Bell throttles VPN connections - Page 2 - Canadian TV, Computing and Home Theatre Forums

notsure · 2010-05-10, 10:21 AM

So next we won't be able to do any talking about work on our Bell telephone lines.

Don't tell anyone but I use my home phone line to dial into a conference call in the evening once a week. Shhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh.

Please keep us posted... it would be interesting to hear if this turns out to actually be correct. If we are capped on the b/w they should have zero say in what we are using our bytes for - work or personal use.

lmoreau · 2010-05-20, 12:53 PM

I use VPN and JUST had Fibe 25 installed at my condo. It's Cisco something VPN that I use. I'll test it when I get home tonight to see. I only telecommute I don't even have an office in my corporation I only work from home. I got the Fibe 25 for the fast upload so my IP phone won't keep disconnecting like it did before.

Just as an aside, you can get up to 16Mbps for Business with Bell. My other office has the 12Mbps guaranteed which is $92 a month.

ImaPoster · 2010-05-21, 09:45 PM

It is my understanding that Bell wasn't capping VPN if you are using the standard port(s) for that service.

If you are setting up VPN on custom ports then maybe that's part of your problem if the above is true (ie. their DPI doesn't know what to do with it & caps it as a result thinking it is some P2P).

I'm not a Vibe user but am on Bell DSL (5M profile) & don't recall noticing my VPN being capped albeit I haven't actually tested it recently...

lmoreau · 2010-05-24, 09:34 PM

I didn't get a chance to test it but I will soon as I have Fibe 25. I can see them capping it if you set up your own VPN server to connect in since that's more for businesses and this is residential. But I can't see them capping your connection to your office's VPN connection. What difference would that make to bell it's not like you're running a server.

JamesK · 2010-05-25, 06:59 AM

^^^^
Many people, myself included, run a VPN for strictly personal reasons. Others use one for telecommuting. In addition, I've started using IPv6, by tunnelling to a gateway. Would Bell consider that a VPN too? For business? This is why ISPs should be made into common carriers. That way, it would be illegal for them to tamper with the content of internet access.

lmoreau · 2010-05-27, 08:23 PM

Okay relax everyone! I'm at my condo now on Fibe 25. Did a speed test got 23Mbps which is normal over WiFi, if I plug in I usually get just over 25. Anyway, I just connected to my work VPN which is the Cisco Systems VPN Client version 5.0. Ran a speed test and I just got 22Mbps then again got 19Mbps and again got 21.5Mbps. So that puts that to rest, no cap for VPN!

U · 2010-05-28, 08:57 AM

Agreed... I use my VPN all the time on Bell and there is no traffic cap, no matter the time of the day. I've been doing this for years, just did it again yesterday. Whoever told you there was a cap was simply clueless...

To the OP, is it possible that your VPN system at work restricts the speed to a maximum of 4M? These VPN boxes have a finite amount of resources, so does the Internet link they connect to... Just saying.

HDTV101 · 2010-05-28, 10:16 PM

Just an update....

The Bell CRS did admit to it that they were doing something... and the throttling kicked in a few days later after the DPI picked up on it. my VPN router is not an under powered Linksys box like some people use... yes those do max out at 3 Mbit. My VPN router is a Dell PowerEdge Server in my home with a dual core CPU and can handle up to 1 Gbit using an AES Accelerator.

This is what we noticed...

PPTP was throttled once discovered by DPI to 4 Mbit
SSH was throttled once discovered by DPI to 3 Mbit

Open VPN was the winner since it provided no headers as to the type of traffic it was.

After my posting on here and several calls to bell all throttling on my line vanished.

I get 25/7 as specified by Bell.. and 24/6 through the VPN server. You lose 1 Mbit due to the VPN overhead (Packet encapsulation)

As long as things stay this way I'm now very happy!

U · 2010-05-28, 10:44 PM

I wasn't referring to what you have in your home but the box you connect to at work. That box may be configured to throttle individual sessions to preserve bandwidth and/or resources.

I think you may be paranoid about Bell...

