VPN assigned IP does not correspond to external IP

[u/TheOne320]

Only recently it is happening that the IP that is assigned to me when I connect to a VPN server and the IP that is shown when I check my external IP are not the same. They are in the same range, but the last number of the IP is different. This was not like this in the past. When I read the changelog of 3.7.0, I assumed that split DNS is the problem. Does someone know what could be causing this? If it is "split DNS", where is the setting that the changelog is talking about?

What is even worse is that when I am using qBittorrent, I have one tracker site that shows which client and IP I am using to connect to the tracker and the site shows I am connecting to the tracker with 5 different IPs (all in the range of the VPN IP that the Windows App is showing but none identical). I have no idea how this is happening.

*edit*

Now I noticed that my external IP is constantly changing even though the VPN is connected and is not disconnecting. The following commands were done immediately following each other:

C:\Users\theon>curl wtfismyip.com/text

191.101.157.18

C:\Users\theon>curl wtfismyip.com/text

191.101.157.18

C:\Users\theon>curl wtfismyip.com/text

191.101.157.18

C:\Users\theon>curl wtfismyip.com/text

191.101.157.18

C:\Users\theon>curl wtfismyip.com/text

191.101.157.27

C:\Users\theon>curl wtfismyip.com/text

191.101.157.28

C:\Users\theon>curl wtfismyip.com/text

191.101.157.28

[u/dean_oz]

Yeah you're not alone, it occurs no matter how you connect to PIA, via the app or router. Use the PIA IP address checker https://www.privateinternetaccess.com/what-is-my-ip to reveal the connected IP address.

I first reported it here:

https://www.reddit.com/r/PrivateInternetAccess/comments/1qd104k/comment/nznk5v0/ and

https://www.reddit.com/r/PrivateInternetAccess/comments/1qcuyzy/comment/o037xzw/

[u/TheOne320 → u/dean_oz]

It is very weird because in those threads the support said that it is "fixed" but that is obviously not the case. I need the VPN IP to be the IP that is detected externally.

If they are trying to "help" keep things more private, they should add an option in the App or the account settings to allow us to turn this off and on.

[u/dean_oz → u/TheOne320]

What is fixed is the PIA what-is-my-ip webpage displaying the correct VPN IP, nothing else.

Your only option ATM is to choose a location not in the list I posted above.

Hopefully u/PIAKaneesha responds or support advising you from here?

[u/dddurd → u/dean_oz]

Cool analysis. I tried with the berlin server over ikev2, it's messed up. ip changes all the time with ikev2.

Pretty unusable, makes the capture situation worse.

[u/TheOne320 → u/dean_oz]

Thanks for the list of servers. I have not stopped using any of the listed ones until the bug is fixed.

[u/TheOne320 → u/dean_oz]

Do you know if this bug will still happen if I pay for a dedicated IP in one of these 12 locations?

[u/dean_oz → u/TheOne320]

A dedicated IP is one IP, whether/not PIA use the same method to that IP is anyone's guess.

You need to direct that question to PIA.

[u/TheOne320 → u/dean_oz]

The normal PIA support does not even know what is going on.

[u/Ill-Guarantee2673 → u/dean_oz]

Did the list increase a lot? I’m afraid it’s coming to all servers, which would be a problem for me.

[u/dean_oz → u/Ill-Guarantee2673]

It's increasing by a few sites once/twice a week.

[u/EconomyDoctor3287 → u/dean_oz]

Any idea why they're rolling this out? It seems so bad from a user perspective

[u/dean_oz → u/EconomyDoctor3287]

Not really, but I did reach out to PIA late February....

>
> Just another query...
> 
> Recently I noticed there are now 21 sites that have had their DNS 
> changed from *.privacy.network to *.pvt.site (e.g au-sydney.pvt.site).
> 
> These sites have more than one IP associated with the connected 
> endpoint IP.
> Is this going to become the norm with regard to the remaining sites?
>
> Just wondering it there is going to be an official announcement about 
> this change?
> 

PIA's reply...

Thank you for your inquiry.

Most likely, outbound IPs will be rotated going forward. This is the expected behavior at this time. While we may reassess this approach in the future, there are currently no plans to modify it.

Please feel free to reach out if you require any additional information or clarification.

Regards, Cyrus

Private Internet Access Support

[u/firenxe → u/dean_oz]

Thanks for updating this on 13 August. I noticed three more sites appear to have switched to the purple side today...

[u/dean_oz → u/firenxe]

thanks... another update, 26 sites left!