VPNs have certainly evolved and become a lot simpler to use since their introduction, many of which will allow you to access the open and unrestricted world of the internet in as little as 60 seconds.
Whilst uncomplicated in their nature, there are inevitable VPN errors that do arise from time to time, as they do with any product. One of the best ways to eliminate any problems is to try and keep your VPN updated regularly. As with any applications, there are new versions as well as updates regularly released.
Learn the most common VPN errors and how to fix VPN error codes just below.
Most Common VPN Errors and How to Fix Them
1. VPN Error Code 800
“Unable to establish the VPN connection. The VPN server may be unreachable, or security parameters may not be configured properly for this connection.”
This is perhaps one of the most common VPN errors that you can come across. It occurs whenever a remote connection to your VPN server cannot be established. While this might indicate that the VPN server you are trying to reach is unattainable, here are more likely issues that have occurred:
- There might be an invalid IP address or name of the VPN server
- Your VPN connection is blocked by the firewall
- The client device no longer has a connection to the local area network
- There are incorrect configuration or security parameters in the VPN application
How to Fix VPN Error Code 800
- Firstly, check to see whether you have a network and internet connection. If you don’t, then the issue is not the VPN connection process, but rather your internet connection.
- If the VPN allows you to, make sure to pink the VPN router so as to confirm connectivity.
- Double-check the name of your chosen VPN server to make sure it is correct as well as checking your username and password. Look out to ensure that there is no “HTTP” present. This is because the server name is not actually a URL.
- Check that both your router and firewall settings allow for PPTP or a VPN to pass through.
2. VPN Error Code 806
“The VPN connection between your computer and the VPN server could not be completed.”
Another very common VPN error code. This one indicates that the connection between the VPN server and your client device has been interrupted. Here are the most common reasons as to why this might have happened:
- Your connection is being hindered by either an antivirus program or local firewall found on the VPN client
- You might have a very slow or even faulty internet connection
- Your connection is being restricted by a firewall
- There may be an overloaded system cache within the client device
- The particular VPN server you are trying to reach is overloaded and has reached its full capacity
While error 806 might be due to an issue in the VPN transmission, it is probably the result of a slow internet connection or the possibility that the VPN server has reached its full capacity.
How to Fix VPN Error Code 806
- Check that your general network and internet performance do not have a local network problem. If this is the issue you will need to reconnect to your local network or restart your router.
- If there is a local firewall present, disable it.
- Temporarily turn off your antivirus software on your client device.
- Clear your cookies and browser history.
3. VPN Error Code 619
This error means that there is a port connection issue. It might also come up with a message such as:
“A connection to the remote computer could not be established so the port used for this connection was closed.”
It happens when a client device is trying to establish a new connection to any given VPN server, but it might also transpire if there is an abrupt disconnection to your active VPN session.
How to Fix VPN Error Code 619
- If there is more than one VPN installed on the device you are using you need to make sure that only one is running as it can cause problems. You can find this out by checking out your active programs or Windows services.
- While it might seem like a tired solution, restart your device, as it can often help.
- Disable your antivirus or firewall application on the device temporarily and try to connect again. Enable them right afterward.
- Go through your VPN settings. If it is necessary, you can also uninstall and reinstall your chosen VPN application again.
4. VPN Error 691
VPN error 691 or 812 is usually a VPN/RAS error. It might also be accompanied by the following message,
“Error 812: The connection was prevented because of a policy configured on your RAS/VPN server. Specifically, the authentication method used by the server to verify your username and password may not match the authentication method configured in your connection profile. Please contact the Administrator of the RAS server and notify them of this error.”
This type of error normally indicates that there is a problem with your authentication process.
How to Fix VPN Error 691
Sometimes there are not a lot of things that you can do with error code 691, as it is likely that there is a policy error that has been generated from the server-side. You can contact customer service and let them know about the error. It is always smart to double-check that you are using the correct login credentials. Another tip is to disconnect from the VPN server for about an hour before trying a new connection.
Sometimes the VPN in question will have default settings to deny connections to the Microsoft VPN client. In that case, you will need to do the following:
- Open up routing and remote access management.
- Right-click on Remote Access Logging and Policies and then click on Launch NPS.
- Find and click on Network Policies located in the left panel.
- Right-click on the Connection to Microsoft Routing and Remote Access server policy found on the right pane and choose properties.
- Change the option from Deny Access to Allow Access.
- Hit Apply.
5. VPN Error Code 628
Another VPN connection error that is also known as the Modem Error usually comes along with this message”
“the connection was terminated by the remote computer before it could be completed.”
There might be a problematic underlying connection or that there is something disrupting the connection.
How to Fix VPN Error Code 628
- Ensure that you have a good local network and internet connection quality.
- Confirm that you are entering the correct login information.
- Temporarily disable your firewall settings and your local antivirus program.
- Make sure that your firewall and router settings allow for PPTP and a VPN to pass through. This means that the TCP port 1723, as well as the GRE protocol, need to both be opened and enabled.
6. VPN Error 789
If you come across VPN error 789 it will also come with the explanation:
“the L2TP connection attempt failed because the security layer encountered a processing error during initial negotiations with the remote computer.”
