SoftEther - Android: Unable to Connect (timeout)

[IsThisRight]

Hi all, first post hoping for any help as possible

Issue: When my Android phone is connected to my service (and I'm NOT on home WiFi), connecting fails when either specifying my SoftEther DNS or it's associated IP address where I receive the following timeout error

Error:
VpnClientPro-google-api27-release-1.01.06 (23010106)
Connecting request by user
OpenSSL 1.1.1n 15 Mar 2022
Connecting to xxx.xx.xx.xxx.5555
connection timeout
Could not connect

Successful connections can be made to my SoftEther server when:

• My Android phone IS connected to home WiFi and I specify the local internal DHCP IP address of the SoftEther server (instead my SoftEther DNS or it's associated IP address)

• Connecting via my Windows 10 Computer

• Using IPsec/L2TP via my older Android (Pixel 3) phone which supported IPsec/L2TP prior to a recent Andriod OS update

Details:

• Using a Pixel 6 Pro, Android ver 12 which no longer supports the less secure IPsec/L2TP (which brought me to VPN Client Pro)

• T-Mobile service

• Using 5G when NOT connected to home WiFi in my unsuccessful attempts

• SoftEther Server is setup with a Virtual Hub Named "VPN" and to only listen on port 5555

• My configurations: I export all configs from the SoftEther Windows Client I have installed, and import them into VPN Client Pro via the SoftEther profile option (I've attached these exported configurations - see client1Domain.zip)

• Attached exported config files include (see client1Domain.zip): client1Domain.vpn (I use my SoftEther Domain when ONLY connected via 5G); client1DomainIp.vpn (I use the IP address of my SoftEther Domain when ONLY connected via 5G); client1LocalIp.vpn (I use the IP address of my server where SoftEther server is installed when connected to my home WiFi: local internal DHCP IP address 192.168.x.x )

• NOTE I've removed the "Hostname" of the attached exported config files

• I'm on day 1 of my VPN Client Pro trial

[admin]

Hello,

this error means that the remote server cannot be reached.

Can you try to start the web browser of the smartphone and try to reach the url https://vpn_server_ip:5555 ?

[IsThisRight]

Thanks so much for your reply!

I was unable to reach the url https://vpn_server_ip:5555

From the SoftEther server I ran: netstat -ab which produced:

• TCP xxx.xxx.x.x:5555 SERVERNAME:55326 ESTABLISHED
  [vpnserver_x64.exe]

But I didn't see anything for: vpn_server_ip:5555

Is the problem that the port isn't available via my router?

If so, I found the following link to open a port for an IP address:

• https://forum.mikrotik.com/viewtopic.php?p=453552

Which would result in the following:

• /ip firewall nat add chain=dstnat dst-port=5555 action=dst-nat protocol=tcp to-address=vpn_server_ip to-port=5555

Before I pull the trigger, does this sound right?

Note: it looks like my Windows 10 firewall has SoftEther inbound rule so I think that should be ok

[admin]

Yes, the problem may be on your router.
The "to-address" parameter of the ip firewall rule must be set to the private ip address of the vpn server.

[IsThisRight]

Thanks again for your reply/help. Unfortunately I'm still unable to reach: https://vpn_server_ip:5555 with error:

• "ERR_CONNECTION_REFUSED" - Chrome/Brave

• "RESOURCE_NOT_FOUND" - IE (I believe this is a HTTP Status 404)

Also still getting the following from VPN Client Pro: "connection timeout", "Could not connect"

When I specify my vpn_server_ip using the following from my smartphone or browser it IS found:

• https://ip.giamping.com/?lookup=vpn_server_ip

As far as I can tell, I believe I've configured both my Mikrotik router and Windows 10 firewall to allow port 5555 for my vpn_server_ip (see attached)

[admin]

I'm sorry however this issue is not related to the app.
The problem must be solved on the router, server or connectivity.
Unfortunately I can't help you because I don't have much experience on Mikrotik routers.
When you can reach the server with the web browser, the VPN should work too.

[IsThisRight]

Got it. I think that's a fair assessment. I have already posted on the Mikrotik forum. I've canceled my trial period and will look to reevaluate once I resolve my problem and can access my SoftEther server at: https://vpn_server_ip:5555

[IsThisRight]

So quick update, although I couldn't access https://vpn_server_ip:5555, I was able to get to my VPN via https://vpn_server_ip:443, connect via VPN Client Pro successfully, and access some of my internal IP addresses.

Unfortunately, what I then discovered is that although I could access IP addresses from my local network via port 80, I can't access IP addresses with ports other than 80, for example I'm trying to access IP addresses with ports 8000 and 8123.

This wasn't a problem when using IPsec/L2TP via my older Android (Pixel 3) phone which supported IPsec/L2TP prior to a recent Andriod OS update.

Might my experience here possibly indicate some limitation with VPN Client Pro?

[admin]

The VPNs used in this app have no limitations on the ports that can be used through the VPN. Once the VPN is connected the packets are simply forwarded.
This looks like a problem with some kind of firewall...

[IsThisRight]

Ok, thanks. Good to know and be able to eliminate that as a factor