VPN Forum access and IP addresse Tests

[DocAElstein]

[FONT=Arial][size=3] [color="#3E0000"]



The main remaining issues for me are just:
_A) getting OpenVPN to work on my Vista Operating system machines. I have not ever managed that yet on any Vista operating system machine.
( SoftEther continues to work consistently on my Vista machines, as it has always since the very start of my experimenting with VPN)

_B) Time out problem issue with SoftEther on my XP machines: The issue remains here that I can always get an apparent successful connection. But only once in approximately 2 days does the internet then work. If I try to make a connection more often than that, then the connection appears successful, but I get time out error in internet. So it appears that I can only get a single working connection at approximately 2 day intervals with SoftEther on my XP operating system machines. ( OpenVPN continues to work consistently on my XP machines, as it has always since the very start of my experimenting with VPN )
_.______________________________

Regarding operating systems, Vista and XP and available updates.
Since these Operating systems are no longer supported by Microsoft, they do not get any Windows updates automatically. Most of these machines I had from new, and they did regularly get updates. So I assume I have the
latest.
I am not too sure how I would now check that the updates are the latest? ( I can get old updates if I know the update KB number, for example form here: https://www.catalog.update.microsoft.com/Home.aspx )

I had a quick look in my update lists on my machines… and I seem to have…
_- On my vista machines:
Windows Operating System updates until 2016; .Net updates until 2016;
Microsoft Office still gets regular updates automatically on my Vista machines
_- On my XP machines:
The shown date on updates is known to have bugs and errors in Windows XP. But I estimate that Windows updates stopped coming on my XP machines from about 2014 .( This estimate is based on inspection of the updates that I have, and looking at the information given for those updates at https://www.catalog.update.microsoft.com/Home.aspx ) ; ( I disabled updates early this year on my XP machines since all my XP machines have licensed and registered Microsoft Office versions which still get offered updates from Microsoft, which cause problems: The problem with this is
that Microsoft often send updates for Office, which when installed, break many things in XP operating systems ! ( http://www.eileenslounge.com/viewtopic.php?f=21&t=31405 ) )

( Currently my Windows 7 machines and the Windows 8.1 machine mostly get regular automatic updates. But currently I have no problems with hide.me VPN on those )

_.___________________________________________

Regarding Administrator issues
All my machines are used privately by me or members of my family. As far as I know, or rather I assume, that anyone using any machine has "Administrator" status. I am not sure how I would check that.

_.________________________________________

Regarding "Devices" and simultaneous connections
I have not intentionally been using hide.me on more than 3 machinessimultaneously. I have not always "disconnected" or ended , since I leave some machines switched on even when I have not been using them.
Mostly I am still just experimenting with hide.me VPN currently. I have only occasionally used it purposely to do something anonymously on the internet.
I have left a "Robot" program running sometimes to see what happens: I notice then that sometimes a connection is unexpectedly disconnectedautomatically. Mostly it then re connects itself automatically. If it does not automatically re connect, and I have co incidentally noticed the , then often I can re connect it immediately easily.
Sometimes to get a reconnection to work I must end and restart hide.me and/ or restart the computer.
The exception to all that is on my XP operating system machines and SoftEther: On the rare occasions when SoftEWther works on my XP machines and if I have then the Robot program running on it, and if then the VPN connection automatically dis connects, then I can usually get an apparent successful re connection. But then usually the internet does not work and I get the time out problem issue once again. So then I must wait 1-3 days before a SoftEther/hide.me XP system connection results in a working internet without the time out problem.

Sometimes when I have been doing the various experiments I have had only a single connection to hide.me VPN. Other times I have had two or three simultaneous connections. I have often disconnected all but one connection
to see if it influences any issue. I have not noticed it have any effect so far.


_.__________________________

Regarding the … new infrastructure ….- …"only Paris, Kiev, Seoul and Sydney are still on the new system……".. .
As far as I can remember I have not used yet any of those locations. So I expect that the new infrastructure issue will not have influenced any of my experimenting yet.



_._________________


Regarding OpenVPN issues and openvpnserviceinteractive error.
This warning pop up occurs on all my machines even after a fresh install.
All the "Services" that I have been able to look at are set to start up automatic, and I suspect that most , if not all my machines are set to that start up automatic.
At the moment it is all supporting the idea that the warning pop up is best just to ignore.
But I will report back if anything I do changes the occurrence of that pop up warning


_._______________


Regarding your suggestion of …" creating a new user on your computer and
check if OpenVPN is working there.."
I created a new User on a Vista machine and on a Windows 7 machine. All users have administrator status. ( Previously all my Vista and Windows 7 machines have had just one user

[DocAElstein]

So I tried again on a second Vista Computer..
Here, just to refresh, was the current situation, OpenVPN Version 2.4.7-I607-Win7 was installed, We note that the tap thing for SoftEther is there, but the one for OpenVPN does not seem to be there: https://imgur.com/Hw1kL1z
and every attempt at connection Failed like this https://imgur.com/U6pLegg .

