I am trying the FREE version of Proton VPN

It ships as a tiny .deb package, which actually does not
install anything but seems to only register the proton REPO.
Manual install (cmdline) with apt-get install protonvpn did
the real work.

Now I am testing it (on Debian 11/12, I mean I have spurious
packages, some from Testing most from Stable) , and I have a
few doubts.

My Connection is by a SIM-Card (Ho.mobile) in an Alcatel USB
4G LTE modem/router (like a small soap piece). I don't have
any fixed ADSL (neither fibre nor copper cable).
The IP is / was dynamically assigned. I say is / was because
I dunno how it works now, under VPN.

1) With proton VPN app working and connected, I cannot
access to 192.168.1.1 (the modem interface).
Is it normal / useful ? Is it a sign of malfunction ? I
would have guessed this connection should be local and
untrapped, but dunno !!!

2) I am trying to test the VPN with these two sites :
https://ipleak.net
https://ipleak.org

======================================================

the first shows
Public IP Address : 231.105.47.231
stating it is in JAPAN (TOKYO)
It fails to detect any IPv6

======================================================

the second shows the very same IPv4
but stating it is in ITALY (FLORENCe)
and
IPv6 Leak Test : No IPv6 Leak detected

======================================================

And I understand even less :D :D :D
Why that ?
I am actually from Italy, but rather distant from Florence
(3/400 km)

why such different geolocalization ?
Is the ProtonVPN working ?

LAST : do you recommend some websites to test and report
more clearly ?

Do you know any cmd line commands to inquiry about the
physical IP assigned by the ISP (Ho.Mobile) and the one
"exposed" by mean of the filtering VPN ?

Sorry if the terms are not proper technically, but I
understand very little of networking :( :/

TNX for any suggestions

--
1) Resistere, resistere, resistere.
2) Se tutti pagano le tasse, le tasse le pagano tutti
MarioCPPP

On Tue, 25 Apr 2023 15:25:42 +0200, MarioCPPP wrote:

> I am trying the FREE version of Proton VPN
>
> It ships as a tiny .deb package, which actually does not install
> anything but seems to only register the proton REPO.
> Manual install (cmdline) with apt-get install protonvpn did the real
> work.
>
>
> Now I am testing it (on Debian 11/12, I mean I have spurious packages,
> some from Testing most from Stable) , and I have a few doubts.
>
> My Connection is by a SIM-Card (Ho.mobile) in an Alcatel USB 4G LTE
> modem/router (like a small soap piece). I don't have any fixed ADSL
> (neither fibre nor copper cable).
> The IP is / was dynamically assigned. I say is / was because I dunno how
> it works now, under VPN.
>
>
> 1) With proton VPN app working and connected, I cannot access to
> 192.168.1.1 (the modem interface).
> Is it normal / useful ? Is it a sign of malfunction ? I would have
> guessed this connection should be local and untrapped, but dunno !!!
>
> 2) I am trying to test the VPN with these two sites : https://ipleak.net
> https://ipleak.org
>
> ======================================================
>
> the first shows Public IP Address : 231.105.47.231 stating it is in
> JAPAN (TOKYO)
> It fails to detect any IPv6
>
> ======================================================
>
> the second shows the very same IPv4 but stating it is in ITALY
> (FLORENCe)
> and IPv6 Leak Test : No IPv6 Leak detected
>
> ======================================================
>
> And I understand even less :D :D :D Why that ?
> I am actually from Italy, but rather distant from Florence (3/400 km)
>
> why such different geolocalization ?
> Is the ProtonVPN working ?
>
> LAST : do you recommend some websites to test and report more clearly ?
>
> Do you know any cmd line commands to inquiry about the physical IP
> assigned by the ISP (Ho.Mobile) and the one "exposed" by mean of the
> filtering VPN ?
>
> Sorry if the terms are not proper technically, but I understand very
> little of networking :( :/
>
> TNX for any suggestions

If you want to connect to any device on your local network while using
the vpn, you need to whitelist your local network so the vpn allows you
to access it. I use Nordvpn and I have the following whitelisted on my
network.

