Sounds like using default gateway on remote network issue. Try to disable it. Or this search result may help.

Metro's network unavailable if VPN connected under desktop ...

I can not do that.

I want and need my traffic to be routed via VPN server.

If I un-check "default gateway" than VPN connection in reality is not working.

I need to work as it did in Windows XP, Vista and 7 or at lest the way it works in Win8 Pro.

It has been around 4 months from system lunch, hundreds of complains in the internet and MS still has not addressed the issue - WHY?

+ is it Ms forum, where Ms employees try to help users or just forum with users?

I have just noticed that OpenVPN protocol seems to be working fine. 

PPTP, SSTP and L2TP protocols are no go - why?

What is going on in Windows???

SSTP is supposed to be Windows VPN protocol - and.... it is not working :-(

This is a known issue. Some people mentioned enabling hyper-v fixes the problem. Please check this post:

Windows 8 Start Apps don't work until enabling Hyper-V ...

I have Hyper-V enabled and always had.

The problem is not that apps don't have connection - I don't have any internet, nor LAN connection at all when connecting via VPN. This happens when connected via WiFi or via 3G. With Windows 7 I don't have any problems with the same VPN settings. PING & TRACERT yield no results as in ping timeouts.

I can not try this as from what I have noticed Hyper-V is included in Windows Pro only. System on Asus TF810 is just normal Windows 8 32b and Hyper V i nowhere to be seen.

Exactly my problem.

Again: Desktop PC (connected via cable) reports limited connectivity on LAN connection but most of the stuff works (only some apps don't, that I do not use to often) so not really a troublesome issue. Although it should not be like this.

Tablet connected via WiFi - cuts off everything completely.

BUT!

I have noticed yesterday (did not test it on desktop pc yet - no time) that if for VPN connection I'll choose OpenVPN protocol everything seems to be working just fine. Even WiFi connection does not report "Limited Connectivity" any more. But why can't we use other VPN protocols - I need SSTP to work :-(

Can someone with problems test OpenVPN protocol and report back? I wonder if it just me who is "lucky" or at least for now it would be proper solution for those who can use this protocol with VPN server they connect to.

Especially importnant for those who (like me) need to have their traffic routed via VPN server - in such cases "Un-check default gateway on remote server" is not an option as VPN is not used for data transfer.

• Marked as answer by Galtom Friday, February 08, 2013 8:48 AM
• Edited by Galtom Friday, February 08, 2013 8:50 AM
• Unmarked as answer by Galtom Friday, February 08, 2013 5:31 PM

Hi Galtom, you marked your reply as an answer? I don't think it is the answer to the problem.

Yes, OpenVPN also works for me. Only the Windows built-in VPN doesn't work.

You are right, but I think answer to this problem: "use openvpn if you can" instead of "uncheck default gateway" is much better. Especially that the later one is not a solution at all.

Hi,

It is possible to add some exemption to the policy.

E.g., CheckNetIsolation.exe LoopbackExempt a p=S-1-15-2-4125766819-3228448775-2449327860-2490758337-1264241865-3581724871-2122349299 (app ID)

Please refer to this article for details.

http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/windows/apps/Hh780593.aspx

Hope this helps.

Hi,

This is because of the network isolution enforced in all windows store apps by default.

It is possible to add some exemption to the policy.

E.g., CheckNetIsolation.exe LoopbackExempt a p=S-1-15-2-4125766819-3228448775-2449327860-2490758337-1264241865-3581724871-2122349299 (app ID)

Please refer to this article for details.

http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/windows/apps/Hh780593.aspx

Hope this

So, is there any thing that I can do with this???

Or is MS doing anything about it , thy know about the issue and it will be resolved shortly???

Or should I go back to Windows 7 (or Mac)?

This is very, very annoying :-(

Hi,

For the limited connection issue, I will record it. Anyway, I would like to share how it works. Actually, there is a service named Network Location Awareness being responsible for this. You may try to restart this service and check the result.

Hi Juke, I don't think the issue is understood correctly. Galtom and I are not talking about Metro apps. We're talking about the general connectivity of Windows (Outlook, Internet Explorer, ping).

When using the same settings for VPN on a Windows 7 machine it works perfectly. When using the settings on a Windows 8 machine the WiFi or UTMS connection goes into "Limited" mode and no outbound/inbound connections can be made.

I tried restarting the NLA service and all related services, I tried doing ipconfig /flushdns and /renew, but nothing seems to work.

Here comes the funny part: Sometimes it does work, with no changes to the system. I'm not running and Anti-Virus or Firewall program besides Windows OOTB stuff. Sometimes it does work after resuming from Standby so I have an idea that it might be related how windows handels AHCI or something like that. Comparing the routing table (route print) between when it does work and when it doesn't work - same result, so the routing is set correctly.

It would be great if you could provide more information on how to attack the problem. Any tools that would help - procmon or whatnot. Again: It is not a problem of the VPN provider, a Windows 7 System running at the same time (heck, even a W7 System in a VM) does work perfectly fine.

