Bitdefender will not allow connection to router on my iPad

[JohnC22]

Bitdefender will not allow connection to AC 4000 router on my iPad. The vpn stops Nighthawk from connecting. When I pause the Bitdefender, Nighthawk works. When I unpause it, Nighthawk loses connection to router. 

I have tried: 

restarting my iPad

resetting router and modem

deleting Nighthawk and Bitdefender apps and reinstalling 

None of these worked. All devices, router and apps have latest updates installed. 

I don’t know what to try next?

Any one else with this issue and have found a solution?  Thanks

[plemans]

Ok, a little more clarity next time. AC4000 is a speed not a mode. Nighthawk is a router brand but not a model. 

Your first description reads like you're pausing the router.

You also put, the vpn stops it from connecting. 

Are you using a vpn? 

Are you referring to netgear armor as bitdefender? that you're pausing/unpausing? 

Are you using icloud relay? If so, disable it. 

[JohnC22]

Thanks for your reply. I am a novice at this. I will try to clarify. 

My router is. NETGEAR Nighthawk X6S AC 4000 Trii-band WiFi Router Model R8000P purchased in May 2019

i am not pausing the router. The router still works on all my devices including my iPad where the Nighthawk app is. The Nighthawk app will not connect to the router. When it ask for my admin password to connect, it will not accept it. The app connection just times out. I am using the correct password. When I pause the VPN the Nighthawk app connects to the router. 

i am using a VPN. It is the VPN for NETGEAR that was with the NETGEAR Armor powered by Bitdefender. It was offered when I installed NETGEAR Armor powered by Bitdefender. So I installed it. 
i don’t know if this is the correct terminology, however, my VPN in Settings became usable when I installed NETGEAR Armor powered by Bitdefender.  

I am pausing it on my iPad using the the toggle in my Settings app. My Nighthawk app will connect when the VPN is paused. 

My iCloud private relay Beta version is toggled off

In my iPad settings Wi-Fi,  the Private Wi-Fi address turned on. Limit IP address tracking is toggled on. There is no private relay toggle in my Wi-Fi settings. 

I hope this makes more sense. 

Any suggestions would be appreciated.  Thanks in advance. 

[plemans]

So when your bitdefender vpn is disabled, you can use the app fine. 

But with it enabled, the app doesn't work. 

Just to clarify thats the only issue. 

Everything else works fine and as it should? 

[plemans]

much more clear explanation this time. Thanks!

[JohnC22]

That is correct. When the VPN  is on, the Nighthawk app will not connect to the router on my iPad. 

[plemans]

A vpn is designed to encrypt traffic from the device with vpn enabled and the vpn server. You'd think they setup the app control to let the app through when running the vpn but maybe not. (poor coding? )

Does it work with the vpn and using anywhere access?

[JohnC22]

I only have the NETGEAR Nighthawk app on my iPad. I have to turn off the VPN for the Nighthawk app to connect to the router. 

I do not have the Nighthawk app on any of our other devices. I have the Armor Bitdefender installed on these devices and they are also using the VPN and anywhere access without issues. 

I tried installing Nighthawk app on my IPhone to see if it was just an iPad issue. I got the same issue of the Nighthawk app not connecting to the router with the VPN. So I deleted the Nighthawk app from the iPhone. 

I find all of this very strange since there were not any issues earlier this year with Nighthawk working with the VPN and Armor Bitdefender. I don’t know if it is an iso issue or a NETGEAR issue. All my devices and the apps are up to date