VPN, why does Vodafone block them?

[NikkiJas]

I’ve seen several websites mention the advantages of setting up a VPN. Some even give you the top 10. Approx 6-8 weeks ago I tried clicking on the links to the VON website but they were blocked. Discussions with Vodafone seemed to unblock approx half of the top 10 recommended VPN companies. This week, back to square one, all VPN websites are blocked. Why are Vodafone blocking such website when many technical website suggest them for improved security? 

[Anonymous]

So, the first thing you'll want to do is log into the router at HTTP://192.168.1.1 and change to expert settings.  Then find the DNS server entries and change them.  I'd probably go with either Cloudflare DNS at 1.1.1.1 or 1.0.0.1 or Google DNS at 8.8.8.8 or 8.8.4.4

Or a combination of the two such as 1.0.0.1 and 8.8.4.4

Give that a go, and see if it makes the sites you are trying to reach accessible!

[NikkiJas]

Hi, I managed to log in as you suggested but I have no idea what I am doing after that therefore left well alone. As a paying customer why should I have to go to these lengths to access some websites, beggars belief. Vodafone support claim they have tried to help and be unable to do so. Maybe thats just lip service, i dont know but there are websites that should be accessible but I cant get into them. 

[clint_flick]

Hi

See the attachment.

Why do car makers give you options to have the interior/courtesy light ON / OFF when you have parked the car?

Only open the drivers door remotely, not the passenger ones?

An option you can choose, so VodaFone.......................

[Anonymous]

Regards DNS speeds:  These are my current results from Steve Gibson's DNS Benchmark program.  These were taken under far from perfect conditions, our broadband being maxed out by a streaming game on Stadia, a 4K streaming movie, YouTube, online music and multiple social media all being used while the test took place---

_____________

Final benchmark results, sorted by nameserver performance:
(average cached name retrieval speed, fastest to slowest)

192.168. 1. 4 | Min | Avg | Max |Std.Dev|Reliab%|
----------------+-------+-------+-------+-------+-------+
- Cached Name | 0.002 | 0.003 | 0.006 | 0.000 | 100.0 |
- Uncached Name | 0.020 | 0.062 | 0.238 | 0.057 | 100.0 |
- DotCom Lookup | 0.022 | 0.031 | 0.039 | 0.005 | 100.0 |
---<-------->---+-------+-------+-------+-------+-------+
raspi1.broadband
Local Network Nameserver

192.168. 1. 5 | Min | Avg | Max |Std.Dev|Reliab%|
----------------+-------+-------+-------+-------+-------+
- Cached Name | 0.002 | 0.003 | 0.005 | 0.000 | 100.0 |
- Uncached Name | 0.020 | 0.066 | 0.320 | 0.069 | 100.0 |
- DotCom Lookup | 0.022 | 0.030 | 0.037 | 0.005 | 100.0 |
---<-------->---+-------+-------+-------+-------+-------+
raspi2.broadband
Local Network Nameserver

192.168. 1. 1 | Min | Avg | Max |Std.Dev|Reliab%|
----------------+-------+-------+-------+-------+-------+
+ Cached Name | 0.002 | 0.003 | 0.005 | 0.000 | 100.0 |
+ Uncached Name | 0.019 | 0.075 | 0.263 | 0.072 | 100.0 |
+ DotCom Lookup | 0.022 | 0.030 | 0.038 | 0.005 | 100.0 |
---<-------->---+-------+-------+-------+-------+-------+
RT-AC86U-55A8.broadband
Local Network Nameserver

83.146. 21. 5 | Min | Avg | Max |Std.Dev|Reliab%|
----------------+-------+-------+-------+-------+-------+
- Cached Name | 0.011 | 0.012 | 0.015 | 0.001 | 100.0 |
- Uncached Name | 0.014 | 0.040 | 0.195 | 0.037 | 100.0 |
- DotCom Lookup | 0.022 | 0.026 | 0.035 | 0.003 | 100.0 |
---<-------->---+-------+-------+-------+-------+-------+
cht-dns.dslgb.com
DSTL, EU

83.146. 21. 6 | Min | Avg | Max |Std.Dev|Reliab%|
----------------+-------+-------+-------+-------+-------+
- Cached Name | 0.011 | 0.012 | 0.014 | 0.001 | 100.0 |
- Uncached Name | 0.014 | 0.042 | 0.196 | 0.041 | 100.0 |
- DotCom Lookup | 0.021 | 0.029 | 0.089 | 0.013 | 100.0 |
---<-------->---+-------+-------+-------+-------+-------+
cht-dns.dslgb.com
DSTL, EU

212.158.248. 5 | Min | Avg | Max |Std.Dev|Reliab%|
----------------+-------+-------+-------+-------+-------+
- Cached Name | 0.010 | 0.012 | 0.014 | 0.001 | 100.0 |
- Uncached Name | 0.014 | 0.042 | 0.196 | 0.038 | 100.0 |
- DotCom Lookup | 0.021 | 0.029 | 0.089 | 0.013 | 100.0 |
---<-------->---+-------+-------+-------+-------+-------+
mcr-dns.dslgb.com
UDEL-DCN, US

