IPVanish TAP device won't install – what to do?

It’s not uncommon for the VPN users to experience issues related to TAP devices. In this article, we’ll answer what to do if your IPVanish TAP device won’t install. But first, let’s learn more about this device to better understand the possible causes of TAP issues and ways of troubleshooting them.

What is a TAP device for IPVanish?

Broadly speaking, TAP device is a driver that you install together with IPVanish. It allows Windows to create the encrypted connection tunnel between you and your VPN’s server. Once installed, a TAP device is shown in your Control Panel > Network and Internet > Network Connections.

Some of these network devices are hardware-based, such as Ethernet or wifi, and some, like the TAP, are purely software, simulating a “real connection,” just like some couples do. While a device like a router allows multiple networks to operate independently, a TAP driver creates a network bridge from two separate networks.

VPNs are some of the main users of TAP devices. They can be installed on Windows, Android, and Linux machines. At the moment, they’re unavailable on iOS and require extra effort on macOS which has no native support for TAP drivers.

Unable to install a TAP device for IPVanish?

In most cases, a TAP device is installed together with the IPVanish VPN client. But in some instances, a software conflict or a driver signing issue prevents that. Luckily, there’s an easy way to cure this ailment:

1. Exit IPVanish client
2. Download the TAP drivers from the OpenVPN website
3. Install the TAP drivers using default settings

If all goes smoothly, you should be able to use IPVanish now. If not, you can try contacting customer support because your problem might need an individual approach.

IPVanish won’t connect after TAP installation

Some IPVanish connection problems might not be related to your TAP driver. That’s why it’s good to check if your issue is not caused by one of the following.

1. IPVanish server is not responding

Often the connection problem has nothing to do with your software or hardware. Chances are that the server you’re trying to connect to is down. To see if that’s the case, try connecting to any other server. If the problem persists, check if the company has not made a public statement on their website or social media accounts about some issues they might be facing at the moment.

2. User Account Control is blocking IPVanish connection

One of the less common situations is when Windows has User Account Control (UAC) switched on which doesn’t allow OpenVPN or PPTP protocol connections, effectively shutting down IPVanish.

Follow these steps to turn User Account Control off:

1. Click Start, write Control Panel and press Enter
2. Write UAC in Control Panel’s search box on the top right. Or you can go to Control Panel > System and Security > Security and Maintenance
3. If you used the search box, simply click on Change User Account Control settings. If you navigated in an old-school way, click on the Security drop-down menu and choose Change settings.
4. In the popup window, slide the slider all the way down and hit OK. You may need to enter the Administrator password here.

Now you need to restart your computer for the settings to take effect. After this, launch IPVanish and try connecting again.

3. IPVanish message “Authentication failed”

If you see the message “Authentication failed” when trying to use IPVanish, this means that either your username or your password was rejected as incorrect. There are three leading causes of this:

1. Your account has expired. Chances are you forgot or was late with your subscription payment. The best way is to log in to your account via the IPVanish website and check your status.
2. Incorrect username or password. As silly as it sounds, more often than not when you are sure you’re entering a correct password, you’re entering it with Caps Lock on or Numpad off or something like that. Try logging in to IPVanish for a change. If that also fails, the best thing might be to just change your password.
3. Problems with the server. If the problem persists when connecting to a different server, then there’s not much you can do here – either contact customer support or wait till it’s back online.

4. Security software is blocking IPVanish

Your anti-virus or firewall software might see poor IPVanish as an evilware and block its attempts to connect. If you suspect this might be the case, temporarily disable your security software and see if the problem persists. Remember that you can create a whitelist for the programs that you trust which will not be treated like some piece of malware anymore.

5. UDP connection to IPVanish servers is not stable

If you’re using either OpenVPN or PPTP protocol to connect to an IPVanish server, it can be that your UDP connection is not stable enough. While faster than TCP, UDP doesn’t have the same network error-correction potential. Therefore you should try tweaking your IPVanish settings to check if switching to TCP solves the problem.

Have some other issues with IPVanish TAP driver or comments on solving the aforementioned connection problems? Don’t hesitate and let us know by dropping a line in the comments below.

You may also like to read:
IPVanish review
NordVPN review
How to change location with a VPN
Best VPN for Roobet

FAQ

What is a VPN TAP device?

A VPN TAP device is a driver that allows the VPN software to create an encrypted connection between your device and the VPN server.

Why is IPVanish not installing on my PC?

There could be a few issues causing this:

• There’s not enough free space on your hard drive
• Software conflicts are preventing IPVanish from being installed
• IPVanish is already installed

How do I install TAP drivers?

Normally, TAP drivers are installed alongside the VPN software. If that’s not the case, you can download them separately from the OpenVPN website. Simply launch the file and follow along with the instructions.

What is the NordVPN Network TAP?

NordVPN Network TAP is an additional driver that allows the VPN to establish an encrypted connection between you and the NordVPN servers. It allows separate networks to communicate with each other.