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Why Can’t I Connect to VPN From Home? Do I Need a Home VPN?

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Updated onJanuary 29, 2024

updated onJanuary 29, 2024

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VPNshave a solid reputation as one of the most efficient ways to protect online privacy. Some of the best ones offer many security and privacy features, and, to top it all, they won’t even log or monitor your data.

Therefore, it makes sense that more and more people started to embrace this tool as part of their daily routines.

For instance, they enjoy streaming content from their favorite entertainment platforms, spending time on social media, or even shopping online. As forrouter VPNs, they let you use VPN traffic for all devices on your network.

All the abovementioned activities can be much safer and more convenient from behind aVPN.

Keep in mind thatVPNsdon’t only protect your online privacy. They can also be used to bypass ISP restrictions such asgeoblockingor bandwidth throttling.

If you didn’t know, limiting the bandwidth can lead topacket lossandincreased in-game ping.

Well, now you know thatVPNcan take care of those.

Do I need a VPN at home?

A popular misconception describedVPNsas only useful to companies that want to protect their data or those with remote employees who need to share their resources with them.

But riddle us this:

Well, if you answered yes to most of these, we’ve got some news for you. You might desperately need aVPNat home to make sure your privacy stays, well, private.

However, installing and using aVPNfrom home can sometimes be troublesome. You might encounter someerrors, the service might refuse to connect, you know, the usual.

If you’re far from tech-savvy, troubleshooting these issues can be a hassle. So let’s see what we can do about them.

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What can I do if the VPN doesn’t work as it should?

What can I do if the VPN doesn’t work as it should?

1. VPN not connecting from home

This is one of the most common situations when yourVPNrefuses to work from home. You can use it on public WiFi, from your workplace, and even from your friend’s house, but not from the comfort of your own home.

Since the only thing changing in this equation is your location and perhaps your ISP, you might want to check if your ISP is not actively blocking yourVPN.

Having VPN connection issues on your PC? Check out our guide and see how you can fix them.

Try using anotherVPNand see if the problem persists. Alternatively, you might want to restart your router/modem, and see if you can find any blacklist/whitelist rules on it.

2. VPN stopped working

Another common issue is when yourVPN simply decides to give up. It may have worked flawlessly up until a few hours ago, but suddenly it refuses to load on your PC, or even connect to the server of your choice.

If you’ve recently performed some changes in your network/PC configuration, we suggest you revert them and see if yourVPNsituation has improved.

Your ISP might’ve blocked yourVPNin the meantime, so checking up with them is also a good idea.

You should also try restarting your modem/router, and your PC. Last but not least, update theVPNclient if possible, as someVPNproviders render older versions of their service unusable after releasing an update.

3. VPN blocked on Windows 10?

It appears that Windows 10 has a mind of its own when it comes toVPN. Mostly because you might encounter Windows 10-specificVPNerrors while you’re using this operating system. The good news is that you can most easily fix them.

It so happens thatWindows 10 has a habit of occasionally blocking your VPNaccess. The unblocking process might have a lot of steps, but usually, you don’t have to go to the end of the list.

Most of the time, simply reinstalling theVPNclient, installing Windows’ latest updates, or choosing a betterVPNcan easily solve the problem.

Make sure to check our guide above, and don’t give up if the first couple of suggestions don’t bring yourVPNback to life. Windows 10 can be stubborn like that sometimes.

VPN not working at home can be easily fixed

More often than not, aVPNthat doesn’t work at home can be tricked by restarting, reinstalling, or updating theVPNclient. Restarting your computer and modem/router also yields great results.

However, it’s not the end of the world if your homeVPNsuddenly stops working. Ensure you try our suggested fixes mentioned above, and don’t give up if they don’t work right from the start.

And keep in mind that certaingovernments and organizations can restrict you from accessing VPNs from official websites, yet there are some tips that you can apply in such cases too.

More about the topics:Fix VPN,VPN

Vlad Constantinescu

Vlad might have a degree in Animal Husbandry and Livestock Management, but he’s currently rocking anything software related, ranging from testing programs to writing in-depth reviews about them.

He spent 3-4 years as a software editor at Softpedia and another year as a VPN specialist before he landed his current job as an author at Windows Report.

In his free time, Vlad enjoys playing guitar, doing jigsaw puzzles, researching cybersecurity, and even having a good read on rainy days.

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