Connect to a VPN in Windows 10

Whether it’s for work or personal use, you can connect to a virtual private network (VPN) on your Windows 10 PC. A VPN connection can help provide a more secure connection and access to your company’s network and the internet, for example, when you’re working from a coffee shop or similar public place.

Create a VPN profile

Before you can connect to a VPN, you must have a VPN profile on your PC. You can either create a VPN profile on your own or set up a work account to get a VPN profile from your company.

Before you start:

If it’s for work, look for VPN settings or a VPN app on your company’s intranet site while you’re at work, or contact your company’s support person.

If it’s for a VPN service you subscribe to for personal use, visit the Microsoft Store to see if there’s an app for that service, then go to the VPN service’s website to see if the VPN connection settings to use are listed there.

Select the Start button, then select Settings > Network & Internet > VPN > Add a VPN connection.

In Add a VPN connection, do the following:

For VPN provider, choose Windows (built-in).

In the Connection name box, enter a name you’ll recognize (for example, My Personal VPN). This is the VPN connection name you’ll look for when connecting.

In the Server name or address box, enter the address for the VPN server.

For VPN type, choose the type of VPN connection you want to create. You’ll need to know which kind of VPN connection your company or VPN service uses.

For Type of sign-in info, choose the type of sign-in info (or credentials) to use. This might be a username and password, one-time password, certificate, or a smart card if you’re connecting to a VPN for work. Enter your username and password in the respective boxes (if required).

If you need to edit the VPN connection info or specify additional settings, such as proxy settings, choose the VPN connection and then select Advanced options.

Connect to a VPN

When you have a VPN profile, you’re ready to connect.

On the far right of the taskbar, select the Network icon (either or ).

Select the VPN connection you want to use, then do either of the following depending on what happens when you select the VPN connection:

If the Connect button displays under the VPN connection, select Connect.

If the VPN section in Settings opens, select the VPN connection there, then select Connect.

If you’re prompted, enter your username and password or other sign-in info.

When connected, the VPN connection name will display Connected underneath it. To see if you’re connected to the VPN while you’re doing things on your PC, select the Network icon (either or ) on the far right of the taskbar, then see if the VPN connection says Connected.

Add-Vpn Connection

Adds a VPN connection to the Connection Manager phone book.

Syntax

Description

The Add-VpnConnection cmdlet adds a VPN connection with the specified parameters to the Connection Manager phone book. If errors occur when you create the VPN profile, the cmdlet returns the error information.

Examples

Example 1: Add a VPN connection

This command adds a VPN connection named Test1 to the server with an IP address 10.1.1.1. By specifying the PassThru parameter, you can see the configuration of the VPN connection object.

Example 2: Add a VPN connection with an alternate authentication method

This command adds a VPN connection named Test3 to the server with an IP address 10.1.1.1. This connection uses the MSCHAPv2 authentication method, as specified by the AuthenticationMethod parameter. Additional parameters specify that the connection:

• Uses the Windows logon credentials (the UseWinlogonCredential parameter)
• Uses split tunneling (the SplitTunneling parameter)
• Is stored in the global phone book (the AllUserConnection parameter)
• Caches the credentials used for the first successful connection (the RememberCredential parameter)

By specifying the PassThru parameter, you can see the configuration of the VPN connection object.

Example 3: Add a VPN connection that uses EAP authentication

This command adds a VPN connection named Test4 to the server with an IP address of 10.1.1.1. This connection uses the default EAP authentication method, as specified by the AuthenticationMethod parameter. The pre-shared key for the connection is specified by the L2tpPsk parameter. Additional parameters specify that the connection:

• Uses split tunneling (the SplitTunneling parameter)
• Is stored in the global phone book (the AllUserConnection parameter)
• Caches the credentials used for the first successful connection (the RememberCredential parameter)

By specifying the PassThru parameter, you can see the configuration of the VPN connection object.

Example 4: Add a VPN connection that uses a custom EAP authentication method

This set of commands adds a VPN connection using a custom EAP authentication method. For more information about custom EAP authentication methods, see the New-EapConfiguration cmdlet.

Example 5: Add a VPN connection that uses already generated EAP XML configuration

This set of commands adds a VPN connection using an already generated EAP XML configuration. For more information about how to generate EAP XML configuration, see EAP Configuration.

Parameters

Indicates that the cmdlet adds the VPN connection to the global phone book entries.

Type:	SwitchParameter
Position:	7
Default value:	None
Accept pipeline input:	True
Accept wildcard characters:	False

Runs the cmdlet as a background job. Use this parameter to run commands that take a long time to complete.

Type:	SwitchParameter
Position:	Named
Default value:	None
Accept pipeline input:	False
Accept wildcard characters:	False

Specifies the authentication method to use for the VPN connection.

Type:	String [ ]
Accepted values:	Pap, Chap, MSChapv2, Eap, MachineCertificate
Position:	5
Default value:	None
Accept pipeline input:	True
Accept wildcard characters:	False

Runs the cmdlet in a remote session or on a remote computer. Enter a computer name or a session object, such as the output of a New-CimSession or Get-CimSession cmdlet. The default is the current session on the local computer.