Exactly as Moontear says.

It happened for me few times as well (without no sensible or visible reason) - I have connected to VPN server via PPTP, and icon (WiFi) on my task bar, first switched to limited (I think it is bars with exclamation point) but after a half a second it changed to LAN symbol (wired connection) and some programs started to work.

Exactly as on my Windows 8 pro. Browsers, Skype, etc in desktop mode worked, some Metro Apps worked and those that do not work on Windows 8 Pro 64b on my desktop don't work as well.

I disconnected, reconnected VPN - but now (and this is 99 times out of 100) - connection is showed as limited, above mentioned bars with exclamation point and nothing works. I know I am connected to VPN bo no traffic in any mode for any app is going through.

@Moontear: can you try OpenVPN on your system? In my case it works perfect - all apps are working, connection is no longer marked as limited. My only problem with this is that VPN servers in my network that operate OpenVPN are not the fastest nor in locations that I need. This is why I would much prefer to be able to use PPTP or SSTP protocol.

Does anyone know following:

1. Has issue been acknowledged by MS and are they doing anything about it -> we have something to wait for?

2. Why OpenVPN works without any problems but other VPN protocols don't?

3. Why active VPN sets main network connection to "limited" state (valid for SSTP, PPTP, L2TP protocols)?

4. Why VPN works (with limitations) on Windows 8 Pro 64bit but almost not at all on Windows 8 32bits?

5. Where is the problem, kernel of the system, some dlls, etc... and is there anything user can do about it?

Regards,

galtom

• Edited by Galtom Friday, February 15, 2013 11:03 AM

And SSTP VPN protocol is a MS invention - and it does not work.

I would love to see answers on the rest of questions - especially no 1

Hi Galtom,

I think it is finally fixed directly by Microsoft. Please install all latest fixes from the February batch. Slso you can look at this KB article

support. microsoft. com/ kb/ 2797356/ en-us

Please remove spaces in the link above. I am not allowed to post links yet.

For sure, it works just fine for me for last 2 days. Finally!

Awesome find Porotrico, this goes in the right direction! Here the link in a clickable format: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2797356

However this hotfix doesn't fix the problem for me! Same problem as before even after applying the hotfix.

It's actually worse than before:

C:\>ping 10.1.1.200

Pinging 10.1.1.200 with 32 bytes of data:
PING: transmit failed. General failure.
PING: transmit failed. General failure.
PING: transmit failed. General failure.

• Edited by Dennis Gaida Friday, February 15, 2013 3:49 PM

• Edited by Dennis Gaida Friday, February 15, 2013 4:10 PM

Hmm, this is weird. I wouldn't expect any issues. :-(

Have you tried it only on one computer?

The problem is that Microsoft has very limited support and almost no bug reporting. But I was quite impertinent and I insisted that I want this get solved, because it is clearly a bug, which affects me every single day. So I expected that released fix is finally here to solve all issues with "Limited" network connection, which blocked most of so called Metro apps.

I have installed indicated hotfix on my 32bit Asus that was most affected (when vpn is active all internet connections are cut off) - I have noticed no change in system behavior :-(.

When I connect to vpn server internet is not working exactly as it was. Windows update does not show any new updates available.

This is not working for me :-(

I'll try to install Win 8 Pro x86 in virtual machine to see, whether the problem lies in 32 bit. All my Win 8 instances are 64 bit, the only exception is Surface RT, which is 32 bit, besides it's ARM.

I cannot promise to install it today, but I'll do my best to install it.

Porotrico: I'm using Windows 8 x64 Enterprise with a SSTP VPN connection. It definitely is not a x64/x86 bit difference.

If so, than how will you explain that on my desktop pc, that runs Win8 Pro x64 same connections do work much better.

If I connect via SSTP or PPTP although my main LAN connection becomes limited all software in desktop mode (browsers, skype) and some of the Modern UI apps do work. Again on Win8 32bit on my Asus TF810c same settings (just running via WIFi) do cut off all internet traffic completely.

I am in the middle of installation of Win 8 Pro x86. Right now I am updating this Win with all available fixes via WU. I won't install the patch I sent link to, will install just all WU fixes.

Guys, hold on two more hours. At least I think it won't take longer.

So, guys, I don't know, whether I have good or bad news for you, but after installation Win 8 Pro x86 version with all WU fixes, every Metro GUI app works just fine, even if I am connected to VPN. Network status reports my physical Internet connection as Limited, VPN as Connected. I tried L2TP and PPTP. Unfortunately I have no SSTP server to connect to. Obviously I used Win 8 Pro build-in VPN client.

I don't know, why it doesn't work for you, but it might be some security software like Kaspersky or other incompatible software. I can say that all Win 8 Pro and Win RT machines at our home work as they should now. For me it seems that Microsoft finally fixed this annoying issue.

• Edited by Porotrico Sunday, February 17, 2013 10:03 PM Typo

This is exactly my observation. On Desktop PC with Win8 PRO x64 VPN works fine.

