Issues with connecting to the desktop app - permanently stuck on Starting...

[jhashimoto]

Our current configuration for our organization's dropbox is as such - we have one dropbox account which is shared with multiple individuals and is typically logged into on the desktop dropbox application by multiple computers throughout the day. For whatever reason, our ability to access the desktop dropbox app stopped the other day. We are both currently stuck in one of two options: either dropbox tells us that it is starting... and never does start, or it tells us that the we cannot connect to internet, even though both of us are currently connected to wifi, and never stops starting a sync that doesn't exist.

Currently here is the list of things that we have tried to fix the issue: 

• Restarted computer multiple times
• Full Reinstall, with restart inbetween
• Different Wifi connections
• Unlinking our computers via the admin menu in Dropbox (they no longer can be linked since we are stuck on the Starting menu)
• Tried Deleting the Dropbox cache folder
• Full Windows Update
• Using a different account with shared access, still can't access the desktop app so that doesn't change anything

So far we have run out of ideas/things that we were able to find on the forum as a potential fix, any other ideas would be greatly appreciated. If you need any additional information as well I can provide that in the thread. 

[Megan]

Hey @jhashimoto, can you clarify the app's version, and OS you're using? 

If you open your Dropbox folder, and right click there can you check the folder's properties to see how many files you have there? 

[kkkkkkirk]

Yes I have tried with an advanced reinstall and it didn't work for me. I have turned windows default firewall off but it appeared not to be the issue either.

I am in a region with limited access so I have to rely on VPN to access dropbox, but it has been working fine for me for years.

[Megan]

I definitely see where you're coming from @kkkkkkirk.

A VPN can cause issues with the connection of the desktop app, one way or another. Maybe not at first, but initially it will.

Have you tried temporarily disabling your VPN, just to check and possibly limit this issue? 

In this case, it sounds like your VPN could be hindering the connection of the app.

If your VPN has any advanced settings that would allow a stable connection to Dropbox, could you try enabling them to see if this resolves the issue?

[kkkkkkirk]

I have now came across multiple threads in the forum reporting this exact same issue, and most of them do not even use VPN. I initially believed that my VPN could potientially be the cause, but after reading other's postings and comments that reporting simialr behaviors to my dropbox, I highly doubt this has anything to do with my VPN.

I am on Windows 11 21H2 and my dropbox version is 194.4.6267, hope this help your developers identify the bug. 

[kolella]

I've "solved" same problem on Mac OS Sonoma 14.4 with a small workaround. Disabled Dropbox startup item and created a Mac shortcut startup item that launches dropbox after a delay of 30 seconds.  I will wait for an app update to try dropbox's auto startup method again. I don't know if it's a dropbox bug but it is probably starting before internet connection is established and it's unable to reconnect on it's own

[AndyFranzel]

I got exactly the same problem. Corporate laptop. Dropbox desk app is not connecting as described below. In all fairness in the last several months it was struggling to sync but eventually was syncing randomly after several hours. Now it's completely dead. My IT department has been involved and we tried them all. Uninstalled multiple times. It only then re-install with the off-line version. Checked firewall, changed wifi. You name it. I have a cheap tablet and it connects just fine. Please help

[JParts]

I managed to solve the problem by adding the IP and domains specifically below:

162.125.5.13
162.125.5.19
162.125.6.20
162.125.8.20
162.125.21.2

d-edge.v.dropbox.com
client-env.dropbox-dns.com
api-env.dropbox-dns.com
t8.v.dropbox.com
d-edge.v.dropbox.com

Using * (Wildcards) for some reason stopped working. I released the addresses above from "inspection" mode and it worked.

[Walter]

Thanks for letting us know what did the trick for you @JParts - let's see if this helps other users as well. 

[kkkkkkirk]

Hi JParts,

Congrats on finding a solution that works for you and sharing it with the community!

Where specifically did you add these domains? I assume it's the whitelist of your firewall but would love to have your confirmation.

If I have already turned off my firewall, does it mean your solution will not work for me?

Thanks in advance for your time in responding to me.  

[JParts]

Hello kkkkkkirk.

I use the Sophos Firewall appliance here at work, which was already configured to allow the use of Dropbox.

In recent weeks, the Dropbox application stopped working, only showing the message "Starting". Access to the Dropbox website was normally done via browsers, with the Dropbox app for Windows not working.

I analyzed the problem using Microsoft Network Monitor 3.4 and identified that the Dropbox application was trying to connect to the domains and IPs below using port 443:

162.125.5.13
162.125.5.19
162.125.6.20
162.125.8.20
162.125.21.2

d-edge.v.dropbox.com
client-env.dropbox-dns.com
api-env.dropbox-dns.com
t8.v.dropbox.com
d-edge.v.dropbox.com

I noticed that in the Firewall using Wildcard * (for example *.dropbox.com) access continued to have problems. So I released the domains and IPs literally, in addition, I removed the "inspection" mode for these domains and this solved my problem throughout my network.