Are there Android Gospel Library issues?

[russellhltn]

perhaps my problem is I don't really have it because it is not July 5th yet here in Oklahoma, LOL.

Oklahoma is a month behind??

[davesudweeks]

perhaps my problem is I don't really have it because it is not July 5th yet here in Oklahoma, LOL.

Oklahoma is a month behind??

Got me, LOL. It has been one of those summers...

[sbradshaw]

I also experience related problems.

Using the latest version of the Gospel Library app on Android 9 will cause problems when a VPN connection (using OpenVPN for Android) is present. In this case the app cannot connect to the Internet. All other apps however work just fine and have no connection problems. Disconnecting the VPN and using a native Internet connection solves this problem.

But this is obviously some kind of bug since no other app has any problem to connect to the Internet through a VPN.

Also noteworthy: This problem only occurs on Android 9. I tested it on Android 5 and 6 without seeing his bug.

Several VPNs and web filtering services block access to the Church's content servers (there are likely automated scripts that decide what to block). Lookout, OpenVPN, and Norton have had an uptick in reports recently, so I think their blacklists were recently updated. T-Mobile Web Guard has had issues for a few years. Many filtering services contract with third parties to manage their whitelist and blacklist (so if one is updated, the others will be too). There's nothing the Church can do to fix this directly – your best bet would be to send feedback to your VPN provider requesting that the Gospel Library content servers be whitelisted.

[danpass]

Several VPNs and web filtering services block access to the Church's content servers (there are likely automated scripts that decide what to block). Lookout, OpenVPN, and Norton have had an uptick in reports recently, so I think their blacklists were recently updated. T-Mobile Web Guard has had issues for a few years. Many filtering services contract with third parties to manage their whitelist and blacklist (so if one is updated, the others will be too). There's nothing the Church can do to fix this directly – your best bet would be to send feedback to your VPN provider requesting that the Gospel Library content servers be whitelisted.

In my case, at least, I'm not using a VPN provider, but rather my own OpenVPN server, running on my home network. But I experience the same problem. See my earlier post in this topic.

[davesudweeks]

I'm not using any VPN or web filtering services at all. I get the same result via WIFI, data, or airplane mode. Odd that Gospel Library opened fine yesterday about 8:30 am and has hung on open ever since (including today).

[sebastian.buck]

Several VPNs and web filtering services block access to the Church's content servers (there are likely automated scripts that decide what to block). Lookout, OpenVPN, and Norton have had an uptick in reports recently, so I think their blacklists were recently updated. T-Mobile Web Guard has had issues for a few years. Many filtering services contract with third parties to manage their whitelist and blacklist (so if one is updated, the others will be too). There's nothing the Church can do to fix this directly – your best bet would be to send feedback to your VPN provider requesting that the Gospel Library content servers be whitelisted.

I use a VPN server that does not block anything ... except for port 25. No blacklists, no URL filters, nothing.

I can only guess here, but it pretty much seems that the Gospel Library app has problems as soon as a VPN connection is present on Android 9.

IMPORTANT: Same VPN, same app version but Android 6.0.1: No problems.

[sbradshaw]

Same VPN, same app version but Android 6.0.1: No problems.

Are you sure the VPN is configured the same on the Android 6 device and the Android 9 device? Maybe there's an Android 9 issue with VPNs. It'd be interesting to know what the difference is.

[JeremieLeeBurhans]

I haven't been able to even use the gospel library app on my Samsung j7 prime (android 8.1.0) phone for the past month. I keep getting the same problem with it popping up saying an internet connection is required. So I uninstalled it and reinstalled it since that typically worked in the past. Now it won't even go to the library main screen. Now It pops up saying, internet connection required for setup.... click "OK". I click ok and it closes the app. So I uninstalled it again and now I cannot even find it in the Google play store. So I just Googled it, found it and install it that way. Same popup shows up and I click ok and it closes it.


Are there issues with the Gospel Library app? I can use it perfectly fine on my tablet, but not my cell phone.

[dlr53]

I also experience related problems.

Using the latest version of the Gospel Library app on Android 9 will cause problems when a VPN connection (using OpenVPN for Android) is present. In this case the app cannot connect to the Internet. All other apps however work just fine and have no connection problems. Disconnecting the VPN and using a native Internet connection solves this problem.

But this is obviously some kind of bug since no other app has any problem to connect to the Internet through a VPN.

Also noteworthy: This problem only occurs on Android 9. I tested it on Android 5 and 6 without seeing his bug.

You were right! Switched off my VPN and it immediately started syncing. Thank you!

[lmluker]

I have had the same issue after adding Nord VPN to my new Samsung Galaxy 9. Gospel Library says there is no internet connection when there is a connection. It happens both on Wifi and mobile data. I have to shut the BPN down to download any new content. It does seem to work ok when saving highlights to existing content. I do not have such issues with other programs, including ldstools.