I installed all 3 versions of Berlin configuration files, ( https://imgur.com/flNvm6c )
I rechecked connections a few times, re started computer, re tried etc, the result was always a fail like this: https://imgur.com/U6pLegg ( In addition, on restarting the computer , and/or launching OpenVPN I got the error pop up:
_ On computer restart: https://imgur.com/NqVJUjQ "OpenVPNServiceInteractive" ist nicht instilliert. Aufgaben, die administrativen Zugriff benötigen, funktionieren
möglicherweise nicht." "OpenVPNServiceInteractive "is not installed.
Tasks that require administrative access may not work. "

_ On Launching: https://imgur.com/WY3xPdw :
"OpenVPNServiceInteractive" ist nicht gestartet.
Aufgaben, die administrativen Zugriff benötigen, funktionieren
möglicherweise nicht." "OpenVPNServiceInteractive "is not started.
Tasks that require administrative access may not work. "

So I repeat the experiment that was successful with the previous vista
machine…… I de installed OpenVPN Version 2.4.7-I607-Win7 , https://imgur.com/PiTezXc
, https://imgur.com/Gak0EU2
, https://imgur.com/PSy6uLN
, https://imgur.com/KcKBktM
, https://imgur.com/QSK1aXY
I notice that after the de instillation, as previously, the program files, including the tap stuff are all gone, but the configuration files are still there: https://imgur.com/xmyas9A

I now install OpenVPN version 2 3 18-I001-i686 from here
https://build.openvpn.net/downloads/...-I001-i686.exe
or here https://app.box.com/s/wykxqmh0c4wi9o2upoipzbo5z32zt16z )

I made sure that the tap stuff was checked and installed:
https://imgur.com/vqTRjV5 , https://imgur.com/ZdfIJdr

I notice that after the instillation, I now have the " TAP Windows Adapter V9 adapter for OpenVPN " thing shown in my ControlPanel---Network and Internet---Networkconnection : https://imgur.com/w5GVzVl , https://imgur.com/g0EYUZq


So far , every attempt at a connection with the original Berlin configuration file on this second vista machine has been successful : https://imgur.com/h78uTOs ,
https://imgur.com/GaC4q3J ,
https://imgur.com/U6tBfgq

As with the first vista machine, have not been able to get a connection to work with the two new Berlin configuration files ( openvpn-berlin-21 , openvpn-berlin ) : https://imgur.com/8k9MYrS , https://imgur.com/NLNi13

( I also note that I do not get the error pop ups on a restart and/or OpenVPN launch )

_._____________________________________


Just out of interest: A re try with 2 4 7 I607 Win 7 .
Because the Vista issue seems now to be solved, I decided for completeness, and just out of interest, to check out the source of the problem.

I de installed version 2 3 18-I001-i686 on a Vista machine. After this, the program 2 3 18 I001 and the TAP Windows 9 9 2 are gone from the program list.
Also, the tap is gone from the ControlPanel---Network and Internet---Networkconnection : https://imgur.com/hIGDM8l


I now install version 2 4 7 I607 Win 7 . As always, I have the tap stuff checked: https://imgur.com/6kE2lJm
I note that in the instillation, no pop up came up to indicate a tap instillation.
After instillation completion, I see that I have the program files, including the tap thing, but the tap is not shown in the
ControlPanel---Network and Internet---Networkconnections tap connections. https://imgur.com/2iIBK59

As expected, a connection attempt fails, ( and I have the pop up errors on starting )


So I re installed version 2 3 18-I001-i686 . ( in this experiment I did not de install version 2 4 7 I607 Win 7 before installing version 2 4 7 I607 Win 7 )
As always , I checked the tap stuff. I was not asked this time to install the tap. Never the less , the tap appears in the ControlPanel---Network and Internet---Networkconnections
In the program list, the 2 4 7 I607 Win 7 and TAP windows 9 23 3 are gone and the 2 3 18-I001-i686 and TAP Windows 9 9 2 are there.
A connection to Berlin works , using the original configuration files. (Using the two new configuration files fails to make a connection)

As a last experiment, I re install version 2 4 7 I607 Win 7 without de installing version 2 3 18-I001-i686 .
In this instillation I get an error whilst installing the TAP device driver: https://imgur.com/T8cfsmy
After the instillation, in the program list, the 2 4 7 I607 Win 7 and TAP windows 9 23 3 are there
and the 2 3 18-I001-i686 and TAP Windows 9 9 2 are gone.
As expected, I get the start up pop up errors, and I cannot get any working connection.

