≈ Network Errors
VPN not connecting on Windows 11 — How to fix
Most VPN-not-connecting issues on Windows 11 trace to: broken WAN Miniport drivers, Windows network stack out of sync, or the VPN client itself needing reinstall.
- Time
- 20 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Applies to
- Windows 11, Windows 10
- Updated
- May 25, 2026
Symptoms
- ▸Built-in Windows VPN connects then immediately disconnects
- ▸Third-party client (OpenVPN, WireGuard, NordVPN, ExpressVPN) connects but no traffic flows
- ▸Error 720, 800 or 809 returned
Likely causes
- ▸WAN Miniport drivers corrupted
- ▸VPN client adapter not bound to TCP/IP
- ▸Windows Firewall blocking the VPN protocol
- ▸MTU too high for the VPN tunnel
How to fix it — step by step
- 01
Reinstall the VPN client
Most VPN clients (OpenVPN, WireGuard, NordVPN, ExpressVPN, ProtonVPN) include a Repair option. Use it first.
- 02
Reset network
Settings → Network & internet → Advanced network settings → Network reset. - 03
Recreate WAN Miniport drivers
Open Device Manager → View → Show hidden devices → expand Network adapters. Uninstall every WAN Miniport entry, then reboot — Windows reinstalls them clean.
- 04
Lower MTU on the VPN adapter
Most VPN tunnels need MTU 1400 or lower.
netsh interface ipv4 set subinterface "VPN" mtu=1400 store=persistent - 05
Check Windows Firewall
Windows Security → Firewall & network protection → Allow an app through firewall. Confirm your VPN client is allowed on both Private and Public networks.