Connected to unsecure network

Note: Please do not post Personally Identifiable Information like email address, personal phone number, physical home address, product key etc.

Issue abstract: Norton 360 is asking me to turn on the VPN, when the VPN is already on.

Detailed description: I am connected to non-password protected network of my office. Norton recognizes it as an unsecure network and prompts me to turn on Norton Secure VPN. The issue is that Norton Secure VPN is already on (as a matter of fact I have Auto VPN enabled for any wi-fi or cellular data.

Product & version number: Norton 360 2.95.0.20240822.373, Norton VPN 4.3.0.20240822373

OS details: IOS 18.0

What is the error message you are seeing? Connected to unsecure network, a notification that there is a message in Norton VPN.

If you have any supporting screenshots, please add them: The system throws an error when I try to upload screenshots.

Please bear with me for a moment here. Have you gone into the 360 app Privacy section to ensure the VPN is on? I ask this because the VPN icon in the notification area is also shown for the Safe Web feature in Internet Security.

Thanks for the reply. Not sure what you mean by 360 app Privacy section. In the menues of Norton 360 I have no privacy option. I turn on Norton VPN and yes, the VPN is on. I would send you screenshot, but the system does not allow me. The issue I am experiencing clearly looks like a system bug to be fixed by the Norton developers.

It may be related to the newly released iOS 18. I have not yet updated my iPhone. I like to let others do the beta testing.
The Privacy section is at the bottom of the main 360 iOS app. You may have to scroll down to see it. Tapping on that is how you would turn on the VPN. Be sure you are not trying to turn on the VPN from the iOS settings. That does not work, and does not indicate that the VPN is active.

Than again for our reply. I ave checked again, an can assure you that there is no privacy section in my Norton 360 in my iPhone. As you say, it coud be linked to the IOS upgrade to version 18, but this is clearly an application bug that needs to be resolved. Bye.

I just upgraded to iOS 18 and I still see the Privacy section. Please check again remembering that it is initially hidden under the “Your Protection Report”. You need to swipe up on the interface to see the Privacy section.

Again I have to apologize as I just re read your OP. I see you also have the standalone Norton Secure VPN app installed.

If you look at iOS Settings, which VPN profile is checked as active? Norton 360, or Norton VPN?

Thanks. Both are enabled.

I wish the forum allowed uploading images again. It would be much easier to explain what I am trying to find out about your setup.

In iOS Settings > VPN, there are two sections for VPN profiles. One for Device VPN which is used by the Norton 360 Safe Web feature. The second is for Personal VPN which is used for the actual Norton VPN’s. In this section you should see Norton 360 Secure VPN and Norton VPN Secure VPN. In this Personal VPN section, which one has a blue checkmark beside it? That is the one you need to control with that app.

BTW. Is there a specific reason you have both apps installed? It is generally recommended to use the VPN feature of 360 when you have that installed. You should uninstall the standalone VPN app to avoid possible conflicts that can cause strange behaviours

In the personal VPN section, I have Secure VPN enabled (Norton VPN). On the other hand, Norton 360 Safe Web is enabled for the device VPN. In any case, both the apps give me an error that the VPN is not connected, when in fact it is.

On your second question, I believe the two VPN have different purpose, and they are not ine the replacement of the other.

So you need to open the standalone Norton Secure VPN app to turn the VPN on and off. So when you say the VPN is definitely on, are you checking the standalone app to see what that is reporting? I’m not sure if the version 24 settings are the same, but be sure Launch at startup, and Auto connect at startup are turned on.

What different ‘purpose’ do you think there is between the two? They both provide the same features. The standalone version is designed for use by users that do not have or want to use the 360 security app.

Finally I am able to post some pictures.

As you can see the VPN is on.
IMG_0860.PNG

However, Norton VPN shows that I have a notification, and I do not understand why.
IMG_0861.PNG

If I open Norton 360 it tells me that there is a problem with the wi-fi security and that I have to turn on the VPN.
IMG_0858

If I click the yellow button “Turn on VPN,” nothing happens (but this makes sense as the VPN is already on)
IMG_0859

It seems to me that this is clearly a bug that Norton needs to fix.

