Element voice call connection is blocked

[waclaw66]

Hello.

Blokada 5.6.0 is somehow blocking voice call connection via TURN server (TCP/UDP). Used Element 1.0.14 on various matrix servers. Nothing blocked is visible within activity log, but call connection works only when Blockada is turned off. Bypassing the Element app from Advanced / Apps helps.

[peterroth]

Hi,

Do you face similar issues with another VPN application? Which DNS server did you use when you faced this reported malfunction?

[waclaw66]

Hi,

Do you face similar issues with another VPN application? Which DNS server did you use when you faced this reported malfunction?

I have tested AdLock, but there is no such problem. Blokada has default setting, DNS is set to Cloudflare. Is there some verbose mode?

[peterroth]

The log ships every information what is being blocked, what happens with Blokada, etc. There's no more detailed logging/activity listing.

[waclaw66]

I've checked the log, but nothing interresting there, no blocking happened, but still call connection (05:17:51) was unsuccessful. Please give it a try on your own or whitelist the Element app. Thanks.

05:15:31.659   Doze       Doze changed: false
05:15:34.675   Blocka     Querying tunnel status
05:15:34.678   SystemTunn Binding SystemTunnel
05:15:34.697 W BlockaRepo Repo config is stale, refreshing
05:15:34.709   BlockaRepo Fetching Blocka repo to check for updates and configuration
05:15:34.799   SystemTunn Bound SystemTunnel
05:15:34.800   Persistenc No persistence, using defaults for: class model.LocalConfig (Kotlin reflection is not available)
05:15:36.170   BlockaRepo Processing config
05:15:36.172   BlockaRepo Using config: Blokada 5: official channel
05:15:36.174   Update     Repo newest version code is: 506000000
05:15:36.717   Apps       Switching bypass for app: im.vector.app
05:15:36.745   Persistenc No persistence, using defaults for: class model.LocalConfig (Kotlin reflection is not available)
05:15:36.747   PacketLoop Requested to stop packet loop
05:15:36.748   SystemTunn Received a request to close tunnel
05:15:36.749   SystemTunn Tunnel turnOff() called
05:15:36.750   SystemTunn Closing tunnel descriptors
05:15:36.752 W Engine     Waiting after stopping system tunnel, before another start
05:15:37.683   PLLibre    Tunnel thread interrupted, stopping
05:15:37.684   PLLibre    Cleaning up resources: Thread[PacketLoopForLibre,5,main]
05:15:37.685   PLForwarde Closing all remaining sockets in Forwarder
05:15:41.760   Persistenc No persistence, using defaults for: class model.LocalConfig (Kotlin reflection is not available)
05:15:41.761   DnsMapper  Using DNS configuration [DoH/PlusMode: false/false]: Dns(id=cloudflare, ips=[1.1.1.1, 1.0.0.1, 2606:4700:4700::1111, 2606:4700:4700::1001], plusIps=null, port=443, name=cloudflare-dns.com, path=dns-query, label=Cloudflare, canUseInCleartext=true)
05:15:41.763   SystemTunn Received a request to open tunnel
05:15:41.764   SystemTunn Tunnel turnOn() called
05:15:41.765   STConfigur Configuring VPN for Libre mode
05:15:41.766   STConfigur Using IP: 203.0.113.69
05:15:41.767   STConfigur Using IPv6: 2001:db8:0:0:0:0:0:0
05:15:41.768   STConfigur Adding DNS server: 1.1.1.1
05:15:41.769   STConfigur Adding mapped DNS server for IPv4
05:15:41.776   STConfigur Adding DNS server: 1.0.0.1
05:15:41.777   STConfigur Adding mapped DNS server for IPv4
05:15:41.778   STConfigur Setting MTU: 1280
05:15:41.779   STConfigur Setting bypass for 33 apps
05:15:41.805   SystemTunn Asking system for tunnel
05:15:41.835   PacketLoop Requested to start packet loop (libre mode)
05:15:41.837   PLLibre    Started packet loop thread: 58010682
05:15:41.837   Metrics    Started metrics
05:15:41.840   AppReposit Fetching apps
05:15:41.906   AppReposit Fetched 193 apps, mapping
05:15:42.025   AppReposit Mapped 193 apps
05:15:42.816   Metrics    DNS-RTT/DNS-ERR/REC-ERR: 136ms/0/0
05:15:43.051   Navigation Destination(org.blokada.origin.alarm:id/advancedFragment) class=ui.advanced.AdvancedFragment
05:15:44.269   Metrics    DNS-RTT/DNS-ERR/REC-ERR: 56ms/0/0
05:15:44.316   Rewriter   Blocked: googleads.g.doubleclick.net
05:15:45.051   Metrics    DNS-RTT/DNS-ERR/REC-ERR: 132ms/0/0
05:15:45.080   Navigation Destination(org.blokada.origin.alarm:id/navigation_home) label= class=ui.home.HomeFragment
05:15:46.733   Navigation Destination(org.blokada.origin.alarm:id/navigation_activity) class=ui.stats.StatsFragment
05:17:10.725   SystemTunn Unbinding SystemTunnel
05:17:10.733   SystemTunn unbindService called
05:17:29.195   Blocka     Querying tunnel status
05:17:29.196   SystemTunn Binding SystemTunnel
05:17:29.254   SystemTunn Bound SystemTunnel
05:17:29.257   Persistenc No persistence, using defaults for: class model.LocalConfig (Kotlin reflection is not available)
05:17:30.643   Navigation Destination(org.blokada.origin.alarm:id/activityDetailFragment) class=ui.stats.StatsDetailFragment
05:17:35.842   Navigation Destination(org.blokada.origin.alarm:id/navigation_activity) class=ui.stats.StatsFragment
05:17:51.876   Metrics    DNS-RTT/DNS-ERR/REC-ERR: 139ms/0/0
05:17:53.769   Metrics    DNS-RTT/DNS-ERR/REC-ERR: 58ms/0/0
05:17:55.639   SystemTunn Unbinding SystemTunnel
05:17:55.715   SystemTunn unbindService called
05:18:05.068   Blocka     Querying tunnel status
05:18:05.069   SystemTunn Binding SystemTunnel
05:18:05.169   SystemTunn Bound SystemTunnel
05:18:05.170   Persistenc No persistence, using defaults for: class model.LocalConfig (Kotlin reflection is not available)
05:18:44.256 W Log        Sharing log
05:18:44.374   SystemTunn Unbinding SystemTunnel
05:18:44.380   SystemTunn unbindService called
05:18:50.807   Metrics    DNS-RTT/DNS-ERR/REC-ERR: 457ms/0/0

[subpub]

It also happens with Quicksy/ https://github.com/inputmice/conversations Call won't connect till I turn off blokada 4/5 on Android v10. I see nothing in the logs.

[kravietz]

I have noticed exactly the same problem with Blokada 5 and Element TURN/STUN on my device. I'm using a custom TURN server and the hostname is reported as "green" (not blocked) by Blokada, yet the voice call can never be finalized with Blokada active.

I also tested the same with a Wireguard VPN from the same device and the voice connection is established correctly, so it seems to be Blokada-specific.

[peterroth]

Can you try if you set the app being bypassed the call happens as it expected to happen? Does it happen with v4, v5 or both?

[kravietz]

Yes, if the app is bypassed the call is connected, when it's not bypassed then it times out.

Interestingly, when I enabled activity notification and app is not bypassed, there's literally zero notifications about anything being blocked - quite the opposite, the TURN server is displayed as "green" in the Activity > Recent tab, but the connection still times out.

I will later try to run the connection through a sniffer in LAN and see if there's any difference in connections made with Blokada enabled.