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Solved Error

How to Fix: Windows VPN Error 800 ('The remote connection was not made')

Quick Fix

1. Confirm the server is reachable by pinging its address from an elevated Command Prompt. 2. Temporarily disable your firewall/antivirus to rule out blocking, then re-enable it and add an exception for the VPN app instead. 3. Double-check the server address, username, and password for typos.

What this error means

Error 800 ("The remote connection was not made because the attempted VPN tunnels failed") means Windows tried to connect to your VPN server but couldn't set up a working connection, called a tunnel, to it. Your normal internet can work fine while the VPN fails. The most common reasons are that the VPN server can't be reached or its address is wrong, Windows is trying the wrong VPN type, or a firewall, antivirus, router or your internet provider is blocking the connection the VPN needs. Wrong login details, damaged network settings, or two VPN apps running at the same time can cause it too.

Step-by-Step Guide

Fix 1: Do the Quick Checks First

  1. 1Confirm your internet connection works. Confirm your regular internet connection works (load a couple of websites) before blaming the VPN.
  2. 2Restart your PC and router/modem. Restart your PC and, if possible, restart your router/modem.
  3. 3Check VPN server address and credentials for errors. Re-check the VPN server address, username, and password for typos — make sure the VPN username and password are correct, and if unsure, log into your provider's account dashboard and reset the password.
  4. 4Disconnect and reconnect the VPN from scratch. If your VPN app was recently updated or changed, try disconnecting fully and reconnecting from scratch — removing the current VPN connection and re-entering the same setup information exactly as done originally surprisingly fixes the problem often.

Fix 2: Test Whether the Server Is Actually Reachable

  1. 1Open an elevated Command Prompt or Terminal. Press Windows Key + X and choose Command Prompt (Admin) or Terminal (Admin).
  2. 2Ping the VPN server address. Enter ping followed by the address you want to ping, for example ping myvpnaddress.com, then press Enter and see how long it takes for the server to respond.
  3. 3Understand ping limitations and firewall blocking. Keep in mind some firewalls block the ping command itself, so no response does not automatically mean the server is down — you can also wait a few minutes and try connecting again.
  4. 4If you are connecting via a raw IP address instead of a domain name, this specific issue can occur when trying to access the VPN server by IP address, and switching to a regular address (adding the VPN's IP to the Windows hosts file) can fix it.
  5. 5Try a different server or contact your provider. If the server does not respond at all and this happens consistently on one server, try a different server location if your provider offers one, or contact the provider to check server status.

Fix 3: Manually Set the VPN Tunnel Type (Most Effective Fix)

  1. 1Open your VPN connection properties and Security tab. Open Settings > Network & Internet > VPN (Windows 10/11), click your VPN connection, then 'Advanced options', or find it in classic Network Connections > right-click your VPN > Properties.
  2. 2Go to the Security tab.
  3. 3Set VPN Type to a specific protocol instead of Automatic. If you know which tunnel type should actually be used for your setup, set 'Type of VPN' to that specific protocol rather than Automatic, via Network Connections > right-click your connection > Properties > Security tab.
  4. 4Try IKEv2, SSTP, L2TP/IPsec, or PPTP specifically, then save and reconnect. If using a third-party VPN app rather than the built-in Windows client, open its Settings, go to Protocol, and switch between IKEv2, OpenVPN, or WireGuard.
  5. 5Enter pre-shared key for L2TP/IPsec connections. If using L2TP/IPsec specifically, make sure a pre-shared key is entered — select L2TP/IPSec for VPN Type, click Advanced, select 'Use preshared key for authentication', since the Windows VPN Setup Wizard does not ask for the shared key during initial setup.

