Alexis Kestler
Dear friend,
Split tunneling is one of those cool VPN capabilities that gives power users more control over their privacy, security, and speed.
If configured properly, split tunneling lets you get the best of both worlds – encrypting sensitive activities while bypassing the VPN for other traffic to retain speed. But improper setup can lull you into a false sense of security or even expose your data more broadly.
In this comprehensive guide, I‘ll break down everything you need to know about VPN split tunneling to take full advantage of it. I‘ll share my insights as an IT security analyst on how split tunneling works under the hood, its key benefits and risks, some data-backed recommendations, and steps for proper configuration in your own environment.
I know split tunneling can sound daunting if you‘re not technically inclined. But have no fear! By the end of this guide, you‘ll be a split tunneling pro ready to optimize your VPN. Let‘s get to it!
What is VPN Split Tunneling Exactly?
First, a quick VPN refresher. A VPN encrypts all your internet activity and routes it through an intermediary server run by the VPN provider. This hides your real IP address and blocks your ISP and others from spying on what sites you visit or data you transmit.
But this VPN tunnel comes at a cost. Encrypting all your traffic and adding in the extra routing hops can significantly slow down your connection speed. This is where split tunneling comes to the rescue.
Split tunneling allows you to designate specific applications and websites to bypass the VPN tunnel completely. This traffic instead goes directly from your device to the internet destination, avoiding the VPN middleman and preserving your raw internet performance.
Meanwhile, the rest of your online activity continues to transmit through the encrypted VPN tunnel for security. In essence, split tunneling lets you split your connection into:
- Secure, encrypted tunnel traffic
- Unencrypted direct traffic
You get the privacy and anonymity benefits of the VPN tunnel while retaining speed for non-sensitive tasks. It‘s the best of both worlds!
![Diagram contrasting traffic flow with standard VPN versus split tunnel VPN]
Now you have a handle on the what—let‘s explore the how.
How Does Split Tunneling Actually Work?
To envision how split tunneling functions, it helps to first understand what goes on under the hood of a regular VPN connection.
When you connect to a VPN server, a virtual network adapter is created on your device. This registers as a new network interface within your operating system.
By default, your system is configured to funnel all internet traffic through this virtual adapter. The VPN software running on the adapter will then encrypt your data and forward it into the VPN tunnel.
With split tunneling, instead of everything going through the VPN virtual adapter, your system now utilizes two network connections:
- The VPN tunnel via the virtual adapter
- Your regular internet gateway
Applications can then be configured to use one connection or the other. Based on your preferences, certain apps will have their traffic routed outside the VPN tunnel, while other apps remain protected within the tunnel.
![Network diagram contrasting standard VPN routing to split tunnel routing]
The split tunneling configuration is handled by the VPN client software on your device. Most VPN clients allow you to explicitly choose which apps send traffic directly versus through the VPN tunnel.
Once the settings are defined, your system will seamlessly route traffic between the two network connections based on the rules. From your perspective as the end user, it just works!
Now let‘s go over why this added flexibility can be useful.
Key Benefits of Split Tunneling
Split tunneling offers several potential advantages:
Bypass VPN speed tax for non-sensitive activities
Routing through a VPN tunnel comes at a cost in terms of speed. Every hop through a middleman server adds latency. The encryption processing adds computational overhead.
This VPN speed tax is one of the biggest complaints among users. Split tunneling provides an escape route—you can choose to bypass the VPN entirely for traffic that doesn‘t need anonymity or security.
Gaming, streaming videos, downloading files, video chatting with friends—these are all examples of activities where split tunneling would allow your connection to operate at full speed.
Access local devices and resources
One shortcoming of VPN connections is that they can block or interfere with access to other devices on your immediate network. This includes printers, media streamers, file servers, etc.
Split tunneling allows you to route traffic for those local devices and resources outside the VPN tunnel. This restores direct access while still protecting your general internet activity.
Use VPN to evade geo-restrictions without sacrificing speed
VPNs allow you to spoof your location and bypass geographic content restrictions to access content catalogs you otherwise couldn‘t.
The problem is that routing all your traffic through distant VPN servers cripples your connection speed. With split tunneling, you can selectively route only your media streaming apps through the VPN tunnel to unlock content libraries while allowing general web browsing and downloads to flow directly.
