Ubuntu

Cannot get Internet access via WiFi without starting the VPN

Asked by atactic

Dear forum,

I am facing a weird issue with Wireless internet as I need to start my VPN to be able to connect to the internet from a self-assembled desktop.
It is clearly not related to the adapter as the same problem occurs by using an internal PCI adapter or an external USD antenna (with deactivating internal PCI adapter) even after a system restart.
Can't tell if the same problem was existing before as I was previously using a wired connection.
It is also not related to the Wifi network itself as I have connected to both a local router (both 4G/5G) and to a VPN router (both 2G/5G) but no getting any connection; with any other device (smartphones, tablets, laptops) do I get connection with any of these Wifi networks..
So I have installed OpenVPN Proton VPN that I need to start so that desktop connects to Internet.
Quite weird a situation.
Any clues where does it come from?
Thanks for helping.

nicolas@nicolas-Z97X-UD5H:~$ inxi -F
System:
  Host: nicolas-Z97X-UD5H Kernel: 5.11.0-37-generic x86_64 bits: 64
  Desktop: Gnome 3.36.9 Distro: Ubuntu 20.04.3 LTS (Focal Fossa)
Machine:
  Type: Desktop Mobo: Gigabyte model: Z97X-UD5H v: x.x
  serial: <superuser/root required> UEFI: American Megatrends v: F10
  date: 08/03/2015
CPU:
  Topology: Quad Core model: Intel Core i7-4790 bits: 64 type: MT MCP
  L2 cache: 8192 KiB
  Speed: 1130 MHz min/max: 800/4000 MHz Core speeds (MHz): 1: 1251 2: 1157
  3: 1147 4: 1032 5: 1076 6: 1092 7: 1093 8: 1164
Graphics:
  Device-1: Intel Xeon E3-1200 v3/4th Gen Core Processor Integrated Graphics
  driver: i915 v: kernel
  Device-2: NVIDIA GM200 [GeForce GTX TITAN X] driver: nvidia v: 460.91.03
  Display: x11 server: X.Org 1.20.11 driver: modesetting,nvidia
  unloaded: fbdev,nouveau,vesa resolution: 3840x2160~60Hz
  OpenGL: renderer: GeForce GTX TITAN X/PCIe/SSE2 v: 4.6.0 NVIDIA 460.91.03
Audio:
  Device-1: Intel Xeon E3-1200 v3/4th Gen Core Processor HD Audio
  driver: snd_hda_intel
  Device-2: Intel 9 Series Family HD Audio driver: snd_hda_intel
  Device-3: NVIDIA GM200 High Definition Audio driver: snd_hda_intel
  Device-4: C-Media CMI8788 [Oxygen HD Audio] driver: snd_virtuoso
  Device-5: Microsoft LifeCam HD-3000 type: USB
  driver: snd-usb-audio,uvcvideo
  Sound Server: ALSA v: k5.11.0-37-generic
Network:
  Device-1: Intel Ethernet I217-V driver: e1000e
  IF: eno1 state: down mac: 74:d4:35:ef:8e:bc
  Device-2: Broadcom and subsidiaries BCM4360 802.11ac Wireless Network
  Adapter
  driver: wl
  IF: wlp2s0 state: up mac: 54:a0:50:70:38:79
  Device-3: Qualcomm Atheros Killer E220x Gigabit Ethernet driver: alx
  IF: enp4s0 state: down mac: 74:d4:35:ef:8e:be
  IF-ID-1: ipv6leakintrf0 state: unknown speed: N/A duplex: N/A
  mac: c2:09:4c:cc:8d:c0
  IF-ID-2: proton0 state: unknown speed: 10 Mbps duplex: full mac: N/A
Drives:
  Local Storage: total: 931.51 GiB used: 708.08 GiB (76.0%)
  ID-1: /dev/nvme0n1 vendor: Smart Modular Tech. model: SHGP31-1000GM-2
  size: 931.51 GiB
Partition:
  ID-1: / size: 913.74 GiB used: 707.82 GiB (77.5%) fs: ext4 dev: /dev/dm-1
  ID-2: /boot size: 704.5 MiB used: 269.2 MiB (38.2%) fs: ext4
  dev: /dev/nvme0n1p2
  ID-3: swap-1 size: 976.0 MiB used: 0 KiB (0.0%) fs: swap dev: /dev/dm-2
Sensors:
  System Temperatures: cpu: 54.0 C mobo: 27.8 C gpu: nvidia temp: 65 C
  Fan Speeds (RPM): N/A gpu: nvidia fan: 24%
Info:
  Processes: 427 Uptime: 23m Memory: 31.18 GiB used: 5.61 GiB (18.0%)
  Shell: bash inxi: 3.0.38

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Revision history for this message
actionparsnip (andrew-woodhead666) said : 		#1

Can you ping 8.8.8.8 while not on the VPN?
Can you ping your default gateway IP while not on the VPN?
Can you ping bbc.co.uk while not on the VPN and get an IP and replies?