They don't deploy specific DPI throttling that would only affect a few users. When they do something its blanket across the board. Also, the CRTC ruled (last fall as far as I remember) that although they are allowed to throttle bandwidth they must fully disclose what they are doing... If they change their practices they must give notice and again fully disclose the details.

HDTV101 · 2010-05-29, 12:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by U

I wasn't referring to what you have in your home but the box you connect to at work. That box may be configured to throttle individual sessions to preserve bandwidth and/or resources.

We have 40 Dell PowerEdge servers in NDC at 151 Front St W. One of them is my exclusive VPN server.. And there is nothing limiting it but the 100 Mbit port it’s connected to. I know the CRTC rules as I’ve read them. The way I see it is the average Joe can’t test a 25 Mbit VPN without having a VPN server at the other end capable of that same speed. Maybe I caught Bell by surprise? Maybe Bell is now the one that’s paranoid?

U · 2010-05-29, 08:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HDTV101

Maybe I caught Bell by surprise? Maybe Bell is now the one that’s paranoid?

I think you are giving yourself way too much credit...

You know maybe its possible that whatever was causing your connection to be slower wasn't caused by DPI? I'm not arguing that what you saw isn't real, but it seems so easy to just blame DPI when many other factors exist.

I have been using VPN for years (mine is IPSEC encapsulated in UDP and is GE connected at the other end with plenty of capacity) and it is definitely not throttled, not now not ever. Also tried an SCP (SSH) transfer just for the hell of it yesterday during throttle periods and again this morning and maxed out my connection.

cj_closed · 2010-10-13, 01:02 AM

Are you sure you weren't just running into a packet fragmentation problem? Remember, you are encapsulating VPN traffic inside already encapsulated PPPoE traffic. You might need to enable MSS on your gateway.

ScaryBob · 2012-04-26, 11:05 AM

It's also possible that there was a piece of equipment at Bell's end that was misconfigured. In the past, Bell *has* used traffic shaping and port blocking on a number of different protocols and ports. That includes VPN on residential lines. The problem is cleared up now. Time to move on.

Randomizer · 2013-05-21, 03:22 PM

Abolutely confirm that VPN is throttling my VPN on 15/1 Fibre to about 2 Mbps. I'm not even a bell customer, but get DSL through a 3rd party. This has got to be illegal. Vell sells VPN, but chokes their competitors?!

notsure · 2013-05-21, 03:39 PM

Would you happen to have any proof?

2012-04-26, 11:05 AM	#28
ScaryBob Veteran Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: The Dandelion City Posts: 7,133	It's also possible that there was a piece of equipment at Bell's end that was misconfigured. In the past, Bell has used traffic shaping and port blocking on a number of different protocols and ports. That includes VPN on residential lines. The problem is cleared up now. Time to move on. __________________ At 20 I had a good mind. At 40 I had money. At 60 I've lost my mind and my money. Oh, to be 20 again. --Scary

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2010-05-10, 10:21 AM	#16
notsure Veteran Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Ottawa, ON; OTA, XBMC, ATV Posts: 1,602	So next we won't be able to do any talking about work on our Bell telephone lines. Don't tell anyone but I use my home phone line to dial into a conference call in the evening once a week. Shhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh. Please keep us posted... it would be interesting to hear if this turns out to actually be correct. If we are capped on the b/w they should have zero say in what we are using our bytes for - work or personal use.

2010-05-20, 12:53 PM	#17
lmoreau Join Date: Mar 2010 Posts: 28	I use VPN and JUST had Fibe 25 installed at my condo. It's Cisco something VPN that I use. I'll test it when I get home tonight to see. I only telecommute I don't even have an office in my corporation I only work from home. I got the Fibe 25 for the fast upload so my IP phone won't keep disconnecting like it did before. Just as an aside, you can get up to 16Mbps for Business with Bell. My other office has the 12Mbps guaranteed which is $92 a month.

2010-05-21, 09:45 PM	#18
ImaPoster Rookie Join Date: May 2010 Posts: 14	It is my understanding that Bell wasn't capping VPN if you are using the standard port(s) for that service. If you are setting up VPN on custom ports then maybe that's part of your problem if the above is true (ie. their DPI doesn't know what to do with it & caps it as a result thinking it is some P2P). I'm not a Vibe user but am on Bell DSL (5M profile) & don't recall noticing my VPN being capped albeit I haven't actually tested it recently...

