Sometimes, when trying to connect to Hotspot Shield VPN at work, people experience that the VPN is trying to connect, but it just keeps spinning and never connects.
Follow the instructions below if you’re having issues connecting Hotspot Shield VPN at work (i.e. your office blocks websites like Facebook and YouTube and you want to use Hotspot Shield VPN to bypass the block).
What can I do if my VPN is blocked at work?
First, ensure you’re running the latest version of Hotspot Shield on your device.
Next, check to see if a password is required to access your office WIFI connection.
You'll want to log in to the WiFi network first and Hotspot Shield second.
To pinpoint the cause, try using mobile data alone or a personal internet hotspot. If it’s against company policy to use a VPN, we recommend using mobile data or a personal internet hotspot instead anyway. If you're not able to connect on any of these, skip to the related articles, linked below.
Then, check that your IT department hasn’t blocked VPNs on the network
If you work in a smaller company or are able to send a message directly to your office IT department, contact your Network Administrator and ask the following:
- Is there an existing VPN on the network?*
*Ask this because two VPNs can’t work well at the same time
- Is there a firewall or antivirus program set up that could be conflicting with VPN access?*
*Ask this because a firewall or antivirus program could be blocking VPN access
Other issues that might block your VPN connection at work
To rule out any other connection issues, try to connect using mobile data or a different WiFi network. If you cannot connect to Hotspot Shield VPN on any network, you'll need to troubleshoot general device issues.