VPN CONNECTION PROBLEMS

I have been battling the connection problem for a little over two weeks now and can't figure out if it is my inability to get a windows update that has been a problem now for almost two MONTHS OE if it is due to another problem I am having between my internet provider {Windstream} and my Google Chrome application. I do know that I was able to connect VPN prior to all the LATEST update actions {both requirements and installations}

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Alexandru_BD

Hello @Catgalkid,

What are the symptoms for the connectivity issues you are encountering? Are there any errors displayed in the VPN UI? is the VPN stuck at connecting or reconnecting?

There are a few common causes of Bitdefender VPN errors:

No Internet – Make sure your device is connected to the Internet with a fast and stable connection.
Firewall – Check that your firewall isn’t blocking the VPN. If you’re not sure, look in your router’s manual, contact the manufacturer or your Internet provider.
Another VPN or Proxy – If you’re running another VPN or Proxy, disable it when trying to connect.
Public Wi-Fi (like in a hotel, school, or office) – Contact the network administrator to see if they can change the firewall settings and allow the VPN connection.
Port 443 is blocked – Port 443 UDP must be open for Bitdefender VPN to work. Access your router’s settings by typing its IP address into a web browser (refer to your router’s manual if necessary), find “Port Forwarding” or a similar section, and ensure Port 443 with UDP protocol is allowed. Save settings, then restart router and computer.

Bitdefender VPN allows you to switch protocols. By default, Bitdefender VPN is configured to automatically select the optimal protocol for your device and network – usually a balance of speed and security. Try changing the protocol in Bitdefender VPN’s settings until you identify one that works for you.

If you’ve already checked the above reasons, I would recommend contacting the Technical Support Teams, as more information might be required to troubleshoot this. The following details may help the Bitdefender engineers troubleshoot the situation you are encountering:

The OS and version on which the VPN is running.
For traffic/subscription issues, they need to know the affected account.
For functionality issues while the VPN is connected, whether the problem occurs on a specific location or all locations
IP of the affected server(s)
For split tunneling issues - the applications/sites affected
Whether the problem occurs only on mobile data/Ethernet or only on wifi or present on both. Preferably try multiple networks
App version

Once you have this information available, head to the link below to get in touch with the Support teams for further assistance:

https://www.bitdefender.com/consumer/support/help/

State your contact reason / choose request category, then choose from the available contact channels, chat, phone and email/ticket. Chat would be the fastest way to reach them.

Let us know how it goes.

Regards,

Alex

Phystar

The previous version of Bitdefender VPN was working great with Windows 11 without port forwarding being enabled. I do not want to enable port forwarding on my router because Bitdefender screwed up. Is it possible to revert to the previous VPN version? The latest VPN sucks and won't work. Thanks.

Alexandru_BD

Hi @Phystar,

What exactly doesn't work and when? What are the symptoms? Like I wrote earlier, we need more information to be able to advise in such scenarios.
Once updated, the VPN version cannot be reverted.

Regards,

Alex

Phystar

Hi Alex,

The VPN was working fine on 5/31/2024 until after the notification "Welcome to the new VPN." I have been troubleshooting since with no success. I read your post to enable port forwarding, which I didn't have to do before. I am connected to the internet obviously, but the VPN won't connect. What's the symptom? Error code 9. Please see the attached screenshots for reference. In addition, I have Bitdefender Total Security, which managed Windows Firewall rule set, so it can't be Windows firewall issues, except Bitdefender is blocking it own services.

Bitdefender VPN Connection Issues Screenshot 2024-06-04_1.png

Bitdefender VPN Connection Issues Screenshot 2024-06-04_2.png

Alexandru_BD

Can you switch protocol to Wireguard please, and let me know if it makes any difference?

You can also test the other ones, but Wireguard would be my first pick.

Phystar

Alex,

Thanks for your response. Per your recommendation, I've tried Wireguard and the result is the same - not connected. Please see the screenshots for reference. Thank you.

Bitdefender VPN Connection Issues Screenshot 2024-06-04_3.png

Bitdefender VPN Connection Issues Screenshot 2024-06-04_4.png

Bitdefender VPN Connection Issues Screenshot 2024-06-04_5.png

Phystar

Alex,

What's next? I would prefer the previous version until Bitdefender can figure this out, please. Thanks in advance.

Alexandru_BD

Hi @Phystar,

Have you tried OpenVPN UDP and Open VPNTCP as well? I've seen another thread where the user was getting the Hydrakilled error and these two protocols worked for him:

https://community.bitdefender.com/en/discussion/comment/339320#Comment_339320

Going forward, if switching the protocols doesn't solve the issue, head to the link below to get in touch with the Support teams, as more information might be required to troubleshoot this. It looks like we've exhausted all the basic troubleshooting steps and usual things to check when this error happens, so it may be necessary to ask the engineers to have a look there. The VPN cannot be reverted to a previous version, once updated. You can get in touch with the Bitdefender engineers by choosing one of the contact channels listed here:

https://www.bitdefender.com/consumer/support/help/

State your contact reason, / choose request category, then choose from the available contact channels, chat, phone and email/ticket. Chat would be the fastest way to reach them.

Let us know how it goes.

Regards,

Alex

Phystar

Hi Alex,

Thanks for the above post with this excerpt.

My results were as follows…..
Automatic - No connection error 1(Hydrakilled)Hydra
Catapult - No connection error 1(Hydrakilled) or error code9
OpenVPN UDP - Connects
OpenVPN TCP - Connects
Wireguard - Connects

Question? Do you have port forwarding enabled on your router? If so, then any of the above protocols would work.

My ISP warned me not to enable port forwarding on my home wireless network as doing so would make my network vulnerable to cyber-attack, and I agreed. I am not accepting that risk because Bitdefender screwed up. I may have to cancel my subscription and go with a competitor product.

Thanks again for your time and assistance.