When I connect my Private Internet Access (PIA) VPN, my wifi drops immediately.

[it_tek]

I then have to turn on my wifi, then connect it again and it usually stays connected after that. I have the latest driver with these results. Before this driver it would keep dropping the wifi constantly. I have the details of my system below. I am an IT professional so you can speak to me that way please. This started with a WIN 10 update a few months ago. I was able to do a sys restore a few times but got tired of that as it would eventually find its way to update again. I have tried my VPN service support, no help. I have tried installing their beta as well that has a debugger, but I get no replies to sending in the log. I keep researching and always find different suggestions to which I have tried all, but many if not all involve the wifi driver. So I figured I would ask you. It works just fine if I plug in my Ethernet cable. This is a wifi only problem and I had no issues until that update in approx October time frame.

HP EliteBook Folio 1040 G3

Operating System

Microsoft Windows 10 Pro (64-bit)

Version 1803

OS Build 10.0.17134

Build Branch rs4_release

Locale English (United States)

Windows Directory C:\WINDOWS

System Directory C:\WINDOWS\system32

.NET Framework Versions 2.0.50727.4927, 3.0.30729.4926, 3.5.30729.4926, 4.0.0.0, 4.7.03056

Default Internet Browser Internet Explorer 11.472.17134.0

Installed Internet Browsers Google Chrome, Internet Explorer 11.472.17134.0

Processor

Intel® Core™ i5-6200U CPU @ 2.30GHz

Manufacturer GenuineIntel

Description Intel64 Family 6 Model 78 Stepping 3

Architecture x64

Graphics

Intel® HD Graphics 520

Adapter Compatibility Intel Corporation

Video Processor Intel® HD Graphics Family

Resolution 1920 x 1080

Audio

Conexant ISST Audio

Driver Provider Conexant

Driver Version 9.0.215.0

Driver Date 9/18/2018

Networking and I/O

TAP-Windows Adapter V9

Manufacturer TAP-Windows Provider V9

Availability Running at full power

Status This device is working properly.

Installed True

MAC Address 00:FF:D1:FC:CD:0A

Service Name tap0901

Driver Provider TAP-Windows Provider V9

Driver Version 9.0.0.21

Driver Date 11/5/2014

Device Id ROOT\NET\0000

Intel® Dual Band Wireless-AC 8260

Manufacturer Intel Corporation

Availability Running at full power

Status This device is working properly.

Installed True

MAC Address 34:F3:9A:2E:5F:63

Service Name Netwtw06

Driver Provider Intel

Driver Version 20.70.4.2

Driver Date 10/22/2018

Device Id PCI\VEN_8086&DEV_24F3&SUBSYS_00108086&REV_3A\34F39AFFFF2E5F6300

Revision 3A

Intel® Ethernet Connection I219-V

Manufacturer Intel

Availability Running at full power

Status This device is working properly.

Installed True

MAC Address C8:D3:FF:DE:8D:F6

Service Name e1dexpress

Driver Provider Intel

Driver Version 12.17.10.7

Driver Date 5/2/2018

Device Id PCI\VEN_8086&DEV_1570&SUBSYS_80FA103C&REV_21\3&11583659&0&FE

Revision 21

Private Internet Access Network Adapter

Manufacturer Private Internet Access

Availability Running at full power

Status This device is working properly.

Installed True

MAC Address 00:FF:1C:6B:8C:C7

Service Name tap-pia-0901

Driver Provider Private Internet Access

Driver Version 9.0.0.22

Driver Date 4/15/2018

Device Id ROOT\NET\0001

Intel® Wireless Bluetooth®

Manufacturer Intel Corporation

Status OK

Driver Provider Intel Corporation

Driver Version 20.60.0.4

Driver Date 5/4/2018

Device Id USB\VID_8087&PID_0A2B&REV_0001

Memory

8 GB

Physical Memory - Total 8 GB

Physical Memory - Available 3.05 GB

Virtual Memory - Total 9.18 GB

Virtual Memory - Available 3.69 GB

Page File C:\pagefile.sys

Page File Space 1.25 GB

Storage

SanDisk SD8SN8U-256G-1006

Capacity 238.47 GB

[David_V_Intel]

