Office 365 cloud features do not work when using a privacy VPN

Anonymous
2016-07-27T20:31:21+00:00

When I have a privacy VPN active (such as Private Internet Access - PIA) I can't access the cloud features on Office 365 (such as online templates, OneNote sync to the cloud, Excel or Word saving to OneDrive directly, etc). I have tried 3 different VPN solutions: PIA, NordVPN and VPNArea and they all exhibit the same issue. Is there a way to solve this or to tell Office to bypass the VPN?

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  1. Anonymous
    2019-01-23T21:27:36+00:00

    I've tried every fix posted. While I had some success with several, none were completely satisfying. For example, saving to OneDrive would work, but I'd have to select a Canadian server to access Amazon. I realized that I was spending time troubleshooting and trying rather then working. I ended up switching away from NordVPN to HotSpot Shield Premium (I don't have any connection to them other  than being a customer) and am very satisfied. It works. I don't think about it. And I work more efficiently. HotSpot offers a freemium service. After testing I chose Premium and "ate" my NordVPN fee. I know that's not for everyone and I felt like I had wasted money, but the gains in peace of mind and performance have been worth it.

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  2. Anonymous
    2019-01-23T19:18:22+00:00

    Yes, this is kind of my concern too - I'm not an expert, and don't really understand what adding the gateway actually does in practice, and whether, as you say, it's negating the point of having a VPN, or has some other unintended security consequence etc.

    Any advice would be welcome, thanks!

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  3. Anonymous
    2019-01-22T02:42:03+00:00

    My concern with adding a gateway to the TAP adapter is whether it actually has any impact on how data is routed. By adding a gateway am I directing traffic to the gateway instead of via the VPN connection?

    Also, specifying the local network gateway is kind of awkward for me, since I'm using a VPN on various untrusted networks that are probably mostly using different IP schemes.

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  4. Anonymous
    2019-01-22T01:19:46+00:00

    I use NordVPN and Office 365. I found that the instructions at the below URL worked. In summary, go to your TAP Ethernet adapter and while maintaining DHCP, click the advanced button and add your local network gateway to the list.

    https://www.macwheeler.com/windows-10-office-365-cannot-connect-over-openvpn-fixed/

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  5. Anonymous
    2019-01-16T14:20:22+00:00

    Hi,

    Indeed it seems that adding a default gateway of some kind is what's required.

    In terms of your question I'm no security expert though I'd have thought a VPN is secure by nature coupled with all traffic being encrypted already.

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