Minnie J Hamilton’s Biography :
Minnie’s road to sense of fulfillment and purpose has touched medicine, pattered into business & economics and is now finding the expansion of that purpose through voices of reason in the world of technology & online privacy. She will continue to write as long as people may find truth in it.On Sundays, she snaps back into the reality of fantastical ogres, satyrs and the depths of the seas. Her current adventure is The Ninth House.
Reinstall The VPN Client
Works with: Desktop and mobile devicesDifficulty:EasyRisk:LowTime: Within 5 minutes
Errors can sometimes occur during installation and affect your VPNs ability to operate. When this happens, completely uninstall the VPN software and reinstall it directly from the VPNs official website.
A reliable service like ExpressVPN has regular software updates to ensure smooth operation. Plus the installer is quick and easy to use it took me less than 5 minutes to and it was ready to connect straight away.
How To Fix Common VPN Problems Before Contacting Your Provider
A Virtual Private Network is a tool that restores a bit of privacy to your internet experience.
The data coming from your devices is shuttled to a VPN server through an encrypted tunnel. Along the way, your information is hidden from view, and can’t easily be observed.
While VPNs usually work without a problem thanks to intuitive Windows 10 apps, you might occasionally find an issue. Before contacting your VPN provider and pulling a support ticket, check out these common problems and potential fixes.
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Try The Openvpn Client Instead
One of the protocols that you may want to try is OpenVPN. As the name suggests its an open source protocol, and its free to use. Its secure, and has been around for over 15 years.
Its very popular in the VPN community, thanks to its native compatible with a large range of platforms, including iOS and Android, as well as MacOS, Windows and Linux. It works with most of the big name VPNs, so could well be the answer to your woes.
You can from its website. Check out our review of OpenVPN for more detail.
Contact The VPN Support Team
If all else fails, contact your VPN’s support, explain what’s happening and ask for their advice. Make sure you tell them the steps that you’ve tried, too. The more a support engineer can see you’ve ruled out, the quicker they can zoom in on the real cause of the problem, and the sooner you’ll be up and running again.
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Surfshark Not Working With Torrent
Surfshark supports p2p filesharing and torrenting on most servers. However, its best optimized servers for torrenting are Netherlands, US, and Canada.
The provider itself has provided a list of all the servers that support p2p:
So, if youre facing speed or other issues while using torrents with Surfshark, try changing your server location to one of the above. Surfshark is generally efficient for torrenting, so you shouldnt normally experience any issues. For example, you can connect to a Switzerland VPN server that is P2P optimized.
However, if you still face issues with Surfshark try ExpressVPN, offering dedicated P2P servers with no IP or DNS leak including a 100% no-log policy. Also, NordVPN can also be an excellent option for torrenting as confirmed by our NordVPNs guide for torrenting. You can also check out our NordVPN vs Surfshark comparison to see which one is the best option for torrenting.
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Change The Dns Server
Many VPN service providers offer DNS service as a means to boost your online privacy. However, there is a chance that the DNS service is causing your connection problems. Every VPN service provider has different steps for changing the DNS server. Donât worry changing your DNS server is a safe and reversible configuration adjustment that wonât harm your device or network.
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Make Sure Your VPN Is Compatible With The Site Or Service
Make sure your VPN is able to access the service youre trying to use. Although VPNs are incredibly sophisticated at circumventing geographically blocked sites, the sites themselves can be just as clever.
One of the hardest to crack is Netflix, which is ironic, as its also one of the main reasons people install a VPN. Why? Well, using a VPN, you can, in theory, access Netflix content from each corner of the globe, meaning movies, documentaries and TV shows before theyre available in your country.
Not all VPNs play nice with Netflix, so its worth checking the providers website first. If its not compatible, there is no fix youll just have to pick the best VPN for Netflix instead.
How Do I Stop My VPN Disconnecting And Reconnecting
It depends on why your VPN isnt connecting but Ive created a list of common VPN connection errors . For example, if youre trying to connect to a VPN in a country with strict internet firewalls , it could be the VPN itself that doesnt work. Another potential scenario is if youve got an antivirus running at the same time it could be blocking flagging your VPN as dangerous and blocking the connection.
