Logging in through VPN

[averyvh]

When I open Steam while connected to a VPN or after being connected, steam ignores the "remember me" tick box and asks for my password. No big deal, but because the mobile guard authenticator is mandatory for using the market, I am then forced to hunt down my phone before I can log in.

1. Why does Valve push the mobile authenticator on everybody when they already pushed everyone to use 2FA anyways? I don't want your stupid app on my phone, leave me alone.

2. The box says "remember me". This is a remarkably simple concept. Can you please implement it properly?

I can tolerate either of these issues alone, but I am seriously not ok with needed my phone on my person every time I want to open up steam on my computer.

[Nezvo <|°_°|>]

You agree that you will not use IP proxying or other methods to disguise the place of your residence, whether to circumvent geographical restrictions on game content, to purchase at pricing not applicable to your geography, or for any other purpose. If you do this, Valve may terminate your access to your Account.

http://store.steampowered.com/subscriber_agreement/

[Washell]

Originally posted by averyvh:

2. The box says "remember me". This is a remarkably simple concept. Can you please implement it properly?

The box has an unstated addendum "on this PC, from this connection/IP" and is working as intended. If it didn't do that, copying stored login info from someone's PC would be an exploitable loophole.

As others pointed out, if that VPN gives you any type of advantage, you might get your account locked down.

[averyvh]

I guess I should be clear. I don't use a VPN to bypass any kind of region locking or pricing or anything. I have never bought/played games purchased outside of NA. I just have the VPN open on my computer while I am doing other things and want steam open at the same time. I suppose I should stop in case Valve has some kind of automated system that will be triggered from logging in from another IP, but it is a shame I can't multitask. My point about the mobile app still stands though. I shouldn't need my phone to use any of steam's features PERIOD.

[GhostSailor]

averyvh,

You're more than free to use a VPN, for obvious reasons of users travelling, moving to different locations, and an assortment of other reasons that users will generate various different IP's and set in different locations. When it comes to specifically attempting to bypass "region locking", it's against the Steam's Subscriber Agreement, but there's a smart system already in place that typically handles that ahead of time, even with the usages of a VPN or other networking infrastructure methods.

With that being said, your Steam account and computer's security (including connection) are your responsibility. If utilizing a VPN, I'd recommend utilizing a private based VPN that you'd have root control of. That's just my personal advice.

The "save" option for credentials does work, but it might unauthenticate you when using various different locations, or have it set specifically in your Steam client's options to not save credentials on your device. One specific way around this is by setting your login & password in your Steam client's launch options, so it'll automatically login regardless of the settings on the account: Setting Steam Launch Options

[Hyrrämyyrä [Noobie♥Doobie]]

Originally posted by averyvh:

I guess I should be clear. I don't use a VPN to bypass any kind of region locking or pricing or anything. I have never bought/played games purchased outside of NA. I just have the VPN open on my computer while I am doing other things and want steam open at the same time. I suppose I should stop in case Valve has some kind of automated system that will be triggered from logging in from another IP, but it is a shame I can't multitask. My point about the mobile app still stands though. I shouldn't need my phone to use any of steam's features PERIOD.

How about having a virtual computer for those tasks that require the VPN?

And yeah, the idea is kind of there that there needs to be some sort of authentication between the Server and Client so that you could not just go and switch some boolean on some file on your computer to remove the authentication and thus rendering such verification useless.


On the topic of the mobile app, well, I belive they want to force it because people are stupid enough to log in many kinds of phising sites while having the same password for both their Steam account as well as their varification E-mail. So yeah, I personally hate that system myself, but unfortunatelly I understand why it is in place. Then again, I wouldn't mind taking some sort of "advanced security test" to get rid of the system.

[Pooter]

VPNs are needed now more than ever, let us stay logged in.

[Crashed]

Originally posted by Pooter:

VPNs are needed now more than ever, let us stay logged in.

