VPNMON VPNMON-R2 v2.65 -Jan 27, 2024- DISCONTINUED - Upgrade to VPNMON-R3 Available! (#3)

[Viktor Jaep]

Happy to report that VPNMON-R2 recovered completely on its own after a forced Skynet update, which borks the iptables and whatnot after a major upgrade, causing unbound to get thrown off, and then starts using your WAN IP as the DNS resolver. VPNMON-R2 wasn't having that...

Sat May 27 21:17:25 EDT 2023 - VPNMON-R2 ----------> INFO: Unbound DNS Resolver Out-of-Sync - Executing VPN Reset
Sat May 27 21:17:25 EDT 2023 - VPNMON-R2 - Executing VPN Reset
Sat May 27 21:17:36 EDT 2023 - VPNMON-R2 - Killed all VPN Client Connections
Sat May 27 21:18:09 EDT 2023 - VPNMON-R2 - Updated Skynet Whitelist
Sat May 27 21:18:30 EDT 2023 - VPNMON-R2 - Refreshed VPN Slots 1 - 5 from 2066 SuperRandom NordVPN Server Locations
Sat May 27 21:18:31 EDT 2023 - VPNMON-R2 - Randomly selected VPN5 Client ON
Sat May 27 21:18:37 EDT 2023 - VPNMON-R2 - VPN Reset Finished
Sat May 27 21:18:39 EDT 2023 - VPNMON-R2 - Resuming normal operations

Public VPN Exit IP == DNS Resolver IP once again.

 

[iTyPsIDg]

Before I spend money on it, do you see any reason (since you wrote it) that VPNMON-R2 would lose usefulness if set up with a dedicated IP address from Nord?

 

[Viktor Jaep]

Before I spend money on it, do you see any reason (since you wrote it) that VPNMON-R2 would lose usefulness if set up with a dedicated IP address from Nord?

The only thing it would really be useful for is to recover from a stalled connection, disconnection, or if utilization was going high, etc... and hopefully reconnecting would resolve those issues. Since they're giving you a static IP, I hope that the backend you're connecting into has a lot of redundancy built-in to prevent these issues, instead of everyone piling onto 1 server with a bunch of static IPs assigned to it.

Not quite sure what kind of address they give you to connect to, but perhaps it's more of a wildcard address that you could populate across 5 VPN slots, and still let vpnmon randomly pick across the 5 when something does bring your vpn connection down.

If you do end up getting this, please let us know how this service works, what you had to do to configure it on the router, etc. Definitely curious!

 

[iTyPsIDg]

I am willing to try paying for it at least once to see if it solves my problems.

For example, thanks to the Unbound thread you started, I found the nat-start changes I had to make so the root requests go through the VPN; however, Hulu still notices I'm on a VPN. I want to use Unbound instead of Nord's SmartDNS. Maybe the address won't be blocked if I have a private IP. It's worth a shot.

 

[iTyPsIDg]

I am willing to try paying for it at least once to see if it solves my problems.

For example, thanks to the Unbound thread you started, I found the nat-start changes I had to make so the root requests go through the VPN; however, Hulu still notices I'm on a VPN. I want to use Unbound instead of Nord's SmartDNS. Maybe the address won't be blocked if I have a private IP. It's worth a shot.

Unfortunately, Hulu still notices the VPN.

I can access USPS.com again now, though.

 

[Viktor Jaep]

Unfortunately, Hulu still notices the VPN.

I can access USPS.com again now, though.

Getting around these damn streaming services is the bain of our existence.

 

[iTyPsIDg]

Getting around these damn streaming services is the bain of our existence.

Agreed.

If I want Diversion for ad-blocking and I want to stream, I can't use Unbound.

The private IP will allow me to see fewer CAPTCHAs, but I'm not sure that's worth doubling the cost of the VPN.

I think I'll have to turn Unbound back off and revert to Nord's SmartDNS. At least that lets me use Diversion even on my FireStick.

 

[Viktor Jaep]

Agreed.

If I want Diversion for ad-blocking and I want to stream, I can't use Unbound.

The private IP will allow me to see fewer CAPTCHAs, but I'm not sure that's worth doubling the cost of the VPN.

I think I'll have to turn Unbound back off and revert to Nord's SmartDNS. At least that lets me use Diversion even on my FireStick.

Not sure what country you're in, but I wasn't going to deal with this headache. I just excluded our main TV from the rest of my VPN policy requirements, so it's one of the only devices on my network that is allowed straight out over the WAN, and doesn't have to deal with VPN/Unbound limitations. This way, there is zero trouble reaching any streaming service.

