iPhone - Reconnect to VPN

p3463407p3463407
in VPN Setup Support
Hi,

I've been trying to figure out how I can make my iPhone reconnect to my PIA VPN when either WIFI or signal is temporarily lost. There doesn't seem to be a solution for this but I wanted to ask on here if anyone was aware of one?

Comments

  • VPNVPN
    Either integrated VPN connection manager or the PIA app should take care of reconnections once a data connection is available again.
    If this isn't happening, please try to switch from UDP to TCP connections and see if it is then.
  • p3463407p3463407
    What PIA app is there on an iPhone in the app store??
  • p3463407p3463407
    Can anyone else help with this?
  • cosmoxlcosmoxl
    PIA doesn't have an iOS app, yet.  I wish they did.
  • p3463407p3463407
    Ar, okay. So currently there is no solution to this I'm assuming?
  • RandySeaRandySea
    The solution is to find a VPN provider with an app that is iOS compatible. I am very happy with Cloak. They have figured out how to deal with the limitations of iOS. Their app can easily set to trust particularly networks, e.g., your home network, assuming your trust your ISP. Everything else is untrusted and Cloak will connect with VPN.

    I am still using PIA on my Windows machine. I wish they would get a working iOS app so I wouldn't have to pay for two VPN services.
  • KharizKhariz
    edited March 2015
    It's funny you say that. Check this out in cloak's FAQ:

    So how does Cloak for iOS actually work?

    The answer is actually pretty mundane.
    iOS has a number of lesser-known enterprise features, including one called configuration profiles. Profiles are basically signed bags of settings. Cloak for iOS creates a signed bag of VPN settings and sends users through the standard profile install process. This has the advantage that Cloak works system-wide on the iPhone and iPad: you turn Cloak on and off via the Settings app.
    Strictly speaking, there's no reason Cloak for iPhone and iPad needs to be a native app: the entire thing could easily be web-based. (In fact, the profile install process starts in Mobile Safari). Having a native app allows us to do a few things like use push notifications to communicate problems.

    It sound like they don't use their app to do any of the "VPN Stuff". It's just got crash reporting and push notifications.

    Also, more from Cloak's FAQ:

    When you use Cloak to secure your connection, we collect:

    The number of bytes you've sent and received
    The amount of time you've been connected
    The IP address you're connected from
    The assigned (virtual) IP address on our VPN network
    The initial packet of each TCP connection (which does not include user content) and the first 64 bytes (essentially the headers) of the initial datagram of each UDP exchange.

    We keep this information for at most sixteen (16) days, after which we permanently delete it.
    We call this information your "personal session information" and it is the most sensitive data we collect. We treat it that way. If you'd like to know more, we wrote about this in great detail in a blog post.

    In my opinion, Cloak is ONLY useful for circumventing work/school/etc content filters/blocks and for securing your device from others on public networks. I wouldn't use it for stuff that governments might care about.
  • KharizKhariz
    edited March 2015
    Actually, RandySea, thanks for mentioning Cloak. While it's not as secure as PIA due to the logging aspect, I'm enjoying their free trial on my iPad and iPhone. I think I'll stick with PIA for my desktop and my torrenting habits, but for securing myself on public networks and watching BBC on my phone, Cloak is the easiest thing I've ever seen. Granted, it's not hard to flip on the switch on in OpenVPN app, but the VPN automatically connecting every time you connect to an insecure network and every time you wake up the phone is pretty nice. I'll be happen when PIA develops the same thing.

    For what it's worth, it doesn't seem difficult to implement. All they (Cloak) are doing is registering a certificate and then building VPN profiles into the Default VPN mechanics of the iPhone and using the enterprise "VPN on demand" API (or whatever the hell apple calls APIs). I think any semi-competant app developer could figure out how to build this into an app.
  • p3463407p3463407
    Has PIA commented on this in the past? I'd be very interested to know any plans they might have or not have for the future on iOS.
  • KharizKhariz
    edited March 2015
    Yes, PIA says that they are building their own dedicated iOS app.  There's rumor/speculation that they don't currently have an app developer on board though.  The app has been "coming soon" for over a year now (I think. I didn't re-check that timeframe before typing that sentence).  

    But let me be clear...there's literally only two major differences between what you can do with OpenVPN Connect and what Cloak is doing with their app.  

    1. Cloak installs a certificate and a VPN profile bundle that keeps a list of your trusted networks.  If the network you are connected to isn't recognized as a "secure" network (that you have defined as secure), then the instructions in the VPN Profile flip the VPN to connect.  This isn't even technically done by the app.  The app actually doesn't do anything other than SHOW you what the protection status is (which is learns by querying what network you are on and whether or not the VPN switch is on). Other than that, the only other thing the app does is begin the Syncing process necessary to install the VPN Profile.  If you are capable of remembering to open OpenVPN Connect and flip the switch on, you just did as much as the app.

    2.  Cloak uses the iPhone's integrated IPSec stack instead of rather than OpenVPN protocols to establish the VPN. (On iOS anyway.  On OS X they use OpenVPN).

    If I said anything above that contradicts what I said in this message, I apologize.  I didn't fully have a grasp on what app was doing what until yesterday.  90% of what Cloak is doing is actually happening in Settings.app and not Cloak.app.
  • KharizKhariz
    After doing a bunch of research on competitors, I actually found an ios app that I like better than Cloak's except for the fact that this other one isn't automatic. I love the app that VyprVPN is using. Go check out their iOS app. It's very impressive.

    Of course, I would never actually use VyprVPN because they log all sorts of stuff and hang onto it for 30 days. They just straight up tell you that in their policy. They basically admit they will give your real IP to civil or criminal authorities. LOL
  • wassupdocwassupdoc
    I want to imitate what Cloak does by using my own configuration profile with on-demand feature built into iOS,  I was going to automatically turn off the VPN when wifi is off and on my home network.  The instructions below would be great, but I don't have a .p12/.pfx file.


    Does anyone know how to get a .p12/.pfx file so I can set this up?
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