Increase security selectively for sensitive apps
For banking, shopping, business networks or applications, email, or any other sensitive traffic, routing through the VPN tunnel provides an important extra layer of security and privacy.
Meanwhile, mundane activities like reading the news or chatting with friends needn‘t incur the VPN performance cost. Split tunneling allows you to be selective.
Avoid VPN-unfriendly apps and conflicts
Some apps simply don‘t play well with VPN connections. Split tunneling provides a bypass to avoid problems like lost connectivity or crashes when using a VPN.
You can also avoid potential geographic restrictions. For instance, if you wish to play a game that blocks overseas players, routing the game outside the VPN tunnel can evade detection.
Stay secure on public Wi-Fi hotspots
When you connect through an open Wi-Fi network in places like airports, coffee shops, hotels etc., your connection is wide open to snoopers. Using a VPN protects you.
But maintaining the VPN 24/7 can be taxing on your phone‘s battery. Split tunneling allows you to selectively engage the VPN when on Wi-Fi but turn it off for cellular data for efficiency.
| Activity | Route through VPN? | Why? |
|---|---|---|
| Web browsing | No | No need to sacrifice speed for mundane browsing. |
| Streaming video | No | Buffering and quality suffer over VPN. Route direct for performance. |
| Online gaming | No | Real-time interactivity demands fast speeds. |
| Downloading files | No | Large downloads will take forever over VPN. |
| Shopping online | Yes | Credit card and address exposure merits encryption. |
| Business apps | Yes | Protect company data and access credentials. |
| Public Wi-Fi | Yes | Encrypt all traffic on unsecured public networks. |
| Access local devices | No | VPN can block access to printers, file shares, etc. Route local traffic outside tunnel. |
| Unblock geo-restricted content | Yes | Media streaming apps only routed through VPN to unlock regional catalogs. |
As you can see, split tunneling ultimately provides more control over your traffic flow. And control allows you to optimize security and speed based on your specific needs and priorities.
Potential Downsides of Split Tunneling
Of course, it‘s never all upside. Here are some potential risks to be aware of with split tunneling:
Metadata exposure
Even though you‘re only routing certain apps outside the VPN tunnel, this can still expose some metadata.
Your public IP address, location, ISP details, and sites visited could potentially be visible to your ISP and network snoops for your direct traffic. The actual content is secure thanks to HTTPS encryption, but be aware that some metadata may leak.
Active security threats
If malware or other threats exist on your local device, they could potentially access any data flowing outside the VPN tunnel. This is low risk for most security-conscious users, but be vigilant about keeping your software patched and avoiding suspicious downloads.
Traffic misconfiguration
If you aren‘t diligent in specifying which apps route through the tunnel versus directly, you may inadvertently expose sensitive data that should be protected. Getting complacent with your split tunneling setup defeats the purpose.
Accidental total VPN disconnect
Some OS network settings disable the VPN adapter altogether when enabling split tunneling. This routes ALL your traffic directly, leaving you completely exposed unless you notice and re-enable the VPN.
Corporate network risks
Using split tunneling with a work device may violate IT policies and open up their broader network to potential attacks. Only enable on managed equipment with approval.
In general, these risks aren‘t deal breakers, but emphasize the importance of:
- Only routing low-sensitivity traffic outside the VPN tunnel
- Using reputable VPN providers you trust
- Implementing proper security controls on your local device
- Testing your split tunneling setup for leaks
Set up carefully and verify functionality, and split tunneling can provide a great balance of security and speed.
Recommended VPNs for Split Tunneling
The first step is choosing a VPN service that even offers reliable split tunneling support. Many don‘t, but these top providers do:
ExpressVPN
My overall top recommendation, ExpressVPN makes it super easy to enable app-specific split tunneling. The settings are right in the main app and simple to configure.
With blazing speeds, top-notch privacy, and a great track record, ExpressVPN is the best fit for most split tunneling needs.
NordVPN
NordVPN offers the unique ability to split tunnel either apps OR specific websites. You can route traffic by domain directly outside the VPN if you wish.
Nord is also very affordable, although speeds can be inconsistent at times. Reliability is excellent otherwise.
Surfshark
Alongside per-app split tunneling, Surfshark supports bypassing the VPN by whitelisting specific IP address ranges. This allows for even more granular network control.
Based in the British Virgin Islands, Surfshark also offers good privacy protections and is incredibly inexpensive.
