“Server unavailable” modal displayed when connecting to a Captive Portal network while VPN is OFF

[data-sync-user]

Important details:

• Sometimes the server unavailable modal is displayed before the Captive portal screen or on top of the Captive Portal screen;

Mozilla VPN affected versions:

• 2.14.0 (2.202302231547);

Reproducible on:

• MacOS;

Prerequisites:

• Have the Mozilla VPN opened;
• Have an account with subscription for Mozilla VPN;
• Have the VPN OFF;
• Have access to a Captive Portal network;

Steps to reproduce:

1. Connect to the Captive Portal network;
2. Turn ON the VPN app;
3. Observe the behavior;

Expected results:

• User is redirected to the activation screen and the VPN state is OFF;

Actual results:

• User is redirected to the activation screen and a “Server unavailable” modal is displayed;

┆Issue is synchronized with this Jira Bug ┆Reporter: Valentina Virlics

[data-sync-user]

➤ Valentina Virlics commented:

Santiago Andrigo QA thinks that this should have increased Priority and be included in the 2.14 RCs because a user who previously connects to a Captive Portal network (while having the VPN OFF) is no longer able to connect to a server location.

[data-sync-user]

➤ Santiago Andrigo commented:

Valentina Virlics This is only macOS and only certain times, right?

In step 3, do you mean the “Turn off VPN” button? I’m imagining the macOS/1 mock here ( https://www.figma.com/file/OQpyNjmowo3BIE23WGnOCM/Captive-Portal---Additional-Messaging?node-id=14-1429&t=Y5y3wAk7lXtEqQTy-0 ).

[data-sync-user]

➤ Valentina Virlics commented:

Yes, only MacOS. Nope, all the times.

In step 3, if the VPN is OFF, you get the CP screen with the “Okay“ button, because you no longer need to turn the VPN OFF, as it is OFF already.

[data-sync-user]

➤ Santiago Andrigo commented:

Gotcha. I’m confused though. In Step 2 you mentioned that you need to turn the VPN ON. If it’s not ON (or wasn’t), then I’m confused as to why a “Server unavailable” modal would show up.

Mind adding a video of it please?

[data-sync-user]

➤ Valentina Virlics commented:

I should have wrote - “try” to turn the VPN ON, because you click the activation toggle, but you need to log into the portal to finalize the activation.

Will add a video tomorrow.

[data-sync-user]

➤ Santiago Andrigo commented:

Ok, if it’s the treatment that happens when attempting to connect, then I suspect that this is some race condition of Scenario 1 (https://mozilla-hub.atlassian.net/browse/VPN-3310 ( https://mozilla-hub.atlassian.net/browse/VPN-3310|smart-link )) which we are getting rid off anyway: https://mozilla-hub.atlassian.net/browse/VPN-4271 ( https://mozilla-hub.atlassian.net/browse/VPN-4271|smart-link ). This would make fixing the bug not necessary as we can just remove the functionality and fix this.

Andrea Marchesini Does that sound accurate?

[data-sync-user]

➤ Valentina Virlics commented:

Santiago Andrigo Thank you for the extra details.

[data-sync-user]

➤ Bianca Hidecuti commented:

I am able to reproduce this issue on Linux - Jammy 22.04 as well, while using the 2.15 RC - 2.15.0 (2.15.0~rc20230512150507-jammy1), after connecting to a CP network (without logging in), when attempting to turn ON the VPN.

!linux.png|width=292,height=473!

[data-sync-user]

➤ Gela Malek Pour commented:

Bianca Hidecuti Valentina Virlics Does this issue still exist? I’m curious with some of the removal work if this is still the case.

[data-sync-user]

➤ Bianca Hidecuti commented:

Hi Gela Malek Pour,

We are still able to reproduce this intermittently while using Mozilla VPN 2.19.0 (2.202311021719), on macOS 12.6.6/macOS 13 as follows:

1. Connect to a CP network (without loggin into the portal) while the VPN is OFF;
2. Attempt to turn ON the VPN;

AR: the VPN enters in Connecting state, followed by the “Server unavailable” modal (I am attaching logs as well).

However, we also encountered the behavior when the VPN bypasses the CP authentication or when the client shows the “Captive Portal detected” screen (with the “Turn VPN OFF” button).

[^mozillavpn-2023-11-3.log]

!Screenshot 2023-11-03 at 10.41.46.png|width=1405,height=832!

[data-sync-user]

➤ Bianca Hidecuti commented:

Still reproducing while using the 2.19 RC on macOS 12.6.6.

[^CP.log]

[data-sync-user]

➤ Bianca Hidecuti commented:

Reproducing with Mozilla VPN 2.20.0 (2.202401240340) RC, on macOS 12.6.6.

[^CP (0f5549d7-3ef1-4a5f-92ef-919a28abe2b1).log]

[data-sync-user]

➤ Valentina Virlics commented:

The captive portal behavior changed from 2.14, but even if removing the “step 3 - In the Captive Portal screen click “Okay” button”, the behavior is still the same and a server unavailable modal is displayed.

Updating the ticket description as well.

[data-sync-user]

➤ Valentina Virlics commented:

This is still happening on macOS 14, while using 2.23 RC build.