Whitelisted subnets:
192.168.1.254/32
192.168.1.0/27
This allows me to print to my local printers and I can also connect to my
router when needed.

--
Pull my finger

On 2023-04-25 09:25, MarioCPPP wrote:
> I am trying the FREE version of Proton VPN
>
> It ships as a tiny .deb package, which actually does not install
> anything but seems to only register the proton REPO. Manual install
> (cmdline) with apt-get install protonvpn  did the real work.
>
>
> Now I am testing it (on Debian 11/12, I mean I have spurious packages,
> some from Testing most from Stable) , and I have a few doubts.
>
> My Connection is by a SIM-Card (Ho.mobile) in an Alcatel USB 4G LTE
> modem/router (like a small soap piece). I don't have any fixed ADSL
> (neither fibre nor copper cable).
> The IP is / was dynamically assigned. I say is / was because I dunno how
> it works now, under VPN.
>
>
> 1) With proton VPN app working and connected, I cannot access to
> 192.168.1.1  (the modem interface).
> Is it normal / useful ? Is it a sign of malfunction ? I would have
> guessed this connection should be local and untrapped, but dunno !!!
>
> 2) I am trying to test the VPN with these two sites :
> https://ipleak.net
> https://ipleak.org
>
> ======================================================
>
> the first shows
> Public IP Address : 231.105.47.231
> stating it is in JAPAN (TOKYO)
> It fails to detect any IPv6
>
> ======================================================
>
> the second shows the very same IPv4
> but stating it is in ITALY (FLORENCe)
> and
> IPv6 Leak Test : No IPv6 Leak detected
>
> ======================================================
>
> And I understand even less :D :D :D
> Why that ?
> I am actually from Italy, but rather distant from Florence (3/400 km)
>
> why such different geolocalization ?
> Is the ProtonVPN working ?
>
> LAST : do you recommend some websites to test and report more clearly ?
>
> Do you know any cmd line commands to inquiry about the physical IP
> assigned by the ISP (Ho.Mobile) and the one "exposed" by mean of the
> filtering VPN ?
>
> Sorry if the terms are not proper technically, but I understand very
> little of networking :( :/
>
> TNX for any suggestions
>
>
I would not trust the second site. It's a trap to get you to sign up for
another vpn provider.

I'm using a paid vpn from surfshark.com with Mageia 9. I don't use
surfshark's Linux app because it isn't rpm-based, but I do connect
"manually" using Network Manager. Everything works beautifully,
including access to my router and local network printer/scanner.

Your first site gives the correct IP and location for the vpn server I'm
currently using in the United States, which agrees with other sites that
come up from a "what is my IP" search.

The second, however, has the right IP, but claims it's in London,
England. It also says no vpn is detected, and offers to direct me to
another vpn service, the one that is hosting the site, with a hefty
discount if I sign up.

Lots of red flags there, if you ask me.

