VPN Connected But Not Working – Why and How to Fix it

An anonymity tool, a VPN is used to protect your online privacy and encrypt your internet connection. By masking your IP address and rerouting your traffic, this tool will make you stay anonymous online. When you are connected to a trustworthy VPN service, you need not worry about being tracked online and you can really enjoy an open internet.

What if you are connected to a VPN, but it isn’t working? At times, you might notice that a connection has been established, but the VPN is not working. VPNs may not work because of selecting an improper VPN protocol or due to unsuitable device configurations. Whatever may be the reason why your VPN is not working, this guide will help you fix the issue and make your VPN work as before.

Why Isn’t Your VPN Working?

In most cases, unsuitable DNS settings or improper VPN protocols could be the reasons why your VPN is not working. There are also a few other reasons for this issue like the following.

• VPN blocked by firewall
• Issues with the server
• Improper VPN protocol
• Outdated browser
• Misconfigured network settings
• Outdated software

Ways to Fix the “VPN Connected but Not Working” Issue

Restart Your VPN and Router

Whenever there is an issue with your VPN or your internet connection, the first thing you can do is to restart your router and your VPN. You can also log out and log in to your account again. This way, you will break the previous session and start a new one. When you start a new session, all the glitches with the previous connection will be discarded. Your new session will offer you a secure and a smooth browsing experience.

Connect to a Different VPN Location

Maybe the VPN location you selected is the reason why your VPN isn’t working. When you see that your VPN is connected, but it is not working, you can try connecting to a different VPN location. If you are connected to an overloaded server, your connection might be extremely slow or your VPN might not even work. If you think this could be the issue, you can try connecting to a different server to check if it helps fix the issue. If this works, you can connect to the new server until the previous one works.

Change the VPN Protocol

In certain cases, your VPN might not work because of the VPN protocol. Reliable VPN protocols like IPSec/IKEv2, OpenVPN, etc. will let users have a faster and smooth browsing experience by encrypting their connections and rerouting the internet traffic through a different IP address.

You can try changing the VPN protocol to check if your VPN is working. You can change it through your VPN app. Make sure you choose OpenVPN, SSTP, PPTP, or L2TP/IPSec for a good performance.

VPN Port

Choosing the right VPN port is as important as choosing the right VPN protocol. For the correct data flow, you will need to choose the right VPN port. ISPs can block certain VPN ports associated with certain VPN protocols. If your ISP has blocked that specific port, you may not be able to connect to the internet using your VPN. You can connect to a different VPN port and try if it works. You can go to the connection settings to change the VPN port.

Ping Public IP

An issue with the DNS could prevent your VPN from working. Before you modify your DNS settings, you can try pinging to check your internet connection. Follow the steps below to ping the public IP address.

1. To access the run command box, press Win+R.
2. Once the command box opens, type in cmd and press Ctrl+Shift+Enter to run it as an administrator.
3. Now, type in ping 8.8.8.8

If you receive a text message, you will need to understand that your internet connection is working fine. You can then make a few modifications to the DNS to fix DNS issues affecting your VPN and preventing it from working.

Reset the DNS Address

Connecting to the VPN’s default DNS address could most likely fix the issue. Follow the steps below to modify the DNS address.

• Go to the Control Panel and then go to the Network and sharing center.
• Hit Change adapter settings and right-click on your internet connection.
• Click on Properties and double-click the TCP/IPv4 section.
• You must navigate to Properties and request your device to automatically Obtain a DNS server address.
• If you would like to manually set a DNS address, you have to select Use the following DNS server addresses and type in the DNS address of your VPN provider.
• Save the changes you just made by clicking on OK.

Renew Your IP Address

In certain cases, your VPN might not work because of your IP address. To fix the issue, you can try releasing your current IP address and getting a new one. Your device’s internet connection will break when you release your IP address and when you renew it, it will connect back to the internet with a new IP address.

Release and renew your IP address by following the steps below.

• Open the Run command box by pressing Win+R.
• To run as an administrator, type in cmd and press Ctrl+Shift+Enter.
• Type in the commands below and hit enter after entering each command.

• Once it is done, type in exit.

Prevent Your Firewall from Blocking the VPN

Firewalls could block VPN connections on your device. If your Firewall is blocking your VPN, you will be able to browse the web through your internet connection, but your VPN might not work. To prevent your Firewall from blocking your VPN, you can make your VPN an exception. Here are the steps involved.

• Open the run command box by hitting Win+R.
• Type in firewall.cpl and hit Enter.
• Click on Advanced settings and then on Inbound Rules.
• From the sidebar on the right, select New Rule.
• Hit Program and select your VPN.
• You must select Allow the connection and set the rule for the different connection types.
• You can give a name and also provide a description and complete your changes.

Update VPN Software

At times, the problem could be with your VPN app. You can try updating the VPN app to make sure the connection issue is not due to your VPN app. New software updates will include new patches that will make the app work better. You can visit the official VPN website to update the software.

Update Your Browser

What if your browser is the reason behind the issue? Make it a practice to update your browser whenever there is an update. If your browser is not compatible and if it is an older version, your VPN might not work. To fix the issue, you can try updating the browser to the latest version as and when there is an update. You need not worry about losing your network data as updating the browser will only include the latest security patches to make sure you have a safe browsing experience.

1. Chrome

• Open your Chrome browser and navigate to and click on the three-dot menu at the top right corner.
• Hover over Help and click on About Google Chrome, which will result in Chrome automatically checking for updates.
• If an update is available, you can update your browser and relaunch it.

2. Firefox

• On your Firefox browser, click on the three-bar menu at the top right corner.
• Go to Help and click on About Firefox, to have the browser automatically check for updates.
• Update your browser if an update is available and relaunch it.