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Level 1

12 points

VPN problem on iPhone after updating to iOS6 - server not found for .local URLs in Safari

Hi!

I have a PPTP VPN configured on SBS 2003 which is built-in by default in the OS.

iPhone 4 (iOS 5.1.1), iPhone 4S and iPad 2 connected fine to this VPN. Also the URLs which where poinintg to addresses in local domain (e.g. service.contooso.local) were resolved properly.

After updating to iOS 6 connection to VPN still establishes properly. Unfortunately all these devices cannot connect through Safari to local websites anymore when a URL in .local domain is specified (e.g. http://service.contooso.local) and that was working fine before the udpate. Safari returns the following message: "Safari cannot open this website. Server cannot be found." - this is a translation to English, so original message may slightly differ.

When IP address is entered in Safari the connection is succesfuly established to the default website on SBS.

It seems like after connecting to the VPN the DNS address used for resolving the names is not poining to the local DNS server (which is the same as webserver, VPN server, etc. as all the services are on SBS), but still to the ISP's DNS.

Is that behavior normal in iOS 6 or is it a bug? As I have written before in iOS 5.1.1 this kind of behavior did not occur, and after connecting to VPN I could use http://service.contooso.local URL which was resolved properly to correct website in the intranet.

I am looking forward for any hints.

Best regards,

Piotr

iPhone 4, iOS 6

Posted on Sep 20, 2012 7:38 AM

66 replies

Tom Rock

Level 1

0 points

Oct 5, 2012 1:33 PM in response to prochejr

o.k., please let me (us) know, if it works with "Free Ping".

prochejr

Level 1

0 points

Oct 5, 2012 1:39 PM in response to Tom Rock

Yes, I downloaded Free Ping, pinged the FQDN once, and it responded. Now Safari finds it.

Wow - I wonder how that finds it but other ping tools do not?

Tom Rock

Level 1

0 points

Oct 5, 2012 1:47 PM in response to prochejr

🙂, maybe something with dns-cache... whatever...

Tom Rock

Level 1

0 points

Oct 5, 2012 1:49 PM in response to prochejr

f***ng magic, but maybe a hint for the apple guys. let them implement "free ping" for the next bug fix release...

prochejr

Level 1

0 points

Oct 5, 2012 2:50 PM in response to Tom Rock

Just got off with Apple Support - mixed results. A full reset of the iPad Network Settings fixed this for the iPad. Under General Settings / Reset - do the Networking Settings reset, then re-create the VPN connection. Fixed the issue. Same process did NOT work on my iPhone. Possibly different settings (I have Verizon 4G on the iPad and 3G on the iPhone 4s).

cpohle

Level 1

0 points

Oct 5, 2012 3:17 PM in response to prochejr

I noticed a similar behavior some time ago on my [Mac | Linux box | don't remember]. It turned out that there are some programs linking dynamically to the operating system's (buggy) DNS library, while other's come with their own, statically linked (and working) implementations.

I guess there's a similar reason for Free Ping being able to resolve the .local URL. Interesting how the result then makes it's way into the local DNS cache.

Oct 6, 2012 5:47 AM in response to Tom Rock

Hi thanks allot. I can confirm this fixed my access to our company's site. Only issue is that didn't solve the email access.

Does anyone has a clue?

Oct 6, 2012 8:01 AM in response to MakMak1980

i have tried to do the same but this time instead of putting on free ping "intranet.companyserver.local" (which fixed my company site access) to "mail.companyserver.local" and it worked like a charm.

I can now use VPN again on 3G to connect to my work email and dashboard site.

only thing i notice is that it might be necessary to do that everytime you connect but it did save my ***

Thanks again and i hope apple will do an official fix for this.

MDS78

Level 1

0 points

Oct 8, 2012 7:28 AM in response to pietia336

It's a big problem.... 😠😠😠

APPLE What that people expect apple to solve this?

iam2012

Level 1

0 points

Oct 10, 2012 5:48 AM in response to pietia336

Same here. It connects to the server but after 5-10 seconds the

"You were disconnected by

the communication device.

Try reconnecting. If the problem continues,

verify your settings" error pops up.

Used to work fine before the iOS 6 update. Seems like it's defintely a bug.

I've reset network settings. Turned Airplane mode off and on. Set date & time to automatically.

No luck.

Apple should hurry up with the fix.

MDS78

Level 1

0 points

Oct 31, 2012 5:42 AM in response to pietia336

Nobody , have news for this problem ???😮

Tweekme

Level 2

195 points

Nov 1, 2012 9:13 PM in response to pietia336

Just updated my iPhone 5 and iPad to 6.0.1, out today. It does NOT resolve this issue. No change. It was not listed in the bug list for this release, but I was optomistic it would be in there. No such luck.

Everyone please submit this bug to Apple by going here for iPhone:

http://www.apple.com/feedback/iphone.html

and here for iPad:

http://www.apple.com/feedback/ipad.html

pietia336 Author

Level 1

12 points

Nov 5, 2012 3:15 AM in response to pietia336

Hi!

In my case the 6.0.1 iOS update resolved the issue as far as iPhone 4 is concerned!

MDS78

Level 1

0 points

Nov 6, 2012 2:30 AM in response to pietia336

This update resolved the problem with the connection VPN ???

pietia336 Author

Level 1

12 points

Nov 6, 2012 4:10 AM in response to pietia336

Hi,

In my case the 6.0.1 update resolved the issue initially described in the original post:

pietia336 wrote:

Hi!

I have a PPTP VPN configured on SBS 2003 which is built-in by default in the OS.

iPhone 4 (iOS 5.1.1), iPhone 4S and iPad 2 connected fine to this VPN. Also the URLs which where poinintg to addresses in local domain (e.g. service.contooso.local) were resolved properly.

After updating to iOS 6 connection to VPN still establishes properly. Unfortunately all these devices cannot connect through Safari to local websites anymore when a URL in .local domain is specified (e.g. http://service.contooso.local) and that was working fine before the udpate. Safari returns the following message: "Safari cannot open this website. Server cannot be found." - this is a translation to English, so original message may slightly differ.

When IP address is entered in Safari the connection is succesfuly established to the default website on SBS.

It seems like after connecting to the VPN the DNS address used for resolving the names is not poining to the local DNS server (which is the same as webserver, VPN server, etc. as all the services are on SBS), but still to the ISP's DNS.

Is that behavior normal in iOS 6 or is it a bug? As I have written before in iOS 5.1.1 this kind of behavior did not occur, and after connecting to VPN I could use http://service.contooso.local URL which was resolved properly to correct website in the intranet.

I am looking forward for any hints.

Best regards,

Piotr

VPN problem on iPhone after updating to iOS6 - server not found for .local URLs in Safari