Can't access HomeKit camera when using VPN

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Can't access HomeKit camera when using VPN

I am unable to access live video from my HomeKit camera, a Eufy Indoor cam2k, while Cloudflare's 1.1.1.1 VPN is active on my iOS devices - "No Response. This camera is not responding." I have read this happens with other cameras and VPNs too. This happens while at home on with all devices on the same LAN and subnet.

Everything else appears to work: snapshot updates, motion detection, secure home video to iCloud, notifications, etc. Only the live video fails. The reported cause is that it likely has to do with HomeKit's use of Bonjour.

There is a HomeKit hub, an AppleTV 4K, but I don't think that is involved when accessing the camera's live feed at home. I was unable to access the live feed when away from home with the VPN active on my iPhone. My home router, a UniFi Dream Machine, is not a "HomeKit router" and has no virtual LANs defined/active.

Have others had similar experience and/or know of a workaround? Is this an issue that Apple can fix?

PS: There really should be a HomeKit discussion topic

iPhone X, iOS 14

Posted on Oct 25, 2020 3:12 PM

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Answer 1

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fludolph Author

Level 1

24 points

Oct 26, 2020 2:14 PM in response to zinacef

After some additional investigation, it appears that it is the encryption aspect of 1.1.1.1 WARP that is causing the camera access problem. Disabling WARP (encryption) while leaving 1.1.1.1 DNS active enables the camera live view to operate properly.

I have filed a bug with Cloudflare via its 1.1.1.1 WARP app since it appears to be - I'm really guessing here - inappropriately encrypting multi-cast packets (Bonjour) destined for other devices on the LAN in addition to data headed to the internet.

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Answer 2

fludolph Author

Level 1

24 points

Oct 25, 2020 3:24 PM in response to zinacef

No, though I did check their support/online boards. The info I found is from a GitHub thread and suggests it is a general problem related to Bonjour working with VPNs.

I do find it interesting that only the live feed fails and while all other HomeKit camera functions work, suggesting that the live feed is accessed through bonjour while other functions are accessed differently.

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