Troubleshooting Windows OpenVPN Client Connectivity

The OpenVPN community client, which is used by the OpenVPN Client Export Package, requires Administrative privileges when run on Windows in order to properly add routes to the operating system.

On Windows Vista, Windows 7, Windows 8, Windows 10, and their server counterparts, it is required to run the OpenVPN client as Administrator in order for the client to obtain the necessary privileges to route traffic. If the client is not run as Administrator, it will appear to connect but not pass traffic, and the client log will contain errors that refer to its inability to add routes.

This can be done automatically by changing the shortcut properties for the OpenVPN client. On the Compatibility tab of the shortcut Properties, check the box to Run as Administrator, and Save. The user will get a UAC prompt when running the client, and then it will proceed.

Alternately, the client can be run as a service to avoid this requirement, but that has its own drawbacks.

The OpenVPNManager GUI, available as an option in the export package, is one way to manage running the client that does not require Administrator rights.

On some versions of Windows it is also possible to add users to the Network Configuration Operators group to allow adding routes without full administrator-level access.