Yes. It is good news that we are able to upload images again. New forum teething pains.

It appears that what you are seeing is that the two different apps are not able to communicate with each other. Which is actually a security feature of the iOS. You are using the standalone VPN app to turn on the VPN but the 360 app has no knowledge of this, so it presents the message that you should turn on the VPN for the unprotected network. There is no bug.

There is no difference between the features of the Standalone Norton Secure VPN app and the VPN features of the 360 iOS app. So I would suggest uninstalling the standalone app and just using the 360 VPN features.

Peter,

Thank you for your message. I thought I had posted this a few days ago, but now I can no longer see the post…bizarre…However, here I go again.

OK, I have taken your suggestion, and I have uninstalled the Norton VPN. Now I only have the Norton 360 VPN, which is active.
IMG_0862

However, when I open Norton 360 I get a warning that I am connected to an unsecure network, and that I should turn on the VPN.
IMG_0863

If I click the yellow button Turn on VPN, Norton starts spinning and nothing happens…but this makes sense as Norton is trying to turn on a VPN which is already on!
IMG_0864

In my opinion, this is clearly a bug that needs to be investigated and corrected.

I wish you a good day!

Did you restart your device after uninstalling the standalone VPN app? Just like Windows computers, mobile devices benefit from a restart every once in a while to clear out old cache data.

One other setting I’d like to check. Open the VPN page and tap on the gear icon at the top right. Tap on Automatically turn on VPN and turn that setting on. Then tap on the circle to the right of Unsecured Wi-Fi. Then test to see if that resolves the messages. On my iPhone that gives notifications as it detects the unsecured network and then another notification when the VPN connects.

One other note. Be sure you are turning the VPN on and off from the 360 app. Not the iOS settings pages.

Peter:

  • Yes, I did restart the device.
  • I am not sure what you mean when you say “Open the VPN page and tap on the gear icon at the top right.” Which VPN page? In the VPN page in the IOS settings there is no gear icon and no button to “Automatically turn on VPN”. Rather there is setting to enable “connect on demand,” and that is already on. Within Norton 360, there is no gear icon either and there is no specific VP page. Within Norton 360, there is a button to turn n VPN, which, as I have already explained, does not work because if you press it, it spins forever and does nothing.
  • In reference to your comment “Be sure you are turning the VPN on and off from the 360 app. Not the iOS settings pages,” as I have explained if I press the button within Norton 360, Norton spins forever and the VPN remains off.

I wish you a good day and I thank you for trying to help me.

Good morning!

Today’s update. I got to the office and Norton 360 was displaying a notification in the home screen of my iPhone. I open it, and under WI-FI security it tells me that I am connected to an unsecure network ans that I should try Secure VPN. I click and it takes me to the app store where I can download Secure VPN (remember I had uninstalled it as per your suggestion). I download it again and I configure it again. The VPN is enabled, the connection is protected, and I also have enabled the system to turn on the VPN automatically for any type of connection.

As a result, I now have two notifications on my iPhone, one from Norton 360, and one from Secure VPN. The first one keeps prompting me to try Secure VPN, even if I have already downloaded it, installed it, and configured it. Then I do not understand the second notification in Secure VPN: the VPN is active, and the app tells me that my network #XXXWIFI is secure.

And yes, I have already rebooted the phone. At this point I give up!

I wish you a good day.

It appears you may have a different version of 360 iOS or a corrupted install. This is the main screen I see when I open the 360 app.

360 ios main screen

Note the Privacy section at the bottom of the screen. When I tap on Security, it shows the information in your image.

I would suggest uninstalling both your 360 and the Secure VPN apps and restart your device. Then install only the 360 app and see if you see what is in my image. Then test to see if you are still seeing your original issue.

Thank you bat that did not hep. I have an original version of Norton 360 as it gets downloaded from the app store. I have uninstalled it, re-installed it, checked tat it is the latest version, but all of the above did not help.

Good evening.

What part of the world are you in? It appears you may have a localized version of 360 that has a different interface.

What version of 360 do you now have?