Hello it_tek, Thank you for posting on the Intel ® communities. First, if the WiFi connection is working properly without the use of the VPN you have mentioned then it means that neither the wireless adapter nor the driver would be at fault, it is highly unlikely. Now, please provide me with an System Support Utility report, this report can be generated from our tool, you can refer to the link below so you can download it:  https://downloadcenter.intel.com/download/25293/Intel-System-Support-Utility-for-Windows- Make sure to attach the created report to this thread. Also, make sure to contact the VPN developers again and mention this issue as it could be related to compatibility issues between the latest version of Windows* and the VPN. Regards, David V Intel Customer Support Technician Under Contract to Intel Corporation

[it_tek]

I uploaded all the debug files that PIA's beta allows you to see in case it may make sense to you or anyone else. I ran the SSU as well, but its basically what I had there already. I would agree that if the wifi works that it may not be the driver, but something broke in sept - october for me and I cant say what at this point bc I had windows ipdates, HP updates and PIA had no updates and was working fine, so I do not believe it their product. It is either one of the first 2. I would say its something with Windows update, but how would I really know. I just hope someone can suggest something I havent done yet. Getting ready to blow this laptop out and start over. Hopefully if I get another PC soon to play with I can use it for VPN instead of this one and maybe it will have a different combo of NIC and Brand or model that wont do this.

Regards,

Tom

[SPIA · Accepted solution]

Hi Tom,

this issue is associated with something called LANWAN switching. This is where to save power the WAN adapter is disabled as soon as a LAN adapter is enabled, the idea is that a LAN connection is always going to be better than a WAN connection so the WiFi adapters are no longer required once a LAN one is active. This happens with any openVPN implementation on Windows due to the reliance on the TAP adapter which is specified as a LAN adapter. So the VPN enables the TAP adapter, and then the system immediately disables your WAN adapter killing off your WiFi connection.

To resolve your issue we are going to have to do some trouble shooting. As recent HP updates have made it difficult to resolve this issue. However it's possible that the LAN WAN switching is being done by Windows 10 itself. To check this please follow the guide linked below and instead of enabling LAN WAN switching disable it wherever possible.

5 Ways To Automatically Turn Off WiFi When Ethernet LAN Cable Is ...

https://www.itechtics.com/5-ways-automatically-turn-off-wifi-ethernet-lan-cable-connected/

If you have installed HP software on your laptop and the previous guide does not resolve your issue then please try these steps instead.

We have recently observed that an update to HP software has caused these computers to detect virtual Ethernet adapters such as the OpenVPN TAP adapter to be detected as physical Ethernet adapters. When WLAN switching is activated in the BIOS, this will cause WiFi to be disconnected on these devices whenever the VPN is activated.

• Start Task Manager
• find LANWANswitching.exe
• Kill it / stop it from running
• Then try to connect using PIA

To resolve the issue permanently, it is necessary to prevent the service from starting when you run your PC. 

In order to do this, please try the following:

• Press Windows+R, type "services.msc" and hit Enter
• Search for a service called "HP LAN/WLAN/WWAN Switching UWP Service" or "LanWlanSwitchingService"
• Right click on the service, and select Properties
• Change the startup type to Manual
• Click Apply 

Please let us know if this resolves your issue.

In future please contact us with any beta feedback and issues at beta-feedback-win@privateinternetaccess.com

kind regards

Quality Assurance PIA.

[it_tek]

Hi There,

I so appreciate your informative answer. First thing I tried was disabling the LAN\WAN Switching in the BIOS and it has (at least for now) solved the problem immediately. I will continue to test this moving forward, but I believe the 1 or 2 BIOS updates since this began (aside from HPs other updates) probably enabled this feature in the BIOS since previous to that I had no issues with this problem. It took me some time, but I was able to find variations of this issue going back to windows 8. In one case it was fixed with a "Fix-It" update from MicroSoft. It was then rolled into Windows 10 supposedly.

Anyway, I also tried last night using a free VPN to see if the same issue occurred and it did. I sent in the logs to the beta version of PIA as well last night using the links provided in the app. The same ones I posted here.

Thanks!

Tom

[Techguy45]

Yeah but I don't think the actual VPN matters right? Sure, the speeds can vary and overall service can vary, but your connection to the VPN shouldn't make a difference. I use two different VPNs (mejores and lesmeilleurs) and they both connect just fine. 

OP had a different problem with his WAN adapter getting disabled. His VPN wasn't the issue.