Unable To Connect To VPN

Why Is My VPN Not Working On My Smartphone

There could be various reasons why your smartphone VPN isnt connecting. It can be something as trivial as having battery-saving/low-power mode enabled or it could just be a Wi-Fi error.

Whatever you do, dont forget to turn on your Wi-Fi VPN when accessing public networkstheyre a breeding ground for cybercriminals and malware.

For more advanced troubleshooting, I recommend you jump to the VPN Not Connecting on Mobile section of the article.

Cant Connect To Expressvpn

Talk to a HumanImportant:contact the ExpressVPN Support Team for immediate assistancethis troubleshooting guide

This guide is for users who are unable to connect to the ExpressVPN app. Examples of failing to connect include:

• Encountering Unable to Connect error messages.
• Being stuck in the connecting state or taking too long to connect.

The likely causes for these issues include:

• The VPN server location you are trying to connect to is under maintenance.
• The VPN connection is blocked by your antivirus or online security application.
• Not using the latest version of the ExpressVPN app.

Check Your Credentials And Account

Log onto your VPN provider’s website and check your account page for updates.

Has your password changed, maybe? Some free or limited VPNs might change passwords occasionally, without notifying each time.

Make sure your account is still valid and working, too. If you’ve forgotten to renew a subscription then the provider has probably turned your service off. VPN accounts are a prime target for hackers, too, and if someone has hijacked your account, it’s possible the provider has detected this and closed or blocked your account.

Recommended Reading: Which VPN Is Best For China

Add An Exception To Your Security Program

Your firewall, antivirus, or anti-spyware program may block your VPN connection. You can test this by disabling these programs and then connecting to a server location on your VPN. If you can connect, configure your firewall, antivirus, or anti-spyware program to allow your VPN to connect.

Depending on the security program youâre using, you may need to change the security level from High to Medium, grant an exception to your VPN or to UDP ports, or set it to Trust your VPN, then restart your VPN.

Quick Solutions To Your VPN Problems

This article will walk you through some of the most common VPN problems and their solutions. Well go into greater detail later on, but for now, heres a quick overview with possible causes and solutions.

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Troubleshooting Steps To Reconnect Your VPN

When your VPN won’t connect, try these solutions:

Unable To Connect Global Protect VPN

• Email to a Friend

01-17-202207:30 PM

All our users are able to connect to our PA220 using Global Protect VPN except one. We’ve tried reinstalling the Global Protect client multiple times and also connected successfully using their account from another computer, but it just refuses to work on his.

What’s the actual behavior when you attempt to connect from that particular machine that isn’t working? Do you get to the credential prompt, do you see an endless “connecting” window, does the connect button do anything? What OS are we talking about ? The logs will almost always tell you exactly what the issue is if you look at them on the endpoint in question. If you’re having a service communication issue between the service and the agent, or simply can’t connect to the portal/gateway.

There’s some basic information missing that would help narrow down the likely cause of this particular machine not being able to connect. Troubleshooting actual endpoint issues however it’s always best to review the actual endpoint logs and see what’s actually being reported in the PanGPS.log file and subsequently the PanGPA.log file. The vast majority of issues are fairly well documented directly in the PanGPS.log file on the endpoint.

• Email to a Friend

01-17-202207:54 PM

He get’s prompted for credentials then it pretty much immediately fails to connect and displays an error that basically just says it failed to connect.

He’s using Windows 7 Professional. Should I post the PanGPS log here?

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Why Wont My VPN Connect To Netflix

The simplest explanation is that Netflix blocked your VPN server. The streaming platform is actively blocking VPN IPs and, unless youre using a reliable service, youll likely get locked out.

If you want to make sure youll always be able to access Netflix, I recommend you try CyberGhost VPN. The service comes with specialized streaming servers that always deliver HD feeds.

Vlad is a seasoned tech writer and a strong advocate of internet privacy. When hes not working, hes learning Python, trying out the latest vegan recipes with his wife, or reading good books. He never owned a PC he did not build.

