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Sync issues while on wifi

Hi everyone I have dropbox not wanting to sync while connected to the wifi, if I swap to mobile data then dropbox syncs. Also same applies if I attempt to connect to any of the Dropbox websites or on wifi it is blocked but using mobile date and hotspot then I can access the websites, have tried numerous browsers and other site and don’t have the same issues. Dropbox support had a look and suggest the isp is blocking , this doesn’t appear to be the case
As a coincidence I have a square terminal that has started to play up as well and is connected to wifi but when attempting anything won’t connect
No other issues seem to be present and any suggestions would be great appreciated
TIA Glen

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Nancy

Hi @Glen11, and thanks for posting this on our forum!

After reading your message, it really sounds like the specific network/WiFi you’re connected to is blocking Dropbox for some reason.

Just like our support team suggested, I’d also recommend contacting your ISP, in order to check this. If this wasn’t related to your WiFi, then the issue would persist no matter the network you’re connected to.

I hope this clarifies things a bit.

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Nancy

Hi @Glen11, and thanks for posting this on our forum!

After reading your message, it really sounds like the specific network/WiFi you’re connected to is blocking Dropbox for some reason.

I hope this clarifies things a bit.

lockedbag

WOW - Finally someone who is experiencing the same issue.

In my case it started happening about 3-4 weeks ago. I would connect to my Mobile device using it's hotspot - can access Outlook, Microsoft, local newspapers, ZOOM, the works... but for some reason can no longer sync DROPBOX, also can't seem to even go to DROPBOX web portals - i.e. check on the version history of files.

So I thought it was my Mobile....it was old.. remember it had been working for months previously using DROPBOX.

I'll Add I have files stored locally on my PC and use DROPBOX via Explorer.

Got a brand new Mobile - my original one was a SAMSUNG, so my new one is also a SAMSUNG A22 but now its got 5G capability.

Still no luck, can do everything else on my PC but DROPBOX is a no no... it's like there is some sort of firewall.

I tried something else... I put my SIM into an iPhone - fired up the hotspot - and presto 190 odd files I had been working on over the course of a few days sync'd. I could also see DROPBOX domain websites and use the WEB PORTAL DROPBOX explorer.

I called my network provider - they confirmed the settings had no limitations.... tried the SAMSUNG people, they blamed the DROPBOX app... so couldn't help.

So to recap.. I can SYNC and view DROPBOX web stuff if I put my SIM card in an iPhone and use the iPhone hotspot...but cannot do anything related to DROPBOX if I have my SIM card in my SAMSUNG device....

and since the SAMSUNG is my designated mobile I use, I'd love it if someone could tell me what has happened recently to the security protocols that is causing conflict using the broadband on my phone and how i can fix it.

Thanks, in advance

MOBILE NETWORK - Vodafone NZ.

Jay

Hi @lockedbag, thanks for the message.

Do you have any proxy, VPN, firewall, or security software could be restricting traffic to the following Dropbox domains?

Is this a company-managed device by any chance, or is it a personal phone from factory settings?

lockedbag

Hi, thanks for these questions....

It is not a company managed mobile device.

There is no proxy,VPN,etc that I am aware of.

My Laptop connects tot he internet various ways. 1, through Mobile hotspots, 2, through home WIFI, 3, through Work WIFI

1 -I can put my SIM card in my colleagues mobile ( iPhone 😎 and can do anything with DROPBOX

1 - I can put my SIM card in my brand new mobile ( Samsung A22) and no access to DROPBOX

1 - I can put my SIM card in my old mobile ( Samsung J6) and no access to DROPBOX

1 - I can access my friends HUAWEI and can do anything with DROPBOX

2 - My Laptop using my home WIFI ( Vodafone fibre router) has no problems accessing DROPBOX

3 - My Latptop using the work WIFI has no problems accessing DROPBOX ( by the way the office WIFI is off a Vodafone HUAWEI Wireless broadband (mobile network) modem)

Bottom line, when my laptop uses the SAMSUNG hotspot WIFI, dropbox is no longer accessible.

