The good news is that these VPN connection issues are fixable.  First, you have to identify the problem and how to address it accordingly. We’re here to help you with that.

Why is my Chromebook VPN not working?

The likely culprits are as follows:

Outdated VPN app or browser extension — If your VPN struggles to establish an encrypted tunnel and prevent traffic data leaks, chances are that your software version isn’t the most recent. Stored browsing data — Cookies and cached files contain information about your IP address. If web servers detect something sketchy about the device’s location, they may block your access in an effort to keep geo-restricted users away. Incorrect configuration — If you have an old Chromebook model, you may have to set up your VPN manually. Generally, it’s not a complicated process, but a single mistake can cause connection problems. Bad VPN service — Maybe your VPN is just ineffective. Free or lower-tier services that don’t invest in adequate infrastructure often fail their privacy and security promises.

How to fix Chromebook VPN when it’s not working?

Here’s what you can do to establish a successful VPN connection on your device: 

1. Delete cookies and cached files

To make sure your browsing data isn’t interfering with your Chrome VPN connection, follow these steps:

2. Manually configure your VPN

Chromebooks natively support various VPN protocols like OpenVPN, L2TP/IPSec, and WireGuard. But not all VPNs share the necessary configuration files. Here’s how to get started: VPN protocols don’t always have the same setup process. So, you may have to deal with slightly different steps than the ones above. To ensure proper configuration, you should pay attention to the fields you have to fill in and scour your VPN vendor’s site for the correct information. 

3. Change VPN service providers

If your Chromebook VPN is still not working properly, perhaps you need a new service. As a rule of thumb, you should only use premium providers with a solid privacy track record and a global server fleet of sophisticated hardware. You may also require advanced features like split tunneling, double VPN, and obfuscation.

The best VPNs for Chromebook

To help simplify your search, here are our favorite options on the market:

ExpressVPN

ExpressVPN has native ChromeOS, Android, and Linux apps and a Chrome extension. Plus, it shares files for manual VPN configuration. Moreover, you can install it directly to your router, securing your network’s traffic. That will allow you to go around the five simultaneous connections cap. In terms of location spoofing, ExpressVPN can give you IP addresses from 94 regions. It also has encrypted DNS servers, IPv6 leak protection, a built-in kill switch, and split tunneling.  It creates secure tunnels using OpenVPN or Lightway, a WireGuard-like proprietary protocol. This VPN vendor runs mostly 10Gbps servers on RAM, not hard drives. They auto-delete data after every reboot, ensuring no connection and activity logs remain. Depending on the subscription length, ExpressVPN costs from $8.32 to $12.95 a month and comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee.

NordVPN

NordVPN has a dedicated Android app and Linux .rpm package and permits router installation. You can also download its APK version for your device to unlock additional features. For a simpler setup, you can go with its browser extension instead. That should definitely help if your Chromebook VPN is not working because of configuration issues. It has over 5,000 RAM-only servers and provides IPs from 59 jurisdictions. What’s more, it supports OpenVPN, IKEv2/IPSec, and NordLynx in all locations. In select territories, NordVPN has specialty hardware for double VPN, obfuscation, and P2P file sharing. Some of its servers are tied to dedicated IPs too. In addition, it has private DNS, comes with a kill switch, prevents IPv6 leaks, and keeps online hazards at bay through its Threat Protection feature. Likewise, NordVPN can monitor the dark web and inform you the moment your sensitive information is compromised. To subscribe to NordVPN and protect up to six devices simultaneously, you can choose a plan ranging from $5.61 to $14.29 a month. The first 30 days are fully refundable, and you can cancel risk-free.

Private Internet Access (PIA)

PIA has dedicated Android and Linux GUI apps, a Chrome extension, a router setup, and a third-party OpenVPN client. Although mainly a US-first VPN service, its global fleet of RAM-only, 10Gbps servers covers 84 territories. Aside from the OpenVPN and WireGuard tunneling protocols, PIA lets you transmit the traffic of up to 10 devices concurrently through SOCKS5 proxies, too. For lag-free streaming and gaming, you can turn this VPN into a SmartDNS service. To protect your Chromebook from malicious files, ads, and trackers, PIA uses its built-in blocker called MACE. You can get all of the above for $3.33 to $11.95 a month, with a 30-day money-back guarantee.

Wrap up

If your Chromebook VPN is not working, you can use any of our handy fixes to resolve the issue and conceal your online activity. If nothing else proves efficient, getting a different VPN service can be the best course of action.  You should always trust high-tiered providers with many servers in diverse regions and excellent additional tools and features.

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