[SOLVED] Connection problems when not using VPN

[erget]

Hi all,

Just to clarify for the beginning: I'm using OpenSUSE 11.3, upgraded over a network connection from 11.2, so it's not a fresh, newly installed version. I'd like to avoid wiping my system out if possible.

I work at my university and normally use a LAN connection to get into the network. There, I don't need a VPN connection to access restricted folders and files. Outside, I use a VPN to get to them.

Today, after working all day at work, I came home and fired up the laptop (I also use it at work). It connected to my WLAN network, which I've been using regularly for a long time now, without a problem. It seemed like the Internet wasn't working though. Anomalies:

1. No sites can load. EXCEPT the site of my university and any of its subdomains.
2. Skype works, perhaps because it's peer to peer.

Everything else doesn't work. Strange. On a hunch, I activated my VPN client and logged in there. I was able to establish a connection and, lo and behold, as soon as I was in the VPN I was able to surf the Internet, write e-mails and do whatever else I wanted. That's great, but I don't want to use VPN for everything I do in the Internet. Suggestions, please please please? I'd really appreciate an answer, several times now I've asked questions in forums and not had anybody answer at all...

Best,
Daniel

[gogalthorp]

Sounds like your ISP's DNS server is down. Try another one. Did you report this to your ISP?

[erget]

Sadly, I haven't been able to. This weekend I'll be able to try another one, but for the meantime I'm only here and at work. At work, everything runs normally.

The really weird thing is that my buddy, also in the same network with his laptop, was able to connect to any site he wanted. So it seems, at the moment at least, to have something to do with my laptop.

Another strange thing is that the network I'm in right now has nothing to do with the university, yet when I'm logged in here I can only get to university sites unless I'm in the VPN. I think the coincidence may have more to do with my computer than the laptop. Nonetheless, I'll definitely report what happens this weekend.

Problem is, VPN isn't exactly perfect for everything I like to do, so although I can access whatever I want, it's got its advantages and is of course annoying. Good thing I don't have to bother with that stuff at work

[erget]

Very mysterious... I haven't written back because my everything's worked fine. The day after the problem came up I wasn't able to connect my VPN client outside of my work network and the day after that there was no problem at all. Very strange. In the meantime I've tested several other networks and they've all worked without problems. So I guess the problem solved itself... For whatever reason