Internet doesn't work when disconnected VPN

Hi All,

I am facing issue with my internet connection. I am using Ubuntu 18.04.3 LTS.
Issue:-
I am using HOXX vpn extension on firefox browser. For few months it was working good. Now i am facing issue when i disconnect VPN, i am not able to access internet on firefox browser. When i connect it works fine.
I thought it is browser related issue, so i tried with opera and facing same issue.
So i think my network related settings got changed and it is not allowing to access internet.
If anyone can help it will be great.

Thank you

What was changed when it stopped working as expected?

Nothing, i just open browser and tried accessing few sites but those were not opening and when i connected to VPN it worked

If nothing changed then everything works as it did before. If it does not work anymore, something changed.

Thats why i posted here, to find what changed and how to resolve it? But i confirm i didn’t change anything by myself.

We need much more information from your system.

Use the template given below:

Additionally, execute and post the outputs of following commands:
First, install dependencies:

apt update
apt install -y dnsutils traceroute hping3 netcat tcpdump

Execute these commands:

  1. When you are connected to the VPN.
  2. When you are not connected to VPN.
ip a
ip route
traceroute 8.8.8.8
nslookup example.com

Post the output here for both iterations.

Is it possible that you unintentionally activated some sort of kill-switch through the vpn-settings?
Have you tried uninstalling the extension to see if this changes the situation?

Hi Akito,

Done update and other installations as you suggested.

Here are the outputs:

When VPN is connected:
ip a

Blockquote
1: lo: <LOOPBACK,UP,LOWER_UP> mtu 65536 qdisc noqueue state UNKNOWN group default qlen 1000
link/loopback 00:00:00:00:00:00 brd 00:00:00:00:00:00
inet 127.0.0.1/8 scope host lo
valid_lft forever preferred_lft forever
inet6 ::1/128 scope host
valid_lft forever preferred_lft forever
2: wlp4s0: <BROADCAST,MULTICAST,UP,LOWER_UP> mtu 1500 qdisc noqueue state UP group default qlen 1000
link/ether 40:49:0f:44:61:4f brd ff:ff:ff:ff:ff:ff
inet 192.168.43.140/24 brd 192.168.43.255 scope global dynamic noprefixroute wlp4s0
valid_lft 2958sec preferred_lft 2958sec
inet6 2409:4051:393:64ee:6916:d9d3:ffac:bcf/64 scope global temporary dynamic
valid_lft 3407sec preferred_lft 3407sec
inet6 2409:4051:393:64ee:5038:93b3:d222:7e97/64 scope global dynamic mngtmpaddr noprefixroute
valid_lft 3407sec preferred_lft 3407sec
inet6 fe80::26a5:62e6:4cb:b23c/64 scope link noprefixroute
valid_lft forever preferred_lft forever

<Blockquote

ip route

Blockquote
default via 192.168.43.185 dev wlp4s0 proto dhcp metric 600
169.254.0.0/16 dev wlp4s0 scope link metric 1000
192.168.43.0/24 dev wlp4s0 proto kernel scope link src 192.168.43.140 metric 600

traceroute 8.8.8.8

Blockquote
traceroute to 8.8.8.8 (8.8.8.8), 30 hops max, 60 byte packets
1 _gateway (192.168.43.185) 2.685 ms 2.610 ms 3.220 ms
2 * * *
3 10.72.115.19 (10.72.115.19) 48.728 ms 10.72.115.2 (10.72.115.2) 48.712 ms 10.72.115.18 (10.72.115.18) 49.072 ms
4 172.26.10.143 (172.26.10.143) 48.997 ms 49.489 ms 172.26.10.139 (172.26.10.139) 54.835 ms
5 * * *
6 * * *
7 * * *
8 * * *
9 * 74.125.243.97 (74.125.243.97) 88.458 ms 108.170.251.113 (108.170.251.113) 88.272 ms
10 72.14.232.95 (72.14.232.95) 88.272 ms dns.google (8.8.8.8) 68.319 ms 172.253.67.87 (172.253.67.87) 69.085 ms

nslookup example.com

Blockquote
Server: 127.0.0.53
Address: 127.0.0.53#53
Non-authoritative answer:
Name: example.com
Address: 93.184.216.34
Name: example.com
Address: 2606:2800:220:1:248:1893:25c8:1946

