Sky Go Desktop Application

wheelermk

Hi, is there a solution to allow the SkyGo desktop application to work via BD VPN. I have added the application to the split-tunneling bypass list, however it still fails to connect to the service. If I disable the BD VPN, SkyGo will connect and allow me to watch the avialble TV programs. I have also added sky.com to the web site bypass list, this hasn't resolved the issue.

Not sure why it's failing when it doesn't even connect via VPN. My guess is the SkyGo application must connect to another address in the background that I am not aware of. I guess I could run a Wireshark trace and see if that provides any answers. If anyone else has a fix though that would be greatly appreciated.

Alexandru_BD

Hello @wheelermk,

In addition to Split-tunneling the app/website, I would also recommend switching between protocols:

https://www.bitdefender.com/consumer/support/answer/13353/

I think it’s likely that the SkyGo desktop client is using more domains, and possibly a range of servers other than just “sky.com” behind the scenes. When the SkyGo application is launched, it may reach out to multiple endpoints for content delivery, security checks, and DRM license validation. Since only “sky.com” (and presumably the main SkyGo app executable) is being bypassed in your split-tunnel list, any hidden CDN or DRM endpoints could still be traveling over the VPN. If those endpoints detect you are coming from a VPN exit node, access can get blocked..

Because the exact set of SkyGo’s endpoints can change or vary by region, you may need to run a quick packet capture (e.g., with Wireshark) to identify what domains or IP ranges the desktop app tries to contact when it starts up and when streaming begins. Once you identify the domains or IP addresses in use, you can attempt to add them to the VPN’s split-tunnel bypass list.

wheelermk

Thanks, I've tried all the available VPN protocol options, none of them fix the issue. I have been running WireShark traces and you're right there are a number of endpoints the app reaches out to. I have added these to the by-pass list but still no fix. Some of the hits are IP only so I've used nslookup to retrieve the FQDNs for these ones and added them in but again no fix. I'll keep working through the WireShark traces, could be I've missed one or more other endpoints.

Alexandru_BD

Yes, if everything works perfectly with the VPN off, that this most likely means there is a domain or address the app needs that’s still going over the tunnel. By systematically adding the discovered domains to the split-tunneling bypass, you stand the best chance of resolving the issue. If it continues to fail, you can contact Bitdefender Support and provide them with a list of domains you’ve discovered. They may be able to offer a more precise bypass approach. You can get in touch with them using the link below:

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 me know how it goes and if you managed to find a solution to this.

Regards