212.158.248. 6 | Min | Avg | Max |Std.Dev|Reliab%|
----------------+-------+-------+-------+-------+-------+
- Cached Name | 0.011 | 0.012 | 0.012 | 0.000 | 100.0 |
- Uncached Name | 0.014 | 0.043 | 0.231 | 0.045 | 100.0 |
- DotCom Lookup | 0.021 | 0.026 | 0.036 | 0.004 | 100.0 |
---<-------->---+-------+-------+-------+-------+-------+
mcr-dns.dslgb.com
UDEL-DCN, US

195. 92.195. 94 | Min | Avg | Max |Std.Dev|Reliab%|
----------------+-------+-------+-------+-------+-------+
- Cached Name | 0.011 | 0.012 | 0.015 | 0.001 | 100.0 |
- Uncached Name | 0.024 | 0.069 | 0.304 | 0.074 | 100.0 |
- DotCom Lookup | 0.020 | 0.028 | 0.089 | 0.016 | 100.0 |
---<-------->---+-------+-------+-------+-------+-------+
··· no official Internet DNS name ···
SYMBOLICS, US

195. 92.195. 95 | Min | Avg | Max |Std.Dev|Reliab%|
----------------+-------+-------+-------+-------+-------+
- Cached Name | 0.011 | 0.013 | 0.017 | 0.001 | 100.0 |
- Uncached Name | 0.018 | 0.054 | 0.220 | 0.055 | 100.0 |
- DotCom Lookup | 0.020 | 0.025 | 0.088 | 0.010 | 100.0 |
---<-------->---+-------+-------+-------+-------+-------+
··· no official Internet DNS name ···
SYMBOLICS, US

____________

Those are just the top results.  Bizarrely the mcr.dslgb.net servers (just 3 hops in tracert) are at 100% accuracy today, but I still wouldn't trust them!

[NikkiJas]

Update, Using Google I found this, plus others complaining about Vodafone blocking VPN’s, https://www.dpscomputing.com/blog/2020/01/04/uk-broadband-providers-block-popular-websites/ It helped me understand a bit more what you were suggesting re . DNS server settings. I manually changed them to the Google ones you suggested. I then checked the ‘10 best VPN services’ as claimed by T3.com https://www.t3.com/features/best-vpn-2020 Yesterday I was unable to access any if them via the links. Just now I can click through to all their websites. So it appears the automatic DNS configerarion blocks VPN’s. No? 

[Anonymous]

Vodafone's content controls block specific websites, but if you don't use Vodafone's own DNS servers you circumvent those blocks.

Currently, Vodafone's own DNS servers are so bad that even with content controls turned off they even block access to some of Vodafone's own sites!  Trying to report such issues is enough to remove the will to live!

[PearceUK]

Perfect..Worked Thanks 🙂

It’s likely once you log in you’ll be in ‘basic’ mode. There should be a button to switch to ‘Expert’ mode – click this, and click OK on any scary warning saying ‘you really need to know what you’re doing’. Essentially, DNS settings are hidden outside of ‘Expert’ or ‘Advanced’ modes.

Inside your router settings panel they’ll be a DNS option – select this and it’ll display your current settings – likely to be set on ‘Auto’ or similar default (unless you’ve changed them previously).

Switch to ‘manual’ which should then prompt you to enter a primary DNS server IP and an optional secondary DNS server IP. In these boxes, you should enter the IP addresses of your preferred DNS service.

If you don’t have one in mind, Google’s public DNS is a good place to start (and will ‘unblock’ sites like Disqus!) so change your settings to:

• Primary DNS Server: 8 . 8 . 8 . 8
• Secondary DNS Server: 8 . 8 . 4 . 4

[PearceUK]

I have the same issue with VF business brodaband blocking all competitor VPN websites. The only VPN I can see if Vodafone!
Did you find a solution?

[PearceUK]

Here's a solution...
Log onto your vodafone router 192.168.1.1

It’s likely once you log in you’ll be in ‘basic’ mode. There should be a button to switch to ‘Expert’ mode (top right)– click this, and click OK on any scary warning saying ‘you really need to know what you’re doing’. Essentially, DNS settings are hidden outside of ‘Expert’ or ‘Advanced’ modes.

Inside your router settings panel they’ll be a DNS option – select this and it’ll display your current settings – likely to be set on ‘Auto’ or similar default (unless you’ve changed them previously).

Switch to ‘manual’ which should then prompt you to enter a primary DNS server IP and an optional secondary DNS server IP. In these boxes, you should enter the IP addresses of your preferred DNS service.

If you don’t have one in mind, Google’s public DNS is a good place to start (and will ‘unblock’ sites like Disqus!) so change your settings to:

Primary DNS Server: 8 . 8 . 8 . 8
Secondary DNS Server: 8 . 8 . 4 . 4

This will bypass Vodafone VPN website name blocking 

[PearceUK]

I have the same issue.
Vodafone broadband are blocking all VPN websites, let alone the VPN services, except Vodafone VPN. I don't have any content control turned on. This is antics of big brother and not accpetable