When VPN is Disconnected

ip a

Blockquote
1: lo: <LOOPBACK,UP,LOWER_UP> mtu 65536 qdisc noqueue state UNKNOWN group default qlen 1000
link/loopback 00:00:00:00:00:00 brd 00:00:00:00:00:00
inet 127.0.0.1/8 scope host lo
valid_lft forever preferred_lft forever
inet6 ::1/128 scope host
valid_lft forever preferred_lft forever
2: wlp4s0: <BROADCAST,MULTICAST,UP,LOWER_UP> mtu 1500 qdisc noqueue state UP group default qlen 1000
link/ether 40:49:0f:44:61:4f brd ff:ff:ff:ff:ff:ff
inet 192.168.43.140/24 brd 192.168.43.255 scope global dynamic noprefixroute wlp4s0
valid_lft 2381sec preferred_lft 2381sec
inet6 2409:4051:393:64ee:6916:d9d3:ffac:bcf/64 scope global temporary dynamic
valid_lft 3227sec preferred_lft 3227sec
inet6 2409:4051:393:64ee:5038:93b3:d222:7e97/64 scope global dynamic mngtmpaddr noprefixroute
valid_lft 3227sec preferred_lft 3227sec
inet6 fe80::26a5:62e6:4cb:b23c/64 scope link noprefixroute
valid_lft forever preferred_lft forever

ip route

Blockquote
default via 192.168.43.185 dev wlp4s0 proto dhcp metric 600
169.254.0.0/16 dev wlp4s0 scope link metric 1000
192.168.43.0/24 dev wlp4s0 proto kernel scope link src 192.168.43.140 metric 600

traceroute 8.8.8.8

Blockquote
traceroute to 8.8.8.8 (8.8.8.8), 30 hops max, 60 byte packets
1 _gateway (192.168.43.185) 218.748 ms 218.691 ms 218.971 ms
2 * * *
3 10.72.115.3 (10.72.115.3) 266.260 ms 10.72.115.18 (10.72.115.18) 266.177 ms 10.72.115.3 (10.72.115.3) 266.511 ms
4 172.26.10.143 (172.26.10.143) 266.068 ms 172.26.10.139 (172.26.10.139) 265.914 ms 172.26.10.143 (172.26.10.143) 265.673 ms
5 * * *
6 * * *
7 * * *
8 * * *
9 108.170.251.113 (108.170.251.113) 71.171 ms 51.929 ms *
10 172.253.67.85 (172.253.67.85) 89.608 ms 72.14.232.95 (72.14.232.95) 89.651 ms 209.85.252.71 (209.85.252.71) 89.339 ms
11 dns.google (8.8.8.8) 89.202 ms 89.323 ms 89.155 ms

nslookup example.com

Blockquote
Server: 127.0.0.53
Address: 127.0.0.53#53
Non-authoritative answer:
Name: example.com
Address: 93.184.216.34
Name: example.com
Address: 2606:2800:220:1:248:1893:25c8:1946

As you can see, there is no difference on the system when the VPN is connected/disconnected. You also can connect to the internet, when connected and disconnected.

Usually a VPN changes at least the routes on the computer but not even those are changed. Are you sure you are using a VPN, at all? Clarify, if you are maybe actually using a simple proxy forward.

Actually i am using HOXX vpn extension. I dont know how it works internally?

1 Like

Reading this it seems like it is just a simple forward. It’s a “free” service, so I guess that was expected.

  1. Download the extension as a file:
    https://www.maketecheasier.com/download-save-chrome-extension/

  2. Uninstall the extension and see if that changes anything.

  3. The internet needs to work now, as otherwise it would be impossible to use the extension, because you have to log in to use it. So if you are not connected to the internet, you cannot use it.

  4. In the worst case scenario, attach a LAN cable to your device.

Yes, you are right.

So, it is not the case that this extension made changes in my network settings?.
I can also try resetting my network settings to default?

Does internet work without the extension?

No it is not working

In the command outputs you posted, you can see that your internet works.

Yes, but when i try to open any web link or page it doesn’t open without VPN connection

Yes, that is a problem with your browser(s). The internet works.

Try:

curl example.com

If this works, then your internet works.
You need to fix the settings of your extension and/or browser(s).

I had to add the OpenDNS IPs in my network configuration and it worked for me.
208.67.220.220 208.67.222.222