You are misinformed about VPN services
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WVDQEoe6ZWY

[swko]

Generally Valve's view on this has been security over convenience, e.g. too bad for you go hunt your phone down. I wish we didn't have to partially trade one for the other.

Originally posted by Palac:

You agree that you will not use IP proxying or other methods to disguise the place of your residence, whether to circumvent geographical restrictions on game content, to purchase at pricing not applicable to your geography, or for any other purpose. If you do this, Valve may terminate your access to your Account.

http://store.steampowered.com/subscriber_agreement/

VPNs are allowed on Steam.

Originally posted by Crashed:

Originally posted by Pooter:

VPNs are needed now more than ever, let us stay logged in.

You are misinformed about VPN services
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WVDQEoe6ZWY

There are lots of reasons to use VPNs.
https://www.privacytools.io/providers/#ukusa

[Crashed]

Originally posted by frog:

Generally Valve's view on this has been security over convenience, e.g. too bad for you go hunt your phone down. I wish we didn't have to partially trade one for the other.

Originally posted by Palac:

http://store.steampowered.com/subscriber_agreement/

VPNs are allowed on Steam.

Originally posted by Crashed:

You are misinformed about VPN services
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WVDQEoe6ZWY

There are lots of reasons to use VPNs.
https://www.privacytools.io/providers/#ukusa

Did you watch the video? VPN services won't protect your password, HTTPS does. Many of the actual legitimate use cases could be handled by renting a cheap VPS and installing a VPN server on it.
I don't have to refresh my phone browser's login just due to hopping IP addresses on mobile data and switching between mobile and Wi-Fi.

[swko]

Originally posted by Crashed:

Originally posted by frog:

Generally Valve's view on this has been security over convenience, e.g. too bad for you go hunt your phone down. I wish we didn't have to partially trade one for the other.



VPNs are allowed on Steam.



There are lots of reasons to use VPNs.
https://www.privacytools.io/providers/#ukusa

Did you watch the video? VPN services won't protect your password, HTTPS does. Many of the actual legitimate use cases could be handled by renting a cheap VPS and installing a VPN server on it.
I don't have to refresh my phone browser's login just due to hopping IP addresses on mobile data and switching between mobile and Wi-Fi.

I didn't watch the video. I understand what password protection is and I understand what VPNs do and how useful they are. Plus, since they are allowed on Steam I don't see a reason not to use them

[Zibx]

Originally posted by Crashed:

Originally posted by Pooter:

VPNs are needed now more than ever, let us stay logged in.

You are misinformed about VPN services
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WVDQEoe6ZWY

In Russia lots of services like linkedin are blocked without VPN. We have the internet censorship. Also lots of normal webpages that I am googling for work are blocked too (they may be blocked even by IP).
So we have to use VPN or proxy to bypass this and steam checkbox "remember password" does not work and we have to enter the password all time.

[eram]

Originally posted by Zibx:

Originally posted by Crashed:

You are misinformed about VPN services
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WVDQEoe6ZWY

In Russia lots of services like linkedin are blocked without VPN. We have the internet censorship. Also lots of normal webpages that I am googling for work are blocked too (they may be blocked even by IP).
So we have to use VPN or proxy to bypass this and steam checkbox "remember password" does not work and we have to enter the password all time.

Breaking the law by definition is illegal.

[Judgmental Amaterasu]

Originally posted by ViralShadow:

Originally posted by eram:

Breaking the law by definition is illegal.

KGB spy found, has been found salty that someone is bypassing their restrictions to info to keep their people from knowing anything putin doesn't want them to know.

Ah yes just attack them based on nationality on a year old thread, grand choice.

[shnake_case]

Just in case someone still needs a solution for this, some vpn apps have a feature to bypass vpn tunnel for some apps or domains (sometimes called split tunneling). Just add steam to exclusion list and it keeps you logged in.

[kitt]

Originally posted by Pooter:

VPNs are needed now more than ever, let us stay logged in.

yea instead of your ISP collecting your data its the VPN company..