 

[iTyPsIDg]

I'm in the US for now, so I figured it was a perfect time to test. I leave again in September.

 

[Viktor Jaep]

I'm in the US for now, so I figured it was a perfect time to test. I leave again in September.

Yeah, you better have a working method before you fire up your router in some severely internet-hobbled country again!

 

[Viktor Jaep]

Just a minor bug fix update today... Enjoy! Trying to clean house a little... Carry on!

What's new?
v2.59 - (June 24, 2023)
- FIXED: Couple of items relating to ensuring Unbound resolver DNS IP would be correctly reflected on screen if any of the other VPN reset events were triggered. This could at times cause a reset looping issue.
- FIXED: Optimizations and bugfixes

Download Link (or update directly within the script or AMTM)

curl --retry 3 "https://raw.githubusercontent.com/ViktorJp/VPNMON-R2/master/vpnmon-r2-2.59.sh" -o "/jffs/scripts/vpnmon-r2.sh" && chmod 755 "/jffs/scripts/vpnmon-r2.sh"

 

[hw1380]

I'm about to install vpnmon but I've some questions: you were telling in your initial comment that vpnmon and vpnmgr do complement to each other.
Is that still the case? Because I fear that each script will overwrite the configuration of the other.
I'd also like to know if there's a recommended sequence of installation/configuration of both scripts.
Do I need to prepare the VPN slots prior to start any configuration?

 

[Viktor Jaep]

I'm about to install vpnmon but I've some questions: you were telling in your initial comment that vpnmon and vpnmgr do complement to each other.
Is that still the case? Because I fear that each script will overwrite the configuration of the other.
I'd also like to know if there's a recommended sequence of installation/configuration of both scripts.
Do I need to prepare the VPN slots prior to start any configuration?

They should still compliment each other! I haven't tried for a very long time... but yes, you will need to get everything running under vpnmgr first. And that does include ensuring that each slot you want to use has a valid VPN configuration that works. Once you have that working, install vpnmon, and when going through the config, make sure you indicate that you are using vpnmgr so it doesn't interfere too much.

 

[hw1380]

They should still compliment each other! I haven't tried for a very long time... but yes, you will need to get everything running under vpnmgr first. And that does include ensuring that each slot you want to use has a valid VPN configuration that works. Once you have that working, install vpnmon, and when going through the config, make sure you indicate that you are using vpnmgr so it doesn't interfere too much.

Thanks.
I've now setup both vpnmgr and vpnmon.
After switching to monitor mode, the vpnmon script is in a "ERROR: WAN DOWN" loop though my WAN connection is fine and can browse the internet.
No VPN connected because vpnmon stopped it.

Router: RT-AC86U/386.11

 

[Viktor Jaep]

Thanks.
I've now setup both vpnmgr and vpnmon.
After switching to monitor mode, the vpnmon script is in a "ERROR: WAN DOWN" loop though my WAN connection is fine and can browse the internet.
No VPN connected because vpnmon stopped it.

Router: RT-AC86U/386.11

This may indicate that you are not able to reach Google (8.8.8.8) on port 443. Do you have this blocked?

This is the command that's being run to determine if your WAN is up. Copy & paste into a terminal window on your router, and see what it returns?

 nc -w3 8.8.8.8 443 && echo | openssl s_client -connect 8.8.8.8:443 | awk 'handshake && $1 == "Verification" { if ($2=="OK") exit; exit 1 } $1 $2 == "SSLhandshake" { handshake = 1 }'

 

[hw1380]

This may indicate that you are not able to reach Google (8.8.8.8) on port 443. Do you have this blocked?

Yes, indeed I have. Good catch.
After changing the value of the variable testssl from 8.8.8.8 to 1.1.1.1, the WAN error disappeared.
Thanks.

 

[hw1380]

This may indicate that you are not able to reach Google (8.8.8.8) on port 443. Do you have this blocked?

