Gaming and VPN Issues

Im currently running Windows 10 Pro 64 21H1 Build 19043.899.

I have been running ExpressVPN on all my devices for some time now. Its always been great. That is untill I have started gaming again recently. I started having issues when trying to game online. Id go to online play and it would sit at matchmaking forever. Come to find out, through the gaming tab under windows settings and XBOX Live networking, it was due to the nat type being closed, and teredo being unable to qualify. Through some searching on the internet, this was due to the VPN client and its TAP adapter being installed. Only way to fix it was to uninstall ExpressVPN. Then it worked fine.

So, my question is, does anyone know how to get around this issue while still running a VPN, or know of some VPN service that works well with Windows games.

Thanks in advance.

With vpn everything goes through their servers which may be on the other side of the world and as such gaming and vpn dont work well

Samuria said:

With vpn everything goes through their servers which may be on the other side of the world and as such gaming and vpn dont work well

I always connected to the nearest server which was in Chicago. A 3-4 hour drive from where I live. I dont think its that.

After a little more searching, I found a VPN service that works better for gaming. OVPN doesnt block teredo when it is disconnected, unlike ExpressVPN and a few others Ive tried. So that one is working for now. It isnt a perfect solution as I would like to remain connected all the time, but it is better than nothing.

Hello @ArazelEternal,

I did some investigating for you and found these which might be of interest for BOTH the Pro's and Cons. . .

> Why Do I Need VPN for Gaming? 10 Reasons It Makes Sense
> Mythbusters: VPN for Gaming – Do You Really Need One?
> Should You Use a VPN for Gaming?

I hope this helps.

Paul Black said:

Hello @ArazelEternal,

I did some investigating for you and found these which might be of interest for BOTH the Pro's and Cons. . .

> Why Do I Need VPN for Gaming? 10 Reasons It Makes Sense
> Mythbusters: VPN for Gaming – Do You Really Need One?
> Should You Use a VPN for Gaming?

I hope this helps.

Ill admit that I am reluctant to try another VPN at this point. The first article, and others that I have read, reccomend ExpressVPN for gaming. Ive used that one for a couple years before I started gaming again. Problem is with gaming on Windows, the TAP adapter it installs blocks teredo which is needed for matchmaking and online play in both the games I play: Forza Horizon 4 and Halo: MCC. This makes it impossible to play whether or not the VPN is connected. NordVPN will likely work the same way. OVPN is the only one I have found that doesnt block when disconnected.

============UPDATE=============

This is what I am talking about. I tried AVG Secure VPN with their free trial. This is also what I see with ExpressVPN whether it is connected or not. At least with AVG, it doesnt block anything when it is disconnected. I'd love to keep it connected all the time, but I am very relucant to put money into another solution that would have the same issue when many of them dont offer a trial period.