Hi, within the last couple of days, any device on WiFi that tries to open prime video is greeted with a message saying a VPN is active. This is not the case. Chrome casts, iOS devices, laptops, etc all get that message. I just hard wired into the modem and prime works so clearly it’s something with the router. I also just did a factory reset on all 3 of the units and the issue persists. Firmware is 2.5.1.16 (I’m not aware of any recent software updates on the router).

Yes, I would try that as well. Seems like Amazon is fixed on your current WAN IP which for some reason maybe causing problems. Worth asking them about.

zcastagna84 wrote:I don’t think I can give you an answer on that, our ISP is called Desert INet and they use some type of Motorola canopy-Esque setup. There’s a receiver dish on the roof and some cabling that runs down into the house into a power brick looking thing that has a couple of Ethernet lines in it, one of which goes directly into the router. The line that goes into the router is what I hooked into my laptop, which worked as far as getting prime videoWould it be convenient to determine the public IP (WAN) address of your system?i.e.Open a web browser and go to http://whatismyipaddress.comRecord the IPv4 addressOn the web browser, open the Orbi web interface, click on the Advanced Tab. The IP address under "Internet Port" should match the address from whatismyipaddress.com(This information can also be found on the Orbi "app" under Settings...Internet Port.If this IP address is from one of the "Private IP Spaces" https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Private_network , then it is clear that the Desert INet product is a router. and thus there are two routers (what is called a "Double NAT" situation: https://kb.netgear.com/30186/What-is-Double-NAT ) Since this problem has begun recently, after being able to stream Amazon Prime for some time, "something has changed" and it doesn't sound like your network is what has changed. A little digging about Amazon video turned up a fascinating conversation from two years ago: https://community.ui.com/questions/Issues-with-Amazon-Streaming-Thinks-I-am-using-VPN-or-HTTP-Proxy/6aa85127-e827-4abb-9a46-4935b0b0686f Does Desert INet have a user forum? Perhaps it would be worth posting "anybody having issues streaming video?"

I checked on that website you mentioned as well as the Orbi management site and both have the same IP starting with a 204. I don’t see that in the range of IPv4 addresses on the wiki page you linked. That means no double NAT right? No forum on desert iNet. That discussion you found from a couple years ago, that’s interesting. A cursory read through it seems like they set up new equipment and Amazon’s VPN algorithm was erroneously flagging things as VPN. The guy in that Reddit post, who claimed to be a network engineer said as much in his situation too. However, wouldn’t the ISP be ruled out if I can connect into the modem and have it work?https://www.reddit.com/r/amazonprime/comments/bgetdg/prime_video_thinks_im_on_a_vpn/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=ios_app&utm_name=iossmf

zcastagna84 wrote:I checked on that website you mentioned as well as the Orbi management site and both have the same IP starting with a 204. ...However, wouldn’t the ISP be ruled out if I can connect into the modem and have it work?Yes, of course. It worked before. It works when connected to the modem. It should still be working. Did the Orbi replace a previous WiFi router? (I always keep the old one in a box "just in case".)

Amazon prime video thinks VPN is active

26 Replies

Replies have been turned off for this discussion

CrimpOn
Guru
Feb 02, 2021
zcastagna84 wrote:
Hi, within the last couple of days, any device on WiFi that tries to open prime video is greeted with a message saying a VPN is active. This is not the case. Chrome casts, iOS devices, laptops, etc all get that message. I just hard wired into the modem and prime works
When that device that was hard wired directly into the router is wired into the router, does it get the same VPN Active message?
- zcastagna84
  Tutor
  Feb 02, 2021
  Hi, I just checked and yes it does :( it’s my Lenovo laptop, I just hardwired it into the back of the main Orbi unit and the same issue comes up. I also tried popping onto the guest network and same issue on there.
  - CrimpOn
    Guru
    Feb 02, 2021
    zcastagna84 wrote:
    Hi, I just checked and yes it does :( it’s my Lenovo laptop, I just hardwired it into the back of the main Orbi unit and the same issue comes up. I also tried popping onto the guest network and same issue on there.
    Thanks for doing the experiment. I am at a loss for an explanation.
    It is really clear that Orbi does not support any type of VPN "Client" capability.
    (People post all the time wanting this, and Orbi doesn't do it.)
    The OpenVPN function on Orbi is only to allow connections into the Orbi from the internet, not the other direction.
    From what I can gather, streaming services such as Netflix and Amazon Prime refuse service to VPN clients based on the IP address of the connection. This should be the public IP the ISP provides to the customer, which should not match any known VPN services.
    (And should be the same public IP if the laptop is connected directly to the modem or the Orbi is connected.)
    The only difference is that the Orbi will be doing NAT on the connections.
    I stream Netflix and Amazon Prime every day on a Tivo. Very puzzled.
    
    Is there some way to get more information from Amazon Prime?
FURRYe38
Guru
Feb 02, 2021
What is the Mfr and model# of the Internet Service Providers modem/ONT the NG router is connected too?
zcastagna84 wrote:
Hi, within the last couple of days, any device on WiFi that tries to open prime video is greeted with a message saying a VPN is active. This is not the case. Chrome casts, iOS devices, laptops, etc all get that message. I just hard wired into the modem and prime works so clearly it’s something with the router. I also just did a factory reset on all 3 of the units and the issue persists. Firmware is 2.5.1.16 (I’m not aware of any recent software updates on the router).
- zcastagna84
  Tutor
  Feb 02, 2021
  I don’t think I can give you an answer on that, our ISP is called Desert INet and they use some type of Motorola canopy-Esque setup. There’s a receiver dish on the roof and some cabling that runs down into the house into a power brick looking thing that has a couple of Ethernet lines in it, one of which goes directly into the router. The line that goes into the router is what I hooked into my laptop, which worked as far as getting prime video
  - FURRYe38
    Guru
    Feb 02, 2021
    You need to check with your ISP to see if there is any router buit in to there system. Having a router in front of the Orbi router can cause problems having two routers on the same line.

Forum Discussion

Amazon prime video thinks VPN is active