This is the command that's being run to determine if your WAN is up. Copy & paste into a terminal window on your router, and see what it returns?

 nc -w3 8.8.8.8 443 && echo | openssl s_client -connect 8.8.8.8:443 | awk 'handshake && $1 == "Verification" { if ($2=="OK") exit; exit 1 } $1 $2 == "SSLhandshake" { handshake = 1 }'

I noticed that the WAN check does take up to 20 seconds, no matter which IP I use, but I do not know if that is only at my end.
Hence, I've installed the ncat command via entware and the WAN check command finishes almost instantly.

ncat -z -w3 1.1.1.1 443 && echo | openssl s_client -connect 1.1.1.1:443 | awk 'handshake && $1 == "Verification" { if ($
2=="OK") exit; exit 1 } $1 $2 == "SSLhandshake" { handshake = 1 }'

 

[Viktor Jaep]

I noticed that the WAN check does take up to 20 seconds, no matter which IP I use, but I do not know if that is only at my end.
Hence, I've installed the ncat command via entware and the WAN check command finishes almost instantly.

ncat -z -w3 1.1.1.1 443 && echo | openssl s_client -connect 1.1.1.1:443 | awk 'handshake && $1 == "Verification" { if ($
2=="OK") exit; exit 1 } $1 $2 == "SSLhandshake" { handshake = 1 }'

I try to use as many tools as possible that come vanilla with the firmware as to not have to download a slew of entware mods/tools unless absolutely necessary... NC takes about 10 seconds for me, which is doable... especially since it's just running in the background for 99.999% of the day anyways.

 

[salvo]

Hello @Viktor Jaep

I experience issue where VPNMON got stacked on VPN reset after WAN IP connection get back on, let me explain:

Thu Jul 20 22:56:40 CEST 2023 : WAN int lost connection on
Fri Jul 21 18:49:53 CEST 2023 : WAN int got back on
As internet was still not working I have to log in to router, execute vpnmon-r2.sh -screen and have seen that VPNMON script got stacked
I have to cancel the script (Ctrl+C) and run again vpnmon-r2.sh -screen and it started working (internet was reachable via VPN)

Just to note i am using killswitch from eibgrad which I do not think have an impact to this issue but just mentioning.

Thu Jul 20 22:56:40 CEST 2023 - VPNMON-R2 ----------> ERROR: WAN CONNECTIVITY ISSUE DETECTED
Thu Jul 20 22:56:46 CEST 2023 - VPNMON-R2 - WAN Link Detected -- Trying to reconnect/Reset VPN
Thu Jul 20 22:57:50 CEST 2023 - VPNMON-R2 - Executing VPN Reset
Thu Jul 20 22:57:59 CEST 2023 - VPNMON-R2 - Killed all VPN Client Connections
Thu Jul 20 22:58:02 CEST 2023 - VPNMON-R2 ----------> ERROR: WAN CONNECTIVITY ISSUE DETECTED
Thu Jul 20 22:58:02 CEST 2023 - VPNMON-R2 ----------> ERROR: WAN CONNECTIVITY ISSUE DETECTED. VPN RESET TERMINATED.
Thu Jul 20 22:58:08 CEST 2023 - VPNMON-R2 - WAN Link Detected -- Trying to reconnect/Reset VPN
Thu Jul 20 22:59:12 CEST 2023 - VPNMON-R2 - Executing VPN Reset
Thu Jul 20 22:59:22 CEST 2023 - VPNMON-R2 - Killed all VPN Client Connections
........
Fri Jul 21 04:14:58 CEST 2023 - VPNMON-R2 ----------> ERROR: WAN CONNECTIVITY ISSUE DETECTED
Fri Jul 21 04:14:58 CEST 2023 - VPNMON-R2 ----------> ERROR: WAN CONNECTIVITY ISSUE DETECTED. VPN RESET TERMINATED.
Fri Jul 21 04:15:04 CEST 2023 - VPNMON-R2 - WAN Link Detected -- Trying to reconnect/Reset VPN
Fri Jul 21 04:16:09 CEST 2023 - VPNMON-R2 - Executing VPN Reset
Fri Jul 21 19:29:53 CEST 2023 - VPNMON-R2 - API call made to update WAN0 city to Brno
Fri Jul 21 19:29:57 CEST 2023 - VPNMON-R2 ----------> ERROR: VPN0 Connection failed - Executing VPN Reset
Fri Jul 21 19:29:57 CEST 2023 - VPNMON-R2 - Executing VPN Reset
Fri Jul 21 19:30:07 CEST 2023 - VPNMON-R2 - Killed all VPN Client Connections
Fri Jul 21 19:30:41 CEST 2023 - VPNMON-R2 - Refreshed VPN Slots 1 - 5 from 5 Recommended NordVPN Server Locations
Fri Jul 21 19:30:42 CEST 2023 - VPNMON-R2 - Randomly selected VPN5 Client ON
Fri Jul 21 19:30:47 CEST 2023 - VPNMON-R2 - VPN Reset Finished
Fri Jul 21 19:30:49 CEST 2023 - VPNMON-R2 - Resuming normal operations
Fri Jul 21 19:31:01 CEST 2023 - VPNMON-R2 - API call made to update WAN0 city to Brno
Fri Jul 21 19:31:01 CEST 2023 - VPNMON-R2 - API call made to update VPN city to Prague