Type:	CimSession [ ]
Aliases:	Session
Position:	Named
Default value:	None
Accept pipeline input:	False
Accept wildcard characters:	False

Prompts you for confirmation before running the cmdlet.

Type:	SwitchParameter
Aliases:	cf
Position:	Named
Default value:	False
Accept pipeline input:	False
Accept wildcard characters:	False

Specifies an XML document that allows vendors to specify custom configuration information.

Type:	XmlDocument
Position:	Named
Default value:	None
Accept pipeline input:	True
Accept wildcard characters:	False

Specifies the DNS suffix of the VPN connection.

Type:	String
Position:	Named
Default value:	None
Accept pipeline input:	True
Accept wildcard characters:	False

Specifies the contents of the EAP XML configuration file, which includes the EAP method ID.

Type:	XmlDocument
Position:	11
Default value:	None
Accept pipeline input:	True
Accept wildcard characters:	False

Specifies the encryption level for the VPN connection.

Type:	String
Accepted values:	NoEncryption, Optional, Required, Maximum, Custom
Position:	4
Default value:	None
Accept pipeline input:	True
Accept wildcard characters:	False

Indicates that the pre-shared key (PSK) value is supplied over an insecure channel, if L2TP is used.

Type:	SwitchParameter
Position:	Named
Default value:	None
Accept pipeline input:	False
Accept wildcard characters:	False

Specifies the time, in seconds, before an idle connection is closed.

Type:	UInt32
Position:	Named
Default value:	None
Accept pipeline input:	True
Accept wildcard characters:	False

Specifies the value of the PSK to be used for L2TP authentication. If this parameter is not specified, a certificate is used for L2TP.

Type:	String
Position:	8
Default value:	None
Accept pipeline input:	True
Accept wildcard characters:	False

Specifies an array of enhanced key usage (EKU) filters for Internet Key Exchange version 2 (IKEv2) machine certificate selection.

Type:	String [ ]
Position:	Named
Default value:	None
Accept pipeline input:	True
Accept wildcard characters:	False

Specifies the X509 certificate of the issuer filter for IKEv2 machine certificate selection.

Type:	X509Certificate2
Position:	Named
Default value:	None
Accept pipeline input:	True
Accept wildcard characters:	False

Specifies the name of this VPN connection profile.

Type:	String
Aliases:	ConnectionName
Position:	1
Default value:	None
Accept pipeline input:	True
Accept wildcard characters:	False

Returns an object representing the item with which you are working. By default, this cmdlet does not generate any output.

Type:	SwitchParameter
Position:	Named
Default value:	None
Accept pipeline input:	False
Accept wildcard characters:	False

Specifies the identifier for a third party application.

Type:	String
Position:	10
Default value:	None
Accept pipeline input:	True
Accept wildcard characters:	False

Indicates that the credentials supplied at the time of first successful connection are stored in the cache.

Type:	SwitchParameter
Position:	9
Default value:	None
Accept pipeline input:	True
Accept wildcard characters:	False

Specifies the address of the remote VPN server to which the client connects. You can specify the address as a URL, an IPv4 address, or an IPv6 address.

Type:	String
Aliases:	ServerName, DefaultServer
Position:	2
Default value:	None
Accept pipeline input:	True
Accept wildcard characters:	False

Specifies an array of VPN servers. The VPN client can connect to these servers.

Type:	CimInstance [ ]
Position:	Named
Default value:	None
Accept pipeline input:	True
Accept wildcard characters:	False

Indicates that the cmdlet enables split tunneling for this VPN connection profile. When you enable split tunneling, traffic to destinations outside the intranet does not flow through the VPN tunnel. If you do not specify this parameter, split tunneling is disabled.

Type:	SwitchParameter
Position:	6
Default value:	None
Accept pipeline input:	True
Accept wildcard characters:	False

Specifies the maximum number of concurrent operations that can be established to run the cmdlet. If this parameter is omitted or a value of 0 is entered, then Windows PowerShellВ® calculates an optimum throttle limit for the cmdlet based on the number of CIM cmdlets that are running on the computer. The throttle limit applies only to the current cmdlet, not to the session or to the computer.

Type:	Int32
Position:	Named
Default value:	None
Accept pipeline input:	False
Accept wildcard characters:	False

Specifies the type of tunnel used for the VPN connection.

Type:	String
Accepted values:	Pptp, L2tp, Sstp, Ikev2, Automatic
Position:	3
Default value:	None
Accept pipeline input:	True
Accept wildcard characters:	False

Indicates that MSCHAPv2 or EAP MSCHAPv2 is used as the authentication method, and that Windows logon credentials are used automatically when connecting with this VPN connection profile.

Type:	SwitchParameter
Position:	10
Default value:	None
Accept pipeline input:	True
Accept wildcard characters:	False

Shows what would happen if the cmdlet runs. The cmdlet is not run.

Type:	SwitchParameter
Aliases:	wi
Position:	Named
Default value:	False
Accept pipeline input:	False
Accept wildcard characters:	False

Outputs

The Microsoft.Management.Infrastructure.CimInstance object is a wrapper class that displays Windows Management Instrumentation (WMI) objects. The path after the pound sign ( # ) provides the namespace and class name for the underlying WMI object.

This cmdlet returns a VpnConnection object that contains the VPN connection configuration settings.