Windows 10 64 bit full size tower computer with Intel(R) Core™ i5-6600K CPU @ 3.50GHz 3.50 GHz
16Gig memory
fully updated.
Networking Gear & Setup Details
TP Link Mesh 6E system however the problem is not related since the problem also exists on the Core machine itself connected directly via USB to good Kef speakers…
Connected Audio Devices
Multiple remotes including a Windows Surface Tablet, Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra Phone and Galaxy Tab S8 Tablet. The Surface feeds a high end DAC/Preamp, Tube Amp and Speakers in my main listening room and a Denon receiver feeding two other sets of speakers in my A/V room and bedroom…
Number of Tracks in Library
85,600 tracks
Description of Issue
I have been a long time Roon subscriber, almost from the beginning. For the most part Roon has worked extremely well over the years using my Windows 10 Core. During the past year I have seen some deterioration of its performance. The most recent issue is that just within the last couple of months, Roon has entirely stopped functioning if I have my Express VPN active. This has not been a problem for the years I have used this VPN until now. I have read all the posts on the topic. Split tunneling does not solve the issue. Nor does having the VPN off when I use Roon since I use Roon all day most days which defeats the purpose of the VPN. Having to choose between the two is not acceptable.
In addition I am having more instances of tracks skipping, sometimes just momentary but more and more often just jumping to the next track. I can’t help thinking that as time goes on, the emphasis of the company has shifted to your own products. My computer remains powerful enough for video editing so it should be able to run Roon without problems as it has done for years. I am not upscaling or doing any sound or room processing which would cause additional load.
I am fairly sophisticated in this realm having designed and built all my computers for many years, though I haven’t upgraded in awhile.
@Tdh, I recategorized your post into the Tinkering category. VPNs remain an unsupported configuration by Roon except in a few cases specific to getting ARC to work over CG-NAT and IPv6 networks.
I have read other users having success with Roon using VPNs, I expect they will provide some ideas here.
Hi Robert. I tried to respond to your email rather than post here but it bounced back.
I do understand your premise, and perhaps why you wished to move my post out of support but I do not agree with you. I am not doing any tinkering. In fact it is Roon whose tinkering has changed a program that worked perfectly for me for many years and now suddenly does not. I haven’t changed a thing. I did not recently add or modify the VPN, or change anything in my setup. It worked two months ago and now it doesn’t. I would like some response from Roon technical support and not rely on other users. I have read all of their posts and tried what they tried and it does not work.
It seems from posts I read that a lot of old customers are getting increasingly frustrated by the deteriorating usability of Roon. I definitely do not want to be one of them. I have loved your program since it came out and have recommended it to many many music lovers.
Lower your expectations, Roon rarely respond. As above, VPN setups are unsupported, so you’re on your own - or you can take any well meaning help/advice from the community. That’s just how it is
@Tdh, I appreciate the comments. I am a fellow user who is a volunteer moderator. Unfortunately, and while I cannot speak for Roon, their position has been that VPNs remain unsupported configurations and therefore they do not provide support for them.
Other users have had success with VPNs, so they may be able to provide some assistance with what you are experiencing.
Thank you Robert. I still would question if most folks will even see my post in this section as opposed to the support section, including what sounds like the remote possibility that technical support will see it here.
Bill_Janssen
(Wigwam wool socks now on asymmetrical isolation feet!)
7
Especially since “Tinkering” posts don’t even show up, under “Latest”. Wish someone would fix that…
Bill_Janssen
(Wigwam wool socks now on asymmetrical isolation feet!)
8
Can you be more descriptive? What does “entirely stopped functioning” mean? Is the service not running? Do you mean the remotes can’t connect to the Core? Do you mean the Core can’t see the attached audio devices?
The Core won’t even fully load. I get a message asking me if I am online. This never happened before a few weeks ago. If I turn off the VPN, it will finish loading and work just fine. Then if I turn the VPN back on, I get a message that Tidal and Qobuz login failed and even the ripped music files on my computer won’t play. Trying to play something from the remotes has the same result. All of this is brand new. I haven’t changed anything in my setup.
Bill_Janssen
(Wigwam wool socks now on asymmetrical isolation feet!)
10
But the remotes can access the Core even when the VPN is on? You just can’t play anything?
Thanks Bill for responding.
To be more precise, if the VPN is on I cannot load program on the Core machine and therefor the remotes have nothing to connect to. If I turn off the VPN and load the Core and the remotes connect and everything is working fine, and then turn the VPN back on, the Core remains loaded, and the remotes stay connected to the Core, but they show the same message about Tidal and Qobuz logins failed, and nothing plays anywhere.
PS…It doesn’t matter whether or not my VPN is active on the remotes.
Bill_Janssen
(Wigwam wool socks now on asymmetrical isolation feet!)
13
What do you mean by that? Does it not start, or does it start and segfault, or does it start and tell you it can’t run because the Internet is not available?
Roon starts loading the Core program but then gives me a message asking if I am online and stalls at that point. It does not fully load and nothing else appears on the screen except that question.
So the VPN is blocking the server access to the roon server infrastructures. If it can’t see the internet it won’t load.
Your other issue “addition I am having more instances of tracks skipping, sometimes just momentary” is a normally a network symptom.
That is correct. The question is why did this just suddenly start happening in Roon when it did not use to, and when it does not similarly affect any other program.
