# Mullvad VPN acting weird **URL:** https://discuss.privacyguides.net/t/mullvad-vpn-acting-weird/34466 **Category:** Questions **Tags:** please-eli5 **Created:** 2026-01-07T09:41:08Z **Posts:** 42 ## Post 1 by @debad73998 — 2026-01-07T09:41:08Z hi was using mullvad and suddenly it does this weird thing where the first “In” connects to a ip and the second “Out“ is empty and i have no internet connection. ![image](https://forum-uploads.privacyguidesusercontent.com/original/3X/c/0/c00bdcf032cc218b0961a6e3dcee7007d33f8868.png) none of the obfuscation protocols work and they all do this. the reason im creating this post here is that i cant open reddit or vpn sites cuz they are all censored in my country. Windows --- ## Post 2 by @anon57862721 — 2026-01-07T09:44:52Z Did you try rebooting your system and trying it again? Is WireGuard blocked for you if you simply use that? Did you try connecting/changing your servers to connect to other countries to see if that works? Please explain these and any other troubleshooting steps you may have taken. --- ## Post 3 by @anon57862721 — 2026-01-07T09:49:38Z To add, if you have fast enough internet connection: I also suggest downloading Tor browser just so you have another tool to use. If the website doesn’t open, download the Brave Browser, use the Tor functionality from there to then go to the Tor Project website to download the app. This is just a way to get the official app. It’s best to always use the main browser app only. --- ## Post 4 by @anon87834660 — 2026-01-07T11:08:34Z This is an unusual issue. The app is stable so my best guess is that a system reboot should resolve this. Doesn’t appear to be a bigger problem. --- ## Post 5 by @debad73998 — 2026-01-07T11:49:30Z reboot. changed servers. none worked. --- ## Post 6 by @debad73998 — 2026-01-07T11:50:56Z it might be my isp tho people are having internet problems after this recent political thing going on in the country. iran --- ## Post 7 by @fiqiluvo.epileto — 2026-01-07T12:01:47Z > [@debad73998](#): > > the reason im creating this post here is that i cant open reddit or vpn sites cuz they are all censored in my country. What’s your country? LWO stands for lightweight WireGuard obfuscation and acts like AmneziaWG. It’s very detectable. It’s possible that the censor is terminating connection without Mullvad realizing it. They’re doing it right after the successful handshake. Try switching to QUIC and see if that works. Mullvad servers are also typically blocked and they don’t rotate them often. You might try your luck with enabling IPv6 and asking Mullvad for a server override, but Mullvad isn’t suitable for censorship evasion. There are better providers out there. --- ## Post 8 by @fiqiluvo.epileto — 2026-01-07T12:07:20Z > [@debad73998](#): > > iran I’ve missed this lol. Don’t you have friends who already have a Xray panel set up? Every Mullvad offering except one is fully blocked with QUIC being allowed for a very select number of hosts when the DPI systems are working at full power. --- ## Post 9 by @anon87834660 — 2026-01-07T12:45:54Z If reliable and usable internet connection itself is an issue, then you can’t do much other than keep trying to get this first. But please confirm if WireGuard works or not? How were you using it before? I do recommend contacting Mullvad and getting a server override for you to use. That may surely work. --- ## Post 10 by @debad73998 — 2026-01-07T19:24:46Z > [@fiqiluvo.epileto](#): > > Mullvad isn’t suitable for censorship evasion. There are better providers out there. im open for any vpn to try please let me know if there are any options. --- ## Post 11 by @debad73998 — 2026-01-07T19:25:53Z the QUIC one actually worked right now but dear god it takes 37 seconds to open any page, it took 2 minutes to fully load this page :face_with_crossed_out_eyes: --- ## Post 12 by @anon87834660 — 2026-01-07T19:29:05Z What is your internet speed without the VPN? --- ## Post 13 by @debad73998 — 2026-01-07T19:34:10Z 1Gb --- ## Post 14 by @fiqiluvo.epileto — 2026-01-07T19:34:34Z > [@debad73998](#): > > im open for any vpn to try please let me know if there are any options. iVPN. There are less detectable options, but I’m not going to name them publicly since it’d help the censor. You can ask Mullvad to provide a couple of server overrides for QUIC via email for now to not waste the money spent on the subscription. Explain that you’re from Iran and they’ll provide a couple of entry points. Judging from your screenshot, you’re trying to connect to Canada. Better select some European country and the connection speed will become much better. --- ## Post 15 by @anon87834660 — 2026-01-07T19:38:04Z 1 gbps? If this is the case, I cannot believe your internet with Mullvad even with obfuscation is this slow. You’d be better off using Tor. But I honestly cannot see why it would be this slow with that kind of internet speed from your ISP. --- ## Post 16 by @debad73998 — 2026-01-07T19:39:49Z its actually not working anymore i dont even know what happened. Yeah even tho tor is slow too but i think its my best option for now. --- ## Post 17 by @debad73998 — 2026-01-07T19:41:20Z oh i deleted IVPN a month ago and now i cant even remember my login number and without a vpn i cant buy another one. is there a private message option in this forum so you can tell me name of other options? --- ## Post 18 by @anon87834660 — 2026-01-07T19:44:59Z I don’t know what’s going on. There is no reason I can think of where it would be this slow or not work if your internet speed is 1 gbps. Are you sure this is your speed from your ISP without the VPN? --- ## Post 19 by @fiqiluvo.epileto — 2026-01-07T19:49:22Z > [@anon87834660](#): > > There is no reason I can think of Think of how the internet functions and you’ll understand why an outbound connection from Iran might be throttled/limited to lower speeds. > [@debad73998](#): > > is there a private message option in this forum so you can tell me name of other options? Yes, you can DM me. --- ## Post 20 by @debad73998 — 2026-01-07T19:50:08Z i get that speed on [speedtest.net](http://speedtest.net) also when i download games and movies i get a 1GB movie in like 10 second. --- ## Post 21 by @anon87834660 — 2026-01-07T19:52:37Z Try using Tor that the Brave browser provides as an option. See how you fare on it. You may also want to look at SPN in Portmaster from Safing if you’re on Windows or Linux. That’s another way to bypass censorship. Also, seriously consider writing to Mullvad and getting server overrides for a few locations in the West. You’ll be better off. I live as an expat in the middle east so I have experience bypassing restrictions. Of course, Iran is a lot worse. --- ## Post 22 by @debad73998 — 2026-01-07T19:53:26Z > [@fiqiluvo.epileto](#): > > Yes, you can DM me. im sorry but i dont know how to dm in this forum i cant find private message thing in your profile. --- ## Post 23 by @anon87834660 — 2026-01-07T19:53:58Z Just click on their profile picture and you’ll see an option to message them directly. --- ## Post 24 by @fiqiluvo.epileto — 2026-01-07T19:56:31Z I’ve double checked and Iran indeed can sometimes throttle UDP connections instead of dropping them. This explains why QUIC can be slow. --- ## Post 25 by @anon87834660 — 2026-01-07T19:57:10Z Obfuscation is only needed if WireGuard absolutely is blocked. OP has not confirmed this yet. --- ## Post 26 by @debad73998 — 2026-01-07T19:57:11Z yeah thank you i did message mullvad for ip override files. also downloading spn thing to see how it works. i’ve reached my maxium replis and have to wait for 15 hours but i dont have private message thing when i click on user’s profile picture. also by wireguard if you mean to use wireguard software itself, that never worked for me. no wireguard by default dsnt connect. --- ## Post 27 by @anon87834660 — 2026-01-07T19:57:49Z Do not try to use VPN and SPN/Portmaster installed at the same time. They will conflict with each other on your system. --- ## Post 28 by @anon87834660 — 2026-01-07T20:00:03Z > [@debad73998](#): > > also by wireguard if you mean to use wireguard software itself, No. I mean the WireGuard protocol that Mullvad uses by default. --- ## Post 29 by @anon87834660 — 2026-01-07T20:01:06Z Also, you editing your comments doesn’t notify me. A response is always best instead. FYI. Well, I have shared all my options. Tor should absolutely work. Good luck to you! --- ## Post 37 by @KevPham — 2026-01-07T20:52:39Z Hey everyone. I understand that we are trying to help OP out here given their current situation and things got a little heated. Gentle reminder to keep respectful as we are all in the same team here! --- ## Post 38 by @lyricism — 2026-01-07T22:03:02Z You need V2Ray to an IP not known to be a VPN provider. Tor bridges should also work. Anything else will at best be unreliable. --- ## Post 39 by @lyricism — 2026-01-07T22:07:40Z OP is in Iran. Wireguard is blocked. --- ## Post 40 by @anon12918199 — 2026-01-07T22:21:24Z I think this is the wrong place to ask advice related to extreme places like Iran. If you’re in Iran, your threat model should also be extreme as one mess up could mean that your life is over. A lot of popular privacy tools like Signal are blocked there, so it’s hard to recommend anything imo. Is VPN use even safe in Iran if it doesn’t provide you with anonymity? You could be flagged for being a VPN user. I was just looking at [The History of TOR Usage in Iran – Tech for Humanity Lab](https://tech4humanitylab.clahs.vt.edu/?p=82) and it seems that Tor is super popular, but you have to use Tor bridges as lyricism mentioned. --- ## Post 41 by @ph00lt0 — 2026-01-07T23:33:24Z Perhaps you can get it through here: [VPN – ProxyStore](https://shop.proxysto.re/de/i/vpn/) --- ## Post 42 by @fiqiluvo.epileto — 2026-01-08T23:18:48Z Thanks for hiding the crucial info regarding the graylists when attempting to use Wireguard in Iran :smiley: > [@lyricism](#): > > You need V2Ray to an IP not known to be a VPN provider. Tor bridges should also work. > > Anything else will at best be unreliable. With the caveat of IP not belonging to a datacenter. I was doing a couple of tests on an Iranian sensor and vless on CF CDN was reliable for the entirety of my tests run. Lower tier VPN providers tailored to the needs of the censored countries were also working as expected. The selfhosted route is actually harder in Iran because of the relatively lower knowledge on censorship evasion, as evident by the fact OP wasn’t familiar with IRGFW. And you’re probably familiar with the Xray vs panels debacle. Iranians produced poor selfhosted guides resulting in mass banwaves. Regarding the Tor bridges - they are detectable and their usage will cause the undesired placing in the graylist.