Just got NordVPN 4 days ago and it has been causing issues accessing my 3 unraid servers on the LAN when connected to the VPN. All are on version 6.12.9.

 

The first day when installing it and connecting to the VPN it was just the Backup server I couldn't access at first in Explorer or GUI by hostname. Adding Windows Explorer to the NordVPN exclusion list fixed that. I could still access all my mapped drives mapped by server hostnames. I don't have any mapped for the Backup server.

 

When I booted up my PC and servers the next day, all the mapped network locations were down and couldn't access the servers in Windows Explorer Network as it states network path not found. Also couldn't browse to the GUIs by hostname, only by IP. Disconnecting the VPN allowed access again.

 

 

 

The router still showed the correct IP to hostname mappings.

 

Tried NordVPN Network Flush tool which does the following commands. After rebooting my PC, I could access the mapped shares and server GUIs again by hostname and all seemed ok.

 

 

The next day when booting the same happened again and was fixed by the Network Flush again.

 

Then yesterday when booting the same happened, but unfortunately the Network Flush didn't fix it and has stopped me being able to access any of the servers in Windows Explorer after rebooting my PC.

 

All 3 servers show up in Windows Explorer Network, but say network path not found when clicking into them.

 

Even after uninstalling NordVPN and rebooting I still cannot access any of the servers in Windows Explorer, but strangely can still get to the GUIs by hostname. No issues in the syslogs on any.

 

I dual boot and have my main setup as Windows 10 which had NordVPN installed where I can't access any of the servers now.

The same servers are still accessible in my Windows 11 install which I haven't installed NordVPN on, so it doesn't seem to be an issue server side.

 

I've unmapped F: to try remap it to see if this helps, but I can't remap it now in Windows Explorer or cmd due to the network path not found issue. Tried mapping by both hostname and IP and neither work.

 

 

Servers are pingable by IP and hostname.

 

C:\Windows\System32>ping 192.168.1.66

Pinging 192.168.1.66 with 32 bytes of data:
Reply from 192.168.1.66: bytes=32 time<1ms TTL=64
Reply from 192.168.1.66: bytes=32 time<1ms TTL=64
Reply from 192.168.1.66: bytes=32 time<1ms TTL=64
Reply from 192.168.1.66: bytes=32 time<1ms TTL=64

Ping statistics for 192.168.1.66:
    Packets: Sent = 4, Received = 4, Lost = 0 (0% loss),
Approximate round trip times in milli-seconds:
    Minimum = 0ms, Maximum = 0ms, Average = 0ms

 

C:\Windows\System32>ping media

Pinging media.home [192.168.1.66] with 32 bytes of data:
Reply from 192.168.1.66: bytes=32 time<1ms TTL=64
Reply from 192.168.1.66: bytes=32 time<1ms TTL=64
Reply from 192.168.1.66: bytes=32 time<1ms TTL=64
Reply from 192.168.1.66: bytes=32 time<1ms TTL=64

Ping statistics for 192.168.1.66:
    Packets: Sent = 4, Received = 4, Lost = 0 (0% loss),
Approximate round trip times in milli-seconds:
    Minimum = 0ms, Maximum = 0ms, Average = 0ms

 

Tried to remap again just now and got an error about credentials. Removed the saved credentials in control panel but still get this error:

 

 

Rebooted my PC, router and servers.

Disabled Acronis antivirus and didn't help.

Restarted TCP/IP NetBIOS Helper service but didn't help.

Tried Reset TCP/IP and didn't help: netsh int ip reset reset.log

 

Also did these, but these weren't needed before and didn't help:

Changed Group Policy to enable insecure guest logons. (Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\Network\Lanman Workstation)

Enabled SMB 1.0 in Windows Features and rebooted.

Turned on network discovery and saved changes, but when clicking back in it's always off again.

 

 

Enabled public in file and printer sharing in Defender firewall (screenshot was before clicking public and saving changes)

 

Network adapter on my PC is still set to Private.

 

Tried everything I could find online, but still can't access the servers.

 

Internet connection and everything else seems to be fine still, just can't access my servers any more.