TJ

On 25/04/23 16:00, Killadebug wrote:
> On Tue, 25 Apr 2023 15:25:42 +0200, MarioCPPP wrote:
>
>> I am trying the FREE version of Proton VPN
>>
>> It ships as a tiny .deb package, which actually does not install
>> anything but seems to only register the proton REPO.
>> Manual install (cmdline) with apt-get install protonvpn did the real
>> work.
>>
>>
>> Now I am testing it (on Debian 11/12, I mean I have spurious packages,
>> some from Testing most from Stable) , and I have a few doubts.
>>
>> My Connection is by a SIM-Card (Ho.mobile) in an Alcatel USB 4G LTE
>> modem/router (like a small soap piece). I don't have any fixed ADSL
>> (neither fibre nor copper cable).
>> The IP is / was dynamically assigned. I say is / was because I dunno how
>> it works now, under VPN.
>>
>>
>> 1) With proton VPN app working and connected, I cannot access to
>> 192.168.1.1 (the modem interface).
>> Is it normal / useful ? Is it a sign of malfunction ? I would have
>> guessed this connection should be local and untrapped, but dunno !!!
>>
>> 2) I am trying to test the VPN with these two sites : https://ipleak.net
>> https://ipleak.org
>>
>> ======================================================
>>
>> the first shows Public IP Address : 231.105.47.231 stating it is in
>> JAPAN (TOKYO)
>> It fails to detect any IPv6
>>
>> ======================================================
>>
>> the second shows the very same IPv4 but stating it is in ITALY
>> (FLORENCe)
>> and IPv6 Leak Test : No IPv6 Leak detected
>>
>> ======================================================
>>
>> And I understand even less :D :D :D Why that ?
>> I am actually from Italy, but rather distant from Florence (3/400 km)
>>
>> why such different geolocalization ?
>> Is the ProtonVPN working ?
>>
>> LAST : do you recommend some websites to test and report more clearly ?
>>
>> Do you know any cmd line commands to inquiry about the physical IP
>> assigned by the ISP (Ho.Mobile) and the one "exposed" by mean of the
>> filtering VPN ?
>>
>> Sorry if the terms are not proper technically, but I understand very
>> little of networking :( :/
>>
>> TNX for any suggestions
>
> If you want to connect to any device on your local network while using
> the vpn, you need to whitelist your local network so the vpn allows you
> to access it. I use Nordvpn and I have the following whitelisted on my
> network.
>
> Whitelisted subnets:
> 192.168.1.254/32
> 192.168.1.0/27
> This allows me to print to my local printers and I can also connect to my
> router when needed.
>

at the moment I dunno :
1) what is whitelisted and how to whitelist sth (and where)
2) what is blacklisted and how to blacklist sth (and where)

I think I don't have any "local network", but maybe I got it
wrong.

I mean : the eth0 connection was only with the PC connected
via USB wire to the modem router
The router also spreads WiFi signal (password protected),
and in this case I absolutely dunno whether or not the WiFi
connection bypasses the VPN or is filtered (and how to
chose). I have not tried. The two fixed PC don't have WiFi,
and the laptop has not been used for a long while :\

>

--
1) Resistere, resistere, resistere.
2) Se tutti pagano le tasse, le tasse le pagano tutti
MarioCPPP

On 25/04/23 18:52, TJ wrote:
> On 2023-04-25 09:25, MarioCPPP wrote:
>> I am trying the FREE version of Proton VPN
>>
>> It ships as a tiny .deb package, which actually does not
>> install anything but seems to only register the proton
>> REPO. Manual install (cmdline) with apt-get install
>> protonvpn  did the real work.
>>
>>
>> Now I am testing it (on Debian 11/12, I mean I have
>> spurious packages, some from Testing most from Stable) ,
>> and I have a few doubts.
>>
>> My Connection is by a SIM-Card (Ho.mobile) in an Alcatel
>> USB 4G LTE modem/router (like a small soap piece). I don't
>> have any fixed ADSL (neither fibre nor copper cable).
>> The IP is / was dynamically assigned. I say is / was
>> because I dunno how it works now, under VPN.
>>
>>
>> 1) With proton VPN app working and connected, I cannot
>> access to 192.168.1.1  (the modem interface).
>> Is it normal / useful ? Is it a sign of malfunction ? I
>> would have guessed this connection should be local and
>> untrapped, but dunno !!!
>>
>> 2) I am trying to test the VPN with these two sites :
>> https://ipleak.net
>> https://ipleak.org
>>
>> ======================================================
>>
>> the first shows
>> Public IP Address : 231.105.47.231
>> stating it is in JAPAN (TOKYO)
>> It fails to detect any IPv6
>>
>> ======================================================
>>
>> the second shows the very same IPv4
>> but stating it is in ITALY (FLORENCe)
>> and
>> IPv6 Leak Test : No IPv6 Leak detected
>>
>> ======================================================
>>
>> And I understand even less :D :D :D
>> Why that ?
>> I am actually from Italy, but rather distant from Florence
>> (3/400 km)
>>
>> why such different geolocalization ?
>> Is the ProtonVPN working ?
>>
>> LAST : do you recommend some websites to test and report
>> more clearly ?
>>
>> Do you know any cmd line commands to inquiry about the
>> physical IP assigned by the ISP (Ho.Mobile) and the one
>> "exposed" by mean of the filtering VPN ?
>>
>> Sorry if the terms are not proper technically, but I
>> understand very little of networking :( :/
>>
>> TNX for any suggestions
>>
>>
> I would not trust the second site. It's a trap to get you to
> sign up for another vpn provider.
>
> I'm using a paid vpn from surfshark.com with Mageia 9. I
> don't use surfshark's Linux app because it isn't rpm-based,
> but I do connect "manually" using Network Manager.
> Everything works beautifully, including access to my router
> and local network printer/scanner.
>
> Your first site gives the correct IP and location for the
> vpn server I'm currently using in the United States, which
> agrees with other sites that come up from a "what is my IP"
> search.
>
> The second, however, has the right IP, but claims it's in
> London, England. It also says no vpn is detected, and offers
> to direct me to another vpn service, the one that is hosting
> the site, with a hefty discount if I sign up.
>
> Lots of red flags there, if you ask me.
>
> TJ

