Does Freedome disconnect vpn when the smartphone is locked/idle?

Hey!

 

Scenario: My Android smartphone is on the table, with the screen locked. I pick up the phone and press home button to turn the screen on to see if there is notifications. I notice the Freedome status icon looks lighter than usual. You know the icon that looks like signal strength or something. Now when i unlock the phone and pull down the notification panel i can see Freedome notification saying:

 

"Connecting to [country].." and then it switches to "Connected to [country]".

 

However, according to the popup i get when i tap on one of the two freedome notifcations, it looks like it hasn't been disconnected, because the "Duration" counter hasn't been reset. 

 

If i leave the Freedome GUI open and lock my phone, i unlock it i can see it reads Connecting with the spinning animation around it, then switching to Connected. So according to that it definitely reconnects once i open the lock screen.

 

And why would it need to reconnect if it wasn't disconnected?

 

What about the services in background that communicate with the internet while the phone is locked, like instant messaging apps that notify you about new messages and stuff? Are those connections now made not using the vpn?

 

Phone model: Galaxy A5 (2015)

OS: Android 6.0.1.

Freedome version: 2.3.0.4674

 

 

Comments

  • Laksh
    Laksh Posts: 4,224 Former F-Secure Employee

    Hi GaryB00zey,

     

    May I know what is the version of Freedome installed on your Android device? How long was the device locked before you opened the device/Freedome started to reconnect?

     

    Based on this KB article, there is intermittent connection in Samsung devices with Freedome installed only when there is Samsung Smart Manager installed.

     

  • Hello. Version is the latest available on Google Play.

     

    I did read that KB eaerlier before i posted here, and i have app optimization turned off.

     

    How long has the device been locked.. i haven't timed it. If i lock/unlock the phone within like couple minutes  i don't see that happening. But any longer than that, let's say like 10 minutes and upwards?

     

  • Laksh
    Laksh Posts: 4,224 Former F-Secure Employee

    Interesting! I would recommend to open a support request with our team so that this could be checked in detail.

  • Considering the amount of time the phone is locked, that's pretty long time to be unprotected. I wouldn't call it interesting, i would call it not getting what i paid for.

  • -opened a support request, received instructions.

    -followed instructions: reinstalling the app (didn't fix it), send the log file from the app.

     

    Just to make it clear: the connection never drops when the phone is actively used; only when its locked.

  • Ganymedes
    Ganymedes Posts: 4 Observer

    It looks like I have the exact same problem. Did you find an answer to this issue?

  • Ganymedes:

     

    Since i started the thread i opened a support request and have been in contact with the support people via email. Answered some quetions, provided log files.. They are still investigating the issue.

     

  • Ganymedes
    Ganymedes Posts: 4 Observer

    Okay, thanks.

     

    It is four months since you started the thread!?

    It would be really interesting to know if it is safe to connect to a public WiFi, without disabling the lock screen. And disabling the lock screen does not feel good either.

    And i think it would be strange if we are the only ones with this problem.

    So, F-Secure Freedome, what do you say? What is happening?

  • "And i think it would be strange if we are the only ones with this problem."

     

    ^This. When i noticed this happening on my phone, i naturally started searching the internet to find a fix / cause. I never did, either here or elsewhere on the internet.

     

    It's weird especially because my phone is pretty much on default settings, not rooted, etc. So i would assume many people would have the same problem..

     

    Maybe the problem is limited to very few specific phone models, not many of the people who have the specific phone models use Freedome, who knows.

  • So my device just got updated to Android 6.0.1. (finally).

    We'll see if the problem still persists after this update.

     

    EDIT: Still the same problem, i keep noticing Freedome has disconnected while the phone has been locked. Happens when using mobile data, but not when using wifi.

     

    I find it hard to believe me and the other person in this thread are the only ones suffering from this. 

     

  • Ganymedes
    Ganymedes Posts: 4 Observer

    Thanks for the update.

    Hello F-secure Freedome!! Say something! Isn't this important to you?

    I have seen the same thing happen on my tablet. The same thing on both my devices. What are the odds if this is something rare?

    Unfortunately my tablet died the other day but it was Android 4.4 and my phone has 5.1.1.

    For me it also happens on wifi.

  • I haven't had these problems with my desktop pc or my tablet, only on the Samsung phone. It never happens when actively using the phone, but everytime the phone has been locked for a while->disconnect->reconnecting (with mobile data enabled). Sucks.

     

  • MargosDezerian
    MargosDezerian Posts: 113 Enthusiast

    GaryB00zey schrieb:

    I haven't had these problems with my desktop pc or my tablet, only on the Samsung phone. It never happens when actively using the phone, but everytime the phone has been locked for a while->disconnect->reconnecting (with mobile data enabled). Sucks.

     .



    Do you use some energy saver options in idle state? That could be the reason that the Freedome connection will be ended. I had that on my Asus Phone(the Mobile Manager has some saving options but you can decide which apps should still run). 

    Or energy save mode in idle state in the WLAN options, so Wifi will disconnect after a short time in idle state. 

  • No.. also i have not installed/used any third party 'app optimizers' or anything like that.
  • Ganymedes
    Ganymedes Posts: 4 Observer

    Same here. No and no. But thanks for the tip :)

This discussion has been closed.
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