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Troubleshooting Your VPN Connection
You can take some basic steps to diagnose any problems you may have trying to use Columbia’s VPN. Before contacting the CUIT Service Desk, please take a look at these troubleshooting tips.Even if your VPN connection is not working, you may still be able to connect to the Internet through your non-VPN connection. This can make it a little tricky to isolate the source of your problem.
How To Fix Netflix Proxy Error
Here is the list of fixes and alternatives you can try to get rid of the proxy error:
- Consider connecting to a different server .
- Get in touch with the VPN provider customer support and ask them the best server for unblocking Netflix .
- Turn off your VPN connection, turn it back on again.
- Restart the VPN app.
- Try accessing it with incognito/private mode.
- Clear cookies and caches
- Subscribe to a premium VPN service such as ExpressVPN.
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Try Connecting The VPN Service From A Different Device
There is a possibility that your device may be responsible for the connection issue. To exclude that possibility, try connecting to your VPN account from a different device. You can try from another computer, smartphone, or a tablet. Basically, any devices that can connect to your VPN account will do.
Restart The VPN Software
Another reason why you may not be able to connect to your VPN service may be because the software is glitching. Before you make any definite conclusions that you absolutely canât connect to the VPN client, try restarting the VPN software, and give it one more try. Software glitches happen more often than youâd think.
If your VPN has its own program, make sure itâs closed all the way down and itâs not just minimized. If your VPN is a browser plug-in, close the plug-in, and restart it.
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Check Your Internet Speed
Works with: Desktop and mobile devicesDifficulty:EasyRisk:NoneTime: Less than 1 minute
You can use a free online speed test, like Speedtest by Ookla. If your internet speed is much slower than you expect, I recommend resetting your router. If this doesnt fix the issue, you should contact your Internet Service Provider to check if theres a problem with your internet.
Need A Reliable VPN Service
Weve got you covered CactusVPN offers a high-end VPN that features military-grade encryption, 24/7 support, a Kill Switch, 30+ high-speed servers with unlimited bandwidth, and up to six VPN protocols to choose from. Whats more, we dont log any of your data, and our service works across multiple platforms.
And if you ever want to try out other ways of unblocking websites, we also offer a Smart DNS service that unblocks 300+ websites for you. That, and all our VPN servers double as proxy servers.
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Expressvpn Not Working With Hulu
Some ExpressVPN servers work better with Hulu than others. The last time we checked, New Jersey 3 and Denver server locations were able to unblock Hulu.
However, the ability of VPN servers to work with different streaming platforms keeps changing over time. Contact customer support to learn which server location will work best for your needs.
Contact Your VPN Provider
If the steps above havent fixed the reason why your VPN is not working on iPhone, its time to contact customer support. There may an issue with your account only a customer support representative can resolve. Go to Google and search the name of your VPN provider and customer support to find their contact information.
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Useful VPN Troubleshooting Tips
If youre already using a reliable VPN and your issue isnt due to a low-quality service or limited functionality, heres a collection of troubleshooting tips and potential fixes that may solve your problem.
We realize not all of our loyal readers are VPN experts, so weve also included general pointers on when to try a certain fix, as well as the risk of messing something up or compromising your security as you attempt it.
If at any point you arent confident in your abilities to pull this off by yourself, we advise contacting your VPNs customer support to get individual directions for your issue.
Make Sure You Are Online
The simplest things are the easiest to overlook. If your VPN client isnt connecting, try opening a website without connecting through a VPN to see if your internet connection is working. If its not, restart your router by unplugging it for 30 seconds and plugging it back in. If your internet is still down, it may be a problem at your ISPs end.
Check your VPN providers website, too, to make sure that the server youre trying to connect to isnt down. Every once in a while a VPN server will go offline for maintenanceor just because servers arent 100% reliableand youll need to connect to another one or wait a while.
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What Can I Do To Fix A VPN That Wont Connect
There could be an issue with either your network or with the VPN software itself. Dont worry though Ive compiled a list of easy fixes for any VPN connection issue.
More often than not, the reason your VPN wont connect is due to your network. First, test your internet connection to make sure it can support the VPN connection. If you find you can connect on an alternative device or network, you know the issue isnt with your VPN service.
If you find your VPN still wont connect after testing your network, you can try reinstalling your VPN software. Just like turning it off and on again, a fresh installation can fix any software issues and allow the VPN to connect smoothly. Its always a good idea to make sure your VPN software is up-to-date as it may have been issued a new patch that fixes known connection problems.
