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Third Party Issue

Votes

5

Found in

2019.4.23f1

2020.2.2f1

2020.3.3f1

2021.1.1f1

2021.2

Issue ID

1308797

Regression

No

Crash starting Unity when using NordVPN

Mono

-

Reproduction steps:
1. Connect to NordVPN
2. Create a new project
3. If the External Script Editor is not set to Visual Studio 2019 or Visual Studio 2017 by default, go to Edit > Preferences > External Tools and select VS 2019 or VS 2017
-- observe crash

Reproducible with: 2019.4.24f1, 2020.3.5f1, 2021.1.5f1, 2021.2.0a15 (Seems to affect different versions on different machines)
Could not test with: 2018.4.31f1, 2019.4.20f1 (editor would crash/freeze because of case 1025558)

Reproducible with:
- Microsoft Visual Studio Community 2019, version 16.5.2, 6.9.2
- Microsoft Visual Studio Community 2017, version 15.9.25
Not reproducible with:
- Visual Studio Code, version 1.52.1
- JetBrains Rider, version 2020.1.0

Tested with: NordVPN 6.34.4.0, 6.35.9.0

Note:
- If the crash doesn't occur after changing the External Script Editor, close and reopening the project
- Crash is reproducible with and without the Visual Studio Editor package
- From user reports, this issue seems to be affecting SurfShark users as well
- Before the crash, the editor may freeze on "EditorApplication.update"
- Crash does not seem to be reproducible with the same steps if the VPN is enabled after opening the project

  1. Resolution Note (2021.2.X):

    Unity is not trying to connect to any external machines. A system call to open a connection on the local machine hangs, leading to the crash. The VPN software should not be interfering with a local connection in this manner.

    We are still investigating this issue with 3rd party VPN providers.

    Workaround for NordVPN:
    - Use OpenVPN or IKEv2/IPSec to connect to NordVPN servers. Tutorials on how to do that, can be found here:
    https://nordvpn.com/tutorials/windows-10/openvpn/
    https://support.nordvpn.com/Connectivity/Windows/1047410092/How-to-connect-to-NordVPN-with-IKEv2-IPSec-on-Windows-10.htm

    Workaround for SurfShark:
    Use OpenVPN or IKEv2/IPSec to connect to SurfShark servers. Tutorials on how to do that can be found here:
    https://surfshark.com/blog/what-is-openvpn
    https://support.surfshark.com/hc/en-us/articles/360003144894-How-to-set-up-an-IKEv2-connection-manually-on-Windows-

Comments (13)

  1. Kanul

    Sep 23, 2022 05:43

    This is still occurring in version 2021.3.10f1.

    I have to echo the sentiments below. This is not on the user to work around. This should be a fix on the software side. The editor crashed during the first tutorial lesson I attempted and several times thereafter on various steps. I had to search online to finally determine the issue was related to my VPN service. Not a good first look for someone starting out with Unity.

  2. Starfarer

    Aug 16, 2022 10:26

    Same is happening for Mullvad. Unity freezes so hard that system restart is needed. Version is 2021.3.8f.

  3. WarpBubble

    Nov 25, 2021 09:10

    Can this really be called a third party issue? None of my other applications crash just because I happen to be connected to my (Nord) VPN. I was lucky to come across a reddit post mentioning the VPN link to the crash, or this would have remained an infuriating mystery. I can't vote because you have shirked responsibility, but please consider this comment to be my vote and please reopen this issue or we will just have to report it again. Happening to me currently in Unity 2020.3.21f1.

  4. Alex_Marquis

    Nov 19, 2021 15:24

    Still crashed on Unity 2021.1.28f1 & NordVPN 6.40.5.0
    Lost about 1h30 this morning trying to figure out what it was

  5. tctdllreg

    Nov 05, 2021 19:34

    Please unmark this issue as resolved, as it is not resolved at all and persists on 2020.3.0f1 and NordVPN 6.40.5.0

  6. AlanDavison

    Oct 21, 2021 08:54

    Before the main part of my comment, I will add that I'm experiencing this issue with Rider, where the report itself suggests it's not reproducible with Rider.

    This is categorically not resolved. While the NordVPN/SurfShark clients are clearly doing something that causes Unity to crash, the fact that I can find absolutely no other piece of software affects in the same way suggests that Unity is also doing something weird to trigger this issue.

    Please fix this, Unity. Until you do, I physically can't use your products.

  7. johnclayton

    Oct 21, 2021 08:23

    I also have exactly this problem. Everything works fine when NordVPN is switched off, but will crash after about 20 seconds when NordVPN is connected to a VPN.

    I have over 20 years of s/ware development experience with C++, objective-c, python and .net / C# - and I don't agree at all that the customer should "work around" this problem.

    It feels like there is some component in the background that is trying to "call home" or do some network access which is - for whatever reason - failing; and that the Unity code responsible doesn't catch or handle any kind of networking error. Now, I can't confirm this as I don't have the code - just speculation based on my years of experience in the field.

    Secondly; NordVPN has a way to ignore certain apps - but I've read others have tried this, and it doesn't help - presumably because there is a spawned process with a different name from the main Unity program that is causing the problem.

    Please correct the unity code - users should not have to work around what is clearly not a Windows or NordVPN issue.

  8. OccularMalice

    Sep 27, 2021 20:55

    I don't agree this is "fixed" or a third party issue (why can't I vote for this). Yes it's interaction with a VPN but however Unity is talking to the mothership is causing a hard crash.

    For me just disconnecting the VPN and launching the editor works. I've looked through the "workaround" but that involves a complicated setup (IKEv2/IPSec) or another tool to install. I would just like Unity to not crash when I'm connected to NordVPN. Not sure why this is so hard.

    Also able to reproduce this with 2019.4. Connect to VPN, launch Unity, wait 30 seconds, crash. Happens every time while connected. Disconnect and everything works fine.

  9. DemiKnight39

    Sep 19, 2021 12:59

    I have this problem too. I went into NordVPNs split tunneling settings and disabled it for Unity Editor and Unity Hub, but it still crashes if NordVPN is connected at all.

  10. Terpal

    Sep 09, 2021 10:20

    I agree with Wenceslao, it doesn't make much sense that Unity should care what VPN or VPN protocol I'm using. Would very much appreciate a real fix for this one.

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