Mullvad help center

Connectivity

FAQ

Why do I get CAPTCHAs all the time? #

This is a known issue that happens on many sites using Cloudflare. Please follow our SOCKS5 guide to reduce the occurrence of CAPTCHAs, or you can try switching to another server.

How do I force the Mullvad VPN app to use TCP protocol? #

If you are using the Mullvad desktop app, go to the Mullvad app settings by clicking on the gear icon in the top right corner of the app. Then select OpenVPN in the advanced settings and then go to "OpenVPN Settings" and click on TCP. If you are using a mobile phone or tablet then you can use the OpenVPN app instead, see "Other VPN software" in the Mullvad help center menu to the left.

Do I get a shared or dedicated IP address? #

Shared.

Do you support port forwarding? #

No, adding new ports has been disabled as of May 29th 2023. Existing ports will be deleted July 1st 2023.

I can't send email! What do I do? #

Because of spam we block TCP port 25. Set your email program to send using SSL/TLS on port 465.

Which country will the IP address that I get be located in? #

The Mullvad app allows you to choose. Check out our full list of VPN servers and locations.

Do you limit speed/bandwidth or data volume? #

No.

How do I tunnel IPv6 traffic in the app? #

You can enable IPv6 communication in the Advanced settings menu.

Are you blocking any ports? #

Yes, because of spam we block port 25. Because of a Microsoft security issue, we also block ports 137, 138, 139, and 445. We reserve the right to block any port or IP address in order to protect ourselves, our customers, and the quality of our service.

Running Mullvad in a virtual machine drops the connection quite often. How do I fix that? #

Please make sure that your guest VM is using static IP addresses.

Which ports should I open in my firewall for OpenVPN ? #

TCP: 80, 443, 1401
UDP: 53, 1194, 1195, 1196, 1197, 1300, 1301, 1302, 1303, 1400
(Ports 1400 UDP and 1401 TCP do not have DNS hijacking enabled, which might work better for pfSense users)

Why do I get a lot of connection drops after starting to download or stream content on Windows? #

This is an issue with the Windows TAP drivers, and it is seen more often when using torrents, what you can do is install the older TAP driver version 9.9.2_3 and see if that resolves the issue for you, remember to reconnect after installing it.

Some websites or apps think I am in Romania or Sweden, but I have selected a server in the USA or UK #

You can verify the location using https://mullvad.net/check . There are a number of different geolocation databases and it can take some time before they get the correct information and for the websites to update to the latest version of it. When connected to Los Angeles or New York some websites show the location as Romania. You can use another city like Chicago instead. When connected to London some websites show the location as Sweden. You can use gb1 or gb6 in London or any of the Manchester servers instead. How: You can select a specific server in the app by using the down-arrow on the right side of the country and city.

Why can't I see the CPU load or Network utilization of a VPN server ? #

The reason we do not provide this is because it would then give users a false sense of which server they should select. We try to ensure that all our servers have lots of capacity both in terms in Network and CPU If there happen to be performance variations on a given server, it is very likely not because of the server itself. It is most often because of internet routing issues. Try switching to another server hosted by a different hosting provider.

Why Can't I connect using Comcast XFINITY router ? #

If you have set it to maximum security, "which will block most applications except web browsing, email, iTunes and VPN." , try reducing it to typical to see if you then can connect. Or use port 53 for WireGuard / OpenVPN to connect.

Mullvad's Website or API shows as insecure or is unreachable what to do? #

Certain routers block Mullvad's website and API, and calls it "malware". Some routers from Asus and TP-Link include a DNS filter from Trend Micro which blocks Mullvad because using Mullvad will prevent their filter from working. To turn it off follow these instructions. ASUS: Go to AiProtection > Network Protection > turn off "Malicious Sites Blocking". TP-Link: Go to HomeCare or Security > Antivirus > turn off "Malicious Content Filter". Some Verizon Fios routers contain McAfee Home Network Protection which can also block Mullvad. In that case turn off Parental controls.

Which IPs for setting up our ad blocking, tracker blocking and malware blocking using custom DNS ? #

Except Android (currently) these settings are built in as toggles, if you want to use configuration files, or if you are running Android you can use the following:Click on the gear icon (Settings), then Advanced. Scroll down to Use custom DNS server and enable it to add any of these DNS servers listed in the link below:
https://github.com/mullvad/dns-adblock#custom-dns-entries

Will Mullvad allow me to create a secure network between my computers/devices, or access other users #

This is not possible as each connection is separated.

I am using the ASUS stock firmware and when importing the Mullvad .ovpn file it says "File format or #

Open the .ovpn file in a text editor and remove the line "tun-ipv6" before you import it.

Using Mullvad on macOS, the app says "BLOCKING INTERNET: Unable to set system DNS server". #

This can happen when something other than Mullvad is actively updating the DNS. Try to turn Wi-Fi Calling off in the FaceTime app settings and restart the Mac. Uninstall or disable other DNS, networking and ads/website blocking apps.

Why am I unable to Play music in the Spotify app for Windows when connected to Mullvad? #

This is a bug in Spotify that is discussed in the Spotify forum. It should work if you add the songs to a playlist first. This applies also when using Split tunneling.

Guides

Connection speed – why is it so slow?

Try these methods to improve your connection speed while using Mullvad.

Improve slow speeds from throttling

Experiencing slow traffic? Your ISP may be engaging in bandwidth throttling.

SOCKS5 proxy

Use our SOCKS5 proxies to further minimize your computer's identity from being revealed and reduce CAPTCHAs.

Split tunneling using OpenVPN

Here is a guide that will help you set up split tunneling using OpenVPN

Tor and Mullvad VPN

Quick setup to get connected to Mullvad VPN via Tor.

About our servers

All about our servers and how we manage them.

Split tunneling with the Mullvad app

How to enable or disable split tunneling with the Mullvad app

Watching Netflix with split tunneling

This guide shows how you can bypass Mullvad to watch Netflix in a web browser if says that you are using a proxy.

Split tunneling with Linux (advanced)

This guide will show you how to exclude specific IP addresses or ports from the VPN.

WireGuard on Qubes OS

How to use WireGuard with Mullvad on Qubes OS

Using Mullvad VPN in restrictive locations

Learn how you can access Mullvad VPN from locations where downloading our app or connecting is difficult.

xtls with Mullvad VPN

xtls with Mullvad VPN

Couldn't find what you were looking for?

Send us an email at support@mullvad.net