Sometimes we can have problems managing our network cards. We can have problems in the systems especially when using VPN tools and that they give failures. In this article we are going to talk about the problem with TAP-Windows adapters when using a VPN. We are going to explain what we can do to avoid it and be able to navigate normally.
What are TAP-Windows adapters
First of all, we are going to explain what TAP-Windows adapters are. When we go to the device manager and enter network adapters we can see our Wi-Fi card or our Ethernet card, as well as others that we have. They are physical cards that are installed in our equipment. But we can also have virtual adapters installed. That is TAP-Windows .
Therefore we can say that the TAP-Windows adapter is a virtual network adapter that exists in the Windows system. It can be used for various tasks, depending on the specific characteristics of the software.
They are usually associated with the installation and use of VPN tools , as well as the installation of programs to change network settings. They are therefore closely linked to the proper functioning of a virtual private network. In case there are problems, if it is not correctly enabled, we can suffer failures with our VPN.
Many users notice that when using a VPN in Windows something called TAP-Windows V9 is installed. This can cause problems either when using the VPN, or when connecting with our normal connection.
What this virtual adapter does is allow the VPN to connect to your servers. At least on paper users would not have to touch any of this component. They just have to leave it there working and that’s it. But sometimes problems arise.
How to fix problems with TAP-Windows
As we say, sometimes problems arise and TAP-Windows does not work well , it does not allow us to use the VPN normally or even our network connection to be affected. Luckily we have a series of simple actions that we can carry out.
Restart the TAP-Windows adapter
One of the first steps we can take is to restart the TAP-Windows adapter . Sometimes just with this small step we can solve the errors that affect our connection.
To do this we have to right-click on the connection icon, at the bottom right, and click on Open network and Internet settings.
Here we have to enter Change adapter options. There we will see the icon of the TAP-Windows adapter and we have to click with the second button above it, we click Deactivate and we reactivate it later. This way it restarts.
Reinstall the adapter
Another option that we can also take into account in case the previous step has not solved the problem, is to reinstall the adapter . A first step would be to uninstall the VPN software we are using and reinstall it. Once we do this process we must restart the computer.
If this still does not provide a solution, we will proceed to reinstall the TAP-Windows adapter. To do this, we right-click on the Start button and open the Device Manager. We go to Network adapters and when we display it, it will appear. We have to click with the right button of the mouse on the adapter and click on Uninstall.
Later we start the VPN and it may ask us to install the TAP-Windows adapter again. We can also download and install it manually.
Create a new TAP-Windows adapter
A last solution would be to create a new TAP-Windows adapter . This happens when we connect to a new VPN.
Ultimately, these are the steps we must take in case we have problems using a VPN in Windows and the error is related to the TAP-Windows adapter. We can re-enable it, reinstall it or create a new one to see if that problem that is giving can or not be easily solved.
