0XC0220030

STATUS_FWP_INCOMPATIBLE_AUTH_METHOD Fix (0xC0220030)

EP
Erropedia Team
📅 June 15, 2026 📅 Updated Jul 31, 2026 👁 5 views Windows Errors Intermediate
You're getting this firewall error when trying to set up a VPN or IPsec connection. Here's exactly how to fix it.

This Error Sucks — Let's Fix It

The STATUS_FWP_INCOMPATIBLE_AUTH_METHOD (0xC0220030) error shows up when you're setting up a VPN, IPsec rule, or advanced firewall policy and the authentication method in your rule doesn't match what the policy expects. You'll see it in the Event Viewer or as a pop-up in Windows Defender Firewall with Advanced Security. I've seen it mostly on Windows 10 Pro and Enterprise machines that have strict Group Policy rules applied.

Don't waste time running SFC or DISM — they won't touch firewall policies. The fix is specific and takes about five minutes.

The Quick Fix: Change the Authentication Method

  1. Press Windows + R, type wf.msc, and hit Enter. This opens Windows Defender Firewall with Advanced Security.
  2. In the left pane, click Inbound Rules (or Outbound Rules, depending on which rule is causing the error).
  3. Find the rule that's triggering the error. Look for rules with a red or yellow icon, or rules you recently created for a VPN or IPsec connection. If you're not sure which one, check the Date Modified column — the newest rule is usually the culprit.
  4. Right-click the rule and select Properties.
  5. Go to the Protocols and Ports tab. Look at the Protocol type — if it's set to Any or something generic, that can cause the mismatch. But the real fix is on the next tab.
  6. Click the Authentication tab (or if you're on an older build, it might be labeled Connection Security Rules in a separate section).
  7. You'll see a section called Authentication method. It's probably set to Default or Computer and User (Kerberos V5) or Advanced. Here's the trick: change it to Computer certificate (if your policy uses certificates) or Preshared key (if it's a simple VPN connection).
  8. If you choose Preshared key, type the key exactly as provided by your network admin. Case matters. No extra spaces.
  9. Click Apply and OK.
  10. Now test your connection. The error should be gone.

What you should see after step 9: The rule's icon should change from a warning symbol to normal. If it doesn't, close and reopen wf.msc to refresh the view.

Why This Works

Windows Firewall rules have a strict hierarchy. Each rule has a policy type — basically, what kind of traffic it's supposed to secure. Common policy types include Transport mode (for end-to-end connections like VPNs) and Tunnel mode (for site-to-site). The authentication method you choose must be compatible with that policy type.

For example, if the policy type is Transport mode, you can use Kerberos V5 or Computer certificate. But if the policy type is Tunnel mode, Kerberos won't work — you need a certificate or preshared key. The error 0xC0220030 fires when you pick an incompatible combination.

In my experience, the default setting (which is often Computer and User (Kerberos V5)) works fine for local network rules, but breaks the moment you try to use it for a tunnel-mode rule. Switching to preshared key or certificate fixes the mismatch.

Less Common Variations of the Same Issue

Group Policy Override

If you're on a domain-joined machine, local changes can get overwritten by Group Policy. Here's how to check:

  1. Open Command Prompt as admin and run gpresult /h gp_report.html.
  2. Open the generated HTML file and look under Windows Defender Firewall with Advanced Security.
  3. If you see a policy that sets authentication requirements, you'll need to ask your admin to update the Group Policy. You can't override it locally.

Third-Party VPN Clients

Some VPN clients (like Cisco AnyConnect or Palo Alto GlobalProtect) create their own firewall rules. If you see the error after installing such a client, don't edit the rule directly — uninstall the VPN client, reboot, and reinstall it. The client's installer usually sets the right authentication method.

Windows 11 and Server 2022

On Windows 11 and Server 2022, Microsoft tightened authentication requirements. You might see this error even with a preshared key if the key doesn't meet minimum length requirements (at least 8 characters). Check your key length.

Prevention: Set It Right from the Start

To avoid this error in the future, follow one simple rule: match the auth method to the policy type.

  • Transport mode rules (like VPN client-to-server): Use Computer certificate or Kerberos V5. Preshared key also works, but it's less secure.
  • Tunnel mode rules (like site-to-site VPN): Use Computer certificate or Preshared key. Never use Kerberos.
  • Host-to-host rules (like direct IPsec between two PCs): Computer certificate is the safest bet.

Also, when creating a new rule, use the wizard instead of editing an existing one. The wizard asks you the right questions about the policy type and automatically limits your authentication options to compatible ones. That alone would prevent 99% of these errors.

One last thing: always test your rule with netsh advfirewall monitor show rule in Command Prompt to verify it's active and matching the correct traffic.

Related Errors in Windows Errors
0XC00D115B Fix NS_E_WMP_CONVERT_FILE_CORRUPT (0xC00D115B) in WMP 0XC0000175 Fix STATUS_UNABLE_TO_LOCK_MEDIA (0XC0000175) Fast 0X000020D8 Fix ERROR_DS_CODE_INCONSISTENCY (0X000020D8) - Active Directory 0XC0000264 STATUS_RESOURCE_NOT_OWNED (0XC0000264) Fix Guide
STATUS_FWP_INCOMPATIBLE_AUTH_METHOD 0xC0220030 Windows firewall authentication error IPsec policy mismatch VPN connection fails authentication Windows Defender Firewall with Advanced Security incompatible auth method fix Windows 10 IPsec error 0xC0220030 fix firewall rule authentication Microsoft IPsec troubleshooting

Was this solution helpful?

EP
Erropedia Team
Tech Support Editors
The Erropedia editorial team researches and documents real-world tech errors from across Windows, Linux, macOS, networking, databases, cloud platforms, and more. Every solution is reviewed for accuracy and updated as software and systems evolve.