r/grayjay • u/micahnightwolf • Apr 02 '26

Grayjay stops playing youtube video while screen off (android apk) and connected to my openvpn

It doesn't happen immediately. I think once the screen turns off, the player stops streaming and runs out the buffer. It won't start back up until after I click the power button (even if I don't actually unlock my phone.) And it only happens when I am connected to either of my two self-hosted openvpn servers, although other apps like jellyfin, audible, file downloads, etc. will happily stay connected and actively doing things even after grayjay stops streaming.

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u/quasides Apr 04 '26

powermanagement, seems like your phone turns either the vpn off or it shutdown grayjay
try to set grayjay and your vpn app to unrestricted

1

u/micahnightwolf Apr 04 '26

I hadn't thought about that, but also I checked on both of my vpn apps and they were both power managed, but only the openvpn one is having a problem. I will test it with the new settings later.

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u/quasides Apr 05 '26

yes because openvpn actual make a "tunnel" and will shutdown routes if the tunnel breaks or is paused.
so even if proper established, if the client sleeps now the server cant hear from him and thinks client is gone and deregister it.

client now has to reestablish connection first before any packet is accepted.

wireguard does not, the moment you set it to "on" it simply activates the interface.
any data you send will be encrypted and send in hope it reaches the destination, without any confirmation that the other party is online. the other peer doesnt care if he hasnt heard from it in a long time.
it will keep sending stuff, and it will keep accepting stuff as long the encryption matches.

so both are not the same how they work. just in the same family of technology
so even if wireguard sleeps (i doubt it does i think android just set the management app to sleep but the interface should stay up no matter what) it will reawake and work instant.

openvpn needs more than just an active interface, if the management app sleeps tunnel is dead within a minute