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Over the last several days, Secure VPN (Windows 11) has been blocking the DNS server so that I cannot connect to the internet. I chatted with Norton support, they said they didn't see any problem. I can only use the internet if I turn off Secure VPN. Sort of defeats the purpose, no?
Posted: 16-Mar-2022 | 6:47AM · Permalink
I began having this same exact problem on my windows 10 laptop about a week 1/2 ago. It was working perfect for the past few years and then boom, a week or so ago every single time I turn it on, I have absolutely no connection to the Internet on multiple browsers (I tried multiple browsers). Sometimes, rarely, but sometimes, I do have connection for a minute or 2, but then it cuts it off again. If I shut the secure VPN, I have immediate connection. Last week I had Norton tech support remote into my laptop, he watched me recreate the issue, which of course cut him off, because I lose connection to the Internet, but he was expecting that - I warned him, and then he spent about 15 minutes - 1/2 hour doing a bunch of updates, deletes, reinstalls, etc., and then once we tried it, it worked fine, and I tried various different sites, multiple browsers, multiple sites, etc. But, I knew that on the rare occasion that it does work, it then stops, so I wasn't feeling all that confident. Within minutes of leaving the remote session, the issue started again. My ISP tech support laughed at the thought of it being on their end, since I have immediate connection (and super fast) without Norton Secure VPN turned on, and my ISP allows 3rd party VPN services, including Norton, nothing changed on their end. It's 100% a Norton issue. I was thinking it might be a Windows 10 issue, since I recently had an update - update 2 billion lol, but since there are Mac users experiencing the same issue, then there's no denying that it's a Norton issue.
I'm not happy. I don't like being followed around the Net, I don't like my ISP or DNS showing up on game sites, which they do, so that means they're showing on financial sites and other sites I go to, and I need the Secure VPN service. Additionally, in closing, I pay for a yearly subscription to Norton 360, this is a part of the plan I pay for, which means that something I'm paying for isn't working... and Norton isn't acknowledging this issue at all, and what you don't acknowledge, you don't fix.
Thank you so much for opening this thread, I thought I was losing my mind, I couldn't find anyone else having the issue in the current time, only much older threads. I'm not at all happy that others are experiencing this as well, but I am happy that it's not just me... because now I know it's not my laptop and nothing to do with me on my end. Here's hoping that Norton acknowledges and fixes this sometime soon. My renewal is in a few months and if they don't fix it, while I do love Norton over nearly all others, I won't be renewing if this part of my purchase isn't working anymore, which currently it is not - I have to go online with it shut all day, every day, or I can't get online at all... or I can for a second and then BOOM lost connection until I shut it.
Norton Tech Support - we're calling for you, and whatever you think might fix it (as the tech did when remoted into my laptop) is not the fix, there's a bug in the programming that needs to be fixed.
Posted: 16-Mar-2022 | 6:53AM · Permalink
Responding to "has anyone dumped Norton Secure VPN for Nord VPN or some other VPN because of this issue."
I have a paid yearly subscription for Norton 360, which includes Norton Secure VPN, and while yes I've definitely been searching for other VPN services, 99% that I've found come with a price tag. Why would I pay for Norton 360 which includes Norton Secure VPN and then pay for an additional VPN service? That being said, with my subscription to Norton ending within a few months, if they don't acknowledge and resolve this issue by then, I won't be renewing my Norton 360 this year. It's a shame, for me anyway... Norton is the best product out there, causes me absolutely no issues on my laptop, doesn't slow me down and works perfectly (in all else that it does). Unfortunately, I don't feel comfortable surfing the Net or logging into the multitude of sites I log into countless times a day without a secure vpn - I don't like my ISP/DNS and all the other information that comes through showing up to Big Tech and the hundreds of sites I log into, some for fun, some for email, some for financial - this is totally not cool. That being said, I haven't dumped Norton VPN for another, but I will be no longer renewing with them after years upon years of being a customer, if they don't resolve this issue.
Posted: 16-Mar-2022 | 10:01AM · Permalink
Yesterday I spent quite a bit of time on the phone and on line with Norton Level 3 tech support...as you say, they updated things, installed some kind of patch and told me it was fixed. NOT...this morning the problem is back. Norton will not refund the remaining part of my subscription. I am about to drop Norton entirely and go to McAfee or something. This is ridiculous.
Posted: 16-Mar-2022 | 11:45AM · Permalink
I received the patch, I did a manual update, it wasn't even a forced or notification update and there was a patch, and you are quite right love, that patch did absolutely nothing. Well, it might have done "something," but it surely didn't correct or resolve this issue. I started a thread, can't find it now, spent 4 hours reading Norton Forums and other Forums online this morning about this very issue, apparently impacting almost all Norton 360 customers regarding the Secure VPN feature. It's out there in the Norton Community Forum somewhere lol. I basically titled it can Norton programmers please check the forum for Secure VPN and so something about this - and then under the title I went into more detail. There's just way too many threads about the same exact problems, with Norton/Fighters/Advisors either not jumping in and/or not knowing what the true issue is, or how extensive it is with regard to how many users have been impacted. In that thread I created I asked them to please merge all of the threads regarding this specific issue, which there are way too many of, so it's impossible to follow them all - as well as a few lesser, yet consistent issues others were also having with Secure VPN. I was very clear that it was a Norton "programming" issue and that until that's acknowledged, it will not be fixed, and that all paying customers, myself included, would like them to acknowledge it, own it, go through their programming to find the bad code, fix the code, push out the fix in and update and then push out the update - not wait for us to manual check for updates. Fingers crossed but don't have a lot of faith right now, because it's genuinely a program code writing issue and until it's in their hands, until they take ownership over it - absolutely no one can fix it, including Tech Support. Very frustrating. I too have a renewal coming up in a few months and adore Norton above all the others that cause slugging, and are far too intrusive, but I'm paying for a product that includes the Secure VPN and theirs is not working and causing stress, frustration, time and lose work if attempting to turn it on, it looks like it's working because you're connected, so you start to do things and then BOOM, lost connection to the Net. That's beyond frustrating and a lot lost in the midst of it, but again, that's rare, because most of the time, with it on I can't even get my browsers to connect. In closing - no, you are right, that patch does not work, tech support cannot fix this issue - I know a bit about technology, programming and coding from a prior life lol - so I know 100% that this is a code issue in the programming and that unless the programmers get involved and fix the code none of us are going to have a working Secure VPN. :-(
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