Revision history for this message
atactic (atactic) said (last edit ): 		#2

@actionparsnip

WITHOUT VPN

nicolas@nicolas-Z97X-UD5H:~$ ping 8.8.8.8
PING 8.8.8.8 (8.8.8.8) 56(84) bytes of data.
64 bytes from 8.8.8.8: icmp_seq=1 ttl=117 time=63.4 ms
64 bytes from 8.8.8.8: icmp_seq=2 ttl=117 time=63.7 ms
64 bytes from 8.8.8.8: icmp_seq=3 ttl=117 time=64.3 ms
64 bytes from 8.8.8.8: icmp_seq=4 ttl=117 time=62.8 ms
64 bytes from 8.8.8.8: icmp_seq=5 ttl=117 time=63.1 ms
64 bytes from 8.8.8.8: icmp_seq=6 ttl=117 time=62.8 ms
64 bytes from 8.8.8.8: icmp_seq=7 ttl=117 time=63.3 ms
64 bytes from 8.8.8.8: icmp_seq=8 ttl=117 time=64.1 ms

nicolas@nicolas-Z97X-UD5H:~$ route -n
Kernel IP routing table
Destination Gateway Genmask Flags Metric Ref Use Iface
0.0.0.0 10.30.0.1 0.0.0.0 UG 50 0 0 proton0
0.0.0.0 192.168.100.1 0.0.0.0 UG 600 0 0 wlp2s0
10.30.0.0 0.0.0.0 255.255.0.0 U 50 0 0 proton0
169.254.0.0 0.0.0.0 255.255.0.0 U 1000 0 0 wlp2s0
185.159.157.117 192.168.100.1 255.255.255.255 UGH 600 0 0 wlp2s0
192.168.100.0 0.0.0.0 255.255.255.0 U 600 0 0 wlp2s0
192.168.100.1 0.0.0.0 255.255.255.255 UH 600 0 0 wlp2s0

nicolas@nicolas-Z97X-UD5H:~$ ping 10.30.0.1
PING 10.30.0.1 (10.30.0.1) 56(84) bytes of data.
64 bytes from 10.30.0.1: icmp_seq=1 ttl=64 time=129 ms
64 bytes from 10.30.0.1: icmp_seq=2 ttl=64 time=116 ms
64 bytes from 10.30.0.1: icmp_seq=3 ttl=64 time=117 ms
64 bytes from 10.30.0.1: icmp_seq=4 ttl=64 time=115 ms
64 bytes from 10.30.0.1: icmp_seq=5 ttl=64 time=116 ms
64 bytes from 10.30.0.1: icmp_seq=6 ttl=64 time=116 ms

nicolas@nicolas-Z97X-UD5H:~$ ping 192.168.100.1
PING 192.168.100.1 (192.168.100.1) 56(84) bytes of data.
64 bytes from 192.168.100.1: icmp_seq=1 ttl=64 time=1.15 ms
64 bytes from 192.168.100.1: icmp_seq=2 ttl=64 time=1.84 ms
64 bytes from 192.168.100.1: icmp_seq=3 ttl=64 time=1.65 ms
64 bytes from 192.168.100.1: icmp_seq=4 ttl=64 time=1.84 ms
64 bytes from 192.168.100.1: icmp_seq=5 ttl=64 time=1.89 ms
64 bytes from 192.168.100.1: icmp_seq=6 ttl=64 time=1.79 ms
64 bytes from 192.168.100.1: icmp_seq=7 ttl=64 time=1.80 ms

nicolas@nicolas-Z97X-UD5H:~$ ping bbc.co.uk
ping: bbc.co.uk: Temporary failure in name resolution

WITH VPN SET ON UK (returns one single line):

nicolas@nicolas-Z97X-UD5H:~$ ping bbc.co.uk
PING bbc.co.uk (151.101.0.81) 56(84) bytes of data.

Revision history for this message
Manfred Hampl (m-hampl) said : 		#3

"ping: bbc.co.uk: Temporary failure in name resolution"

What are the DNS server settings on your system (with and without VPN)?