I am very grateful for your advice.
I did not dare state that, but actually I almost smelt a rat
when read the advice to subscribe another paid service. The
correct country identification could have been based on a
variety of other details (the local language settings and
so, I suspected).
TNX
--
1) Resistere, resistere, resistere.
2) Se tutti pagano le tasse, le tasse le pagano tutti
MarioCPPP

On Tue, 25 Apr 2023 14:02:43 -0400, MarioCPPP <NoliMihiFrangereMentulam@libero.it> wrote:
> I think I don't have any "local network", but maybe I got it
> wrong.
>
> I mean : the eth0 connection was only with the PC connected
> via USB wire to the modem router
> The router also spreads WiFi signal (password protected),
> and in this case I absolutely dunno whether or not the WiFi
> connection bypasses the VPN or is filtered (and how to
> chose). I have not tried. The two fixed PC don't have WiFi,
> and the laptop has not been used for a long while :\

If eth0 is up and being used, then you have a local network. The only connections
within it may be your computer and your router, but that is still an ip network.

The command "ip addr|grep inet" will show the current addresses.

There will always be an address 127.0.0.1, but any address starting with 127 means
localhost, aka the computer you're using.

The local area network ipv4 address, which will start with one of 192.168 or 10.,
or one of the other private network addresses described at
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reserved_IP_addresses

If your system is set up for ipv6 there will also be some inet6 addresses with
::1/128 being the ipv6 version of localhost, an fe80: address for link-local
connection that is used to communicate with your service provider to get a
routeable ipv6 address.

Regards, Dave Hodgins

On Tue, 25 Apr 2023 20:02:43 +0200, MarioCPPP wrote:

>snip

>> If you want to connect to any device on your local network while using
>> the vpn, you need to whitelist your local network so the vpn allows you
>> to access it. I use Nordvpn and I have the following whitelisted on my
>> network.
>>
>> Whitelisted subnets:
>> 192.168.1.254/32 192.168.1.0/27
>> This allows me to print to my local printers and I can also connect to
>> my router when needed.
>>
>>
> at the moment I dunno :
> 1) what is whitelisted and how to whitelist sth (and where) 2) what is
> blacklisted and how to blacklist sth (and where)
>
> I think I don't have any "local network", but maybe I got it wrong.
>
> I mean : the eth0 connection was only with the PC connected via USB wire
> to the modem router The router also spreads WiFi signal (password
> protected), and in this case I absolutely dunno whether or not the WiFi
> connection bypasses the VPN or is filtered (and how to chose). I have
> not tried. The two fixed PC don't have WiFi, and the laptop has not been
> used for a long while :\
>
>
>
Nordvpn allows you to apply settings via the cmdline. I'm assuming your
vpn has something similar.

Here is the Nordvpn whitelist setting help page:

nordvpn whitelist

nordvpn whitelist - Adds or removes an option from a whitelist

Usage: nordvpn whitelist command [command options] [arguments...]

