NordVPN is driving me crazy... send help!

VPN
1

Hi, so after years of trying solutions (I’m not kidding for years !!) nothing helps … I’ll describe the problem briefly otherwise I can dig into it for hours…

So here’s it: the problem is OpenVPN and NordVPN

I am connected to a server that is in Israel but some sites think I am in the Netherlands (mainly Google and YouTube) …

At first I blamed NordVPN and thought something was screwed up on their servers … I talked to their support for months - cat and mouse - did not exactly lead to anything.

All settings in pfsense are correct !!! (Or at least that’s what it looks like)

But today I said enough! After years of suffering I was once in Israel and once in another country (long story but I have to pass all Google services and a few other things via VPN because my ISP slows them down to a level where you can not watch a 720P video on YouTube)

Today I decided to install pfsense on another computer and configure nordvpn on it and see if it is a problem only for me or a problem with them (because through NordVPN’s applications for the various devices everything is fine)

And I was shocked, in the new installation of the pfsense everything is fine !!! no problem at all!

I immediately started comparing settings - everything is the same, one by one everything is the same !!!

At this point I have already started to ask myself the meaning of life … (yes … I have reached this stage already)

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Anyway, what do you do? Anyone know this problem? Solutions? Ideas?

All vpn settings are according to nord’s guide

I’m running the latest version of pfsense - 2.5.2

I will note that I have a few more OpenVPN clients running on this pfsense

And I also use CloudFlare DNS and DoT (it’s a must otherwise I will not have internet …)

I have attached a picture of the rules.

Regarding things I need to attach, files, screenshots … say what I need and I will add.

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2

For comparison, download a backup of each pfSense instance and compare them side by side with something like Notepad++.

My guess is it’s your DNS; if you are not routing your DNS through the VPN, you may be getting back different DNS resolution than if DNS was routed through the VPN. Try one of the “VPN Leak Test” type sites.

3

Consider saving the config file for each of the two pfsense boxes and doing a diff to see what’s different between the two xml settings files.

I’d be interested in your findings! I also had very inconsistent experience setting up openvpn using seemingly identical process sometimes worked and sometimes not. Over time, my setups worked successfully more and more often, and I chucked it to gaining experience, but your story is intriguing.

4

Are you blocking webRTC at the browser level?
Maybe that is how they know you’re in the Netherlands (or are you not)?

Also, have you checked the Nord’s server’s IP to see where it is located?

5

It doesn’t appear to be DNS. Also in the new installation I use CloudFlare DNS not NordVPN’s DNS and it works.
And I also checked DNS Leak Test and it doesn’t seem to be any problems.
As for comparing the config I need to think about how to do it because in the main pfsense (where I have all the problems) there are a lot more problems and more interfaces …
I think maybe just download the part of OpenVPN and look only at the part of Nord but I do not think it will help me so much

6

There will be a lot of differences between the configs because in the main pfsense (where the problem is) I have a lot more stuff and more interfaces … (where everything is fine this is a new installation) so need to think how to do it. At first I thought of downloading only the part of OpenVPN but I do not think it will help me too much

7

Nope, I’m in Israel and I’m connecting an Israel nordvpn server and the IP of the Nord server is also in Israel… The problem is more deeper

8

Post up screenshots of your DNS Resolver, General Setup, OpenVPN Client for Nord, and any firewall rules or NATs you have configured for DNS. It could be DNS but we’d have to see how you have it configured.

It could also be on Nord’s end if they’re routing exit traffic to a different server than the one you’re connecting to. I know some other VPN providers do this depending on the config you use, but for us it makes sense to look at DNS first.

9

Attaches all the screenshots you requested, hope everything is there. The screenshots are from my main Pfsense (where there are all the issues) The settings in the screenshots are the same as the new installation of the pfsense (where everything works)
All screenshots are on the link (Reddit doesn’t let me attach them here)https://mega.nz/folder/5FpVyIpI#Mp8Qw2V_qiQ008QBZvY7EA