MacOS venture13.6.1
MAc and Start9 server are on the same subnet.
Once rebooted, can access the control panel on the .local address and on the ip address.
After a few hours, I can still see the active server IP via Angry IP scanner, but I cannot connect to it.
I run ExpressVPN and settings are to allow local ip addresses through
I have tested trying to access the server via a Windows PC and I get the same problem.
(I scrolled through the previous posts and could not find a solution.)
Thanks for posting and I’m sorry about the frustrating experience you are having.
To start with a general point, please read this perspective from Matt Hill (link to original Telegram post: Telegram: Contact @start9_labs)
it’s almost certainly the VPN causing these issues. I have never seen someone experience smooth and consistent connectivity to .locals when using a VPN. Except for the inconvenience of having to toggle the VPN on/off when arriving home, there is no privacy benefit to using a VPN when connecting to .locals
Another thought would be, have you tried isolating the issue to the VPN by, for instance, accessing your server from a different client device (meaning not your MacOS device), without the VPN? For example the Windows PC you mentioned, or perhaps a mobile client? Let us know.
With any troubleshooting situation, you’d need to eliminate or add back possible causes one by one and see if they’re the cause. VPN could be one, and leaving it toggled off for a while and seeing if it repeats is a reasonable starting point.
But I’m not sure that’s the cause here, I’ve used ExpressVPN before and generally had the same setup as you with no issues.
When I did once have a similar issue it was with DIY hardware and older versions of StartOS. Are you fully up to date and on supported hardware? In the Logs you might see disconnects of the ethernet port you’re using (uplink down, uplink up etc).
This is speculation though, I agree with Jeremy, more info would be useful.