Revision history for this message
atactic (atactic) said : 		#4

Which command line should I type please?

Revision history for this message
actionparsnip (andrew-woodhead666) said : 		#5

Try (off the VPN)

echo "nameserver 8.8.8.8" | sudo tee /etc/resolv.conf > /dev/null

Then try Web access. Is it OK?

Revision history for this message
atactic (atactic) said (last edit ): 		#6

Yes, but if I switch to the second router I have no access any more and need to enter that line of code again.
Same when reverting back to primary router, access is gone and need to enter this command again.

Revision history for this message
atactic (atactic) said : 		#7

By the way the same behavior I observe on my laptop with same Ubuntu install, configuration, and software packages.

Revision history for this message
actionparsnip (andrew-woodhead666) said : 		#8

Does setting the DNS server to 8.8.8.8 using my command work?

Revision history for this message
atactic (atactic) said (last edit ): 		#9

Yes, but exactly as I said above.
Connect to local router, turned-off VPN in Ubuntu settings, no internet access.
Enter the command, get internet access.
Switch to second router (a VPN router), turned-off VPN in Ubuntu settings, no internet access.
Enter the command, get internet access.
Switch back to local router, turned-off VPN in Ubuntu settings, no internet access.
Need to reenter the command to get internet access.

So it is a temporary solution that needs to be applied every time I reconnect to the one or the other router, but not yet a fix for the problem.

Revision history for this message
actionparsnip (andrew-woodhead666) said : 		#10

Sounds like a DHCP issue with it not giving out DNS. You can make the setting stick with:

echo "nameserver 8.8.8.8" | sudo tee -a /etc/resolvconf/resolv.conf.d/head > /dev/null
echo "nameserver 8.8.4.4" | sudo tee -a /etc/resolvconf/resolv.conf.d/head > /dev/null

Reboot to test. Should be OK

Revision history for this message
atactic (atactic) said : 		#11

Hmmm!

nicolas@nicolas-Z97X-UD5H:~$ echo "nameserver 8.8.8.8" | sudo tee -a /etc/resolvconf/resolv.conf.d/head > /dev/null
[sudo] password for nicolas:
tee: /etc/resolvconf/resolv.conf.d/head: No such file or directory
nicolas@nicolas-Z97X-UD5H:~$ echo "nameserver 8.8.4.4" | sudo tee -a /etc/resolvconf/resolv.conf.d/head > /dev/null
tee: /etc/resolvconf/resolv.conf.d/head: No such file or directory

Revision history for this message
actionparsnip (andrew-woodhead666) said : 		#12

Oh. I guess it's changed (I'm very old school). If you set the DNS server IPs to those in network manager they should apply.

Have you tried rebooting your router?

Revision history for this message
atactic (atactic) said : 		#13

Rebooting the router does not bring about any change to the connectivity issue.
I am wondering if it is the local router no pushing the DNS, and if it is doing so, if the issue is passed through the VPN router, or if it is a glitch with Ubuntu since I have the same issue on my two machines, a laptop and a desktop.

Revision history for this message
atactic (atactic) said : 		#14

Router Info:
https://ibb.co/wSHWMcR

IPv4 info:
https://ibb.co/W3n2nkH

Network details:
https://ibb.co/q1N3V6B

IPv4 Settings in Ubuntu
https://ibb.co/2c6jXDK

Revision history for this message
Manfred Hampl (m-hampl) said : 		#15

Can you successfully ping the DNS servers that are set by your provider, 84.235.6.55 and 84.235.57.230?

You could try switching from Automatic DNS to manual (with 8.8.8.8 and 8.8.4.4) in the setting dialogue https://ibb.co/2c6jXDK

Revision history for this message
atactic (atactic) said : 		#16

Of course I have tried this already.
Entering both '8.8.8.8, 8.8.4.4', or '84.235.6.55, 84.235.57.230' in manual DNS settings (and applying them of course) but to not avail.
With unactivated VPB from the Ubuntu settings I still cannot connect to Internet.
This is really a weird thing.

Revision history for this message
atactic (atactic) said : 		#17

I have installed same Ubuntu version on my Wife's laptop but she has surprisingly no issue to access internet when connected to either of the two routers. May be is it one the packages or softwares I have installed on my two machines that is messing up with the internet settings?

Revision history for this message
Launchpad Janitor (janitor) said : 		#18

This question was expired because it remained in the 'Open' state without activity for the last 15 days.