I tried to get SAMSUNG to help - they pointed to DROPBOX....

Hope that helps! 🙂

Jay

It definitely seems to be affecting the phone provider directly, so for some reason it isn't working on Samsung devices, or perhaps the method in which it creates hotspots, which is preventing access to Dropbox.

As to what the issue might be, it wouldn't be possible to find out from our end, as it does seem to be device specific.

David-TK

Hi @lockedbag

We too are seeing exactly the same problem. We too use Vodafone NZ. Ours started on 23 June (similar timing to you). I don't believe it is Dropbox related as we have also tried WeTransfer and see the same issue. We can't upload files to either service. We had been successfully using Dropbox (via API) from these phones for over 6 months before 23 June. It stopped working on 23 June without any warning. It's affecting our 50 phones, so it's not unique to one phone. Interestingly Microsoft OneDrive works fine, so it is just some services.

From our tests the problem exists on managed (Intune) or unmanaged phones (including ones factory reset with nothing else on them), where the phone is Android (we only have Samsung's, but a variety of models), and only on the Vodafone NZ cellular network.

We can take the very same phone, and use it on the 2degrees or Spark networks successfully. And use the original Vodafone SIM in an iPhone and it works. It also works on wifi which is connected to the Vodafone fibre network.

My feeling is that is a timeout issue, as when we open Dropbox in the browser, even before doing an upload, there is great slowness and timeouts when moving between folders.

I have logged calls with Vodafone NZ, but am still awaiting a response.

Did you get a solution / any progress ? It would be good to be in direct contact if possible to share experiences.

Thanks

lockedbag

hi, VFNZ said there were no changes to their network and that the settings in SEIBEL on one phone number ( on iPhone) were exactly the same the other number not working( Samsung).

They said you should contact the phone manufacturer.

Your testing seems way more in-depth than I can perform...especially changing carrier SIMS....well done.

I suspect Vodafone NZ has put in another layer of security and it somehow relates to Android. Perhaps it is looking up some sort of DNS or proxy and it doesn't exist. ( a colon put in the wrong spot in the code)

Let me know how you go, you may have provided them with more data to analyze the situation and you have way more phones so are probably a bigger customer.

Glad you found this thread.

Paul

David-TK

Thanks Paul.

One question - you mentioned you tried a Huawei (presumably using Android) and it worked. If that's the case, my presumption that Android was part of the issue may need to change to Samsung / Voda NZ as the issue. We're going to try and track down a non-Samsung Android tomorrow to test.

I agree, I think there is some obscure network setting somewhere that has been changed. Or there is a piece of network equipment that is using some older standard, and a Samsung or Android update has now stopped it working fully. The difficultly is finding the right person at Vodafone NZ to talk to - we're currently with the mobile team, but my guess is that it is a combination of mobile and the underlying network.

We had thought Chrome might be involved, as there have been a lot of updates recently, but also tried Edge and it too had problems (though it is now based on Chromium).

I'll let you know how we get on.

Cheers

David

David-TK

Hi Paul,

Just to let you know that I had a message from Vodafone NZ this morning saying there was a bug in their system. They've changed something over the weekend, and things are now working correctly for us (Dropbox uploads ok). Hopefully it has solved your problem too.

Cheers

David

lockedbag

WOW, that was fast...

Got a message from VF NZ about 10 minutes after you posted.

Looking forward to testing it out when i get back to the office.

fingers and toes crossed.

Thanks

lockedbag

FINAL UPDATE.......................................

It works. VFNZ made a change to their Core Network security protocols that impacted native android devices on the night of the 22nd June 2022. As to the specifics of that I have not got that info, and likely will never be given it.

On the weekend of the 6th/7th August VFNZ made a change to their Core Network that included a fix to allow access to DROPBOX using android devices.

Subsequent "in the field" tests have confirmed the fix is working and as for our team, they can now access DROPBOX using the HOTSPOT functionality of their SAMSUNG device.

ISSUE RESOLVED.....

David-TK

Thanks very much Paul, those dates all tie in exactly with what we saw. Much appreciated.