Commands:
add Adds an option to a whitelist
remove Removes an option from a whitelist
help, h Shows a list of commands or help for one command

Options:
--help, -h show help

Whitelist means to allow, Blacklist means to deny.....

--
Pull my finger

MarioCPPP wrote:
> 2) I am trying to test the VPN with these two sites :

I like to use

curl icanhazip.com

There is also ipv6 capability

curl ipv6.icanhzip.com

Proton has an info page about ipv6 leaks.

https://protonvpn.com/support/prevent-ipv6-vpn-leaks/

--
Mike Easter

On 27/04/23 00:25, Mike Easter wrote:
> MarioCPPP wrote:
>> 2) I am trying to test the VPN with these two sites :
>
> I like to use
>
> curl icanhazip.com
>
> There is also ipv6 capability
>
> curl ipv6.icanhzip.com

tnx, I'll try immediately (I hope I'll be able to understand
the outcome)

>
> Proton has an info page about ipv6 leaks.
>
> https://protonvpn.com/support/prevent-ipv6-vpn-leaks/
>

well, I tend not to trust the wine seller about the quality
of its wine :D

>
>

--
1) Resistere, resistere, resistere.
2) Se tutti pagano le tasse, le tasse le pagano tutti
MarioCPPP

MarioCPPP wrote:
> Mike Easter wrote:
>>
>> Proton has an info page about ipv6 leaks.
>>
>> https://protonvpn.com/support/prevent-ipv6-vpn-leaks/
>
> well, I tend not to trust the wine seller about the quality of its wine :D
>
This thread is (about) *free* Proton in which it is saying that since it
doesn't 'do' ipv6, it has a strategy to prevent ipv6 leaks for both its
free and pay.

That seems to me to be more a transparency of technical issue than a
'selling point'.

As one of the comments on the page says:

> Is there no plan to support IPv6, instead of the hacky countermeasure of disabling it?

In addition, another comment (by proton mod) later on suggests
ipleak.net if someone wants to 'prove' it.

It is actually a useful page to read if you are concerned about ipv6
leaking.

Any time someone is using ANY VPN they are 'trusting' the vpn more than
...... they realize.

--
Mike Easter

Mike Easter wrote:
> It is actually a useful page to read if you are concerned about ipv6
> leaking.

Proton also has a useful page for disabling ipv6 on linux

https://protonvpn.com/support/disable-ipv6-protocol-linux/

> Proton VPN now offers an official Linux app with graphical user
> interface and an official Linux CLI. Both these clients have built-in
> IPv6 leak protection, with no user configuration required.
>
> We recommend using our official Proton VPN apps on Linux. However, it
> is also possible to manually configure a VPN connection in Linux
> using the OpenVPN or IKEv2 VPN protocols.
>
> If using a manual VPN connection, we recommend disabling IPv6. The
> following solution should work for most Debian-based distros.

I would also credit Proton for 'exposing' in its comments the problems
some users were having w/ ipv6 and its support for addressing those
problems at the earlier link.

--
Mike Easter

On 2023-04-27 11:26, Mike Easter wrote:
> Mike Easter wrote:
>> It is actually a useful page to read if you are concerned about ipv6
>>  leaking.
>
> Proton also has a useful page for disabling ipv6 on linux
>
> https://protonvpn.com/support/disable-ipv6-protocol-linux/
>
>> Proton VPN now offers an official Linux app with graphical user
>> interface and an official Linux CLI. Both these clients have built-in
>> IPv6 leak protection, with no user configuration required.
>>
>> We recommend using our official Proton VPN apps on Linux. However, it
>> is also possible to manually configure a VPN connection in Linux
>> using the  OpenVPN or IKEv2 VPN protocols.
>>
>> If using a manual VPN connection, we recommend disabling IPv6. The
>> following solution should work for most Debian-based distros.
>
> I would also credit Proton for 'exposing' in its comments the problems
> some users were having w/ ipv6 and its support for addressing those
> problems at the earlier link.
>
I would tend to agree. The Surfshark site has similar informational
pages. It turns out that they "block" IPv6 traffic, but use their app to
do it. Those of us that connect manually or with Network Manager must
disable it for ourselves.

