If you're having trouble connecting to a VPN, it's important to understand the potential causes and solutions. In this article, we'll discuss the most common issues that can prevent you from connecting to a VPN and how to fix them.It may seem obvious, but make sure your network connection works. If you can't connect to the Internet, check if your device is connected to the correct access point. VPNs generally offer a choice of servers that you can connect to, so try another server and see if that resolves the problem.
If changing the VPN server doesn't work, restart the VPN software or browser add-ons. Don't just disconnect from the VPN server; close and restart the software. In the case of browser add-ons, close completely and then reopen the browser. You may need to clear your browser's cache for the add-on to work again. Your VPN protocol defines how you connect to servers, and some protocols are more reliable than others.
Open the application settings box and look for the settings related to the protocol. If your application has some (and not all of them), you might see options such as OpenVPN (perhaps with UDP or TCP versions), WireGuard, IKEv2, L2TP and more. The ideal would be to try to connect using at least OpenVPN, then IKEv2 or WireGuard, but if you don't have them, simply choose a couple of options from your application's list. If your VPN doesn't connect, this could indicate that your application has an error or that its configuration is corrupt. Check it out by removing or uninstalling your VPN and then downloading and reinstalling the latest version. If your connection is working and you're still unable to use the Internet with a VPN, you may face another type of problem.
Many VPN services have already abandoned the fight against Netflix and their servers won't allow you to view geo-blocked content on the platform. If you exempt your email application to ensure that it's not protected by a VPN, you'll be able to use it as usual, although this makes your connection less secure. Companies that produce these VPN services often lack the resources to operate more than a handful of VPN servers at a time, leaving users with no choice but to share the same crowded server at once. VPNs usually have thousands of servers, so there's a chance that your app's preferred option isn't available right now. If you use a DHCP server to assign IP addresses to clients, there are two other problems that could prevent users from being able to go beyond the VPN server. Once a VPN is set up with a Windows server, connection problems occasionally occur, even when a connection worked properly before. VPN accounts are also a prime target for hackers, and if someone has hijacked your account, the provider may have detected it and closed or blocked your account. VPN connection problems could be due to a larger problem with your provider's network, rather than a problem with your configuration. Sometimes the VPN simply needs to be configured correctly before it's ready to use, and sometimes the problem lies with the website you're trying to access. Whatever the case, there are a lot of technical problems you might encounter when using a VPN, but there are also a lot of solutions.
If none of these methods work, it's time to contact your VPN provider.