It is a processing error that occurs during the initial negotiation per the remote VPN server.
How to Fix VPN Error 789
- Make sure that the VPN client isn’t behind a NAT enabled firewall.
- Check that your VPN certificate has been successfully installed on your computer.
- Restart your VPN application.
- Reboot IPSec services or simply restart your client device.
How to Fix VPN Error Codes
VPN connection errors can occur when your VPN server is not responding or the internet service you are trying to access is actively blocking your VPN. This is what happens with people who want to know how to fix the Fortnite VPN error? There are a number of solutions as to how to fix the Fortnite VPN error which includes changing your IP address, updating your VPN client, and reinstalling Fortnite.
Problems can also arise when you have multiple VPNs installed on your device. This happens because your old VPN client is interfering with your new one. Issues are also commonly found in over-protective firewalls that are halting your connection.
Restart the VPN Application
It might sound like an old cliché, but shutting down your software can make everything right in your VPN world again. If your selected VPN has its own program (and it should), close it down and restart your computer.
If you’re just using a browser plug-in, be sure to close your browser down and get it going again.
If this doesn’t seem to work you will want to try reinstalling your chosen VPN as an added measure. In the past, it has been known to help when a VPN takes a very long time to connect or if it regularly crashes. It has also been useful when the VPN connects to the client network, but will not let the user carry out actions such as opening up links.
Remove any old VPN Software from your Device
If you are scouring the internet for the VPN (we’ll discuss that soon), it is likely that you have downloaded a number of VPN packages to test out. However, these old packages might be what is hindering your new VPN software from working as it should be.
While you can disable that software, we highly recommend uninstalling any previous VPN software packages that might be lying around on your device.
Ask for Help When you Need it
It’s inevitable that you will need help with your VPN at one stage or another, and VPN service providers are well aware of this. It is why they try their hardest for users to know that they have an active customer service team awaiting your email or call in order to get the ball rolling again.
The best VPN service providers have FAQs, how-to guides, email, but most importantly live chat services. Some of them even work around the clock. This means that whenever you encounter an issue all you need to do is head over to their website and start chatting. The great news is that most are very user-friendly, and they will not assume that you have Bill Gates-like tech knowledge.
Ensure Your VPN is Updated Regularly
The good news is, VPN software is regularly updated, but the bad news is, most users forget or neglect to install the updates. Some of these updates are tweaks that will make the program easier to use, while others are necessary for your VPN to function successfully. Whatever the case, it is imperative not to ignore these updates.
Want to know if your VPN is ready for an update? All you need to do is check the version that you are running and compare it to the version number that is found on the provider’s website, normally found in the about section.
Change Your VPN Server
Many of the best VPN service providers will offer hundreds, if not thousands of server to connect to. Sometimes those servers may not function correctly, whether due to their being overloaded with traffic or if they have been blacklisted by the service you’re trying to use.
Simply change to a different server and you might be well on your way to accessing the internet again through your VPN.
Check Your Firewall
A firewall is there to check the data that is sent and received from your connection. They can be very protective of what kind of data makes it to your computer, which is a good thing. However, not all firewalls play nice with VPNs.
To double-check if this is happening to you, the best thing to do is to temporarily disable it, and see what kind of effect it has on your VPN connection. Make a point of enabling it again once you’re done checking.
When looking for a VPN to use, you want to make sure you’re choosing the best. It is our recommendation to look at premium VPNs rather than free services.
One of our favorites is Surfshark, a VPN that was very new to the industry just a few years back but has caught up and even surpassed some of the best VPN service providers in the world. With more than 1,000 servers in 61 countries, Surfshark is based in the British Virgin Islands and will not “collect IP addresses, browsing history, session information, used bandwidth, connection time stamps, network traffic, and other similar data.”
Surfshark offers some great security protocols including IKEv2, OpenVPN and military-grade encryption. On top of that, you have the MultiHop feature which allows you to connect to multiple servers at once.
This VPN is super fast, but it also uniquely offers users unlimited simultaneous connections. If you come across any issues, there is a team on hand 24/7 to help you fix VPN error codes.
If you want to know more about Surfshark, check out our in-depth review.
Another VPN service provider you cannot go wrong with is ExpressVPN. Offering users more than 3,000 servers around the world in 160 different locations, this VPN is also the fastest on the market with a guaranteed uptime of 99.9%.
Like Surfshark, ExpressVPN is based in the British Virgin Islands, which is far out of reach of the 5/9/14 Eyes Alliance.
Users have access to five simultaneous connections and a plethora of security protocols including military-grade encryption, OpenVPN, DNS leak blocking, five-party DNS, IPV6 leak blocking, webRTC leak blocking, as well as a Network Lock. The latter will end all your online connectivity if your VPN connection drops.
If you have any VPN errors that need taking care of, ExpressVPN also has a live chat platform that is available at all times.
If you want to know more about ExpressVPN, check out our in-depth review.
Conclusion
VPNs are very user-friendly, but as with most things, there are errors to come up now and again. It is handy to know what those VPN error messages mean as well as how to resolve them.
Of course, having a reliable VPN with excellent customer service like Surfshark and ExpressVPN will take the guesswork out of everything.