VPN Not Connecting On Router

Routers are the unsung heroes of the internet, but they can also be responsible for your VPN not connecting. If none of the above worked, you can still try out a few things to make your router and VPN work together:

1. Enable VPN passthrough. This allows routers to establish outbound VPN connections. Some devices come with VPN passthrough disabled by default. Its no biggiemost of the time you can go into your routers settings to enable it.For TP-LINK models, youll find VPN passthrough under Advanced > NAT Forwarding > ALG:

Not all routers have this setting, so fingers crossed yours does.

2. Ports & protocol forwarding. Depending on your VPN and network settings, it may be necessary to unblock certain ports and protocols as follows:

Some routers have a DMZ option that forwards all ports and protocols. It gets the job done if you want a quick and dirty fix, but its a bit YOLO in terms of security .

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Why Is My VPN Not Connecting To Netflix Or Other Streaming Services

I know Netflix isnt technically a device, but its such a big part of our lives that we might see it one day become one. And then well be asking significant others if they tried smacking it when it didnt work. And then well try smacking it too.

PSA: smacking might *sometimes* work with your remote, but it isnt really a fix for anything.

So, what can you do if youre experiencing VPN issues with Netflix?

Not all routers have this setting, so fingers crossed yours does.

First, you should know that not all VPNs can access services like Netflix, Disney+, HBO Max, or whatnot. Streaming platforms dont love, like, or even nod to VPNs in the hallway. Soo, you might just need a better VPN for streaming.

Secondly, make sure you go through the Common Fixes with an incognito/private browser window.

Thirdly, if your VPN has servers for Netflix , try connecting to those. For CyberGhost, you just have to click on the CyberGhost VPN icon > For Streaming > Choose your server. Its that easy.Secondly, make sure you go through the Common Fixes with an incognito/private browser window.

Not a ghostie yet? Get CyberGhost VPN now and stream anything you want anywhere in the world.

VPN Not Connecting On Desktop

If none of the common fixes on your desktop worked, the only thing left to do is to disable security/parental controls . Sometimes, parental control & security filters can interfere with VPN tunnels. If the ISP installed your router, they likely enabled either of these. Dont worry, you can still keep your kids safe even without parental controls.

On Windows, network adapters can sometimes bug out, in which case your best bet is to try and reinstall the VPN itself. If youre a fellow Ghostie, theres a quick way out. Just head over to Settings > CyberGhost VPN, and click Repair virtual network card.

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Get Help For Your VPN Issues

If your VPN not connecting issue still isnt solved, were dealing with a legit boss fight. The only way forward at this point would be to contact support. Hopefully, your VPNs customer service is as awesome as the CyberGhost team.

CyberGhost VPNs support is friendly, helpful, and available 24/7which basically makes them superheroes. No matter who you talk to, dont forget to be nice to them.

Whats the most common VPN error youve encountered and how did you fix it? Let me know in the comments section below.

How To Fix A VPN Thats Not Working

If your VPN software is not working properly, you can do several things: check your network settings, change your server, make sure the right ports are opened, disable the firewall, and reinstall your VPN software. If none of the below methods are working, it’s time to contact your VPN provider.

Lets dive into the details and discuss how you can fix your VPN client. These VPN troubleshooting tips also apply if you use Android or iPhone devices.

Your VPN could have connectivity issues for many reasons. Before getting annoyed or disappointed by your service provider, try these methods:

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Temporarily Disable Your Firewall

While firewalls are important security measures, they can also cause some problem with VPNs. Theyll likely slow down your connection, and if it gets slow enough, the VPN connection may simply shut down.

Firewalls, in short, scan the data going in and out of your private network where it connects to the wider internet. And if it sees something that shouldnt be there, itll prevent the transmission. Some firewalls have difficulty keeping up with VPN traffic.

Update Network Adapter Drivers

Outdated network drivers could be another reason why you might be unable to connect to a VPN. Therefore, you should update them in the Device Manager.

In Device Manager, you’ll find several network adapter drivers for various protocols. Unless you know what protocol your VPN provider offers, you should update all of them.

