When using AdGuard VPN, access to the local network by VST plugins will be blocked, causing the plugins to stop working or leading to crashes.

[eclogue-div]

Please answer the following questions for yourself before submitting an issue.

• I checked the knowledge base and found no answer
• I checked to make sure that this issue has not already been filed

AdGuard VPN version

2.9.6

Environment

- OS:Windows 11 Home 25H2
- Other network-level software: AdGuard ad blocker

Which DNS server do you use?

AdGuard DNS

Custom DNS

No response

Use Wintun

• yes, I do

Issue Details

Steps to reproduce:
1.Launch Steinberg Cubase (14 Pro).
2.Insert Sonible Smart:reverb2 into two or more tracks of your choice in Cubase.
3.You will notice that some of the parameters displayed in the Smart:reverb2 GUI disappear.

Expected Behavior

Sonible's Smart:reverb2 features a function called inter-plugin communication (IPC), which allows multiple instances to call and control one another. This enables the use of features such as grouping, where multiple Smart:reverb2 effects can influence one another.

Actual Behavior

AdGuard VPN blocks Smart:reverb2’s inter-plugin communication (IPC), which renders most of its features unusable and can cause the plugin to crash.
Since Smart:reverb2 does not have an EXE file (.vst3), it cannot be added to the VPN exclusion list.

Screenshots

Screenshot 1

Additional Information

AdGuard VPN Support asked me to report this issue directly to the development team via this GitHub issue, so I am submitting this issue.
Sonible’s support team informed us that IPC uses UDP port 5670.

[IaroslavKhvorostenko]

Hello @eclogue-div
Please try adding Cubase.exe (not the plugin itself) to the AdGuard VPN exclusions list—the Smart:reverb2 plugin runs inside the Cubase process, so that is the one that needs to be excluded. If this doesn't help, please let us know whether you are using General mode or if you have configured Selective mode.

[IaroslavKhvorostenko]

Hello @eclogue-div
Could you please let us know if the issue is still reproducible on the nightly build?

If the issue is still reproducible in order to troubleshoot this issue, we need to get your application logs.

Here's what we need you to do:

1. Go to Settings -> App settings -> Logging level -> Record everything.
2. Reproduce the problem, then remember the exact time it happened.
3. Open Support tab -> Export logs and system info.
4. Send the archive to qa@adguard.com:
   • include [windows] keyword and ISSUE_NUMBER in the subject of your email
   • specify the exact time when the issue occurred

[IaroslavKhvorostenko]

Hello @eclogue-div
Thank you for sending the logs. I have forwarded this information to our development team so they can investigate the issue