WithSecure Elements Mobile Protection Network Protection causes slowness or connectivity issues with certain applications

Issue:

WithSecure Elements Mobile Protection Network Protection Network Protection (Network Gateway) causes slowness or connectivity issues with certain applications, such as Google Play updates, Whatsapp and Teams messages.

Resolution:

Make sure you have battery optimization turned off for Elements Mobile Protection on the Android device. If battery optimizations are allowed to hibernate the Elements Mobile Protection application when the mobile screen is off (locked), data is not allowed to flow until the screen is unlocked. This results in such behavior as Teams / Whatsapp messages arriving and push notifications appearing after unlocking the screen.

For example on Samsung Android devices, you can disable battery optimizations just for the Elements Mobile Protection application by following these steps: 

1. Open the Settings application on the Android device
2. Go to Apps 
3. Click Elements Mobile Protection application from the list
4. Click Battery 
5. Choose the Unrestricted setting (Allow this app to use battery in the background without restrictions. This may reduce your battery life. 

After these steps, Elements Mobile Protection is no longer affected by battery optimization and the data should flow even then phone screen is locked. 

Disabling battery optimization differs greatly between Android device manufacturers. You can find instructions for different types of devices here: https://dontkillmyapp.com/

You can set specific apps to bypass the Network Protection, if for some reason their performance is affected by it. 

How to add trusted app exceptions in the Elements or Mobiles profile:

1. Log into the Elements Security Center: https://elements.withsecure.com
2. Open the Security configurations section from the menu on the left
3. Go to Profiles
4. Open the tab For Mobiles
5. Open the profile that is in use on the device
6. Under Network Protection go to the App exceptions section
7. Click on Add Application 
8. Complete the name and the package ID of the app
9. Click Save profile

To find the Android app name:

1. Go to the Google Play Store for Apps
2. Enter the app name in the Search box
3. Select the app that you are looking for
4. Check the URL for the Android app name and copy the name. You can find the app name in the link between "id=" and "&hl"

For example: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=app.name.here&hl=en

How to locally on the device add apps bypassing VPN protection:

1. Open the Elements Mobile Protection application
2. Click Network protection
3. Click on the settings button in the top-right corner
4. Click App exceptions
5. Tick the box next to the application name
6. Click the backwards arrow