_.___

Finally I re install version 2 3 18-I001-i686 , and all is well!

_._______________

So this is good news. I seem to have OpenVPN consistently working now on
Vista.

_.___

New Vista Device. TheDocIsHere@vista ( On Acer Aspire 7535G Lap top )
So far I have been doing my vista related experiments mostly on two machines, both of which I have from new, ( Lap top Acer Aspire 4810TZG, ACER computer Aspire X3200 ) . As far as I know they were regularly receiving all the Microsoft updates which were available up until Microsoft discontinued support for Vista
I expect that later this year most of my VPN use on a Vista machine will be on another Lap top of mine , ( Acer Aspire 7535G ). ( This was not in use for a long time and probably did not get all the most recent updates. Most of the listed updates seem to be from around 2013 )

So, I created a new device name, TheDocIsHere@vista , and I expect that I will later this year be using that machine for most of my VPN use on a vista machine, most likely one of my Acer Aspire 7535G machines )

So I installed OpenVPN 2 3 18-I001-i686 on an Acer Aspire Lap top 7535G.
During the instillation the TAP thing was installed, and it appeared in the ControlPanel---Network and Internet---Networkconnections list.
I included the three config files in the config folder: https://imgur.com/RKrm56v
The results were consistent with the recent vista findings, as reported in this Email: Berlin works fine, using the original config files. ( As previously, config files openvpn-berlin-21.ovpn and openvpn-berlin.ovpn do not work )

SoftEther on my Acer Aspire Lap top 7535G
As I mentioned a few times, I like to have two working solution to most computer things. The obvious choice for my VPN stuff on my Acer Aspire Lap top 7535G is SoftEther, since this has mostly worked consistently in all my VPN Vista experiments to date. I was expecting no problem with it…… But I had a problem: I tried a few of the most recent SoftEther Client downloads.
Unfortunately, the .exe would not run. I looked briefly in the internet and there were some suggestions that either missing updates or possibly registry corruption sometimes cause such problems. I have not investigated these two things yet.
I found an alternative solution to this new SoftEther Vista problem: I noticed co incidentally that another VPN provider supplied a link to a much older Soft Ether Client download within their Vista Set Up instructions , ( http://softether-download.com/files/softether/v4.22-9634-beta-2016.11.27-tree/Windows/SoftEther_VPN_Client/softether-vpnclient-v4.22-9634-beta-2016.11.27-windows-x86_x64-intel.exe )
So I tried this old download, and this time, the .exe file ran normally. I set up berlin . https://imgur.com/C4wA45E
All connections so far have been successful,

_.______________________________________
_.___________
Current conclusions ( Vista/ OpenVPN ).

It seems now that one of my last main remaining issues, ( OpenVPN / Vista ) is close to, if not completely, solved. ( I just need to try other locations, and possibly try the older Clients on my other machines , just for completeness and comparison.) Thanks for sticking with me on this one, your support has been very helpful.
My initial conclusions are that the instillation using version 2 4 7 I607 Win 7 seems to have a problem when attempting to install on a vista machine: something seems to go wrong with the TAP instillation. Using the 2 3 18-I001-i686 version does not seem to have this problem.

_.________________________
_.____

Remaining XP SoftEther issue.
I have not had time to look thoroughly yet at this. I will do this and then report back to you. Firstly I will try the suggestions from your last Email. Another thing that I will possibly try is older Client versions

_:___

Just some thoughts........ I suppose it makes some sense to try older Clients if using older operating systems… ? I wonder if a "rule of thumb" could be to try a version whose issue date is close to and/or shortly after the most recent Windows update that is on the computer on which you want to install the Client. My reason for suggesting this is that I presume the people who write this software would routinely be testing their software on a fairly up to date system which would likely have the most recent windows updates of that time.

( I already know from my own small experience that unfortunately, Microsoft updates usually seem to cause at least as many problems as they solve……………. )


_.__________

Thanks again for your help. I will write again once I have had time to look further, in particular at my remaining XP/ SoftEther issue


Alan