 

[Viktor Jaep]

Hello @Viktor Jaep

I experience issue where VPNMON got stacked on VPN reset after WAN IP connection get back on, let me explain:

Thu Jul 20 22:56:40 CEST 2023 : WAN int lost connection on
Fri Jul 21 18:49:53 CEST 2023 : WAN int got back on
As internet was still not working I have to log in to router, execute vpnmon-r2.sh -screen and have seen that VPNMON script got stacked
I have to cancel the script (Ctrl+C) and run again vpnmon-r2.sh -screen and it started working (internet was reachable via VPN)

Just to note i am using killswitch from eibgrad which I do not think have an impact to this issue but just mentioning.

Thu Jul 20 22:56:40 CEST 2023 - VPNMON-R2 ----------> ERROR: WAN CONNECTIVITY ISSUE DETECTED
Thu Jul 20 22:56:46 CEST 2023 - VPNMON-R2 - WAN Link Detected -- Trying to reconnect/Reset VPN
Thu Jul 20 22:57:50 CEST 2023 - VPNMON-R2 - Executing VPN Reset
Thu Jul 20 22:57:59 CEST 2023 - VPNMON-R2 - Killed all VPN Client Connections
Thu Jul 20 22:58:02 CEST 2023 - VPNMON-R2 ----------> ERROR: WAN CONNECTIVITY ISSUE DETECTED
Thu Jul 20 22:58:02 CEST 2023 - VPNMON-R2 ----------> ERROR: WAN CONNECTIVITY ISSUE DETECTED. VPN RESET TERMINATED.
Thu Jul 20 22:58:08 CEST 2023 - VPNMON-R2 - WAN Link Detected -- Trying to reconnect/Reset VPN
Thu Jul 20 22:59:12 CEST 2023 - VPNMON-R2 - Executing VPN Reset
Thu Jul 20 22:59:22 CEST 2023 - VPNMON-R2 - Killed all VPN Client Connections
........
Fri Jul 21 04:14:58 CEST 2023 - VPNMON-R2 ----------> ERROR: WAN CONNECTIVITY ISSUE DETECTED
Fri Jul 21 04:14:58 CEST 2023 - VPNMON-R2 ----------> ERROR: WAN CONNECTIVITY ISSUE DETECTED. VPN RESET TERMINATED.
Fri Jul 21 04:15:04 CEST 2023 - VPNMON-R2 - WAN Link Detected -- Trying to reconnect/Reset VPN
Fri Jul 21 04:16:09 CEST 2023 - VPNMON-R2 - Executing VPN Reset
Fri Jul 21 19:29:53 CEST 2023 - VPNMON-R2 - API call made to update WAN0 city to Brno
Fri Jul 21 19:29:57 CEST 2023 - VPNMON-R2 ----------> ERROR: VPN0 Connection failed - Executing VPN Reset
Fri Jul 21 19:29:57 CEST 2023 - VPNMON-R2 - Executing VPN Reset
Fri Jul 21 19:30:07 CEST 2023 - VPNMON-R2 - Killed all VPN Client Connections
Fri Jul 21 19:30:41 CEST 2023 - VPNMON-R2 - Refreshed VPN Slots 1 - 5 from 5 Recommended NordVPN Server Locations
Fri Jul 21 19:30:42 CEST 2023 - VPNMON-R2 - Randomly selected VPN5 Client ON
Fri Jul 21 19:30:47 CEST 2023 - VPNMON-R2 - VPN Reset Finished
Fri Jul 21 19:30:49 CEST 2023 - VPNMON-R2 - Resuming normal operations
Fri Jul 21 19:31:01 CEST 2023 - VPNMON-R2 - API call made to update WAN0 city to Brno
Fri Jul 21 19:31:01 CEST 2023 - VPNMON-R2 - API call made to update VPN city to Prague

What do you mean with "got stacked"? There is a possibility that it couldn't reconnect because of the Killswitch. How do you have vpnmon configured?