 

I've attached diagnostics from my main server, but not sure if it will be useful.

 

Would anyone be able to offer some assistance please?

 

Also emailed the details to Nord yesterday, but not sure how long they take to respond or if they'll be able to help.

 

Thanks

 

media-diagnostics-20240411-1827.zip

 

 

 

 

 

Edited April 11, 20242 yr by mrbens

Advice from Nord is that the servers will only be accessible by their IP and not by hostname when on the VPN.

 

Quote

LAN access with the VPN connection is possible only within the same subnet. If the devices are using different subnets or in different VLANs (virtual local area networks), communication will not be possible.
 
Furthermore, communication with local hostnames will not be possible while using our application, as it is not able to resolve such hostnames. While connected to the VPN via the NordVPN application, you must use the device’s LAN IP addresses to reach other devices.
 
Please open the NordVPN application on your computer and navigate to the Settings menu. There, please select the Connection section and ensure that "Stay invisible on LAN" is set to the "Off" position. 
 
After that, please head to the "Kill Switch" section and disable the "Internet Kill Switch" option. 
 
This should resolve your Local Area Network issue.

 

I'm still unable to browse to the servers in Windows Explorer by using the IP unfortunately, even with NordVPN uninstalled.

 

 

And unable to re-map the drives by IP as I'm still getting network path not found.

 

 

I can get on the GUI ok of all 3 servers by either hostname or IP.

I can ping the hostname and IP of all 3 servers.

 

Ping statistics for 192.168.1.66:
    Packets: Sent = 4, Received = 4, Lost = 0 (0% loss)

 

All on same subnet.

 

I've rebooted my router again and no change. The PC and servers get powered down overnight so have all been power cycled.

 

Checked and made sure the credentials were saved in Windows credential manager for both hostname and IP of all 3 servers.

 

All 3 servers are still accessible fine on my dual boot Windows 11 install which I haven't installed NordVPN yet. I can browse to the servers by IP or hostname in Windows Explorer ok there.

 

In my main Windows 10 I've just reinstalled NordVPN. Made sure kill switch is off and appear invisible is off in case that was causing the issue somehow even with it uninstalled. But still can't access any of the 3 servers in Windows Explorer by IP since the NordVPN network flush 2 days ago.

 

Anyone know what may be causing the issue please?

Edited April 12, 20242 yr by mrbens

The Nord guys are still unable to find what's causing the issue.

 

NordVPN is just installed on my Windows 10. It's not installed on any of the unraid servers or on my Windows 11 dual boot. From Windows 11 everything still works as normal.

It's just on Windows 10 where I ran the network flush that I can't browse to any of the servers any more to access the files or map them as a network drive with a letter.

 

I've just changed the Media server IP to 192.168.1.200 in my router and rebooted the server to see if the IPs were causing the issue somehow since the network flush.

It's up again with 192.168.1.200 which I can ping from my Windows 10 PC and can browse to the GUI by both hostname http://media/ and the new IP http://192.168.1.200/ with NordVPN connected and not connected.

 

I can ping it ok and ssh on with the new IP address.

 

Ping statistics for 192.168.1.200:

    Packets: Sent = 4, Received = 4, Lost = 0 (0% loss),

Approximate round trip times in milli-seconds:

    Minimum = 0ms, Maximum = 1ms, Average = 0ms

 

Linux 6.1.82-Unraid.

root@Media:~#

But still can't browse to the server in Windows Explorer by typing \\192.168.1.200 when connected or disconnected from the VPN.

 

 

Clicking Diagnose doesn't find any issues.

 

 

I think I'm going to have to reinstall Windows 10 unfortunately.

 

I've uninstalled NordVPN again, ran a network reset as advised by Aria AI but hasn't helped and still can't browse to the servers in Explorer Network or by typing the IP. Can get on the GUIs ok still and ssh on by IP.

 

 

I can download files from the server over the GUI, but can't connect to any server in Windows Explorer.

 

Anyone have any suggestions?

Edited April 15, 20242 yr by mrbens

Pls setting SMB Security to "public" for troubleshooting first.