Another issue Surfshark brings up is DNS leaks. When I first used their
page to check for that with Firefox, I was surprised to see that the DNS
server they were detecting wasn't one of theirs, one my router is set to
use, or my ISP's. Then I remembered about Firefox's "DNS over HTTPs"
feature, enabled by default. Disabling that switched me to using
Surfshark's DNS servers, eliminating the "leak."

TJ

TJ wrote:
> I would tend to agree. The Surfshark site has similar informational
> pages. It turns out that they "block" IPv6 traffic, but use their app to
> do it. Those of us that connect manually or with Network Manager must
> disable it for ourselves.
>
> Another issue Surfshark brings up is DNS leaks. When I first used their
> page to check for that with Firefox, I was surprised to see that the DNS
> server they were detecting wasn't one of theirs, one my router is set to
> use, or my ISP's. Then I remembered about Firefox's "DNS over HTTPs"
> feature, enabled by default. Disabling that switched me to using
> Surfshark's DNS servers, eliminating the "leak."

There is certainly a lot of conversation and 'consternation' about VPN.

Personally I 'never' use it, from a practical perspective; but I 'mess
with it' and experiment w/ the various protocols of WireGuard and
OpenVPN and 'mixed' features of some VPNs just for the experience of
doing it, but in my online activities I 'never' have any use for it.

To me, it is 'all' overhyped. That is, I agree that there are uses, but
those uses don't apply to me, and I expect that many many of the users
don't really need to, but they've been sold the idea that they do.

--
Mike Easter

On Tue, 2 May 2023 08:49:29 -0700, Mike Easter wrote:
> TJ wrote:
>> I would tend to agree. The Surfshark site has similar informational
>> pages. It turns out that they "block" IPv6 traffic, but use their app to
>> do it. Those of us that connect manually or with Network Manager must
>> disable it for ourselves.
>>
>> Another issue Surfshark brings up is DNS leaks. When I first used their
>> page to check for that with Firefox, I was surprised to see that the DNS
>> server they were detecting wasn't one of theirs, one my router is set to
>> use, or my ISP's. Then I remembered about Firefox's "DNS over HTTPs"
>> feature, enabled by default. Disabling that switched me to using
>> Surfshark's DNS servers, eliminating the "leak."
>
> There is certainly a lot of conversation and 'consternation' about VPN.
>
> Personally I 'never' use it, from a practical perspective; but I 'mess
> with it' and experiment w/ the various protocols of WireGuard and
> OpenVPN and 'mixed' features of some VPNs just for the experience of
> doing it, but in my online activities I 'never' have any use for it.
>
> To me, it is 'all' overhyped. That is, I agree that there are uses, but
> those uses don't apply to me, and I expect that many many of the users
> don't really need to, but they've been sold the idea that they do.

One use is to get access to geo-fenced resources when you are off in
'exotic' places. I run a bog-simple VPN on my U.S. located VPS, and
have access to "stuff" that I visit regularly at home, but about half
of which I am denied access to in some of my travels.

I was originally brought up short on this geo-fencing when I needed
to log into my bank account while on such a trip.

Jonesy
--
Marvin L Jones | Marvin | W3DHJ.net | linux
38.238N 104.547W | @ jonz.net | Jonesy | FreeBSD
* Killfiling google & XXXXbanter.com: jonz.net/ng.htm

Allodoxaphobia wrote:
> One use is to get access to geo-fenced resources when you are off in
> 'exotic' places. I run a bog-simple VPN on my U.S. located VPS, and
> have access to "stuff" that I visit regularly at home, but about half
> of which I am denied access to in some of my travels.
>
> I was originally brought up short on this geo-fencing when I needed
> to log into my bank account while on such a trip.

Yes; I agree; VPN can bypass the geo-fencing, unless the fencer is
clever enough to recognize VPN IPs.

Your specific example of a personal VPS wouldn't have the same condition
as a big 'public' VPN.

--
Mike Easter