Fix VPN Error 720 on Windows 10 (Step-by-Step)

VPN Error 720 on Windows 10 appears when the connection fails during the “Registering your computer on the network” phase, usually caused by a corrupted WAN Miniport driver or a conflicting network adapter. This guide walks you through the exact steps to restore the VPN adapter and get connected again, from the quickest fix to more advanced resets.

What You’ll Need

Administrator access to the Windows 10 PC (you’ll need to confirm UAC prompts).
The VPN server address and your login credentials (to test after each fix).
A stable internet connection (not the VPN itself).

Step-by-Step

Run the Network Adapter Troubleshooter (first attempt). Open Settings > Network & Internet > Status. Scroll down and click Network troubleshooter. Follow the prompts. Windows will often detect a misconfigured adapter and reset it automatically. Try your VPN connection again after this completes.
Reinstall the WAN Miniport (IP) adapter. This is the most common fix. Press Win + X and select Device Manager. In the menu bar, click View and check Show hidden devices. Expand Network adapters. Look for WAN Miniport (IP), WAN Miniport (IPv6), and WAN Miniport (Network Monitor). Right-click each one and select Uninstall device. Check the box Delete the driver software for this device if it appears, then click Uninstall. Do this for all three WAN Miniport entries. Restart your PC. Windows will automatically reinstall these drivers on boot.
Reset the TCP/IP stack. If the driver reinstall didn’t work, open Command Prompt as Administrator (type cmd in the Start menu, right-click, and select Run as administrator). Run these commands one at a time, pressing Enter after each:

netsh int ip reset

netsh winsock reset

ipconfig /flushdns

Restart your computer after running all three.
Disable and re-enable the VPN adapter. Go to Control Panel > Network and Sharing Center > Change adapter settings. Find your VPN connection (it may be named after your VPN provider or “VPN Connection”). Right-click it and select Disable. Wait 10 seconds, then right-click again and select Enable. Try connecting.
Check the VPN protocol settings. In the same Change adapter settings window, right-click your VPN adapter and select Properties. Go to the Security tab. Ensure Type of VPN matches what your VPN provider specifies (usually Point to Point Tunneling Protocol (PPTP) or Layer 2 Tunneling Protocol with IPsec (L2TP/IPsec)). If you’re unsure, try switching between PPTP and L2TP. Also, under Data encryption, try Require encryption if it’s not already set.
Update or roll back the network driver. In Device Manager, expand Network adapters. Find your physical Ethernet or Wi-Fi adapter (not the WAN Miniports). Right-click it and select Update driver > Search automatically for drivers. If that finds nothing, go to your PC manufacturer’s support site and download the latest network driver manually. If error 720 started after a recent driver update, try Properties > Driver tab > Roll Back Driver.
Create a fresh VPN connection. Delete the existing VPN connection entirely. Go to Settings > Network & Internet > VPN, click your connection, and select Remove. Then click Add a VPN connection and re-enter the server address, connection name, and credentials exactly as provided by your VPN service. Sometimes the saved configuration file gets corrupted.
Perform a network reset (last resort). Go to Settings > Network & Internet > Status. Scroll down and click Network reset. Click Reset now and confirm. This removes and reinstalls all network adapters and resets networking components to defaults. You will need to reconnect to Wi-Fi and re-enter your Wi-Fi password afterward. Restart your PC and try the VPN again.

Common Mistakes

Not showing hidden devices in Device Manager. The WAN Miniport adapters are hidden by default. If you skip step 2’s “Show hidden devices” toggle, you won’t see them and the fix won’t work.
Skipping the restart after uninstalling drivers. Windows needs a full reboot to reinstall the WAN Miniport drivers. A shutdown and power-on is better than a restart if you have Fast Startup enabled.
Running Command Prompt without administrator rights. The netsh commands will fail with an “access denied” error if you don’t right-click and choose “Run as administrator”.
Only fixing the driver, not the protocol. If your VPN provider changed their server settings, the old protocol (e.g., PPTP vs L2TP) will keep failing. Always verify the current protocol requirement.

Tips

Check if your VPN provider has a dedicated Windows 10 client app. Many errors like 720 are avoided entirely by using the provider’s own software instead of the built-in Windows VPN client.
Disable your third-party antivirus or firewall temporarily to test. Some security suites block the WAN Miniport driver from loading. If the VPN connects with them disabled, add an exception for the VPN executable and the rasman service.
Keep your Windows 10 fully updated. Microsoft frequently ships fixes for the Remote Access Connection Manager (RAS) service, which is what generates error 720. Check Settings > Update & Security > Windows Update.
If you’re on a corporate VPN, contact your IT department. They may have a specific configuration or a required hotfix that only they can apply.

Troubleshooting

If you’ve followed all the steps and still get error 720, try these additional checks:

Check the Remote Access Connection Manager service. Press Win + R, type services.msc, and press Enter. Find Remote Access Connection Manager. Ensure its status is Running. If not, right-click and select Start. Also check Remote Access Auto Connection Manager and Secure Socket Tunneling Protocol Service — both should be running or set to Automatic.
Look at the system event log. Open Event Viewer (type it in Start menu). Go to Windows Logs > System. Look for red error entries around the time you tried the VPN. The source will likely be RAS or RemoteAccess. The error details may give a more specific cause, like a port conflict or a missing certificate.
Try a different VPN server. Sometimes the issue is on the server side. Connect to a different server location provided by your VPN service to rule that out.
Test with a different user account. Create a temporary local administrator account (Settings > Accounts > Family & other users > Add someone else to this PC). Log into that account and try the VPN. If it works, your main user profile’s network settings are corrupted, and a full profile reset or a Windows repair install may be needed.

Frequently Asked Questions

What exactly causes VPN error 720?

Error 720 means the remote computer did not respond after the local machine tried to register its network adapter. The most frequent cause is a corrupted or missing WAN Miniport (IP) driver, but it can also stem from a broken TCP/IP stack, an outdated network driver, or a misconfigured VPN protocol.

Will uninstalling the WAN Miniport drivers break my internet?

No. The WAN Miniport adapters are virtual adapters used only for VPN and dial-up connections. Your physical Ethernet or Wi-Fi adapter is separate. Uninstalling the WAN Miniports and restarting will not affect your normal internet access, and Windows will reinstall them automatically.

Do I need to reinstall my VPN client software after fixing error 720?

Usually not. Error 720 is a Windows-level networking issue, not a problem with your VPN client. If you’re using the built-in Windows VPN feature, there’s nothing to reinstall. If you use a third-party client, reinstalling it is only necessary if its own files are corrupted, which is rare for this specific error.

Why does error 720 happen more often with PPTP connections?

PPTP is an older protocol that relies heavily on the WAN Miniport (IP) adapter. Because that adapter is so frequently updated or corrupted by Windows updates, PPTP connections are more prone to error 720. Switching to L2TP/IPsec or SSTP often resolves it permanently.

Is there a way to prevent error 720 from happening again?

Keeping Windows updated is the best prevention. Also, avoid using third-party “network optimizer” tools that tweak TCP/IP settings, as they often break the WAN Miniport configuration. If you use a VPN client, make sure it’s updated to the latest version.

Can I fix error 720 without restarting my computer?

The driver reinstall (step 2) technically requires a restart for Windows to reload the WAN Miniport drivers. However, you can try running the network troubleshooter (step 1) or resetting the TCP/IP stack (step 3) without a restart first. If those don’t work, a reboot is unavoidable.

General steps for current mainstream versions; menus can differ by device and version. See the disclaimer or report an error.

More in this bed

The whole Tech How-To bed →