FaceTime won't connect over VPN
Hello,
I'm running the latest version of Mac OS X Sierra, and PIA. Whenever the VPN is connected, I can not make a FaceTime video or audio connection. The connection attempt seems to work, in that if someone tries to call me, FaceTime rings. And if I try to call them, FaceTime rings on their side. However, as soon as one party tries to answer, and FaceTime displays, "Connecting...", the connection is never made.
If I disable the VPN, a connection can be made without problem.
I have tried another VPN — a Mac-specific VPN client called "Cloak" — and experienced the same thing. And Cloak even has a "Ignore iMessage and Apple Services" setting that is specifically intended to prevent interference with FaceTime.
Would anyone have any idea what the problem could be, and how I might fix it?
Thanks so much, in advance.
I'm running the latest version of Mac OS X Sierra, and PIA. Whenever the VPN is connected, I can not make a FaceTime video or audio connection. The connection attempt seems to work, in that if someone tries to call me, FaceTime rings. And if I try to call them, FaceTime rings on their side. However, as soon as one party tries to answer, and FaceTime displays, "Connecting...", the connection is never made.
If I disable the VPN, a connection can be made without problem.
I have tried another VPN — a Mac-specific VPN client called "Cloak" — and experienced the same thing. And Cloak even has a "Ignore iMessage and Apple Services" setting that is specifically intended to prevent interference with FaceTime.
Would anyone have any idea what the problem could be, and how I might fix it?
Thanks so much, in advance.
Comments
I've found out, that this problem is probably connected to a change Apple made to Facetime in the last months, most likely with the release of iOS 10 and macOS Sierra. Here's what I found out in detail:
Calling/being called by an iPhone on iOS 8.4 works flawlessly
Calling/being called by an iPad on iOS 8.4 works flawlessly
Calling/being called by a Mac running macOS 10.10.5 works flawlessly
Calling/being called by a Mac running macOS 10.11.6 works flawlessly
Calling/being called by an iPad running iOS 10.2 doesn't work
Calling/being called by an iPad running iOS 10.2.1 doesn't work
Calling/being called by an iPhone running iOS 10.2.1 doesn't work
Calling/being called by a Mac running macOS 10.12.3 doesn't work.
I myself am running macOS 10.12.3 and tested it on multiple devices. As I already stated, I tried multiple clients and tried to switch ports with no success, also the called devices were tested in various different networks and were not connected to a VPN on their side. Thus I doubt that we as users can fix this problem. I hope that PIA takes a look into this, but I fear it's something that Apple butchered on their end. Side note: All the above variants worked flawlessly without a VPN connection to PIA.
Strangely enough, my wife can receive FaceTime calls on her Mac, with a VPN connected, and running the same OS X Sierra version that I'm running, 10.12.3. So it doesn't seem to be something that affects all Macs.
I'm sorry that you're also experiencing this, but I am in a guilty way glad to hear I'm not alone. Perhaps it is something that can be fixed.
PIA blocks IPv6.
Apple services will not send via PIA.
https://developer.apple.com/support/ipv6/