VPNs in secoundary profiles

Overlay1404

I have always had issues with using VPNs (especially the providers native app) in non owner profiles, such as having to turn the VPN on and off again before being able to connect but, this one struck me as particularly odd, so I figured I would see if other users here have dealth with it.

Recently switched over to using ProtonVPN after 18 months of AirVPN and have been using the Proton VPN app on all 3 of my phone profiles (Pixel 7 GOS) since they allow 10 connections with paid, instead of the typical 5. Everything had been going well until last night when all of a sudden one of my profiles refused to connect to the internet with the VPN on. Tried closing all other VPN sessions, tried restarting the phone, changing servers. Nothing worked. Both the owner profile and the other profile I had worked normally throughout this process. Eventually I ended up re-installing wireguard for my non-owner profiles and created a wireguard config for my Proton connection which seems to be working now.

Wondering if others have had this issue and if its particular to GOS and just VPNs and profiles being a bit wonky together?

UndercoverBozo

Overlay1404 I also noticed an increase in issues recently with protonvpn and wg configs can't really explain it but battery was draining big time while all profiles had no internet and took multiple config/vpn resets.

Side note with mullvad vpn the 5 device limit is not enforced on wg configs (they limit you to 5 private keys but can make as many configs as you want with each key) wgtunnel is my go to.

m4ri0g

do you use the protonvpn app or do you download the wireguard configuration files from proton?

Overlay1404

m4ri0g sorry if this wasnt clear. When the issue occured I was using the proton app in all three profiles. Now I am using the proton app in the owner profile and wireguard in the other two.

rellhom

interesting topic, watching... I am wondering if it is possible to set up a different vpn in different profiles ie. so I can go to one profile and be through protonvpn with my vpn server location of Japan and another profile through mullvad with my vpn server being Switzerland

is it possible to have this setup and work seamlessly and automatically?

Overlay1404

rellhom my understanding is that should work fine. I typically just use one wireguard config for all profiles so that it only counts as one connection.

GOS21606

rellhom Yes you can !!

I work the same way for a while.

m4ri0g

rellhom I do this
main profile connected to the USA to enjoy steaming service. other profile connected to my home country at the same time but I use the app in both cases.
i haven't tried fiddling with wireguards on the phone i use wireguard on the router which run openwrt due to the lack of proper proton app.

the issue with config files is that if that server for which you generated a conf goes down you lose connectivity. you can have 'country' config but for openvpn not for wireguard.

alfred

Overlay1404 In my experience, you can't have the same config on two devices, or user profiles, active at the same time. Internet ends up being erratic on both profiles.

Overlay1404

alfred

alfred you can't have the same config on two devices, or user profiles, active at the same time.

You can't have the same VPN profile active concurrently on two devices or profiles or whatever but, it should work just fine if its not concurrent.

alfred Internet ends up being erratic on both profiles.

This goes back to my OP. Internet seems to be kind of erratic using VPNs on other profiles regardless.

alfred

Overlay1404 You can't have the same VPN profile active concurrently on two devices or profiles or whatever but, it should work just fine if its not concurrent.

That is correct. However, concurrent usage happens when you sign into the secondary profile as the owner profile is still active.
Assuming you have the same config in the Owner and secondary user.

Overlay1404 This goes back to my OP. Internet seems to be kind of erratic using VPNs on other profiles regardless.

Using VPNs in secondary profiles has worked great for me, as long as I don't reuse configs.

Overlay1404

alfred

alfred That is correct. However, concurrent usage happens when you sign into the secondary profile as the owner profile is still active.

Thats interesting. My current setup avoids that though (completley by accident) as I use the native proton app on the owner profile and then a seperate wireguard config for profile 2 and 3 (the config is the same for these two profiles).

Although I have never had issues using the same wireguard config on all profiles (including the owner). To the contrary, this always seems to be the most reliable.

The issues I have had with VPNs on other profiles don't seem to be specific to if I use a different connection per profile or if I have all profiles setup with the same wireguard config.