VPNs are becoming a necessity for online safety. However, many regard them as a troublesome affair. They find the technology to be incomprehensible and daunting. Furthermore, the seemingly endless stream of errors doesn’t seem to help the cause. Although, we know and understand that VPNs, similar to other software, can be faulty at times. But the public has formed an expectation towards this service.
As such, it is of utmost importance that providers ensure the stability of VPNs. One such provider that takes the consecutive errors seriously is no other than the popular NordVPN. The provider has robust customer care that offers a 24/7 service for users to clarify their issues. Furthermore, the VPN also has dedicated materials on the official NordVPN website for guidance. Therefore, we have also decided to help our NordVPN users to alleviate some queries, particularly how to fix the not connecting issue.
What is the NordVPN not connecting issue?
At times a user faces issues regardless of the VPN service he uses. One such and typically common problem is when the VPN doesn’t connect. NordVPN, despite being a market leader, also suffers from the same fate. There have been several reported cases depicting such errors with this provider. Nominally, these issues aren’t a threat to your VPN health and are resolvable. However, once in a blue moon, a user can face the same problem but with an elusive cause at play.
A VPN not connecting is a fundamental fault present within the infrastructure of a VPN service. It can be a result of faulty software or an installation process. It also factors in human error. From internet connectivity to IPv6 incompatibility, there are various plausible reasons behind this error. However, it is one of the simple issues to resolve. In today’s article, we will learn how to recognize the cause behind this problem. We will also identify the numerous methods we can employ to resolve it.
Methods to fix NordVPN not connecting issue
Fixing the NordVPN not connecting issue can be easy. But at the same time, it can be a numbing situation. The whole scenario revolves around the mitigating factors affecting the service. Thus, a user can employ general troubleshooting methods to deal with the problem. Or, for some severe concerns, we have also included some advanced solutions. Take a look.
1. General Troubleshooting to fix NordVPN not connecting issue
Given below are a few generic solutions to fix the NordVPN connecting issue. Some are:
Check Internet connection
You can start by checking your internet connection. Maybe the fault lies with the ISP (Internet Service Provider) and not the VPN. You can also try to restart your router or use a wired Ethernet connection instead of a wireless one for better results. To ensure your internet works fine, shut down the VPN and browse the web.
Reboot system
Sometimes it is as simple as restarting. Before doing anything else, do a quick reboot of your system. It will clear any unnecessary caches and maybe solve the issue.
Check NordVPN Account credentials
Before connecting to NordVPN, make sure you have the correct credentials. In some cases, people often forget their user ID and or password. Go to the official NordVPN website and log in to your Nord account. On the bottom, you can find your Nord username and login ID. Use them to connect the VPN.
Try changing VPN servers
Although rare, you could be experiencing a bandwidth limitation. Sometimes the VPN servers get crowded with heavy traffic. It results in a VPN not connecting issue. Thus, changing a server location can also work.
Check the VPN client
If you have installed the VPN client from shady sources or botched up the installation, it’s time for you to check your NordVPN client. Either reinstall or update the app and hopefully, it will resume working.
Disable Firewall
Before we begin, let us state that we do not recommend this approach.
A Firewall is essential to the overall health of the computer. It is there to ensure that the device infrastructure remains functional. However, a VPN has to tunnel through a firewall. It can lead your Firewall to prevent VPNs from connecting. One approach is to disable the Firewall outright, but that can lead to additional threats. Either change your provider or add the service to your Firewall exception.
Uninstall other VPNs
Similar services can also prevent NordVPN from connecting. You have to ensure that no other VPNs are running on the device. Uninstall other VPNs and also remove their leftover files for a smoother transition.
2. Advanced Troubleshooting to fix NordVPN not connecting issue
If the pertaining problem behind the not connecting issue is minute, you would find yourself employing the methods we specified to deal with it. However, in a rare instance when you don’t know how the error came to be, chances are you’d need the following advanced approach. Such as:
Check the connection ports
Your ISP can not only throttle your internet speed but also deny access to traffic on specific ports. ISP knows which ports a VPN tends to use. Thus, changing your default port setting can alleviate this NordVPN not connecting issue. NordVPN needs port 443 for TCP and 1194 for UDP to work. Similarly, you need access via your router or Firewall.
Reset your TAP adapters
It can be a problem with your network adapter. To reset your TAP adapter, follow these steps:
- First, launch the Start menu and go to the Control Panel.
- Then, head to the Network and Sharing Center.
- Now find the “change adapter settings” on the left and click on it.
- After that, find the TAP-NordVPN Windows Adapter on the screen and right-click it.
- Now, from the list-menu, click on Disable.
- And after waiting for a while, re-enable it. It will reset your TAP adapters.
Switch security protocols
A VPN security protocol is the backbone of the service. However, not all protocols are equal in performance. Changing security protocols can also fix the NordVPN not connecting issue. All you need to do is:
- First, run the NordVPN app.
- Then go to settings by clicking on the gear icon in the top right corner.
- Now go to the Auto-connect tab and disable the “choose a VPN protocol and server automatically” option.
- After that, pick a protocol manually.
- You can alternate between OpenVPN UDP, TCP, and Nordlynx.
Reset your app
If the issue lies with your VPN client, then you can also reset your app by following these steps:
- First, launch the NordVPN app.
- Then go to Settings by clicking on the gear icon.
- After that, you can head to the Advanced tab on the left side of the screen.
- Now locate and click on the Run diagnostic tools and wait for the results to appear.
- Click on the reset app to finish the process.
Reset the network stack via command prompt
Resetting the network stack may also be a viable option. All you need to do is run the Command Prompt and enter the following commands one after another. Also, remember to press the enter key after each command.
To launch Command Prompt, you can:
- Press Windows key + R
- In the “Search” tab, type Run and hit enter.
- Click on the Run dialogue box in the Start menu and type cmd.
Now enter the following commands:
- ipconfig /release
- ipconfig /flushdns
- ipconfig /renew
- netsh winsock reset
- netsh interface ipv4 reset
- netsh interface ipv6 reset
- netsh winsock reset catalog
- netsh int ipv4 reset reset.log
- netsh int ipv6 reset reset.log
Now restart the computer, and hopefully, you can connect to the NordVPN.
Adjust the DNS server configuration
You can also adjust the DNS configuration, which can lead to resolving the underlying connection issues. Do this:
- Open the Run box.
- Input “ncpa.cpl” and hit enter.
- Right-click on the TAP-NordVPN Windows adapter and select Properties.
- Select IPv4.
- Select the “Use the following DNS addresses” option.
- Now, enter 103.86.96.100 and 103.86.99.100 in the DNS server boxes.
- Click on OK to finish the DNS server configuration.