2010-05-24, 09:34 PM	#19
lmoreau Join Date: Mar 2010 Posts: 28	I didn't get a chance to test it but I will soon as I have Fibe 25. I can see them capping it if you set up your own VPN server to connect in since that's more for businesses and this is residential. But I can't see them capping your connection to your office's VPN connection. What difference would that make to bell it's not like you're running a server.

2010-05-25, 06:59 AM	#20
JamesK Veteran Join Date: May 2009 Location: Mississauga Posts: 5,042	^^^^ Many people, myself included, run a VPN for strictly personal reasons. Others use one for telecommuting. In addition, I've started using IPv6, by tunnelling to a gateway. Would Bell consider that a VPN too? For business? This is why ISPs should be made into common carriers. That way, it would be illegal for them to tamper with the content of internet access.

2010-05-27, 08:23 PM	#21
lmoreau Join Date: Mar 2010 Posts: 28	Okay relax everyone! I'm at my condo now on Fibe 25. Did a speed test got 23Mbps which is normal over WiFi, if I plug in I usually get just over 25. Anyway, I just connected to my work VPN which is the Cisco Systems VPN Client version 5.0. Ran a speed test and I just got 22Mbps then again got 19Mbps and again got 21.5Mbps. So that puts that to rest, no cap for VPN!

2010-05-28, 08:57 AM	#22
U Join Date: May 2002 Posts: 1,488	Agreed... I use my VPN all the time on Bell and there is no traffic cap, no matter the time of the day. I've been doing this for years, just did it again yesterday. Whoever told you there was a cap was simply clueless... To the OP, is it possible that your VPN system at work restricts the speed to a maximum of 4M? These VPN boxes have a finite amount of resources, so does the Internet link they connect to... Just saying.

2010-05-28, 10:16 PM	#23
HDTV101 Veteran Join Date: Dec 2004 Posts: 2,000	Just an update.... The Bell CRS did admit to it that they were doing something... and the throttling kicked in a few days later after the DPI picked up on it. my VPN router is not an under powered Linksys box like some people use... yes those do max out at 3 Mbit. My VPN router is a Dell PowerEdge Server in my home with a dual core CPU and can handle up to 1 Gbit using an AES Accelerator. This is what we noticed... PPTP was throttled once discovered by DPI to 4 Mbit SSH was throttled once discovered by DPI to 3 Mbit Open VPN was the winner since it provided no headers as to the type of traffic it was. After my posting on here and several calls to bell all throttling on my line vanished. I get 25/7 as specified by Bell.. and 24/6 through the VPN server. You lose 1 Mbit due to the VPN overhead (Packet encapsulation) As long as things stay this way I'm now very happy!

2010-05-28, 10:44 PM	#24
U Join Date: May 2002 Posts: 1,488	I wasn't referring to what you have in your home but the box you connect to at work. That box may be configured to throttle individual sessions to preserve bandwidth and/or resources. I think you may be paranoid about Bell... They don't deploy specific DPI throttling that would only affect a few users. When they do something its blanket across the board. Also, the CRTC ruled (last fall as far as I remember) that although they are allowed to throttle bandwidth they must fully disclose what they are doing... If they change their practices they must give notice and again fully disclose the details.

2010-10-13, 01:02 AM	#27
cj_closed Join Date: Oct 2010 Posts: 1	Are you sure you weren't just running into a packet fragmentation problem? Remember, you are encapsulating VPN traffic inside already encapsulated PPPoE traffic. You might need to enable MSS on your gateway.

2013-05-21, 03:22 PM	#29
Randomizer Rookie Join Date: May 2013 Posts: 6	Abolutely confirm that VPN is throttling my VPN on 15/1 Fibre to about 2 Mbps. I'm not even a bell customer, but get DSL through a 3rd party. This has got to be illegal. Vell sells VPN, but chokes their competitors?!

2013-05-21, 03:39 PM	#30
notsure Veteran Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Ottawa, ON; OTA, XBMC, ATV Posts: 1,602	Would you happen to have any proof?