To do so, follow these steps:

If updating the driver does not resolve the issue, you can reinstall it. Check out our article explaining the major VPN protocols to know more about these protocols.

If updating or reinstalling the drivers doesn’t work, try the other fixes listed below.

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VPN Connection Cant Connect To VPN Connection Error

If youre getting the Cant connect to VPN connection error message on your Windows 11/10 computer, regardless of your VPN service provider or software installed, you can try our recommended and comprehensive general fixes as presented below to resolve the issue on your system.

Lets take a look at the description of the process involved concerning each of the listed solutions. Keep in mind that the location of some settings you may need to configure varies by the VPN product, device, or operating system.

1] Restart the VPN software

You can first restart the VPN software, and not just disable or disconnect from the VPN server quit and restart the software. You can also restart your browser plugins by fully closing down and reopening the browser. In addition, you may need to clear your browser cache to get the plug-in working again.

2] Check and update VPN software and browser

3] Check your internet connection

You can check your internet connection by loading up a few pages without a VPN connection and see whether the pages open up normally. If you cant connect to the internet, you can fix network and internet connection problems to resolve network connectivity issues at your end. You can also use the Network Reset feature or run the inbuilt Internet Connections Troubleshooter for Windows 11/10.

Add A Static Route On The Client

Add a static route on the client computer that uses the following configuration:

• The remote network is the destination.
• The correct subnet mask is used for the remote network.
• The first IP address from the static IP address pool that you configured in the Step 1: Configure the server that’s running Routing and Remote Access to use a static IP address pool section of this article is the gateway.

Note

The Routing and Remote Access server assigns this first IP address to its wide area network Miniport driver.

For example, to add a static route to a network that has the IP address of 192.168.10.0, the subnet mask of 255.255.255.0, and the gateway of 192.168.1.1, run the following command:

route -p add 192.168.10.0 mask 255.255.255.0 192.168.1.1

Note

If you use the -p switch with Windows 2000 or Windows NT 4.0, the route is made persistent. Use this switch to ensure that the routing entry is preserved when the computer is restarted.

Note

The -p switch isn’t supported on either Microsoft Windows Millennium Edition-based, Microsoft Windows 98-based, or Microsoft Windows 95-based computers.

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Use A Specialized Streaming Server

Some VPN providers offer specialized streaming servers that have been specifically set up to work with different platforms. You might find a server optimized for US Netflix, Disney Plus, or Fox Sports. Try to use those as much as possible, as they are most continuously updated and have a higher success rate.

CyberGhost VPN has a lot of specialized streaming services you can use. Those will also give you access to more local platforms, like Servus TV in Austria.

To use a specialized streaming server, simply find the For streaming section under CyberGhosts server locations and you wish to connect to. The connection will be established automatically and youll be good to go. Just make sure to clear your cache before you dive back into Netflix!

Switch To A Different Network

Try using a different network, such as a public Wi-Fi connection , to see if the connection problem is with your current Internet service.

If this is not an option, try to disable and enable your network interface, re-install the ethernet driver and close any background network management software you have running.

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Try Different VPN Server Or Protocol

A mature VPN product usually has a large number of servers located in places all across the world, even including some regions with strict internet censorship are included like Russia. Back to the point then, since there are so many servers, its not weird that some of them suddenly get problems or the hot servers are quite overloaded, especially during the peak hours. Therefore, the very first method to solve VPNs connection failure is to connect to some other servers, better from different locations. You can pay attention to thereal-time ping value right near the server name and the lower, the less delay, the faster.

As to protocol, since the supported VPN protocols vary from programs and their performances also differ from place to place, in case the default protocol is not friendly with your current server and physical region, you can try to change the VPN protocol under settings. If theres no option for VPN protocol, please check the routing modes or choices to see if theres items regarding OpenVPN , WireGuard, PPTP and IKEv2 and switch from one to another to try the VPN connection again.

If the VPN pops up an error message like invalid port number, please go to related settings and modify it to another one.