VPN Connections Extremely Slow in Windows 11

Problem:

Windows 11 Update KB5026372 has caused L2TP VPN connections to run extremely slowly, often well under 1Mbps regardless of Internet connection speeds at the VPN endpoints.

Solution:

Enable and start the “Routing and Remote Access” service on the Windows 11 client computer.

Procedure:

  1. Open the Run box by pressing the Windows key + R.
  2. Type in “services.msc” and click OK.
  3. Scroll down and select the “Routing and Remote Access” service. Double-click on it or right-click and select “Properties.”
  4. Change the Startup type to “Automatic (Delayed Start)”
  5. Click the button marked “Start” under the text “Service status: Stopped.”
  6. Click OK and close services.msc.

Limitations:

This procedure will only improve L2TP VPN speed issues in Windows 11 that are caused by KB5026372. It has no known effect in Windows 10 or for other VPN types, and is not a fix for general VPN performance issues.