Broken local Wi‑Fi

If the café router cannot reach the internet, no tunnel will invent upstream. Finish captive portals, try LTE, and use Speed Test baselines. VPN needs a working path to the FollowNet server first.

Account and phishing failures

VPN does not stop you from typing a password into a fake site or approving a malicious prompt. Keep iOS updated, use official apps, and treat unexpected login emails carefully — including FollowNet codes.

Content and geo expectations

FollowNet offers servers in multiple regions, but streaming catalogs, banks, and sites may still block VPN exits. That is their policy, not a FollowNet outage. Smart Connect improves connectivity on hostile networks; it is not a content-unlock guarantee.

Device compromise

A compromised phone can see traffic before it enters the tunnel. Face ID, passcode, and App Store hygiene matter. FollowNet encrypts the path — it does not replace endpoint security.

Browser extension vs phone VPN

The Chrome extension protects Chrome tabs only. It will not secure other desktop apps, and FollowNet has no full macOS or Android system VPN yet. If you expected whole-device desktop protection, that gap is product scope — not a broken toggle.

What FollowNet still does well

On a working uplink, FollowNet still encrypts the path to its exits, helps on public Wi‑Fi and travel networks, and gives Free weekly traffic for evaluation or Premium unlimited when you live on VPN. Honest limits are part of the product, not a disclaimer after the fact.