Always On VPN Disconnects in Windows 11

Always On VPN administrators migrating their endpoints to Windows 11 may encounter a scenario where Always On VPN randomly disconnects when the VPN profile is deployed using Microsoft Intune. The same configuration deployed to Windows 10 devices works reliably, however. In addition, Always On VPN profiles deployed using PowerShell (natively or with SCCM) or PowerON DPC do not experience this problem.

Troubleshooting

Administrators troubleshooting this issue will find the root cause is associated with the Always On VPN profiles being removed and replaced each time the device syncs with Intune. This occurs even if there are no changes to the configuration. Removing and replacing the Always On VPN profiles on each device sync is unnecessary, of course, but is also highly disruptive to connected users.

Intune and XML

The Intune team identified the issue, and a fix was made available in the August update. However, many of you have reported the issue persists with some Windows 11 clients after installing the latest updates. Further investigation indicates that although the issue has been resolved when using Intune and the native VPN device configuration profile template, the problem still occurs when using the Custom device configuration template.

Workaround

Microsoft is aware of the issues with deploying Always On VPN client configuration settings using XML in Intune, but there’s no indication when or if they will fix it. Until then, administrators have two options to address this problem.

Native VPN Template

When deploying Always On VPN client configuration settings to Windows 11 endpoints, use the native VPN device configuration template, as shown here.

Using the native VPN template does have some limitations, however. The following settings are not exposed using the native VPN template and can only be configured using XML.

XML

If you must use XML, I’ve had some success by ensuring the order of XML settings is exactly as Intune expects. Follow the steps below to confirm the XML settings order in your XML configuration file.

  1. Deploy your XML file with Intune.
  2. Run Get-VpnClientProfileXML.ps1 to extract the deployed XML settings.
  3. Compare the order of settings to your existing XML.
  4. Make changes to ensure all settings in your XML are in the same order as the extracted XML.
  5. Publish a new XML configuration file using Intune and test.

I’ll caution you that this workaround doesn’t always work reliably. Some customers report that this solved their problems entirely, while others have indicated it does not. My testing shows the same results. Let us know in the comments below if this works for you!

Additional Information

Always On VPN Windows 11 Issues with Intune

Always On VPN PowerShell Script Issues in Windows 11

What’s New in Always On VPN DPC v3.0

Recently I wrote about a compelling solution from PowerON Platforms for managing Always On VPN client configuration setting using Active Directory group policy. Always On VPN Dynamic Profile Configurator (DPC) addresses a very specific need for managing Always On VPN for organizations that have not yet migrated to Microsoft Endpoint Manager/Intune. Recently, PowerON Platforms released an important update to DPC that includes many new features and capabilities.

New Features

Always On VPN DPC version 3.0 includes the following new functionality Always On VPN administrators are sure to find useful.

  • Traffic filters – Support for enabling traffic filters for both device tunnel and user tunnel are now supported in DPC, greatly simplifying the task of creating access control lists to enforce zero-trust network access (ZTNA) policies.
  • Enhanced security – The option to disconnect the VPN connection if the VPN server does not present a cryptobinding TLV is now enabled by default. This often-overlooked security setting ensures VPN client connections are not intercepted by detecting man-in-the-middle attacks.
  • Device tunnel enhancements – Administrators can now display the device tunnel connection and status in the Windows UI.
  • Backup connection – Always On VPN DPC now supports the configuration and deployment of a backup VPN connection, which is helpful when Always On VPN connectivity is disrupted.
  • Hostname routing – Administrators can now define hostnames in the routing table. Hostnames are resolved on the endpoint and converted to IP addresses for including in the routing table.
  • Smart card authentication – Always On VPN DPC now supports smart card authentication as an authentication option in addition to client authentication certificates.

Learn More

Interested in learning more about Always On VPN DPC? Fill out the form below and I’ll provide you with additional information or visit aovpndpc.com to sign up for a free trial.

Additional Information

Always On VPN with Active Directory Group Policy

Always On VPN Video Demonstration

Always On VPN DPC Advanced Features

Always On VPN DPC on YouTube

Always On VPN Book Available for Pre-Order

Great news! My new book, Implementing Always On VPN, is now available for pre-order on Amazon.com. This new book, scheduled for release in late 2021, is a comprehensive implementation guide for Windows 10 Always On VPN. Drawing on many years of experience deploying Always On VPN for organizations worldwide, it covers all aspects of an Always On VPN deployment, including planning and design, prerequisite gathering, infrastructure preparation, and client deployment.

In addition, it contains detailed, prescriptive guidance for advanced configuration options such as application and traffic filtering and proxy server configuration. Cloud deployments using Azure VPN gateway and Virtual WAN are covered, and it includes guidance for configuring Azure MFA and Conditional Access.

Also, the book includes thorough guidance for provisioning certificates using Microsoft Endpoint Manager/Intune using both PKCS and SCEP. It outlines options for high availability for VPN and authentication infrastructure and provides details for ongoing system maintenance and operational support.

Finally, the book has an entire chapter dedicated to troubleshooting and resolving common (and not so common!) issues encountered with Windows 10 Always On VPN.

Reserve your copy today. Pre-order Implementing Always On VPN now!

Chapter List

  1. Always On VPN Overview
  2. Plan an Always On VPN Deployment
  3. Prepare the Infrastructure
  4. Configure Windows Server for Always On VPN
  5. Provision Always On VPN clients
  6. Advanced Configuration
  7. Cloud Deployments
  8. Deploy Certificates with Intune
  9. Integrating Azure MFA
  10. High Availability
  11. Monitor and Report
  12. Troubleshooting
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