Only few apps like HUU Plus in Modern UI report no internet as the lan gets limited.

Unfortunately on my hybrid with Win8 x32 this is not the case, when WiFi gets limited status NOTHING works in any mode.

Is Ms aware of that? Will it get fixed or have I wasted almost $1500 on this device? :-(

Porotrico, it sounds like you had an open support case with MS concerning this issue? As this is a bug this support case would have been for free - is it still open?

It would be great if you could point them to our thread as I don't think it is advisable to open another support case concerning the same topic. Fact is that on my machine with no Virus scanner / firewall or anything special concerning outbound/inbound connections the VPN connection via SSTP does not work. The only thing "special" I could see is having the Hyper-V role enabled which creates more network interfaces, as does VMWare (also installed) - but they don't interfere with existing connections. The weird thing for me is that sometimes the VPN does work after going to Sleep and waking back up.

For me it would be great to have some kind of logging / debug mode so I can really get to the gist of the problem. route -print does always show the correct information (correct route) so it will be something deeper in the system.

This is it? :-(

Is there a way to get in touch with MS?

I am still here :-( VPN is still not working :-(

Thanks, I'll try to find it again.

So far this search for MS support only got me here :-(

Hello Moontear,

I contacted MS via cha support for Surface product. I described my issue. Representative told me that this is known issue and there should be a fix released soon. It was during the weekend. Next Tuesday was the WU day and my Surface and desktop computers started to work.

I don't know anything else. :-(

• Proposed as answer by M. Israr KhanMicrosoft employee Friday, February 22, 2013 1:05 AM
• Unproposed as answer by M. Israr KhanMicrosoft employee Friday, February 22, 2013 1:05 AM

This is a known issue with VPN forced tunneling. Hotfix for this is available at http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2797356

Please install the hotfix, and report if it solves your problem.

• Proposed as answer by M. Israr KhanMicrosoft employee Friday, February 22, 2013 1:07 AM
• Marked as answer by Nicholas LiModerator Thursday, March 07, 2013 4:17 AM

Galtom and I both have tried installing this hotfix - no luck it still doesn't work (see this posts history, specifically my post from Friday, February 15, 2013 3:34 PM). I also left feedback on the Hotfix KB article that it didn't help.

It would be great if you could offer us extra logging capabilities to get to the bottom of this problem. The only tools I have (route print, ping, VPN settings) are all "correct", i.e. show no errors. If I had a way of analyzing what Windows does, some kind of DEBUG log it would be great to show that to you.

• Edited by Dennis Gaida Friday, February 22, 2013 9:01 AM

I have noticed one more thing that will expalin why this fix is not working for us/me.

It is designed for x64 system only. Asus that I have uns x86 (32 bits) version of Windows 8 - this is why this fix will not work :-(.

We need one for 32 bits :-(

Also, fix above worked perfectly on my desktop with x64 Windows 8.

After establishing VPN connection LAN stays as it should - is no longer limited!!!!

Please MS - get us now 32bit version of the fix!!!

• Edited by Galtom Friday, February 22, 2013 5:01 PM

The fix is available for both x86 and x64. By default the website will only show hotfix for the  "platform of your browser". i.e. if you are downloading it from x64 desktop machine, the website will show only x64 version of the fix. There is a hyperlink on top, which says "Show hotfixes for all platforms and languages (2)". You need to click on it to see x86 version of the fix. 

Download Fix here

Lets try again from Asus, but i am preety ure i done that already...

Let u know.

UPDATE:

As I thought.

It says it is already installed, but it is not working ;-(

What was perfect for x64 (in my case) does not fix anything where x86 is concerned :-(

• Edited by Galtom Friday, February 22, 2013 8:20 PM

I had "sleep issues" with my Vivo Tab.

I have reinstall Windows completely, from scratch.

Than had small problems with updates (they did not install) but now it seems that VPN works fine :-).

I did not even (knowingly) install hotfix from MS.

• Marked as answer by Nicholas LiModerator Thursday, March 07, 2013 4:19 AM

@Israr Khan:

Windows 8 x64 Enterprise, trying to open a SSTP VPN Connection. I tried via a UMTS connection as well as my WiFi adapter - both resulting in the same not working. I tried without the Hotfix, with the hotfix, without the February CU and with the February CU.

@Galtom: Good that the old reinstall-Windows to fix some error worked for you. However that shouldn't be the solution ;-)

@Galtom: Good that the old reinstall-Windows to fix some error worked for you. However that shouldn't be the solution ;-)

As I said, VPN fix for me is more as side effect. 

Reason I did it was issues I had with sleep mode (i could not wake up my Asus TF810c and had to reboot every single time.

Since updating firmware on its own did not hep I thought I will strat one more time from scratch before it will go for repair. It did worked and looks like VPN is gone as well.

I need a bit more time to make sure I am right (different networks. tablet docked and un-docked) and will let you know. 

I have finished late yesterday.