Fix 4: Check Firewall, Antivirus, and Router Port Settings

  1. 1Temporarily disable firewall and antivirus. Temporarily disable your Windows Firewall and any third-party antivirus, then retry the connection. If the connection succeeds without the firewall, it's a clear sign your firewall settings need adjusting.
  2. 2Add your VPN app to the firewall exceptions. Instead of leaving it off, add a proper exception: open Control Panel > System and Security > Windows Defender Firewall > Allow an app or feature through Windows Defender Firewall, click Change settings, then find your VPN app and tick both Private and Public, or click Allow another app, browse to the VPN program, and add it.
  3. 3Make sure the correct ports are open on your firewall and router for your protocol:
  4. 4Open TCP 1723 and GRE Port 47 for PPTP. For PPTP: PPTP port (TCP 1723) or GRE Port (47) must not be blocked.
  5. 5Open UDP 500, 4500 and ESP protocol 50 for L2TP/IPsec. For L2TP/IPsec: the correct pre-shared key must be set on the client, and the ports it actually needs must be open on your firewall/router — UDP 500 (IKE), UDP 4500 (NAT-T), and ESP (IP protocol 50). Port UDP 1701 is used inside the tunnel, so opening only 1701 is not enough.
  6. 6Open UDP 500 and 4500 for IKEv2. For IKEv2: IKE ports (UDP port 500, UDP port 4500) must not be blocked.
  7. 7Open TCP 443 for SSTP protocol. For SSTP: the SSTP protocol port (TCP 443) must not be blocked.
  8. 8Enable L2TP and IPSec pass-through on your router. Log into your router's admin page (commonly 192.168.1.1 or 192.168.0.1) and check Port Forwarding / VPN Passthrough settings — ensure that L2TP and IPSec pass-through options are enabled from your router, as this may cause the problem.
  9. 9Disable additional VPN clients if multiple are installed. If you have more than one VPN client installed, make sure only one of them is active, as several clients may interfere and cause the problem.

Fix 5: Reset Network Components

  1. 1Uninstall network miniport adapters and rescan. Reset the network adapter: open Device Manager, expand Network Adapters, and for stubborn L2TP issues some users report success after opening Device Manager, expanding network adapters, uninstalling all miniport adapters, then scanning for hardware changes.
  2. 2Reset Winsock and TCP/IP settings. Reset Winsock and TCP/IP from an elevated Command Prompt: run netsh winsock reset and netsh int ip reset, then restart your PC. Resetting Winsock can help fix VPN error 800, especially if the issue is related to network socket problems, since it returns network settings to their default configuration and can resolve issues caused by corrupt or modified network settings.
  3. 3Recreate the VPN connection from scratch. If using the built-in Windows VPN client, you can also recreate the VPN entry: go to Settings > Network & Internet > VPN, click the problem connection, then remove it and set it up again from scratch.
  4. 4Update network drivers and Windows. Update your network adapter drivers from the manufacturer's website, and check for pending Windows updates.

Fix 6: Rule Out ISP-Side Blocking

  1. 1Contact your ISP about unblocking GRE protocol. Some ISPs block the GRE protocol remotely, which causes this error; contact your ISP and ask them to unblock GRE if you rely on PPTP.
  2. 2Switch from UDP to TCP transport protocol. If your VPN app supports switching transport, some VPN apps allow switching between TCP and UDP; error 800 is common when using UDP, so switching to TCP in the app's protocol settings often fixes it.
  3. 3Test the VPN connection on a different network. Try connecting from a different network (mobile hotspot) to see if the problem follows you — if it connects fine elsewhere, the issue is specific to your home network/router/ISP.

Fix 7: Reinstall the VPN Client

  1. 1Uninstall and reinstall the VPN client. If nothing above works, completely uninstall the VPN app via Settings > Apps > Apps & Features, restart your computer, then download and install the latest version from the official website and reconfigure it from scratch.

When to seek further help

If error 800 remains after the fixes above, the cause is most likely the VPN server or your network rather than your PC. If the VPN also fails on another network, such as a mobile hotspot, or only on one server, contact your VPN provider, or whoever set up the VPN for you (for example your workplace IT team). Ask them to check that the server is online and which VPN type and ports it uses. If it works on other networks but not at home, contact your internet provider and ask whether they block VPN traffic, such as the GRE protocol that PPTP uses.

Sources:

Heads up: this guide was drafted with AI assistance from the real sources listed below, and structured by our team for clarity. It may not cover every possible cause — if it doesn't fix your issue, let us know and we'll take a closer look. See how we create our fixes.

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