Solution 1: Opening Ports
For some people, the issue might arise if the ports that NordVPN uses to communicate with its servers are being blocked by your router. For security reasons most routers often block ports used by VPN/Network Tools to prevent any alterations to your connections and if that is the case, we will have to open the ports by logging in to the routers control panel. For that:
ipconfig /all
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Set Your VPNs Dns Address Manually
This should not be necessary in most cases, and you will need to contact your VPN to find out exactly what DNS address to use. In addition, always ask your VPN whether they believe this is necessary before continuing.
When you have the DNS address, head to Settings> WiFi and click on the next to your WiFi network. Next, Tap Configure DNS, select Manual and then tap Add Server to enter the DNS address provided by your VPN.
Contact Expressvpn Support With Diagnostic Information
The ExpressVPN app contains a built-in diagnostic tool to help developers to troubleshoot problems. You can generate this diagnostic report and send it to the customer support of ExpresVPN so they can figure out exactly what the problem is and offer a solution.
To obtain the diagnostic report and send it to ExpresVPN customer support, follow these steps:
1. Click on the Hamburger icon > Help & Support > Diagnostic Information
2. Click the contact support button in the diagnostic file that opens next
3. Check the box Include diagnostic information and describe your issue with as many specific details as possible and click Send to Support
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Check If Your VPN Works With Local Servers
When to try it: VPN refuses to connect while youre in a different country
Works on: Desktop & Mobile
Difficulty: Moderate
Risk: Moderate
Unfortunately, there are some places in this world where the right to privacy is often forgotten, and bypassing censorship is an everyday struggle.
When traveling to such locations you may encounter connectivity issues with your otherwise-perfect VPN. Most users who plan trips to these countries make sure to prepare accordingly, but if youve skipped that step, you may end up with a VPN that simply wont work in your current location.
The reasons range from strict VPN blocks and blacklisted VPN websites, to providers shutting down servers because they dont have the resources to work around invasive data retention laws. For you, the user, this sadly means that if you havent done your homework and arrive in a country where VPN use is restricted, you may not be able to fix this problem after it happens.
The only real solution is to make sure youve installed and configured the right VPN for your destination BEFORE you reach it. For your own safety, we dont recommend looking for VPNs while in a country that actively monitors online activity with serious consequences.
Tip: If youve come well-prepared but youre still having connectivity issues, make sure to check out special VPN settings. For example, PrivateVPN features Stealth mode, provided specifically for countries with heavy censorship and VPN restrictions:
Surfshark Not Working With Netflix
Surfshark can unblock Netflix library with all the unique content of different regions including US, UK, India, Italy, Canada, Germany, and more. Simply connect to the server of the country you wish to unblock the Netflix catalog of in order to watch your favorite shows. It is also one of the best VPNs to use in Hong Kong.
If youre facing problems, clear your browser cache, restart your browser, and try again. This should fix the problem in 90% of the cases as Surfshark is one of the most powerful VPNs for Netflix around.
See this article on Surfshark for Netflix for more information about its performance with the popular streaming service. Heres another good option to unblock US netflix with NordVPN.
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Change VPN Tunneling Protocols
While OpenVPN is generally considered to be the best protocol for VPN traffic, there are sometimes when you may want to use L2TP/IPSec. While it doesnt provide as much security and doesnt have as many features, its also possible that it will slip by filters that slow down OpenVPN traffic.
If youre using the VPN for security or privacy, we dont recommend using L2TP/IPSec if you can help it. If youre just trying to get past region restrictions, it will work. But it wont be as secure.
Problem : I Cant Connect To My VPN When In China
VPN problems are, unfortunately, to be expected in China. The countrys internet restrictions are some of the strictest in the world. All kinds of services are blocked including streaming services, news websites, and perhaps unsurprisingly, VPNs.
While there are a few VPNs that still work in China, their websites are blocked. As a result, youll have to install and configure the service before arriving in China. To be safe, wed recommend making a note of manual installation instructions. Some VPNs have specific settings that have to be changed before theyll work in countries with strict online censorship.
Its also a good idea to see if your VPN operates any mirror sites that might still be accessible in China. Remember to save this information locally, though, as cloud-storage platforms are also inaccessible in China.
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