CyberGhost
CyberGhost has powerful split tunneling with both an Allow List and Deny List for apps. You can explicitly force or restrict apps from using the VPN tunnel.
Router apps are also supported. Overall, one of the most configurable split tunneling implementations but also pricier.
Private Internet Access (PIA)
PIA allows you to set apps and also individual ports to bypass the VPN tunnel. This is super flexible for technical users.
PIA has suffered some past privacy hiccups, but overall a decent lower-cost option. Just be mindful of who owns your data.
There are absolutely other good choices too, like Hotspot Shield, IPVanish, TunnelBear etc. I‘d just give preference to the providers above for a combination of split tunneling flexibility, security, and proven reliability.
Step-by-Step Guide to Configuring Split Tunneling
Once you‘ve chosen a split tunneling-capable VPN service, the setup process is straightforward:
1. Install the VPN provider‘s app
Download and install the VPN app on each device you wish to use split tunneling with. Make sure to grab the latest app version, as split tunneling support is often added in updates.
2. Connect to a VPN server as usual
Launch the VPN app and connect to a server as you normally would to establish an active VPN tunnel. Make sure the connection is successful.
3. Find the split tunneling settings
In the app, browse to the settings section and locate the split tunneling configuration. This may be under Advanced Settings or Network Settings.
The app should indicate which options are available, whether app exclusions, IP exclusions, port exclusions, etc. Make note of where these are located.
4. Select apps, sites, IPs, or ports to exclude
Here comes the important part—decide what to route outside the VPN tunnel. The app will provide options to explicitly select apps, websites, IP ranges, and/or ports.
Add exceptions carefully based on the recommendations above. Only exclude low-risk traffic leaving sensitive apps protected.
5. Enable split tunneling
Find the overarching switch or toggle to enable split tunneling based on your exclusions. Often a simple on/off button. Turn it on.
6. Test for leaks
Verify everything is working as intended. Turn split tunneling on and off and check your public IP address at a site like IPLeak.net.
Excluded apps should show your real public IP with split tunneling enabled. Disable split tunneling and your VPN IP should display for all traffic.
7. Enjoy the split tunneling benefits!
With that, split tunneling is configured and ready to use. Just toggle it on and off as needed. Monitor the app and network settings periodically to ensure your configuration remains intact after updates.
And let me know if you have any other questions! I‘m always happy to help a friend master their privacy tools.
Common Split Tunneling Questions
Let‘s wrap up with some frequently asked questions to solidify your understanding:
Is split tunneling inherently less secure than a normal VPN?
No, it‘s essentially just as secure for the traffic routed through the tunnel. Limiting the tunnel‘s scope does potentially leak metadata for direct traffic. But the tunnel encryption remains fully intact.
Does split tunneling slow down my VPN speed?
Quite the opposite! Split tunneling will likely improve speeds by allowing bandwidth-heavy apps to bypass the VPN overhead. It gives you flexibility to optimize performance.
Can I easily switch between split tunneling and full tunneling?
Absolutely. Once set up, you can toggle split tunneling on and off with a single button or switch in most VPN apps. Quick and seamless.
What are some typical uses for split tunneling?
Streaming media, gaming, large downloads, and Internet of Things device access are common reasons to exclude traffic from the VPN tunnel. Keeping mobile VPNs always-on is another scenario.
What‘s the difference between full tunnel and split tunnel VPN?
A full tunnel VPN encrypts and reroutes all network traffic without exception. Split tunneling lets you make exceptions by designating apps/traffic to bypass the tunnel.
Is split tunneling illegal or banned for work networks?
Generally no, but it‘s wise to check your employer‘s network policy. Some strictly prohibit split tunneling on managed devices due to security risks.
The Bottom Line
Hopefully this guide shed light on what VPN split tunneling is capable of. When configured deliberately, it unlocks the ability to balance security, privacy, speed, and accessibility on your own terms.
The most important takeaway is to carefully determine what traffic requires tunnel encryption versus direct routing for performance. Never expose sensitive data outside the VPN tunnel.
Split tunneling offers power and flexibility for those willing to take the time to understand it. Implement it properly on your devices and it delivers the best of all worlds!
Let me know if any part of this guide needs more detail. I tried providing lots of context so the split tunneling concepts all click into place. But don‘t hesitate to ask follow-ups.
Stay safe out there!
[Your Name]