Likely the single most common complaint about Windows 10 Always On VPN is that device tunnel or user tunnel VPN connections fail to reconnect automatically after a laptop computer wakes from sleep or hibernate. You will find many complaining about this issue and discussing various attempts at resolution on the Microsoft forums. And while Microsoft has released many fixes the last few years to improve connection reliability for Always On VPN, this one seems to continue to plague them. This issue is also prevalent with DirectAccess deployments.
Fix or Workaround?
Unfortunately, I do not have a specific fix or workaround to share that will magically resolve this ongoing issue. However, there are a few group policy settings that may prove effective in some cases.
Connected Standby Settings
To help address issues with Always On VPN connections failing after sleep or hibernate, open the group policy management console and navigate to Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > System > Power Management > Sleep Settings and enable the following settings.
- Allow network connectivity during connected-standby (plugged in)
- Allow network connectivity during connected-standby (on battery)
Additional Information
Are you experiencing issues with Always On VPN reconnecting automatically after sleep or hibernate? Have you found an effective workaround? Share your experience in the comments below!