re: VPN access via SH2 - help

Martin1050 — Sat, 11 Sep 2021 12:48:41 GMT

Yes, before phoning support this morning I disconnected and powered off every pc, server, hub, access point etc.
Factory reset the hub.
Connected a PC to the hub to the internet.
Tested VPNs, all failed.
Made the recommended changes to Smart Setup and port clamping.
Tested VPNs, all failed.

Re: VPN access via SH2 - help

Keith_Beddoe — Sat, 11 Sep 2021 12:55:39 GMT

That has to be a firmware issue. It needs looking at by one of the hub team, as it may be just one type of VPN affected. I remember issues with CISCO VPNs, where it was detecting a captive hotspot (BTWiFi) , which caused wireless to drop out, but I suppose you have wireless turned off, so that should not be a problem. I am surprised it not an issue that has been reported before, unless its specific to your VPN.

Re: VPN access via SH2 - help

Martin1050 — Sat, 11 Sep 2021 13:13:18 GMT

@Keith_Beddoe I agree and told the support manager and asked if she would report it as a fault, she refused.
I'm not the first to report it, @Simon_F had a new hub sent out as a 'fix'

@Simon_F I'm speaking to one of the phone team to see if it's possible to use an old analogue phone on the line. I'll let you know if it.

Re: VPN access via SH2 - help

Keith_Beddoe — Sat, 11 Sep 2021 13:21:33 GMT

@Martin1050

The analogue phone network is in the process of being closed down, so its very unlikely you would get a connection. The primary connection is now the socket on the back of the smart hub 2. I do not know what other providers are doing, but I suspect they may simply not bother, and suggest that people migrate to a third party VOIP provider, offering to port their number over.

Re: VPN access via SH2 - help

Simon_F — Sat, 11 Sep 2021 15:56:58 GMT

@Martin1050 .....I escalated my issue to a complaint and the replacement hub was sent as a fix just in case I had a duff SH2. Complaint closed when the new hub was sent out but was told to submit a new one if that didn't work...so will do so next week.

Not expecting that to achieve anything...but at least it flags it to BT as a known problem.

Re: VPN access via SH2 - help

Martin1050 — Wed, 15 Sep 2021 07:52:54 GMT

@Simon Do you have AV installed?
If so disable it and try your VPN.
I use AVG Business Broadband and it doesn't play well with the SH2, though it's fine with other routers.

Re: VPN access via SH2 - help

Simon_F — Wed, 15 Sep 2021 08:00:51 GMT

I'm on a Mac and using SentinelOne.....but it's company equipment so I can't alter the AV I'm afraid.

Thanks for the reply though!

Re: VPN access via SH2 - help

Simon_F — Tue, 21 Sep 2021 18:24:12 GMT

Quick update.....spent a lot of time with our IT team trying to get to the bottom of this and here's what we've found:

There was no problem with using the old SH....and there is with SH2....so clearly something in the new firmware is being more selective about the systems it likes to talk to.

I can't connect to some of our business systems using VPN.....but intriguingIy, we discovered I can with others (didn't know this before as the ones I can connect to, I never use!).

The 2 essential systems that I can't access and just show as "sever not found" , regardless of the browser I use (my default is Firefox with occasional use of Chrome) and are both HTTPS.

Whether this next bit is complete conincidence, but these 2 are also hosted by AWS (Amazon) and we struggle to get an IP address for either using Terminal

The plot thickens.......but I can't lay the blame entirely on the router if it is talking to some sytems when connecting via VPN (just not the bloody ones I need!)

IT have patched up some access for me via Citrix Workspace.....but it's a bit clunky.

To be continued....