Have you ever wanted to use a VPN but only to access specific sites on the internet? If so, then you have come to the right place. This blog post will cover how to split tunnel on your Windows VPN client.
Split tunneling is beneficial for many reasons, including security and privacy. As well as this, it can also allow users with limited bandwidth or data caps to save money by using their quota more efficiently.
We hope that after reading this article you are able to easily activate split tunneling on your Windows VPN client for a more enjoyable internet experience.
What is Split Tunneling?
Split tunneling is a VPN feature that allows the VPN to only send specific traffic through your encrypted connection. This means that you can choose what websites and services go through your secure internet connection, while others will use your regular or unencrypted ISP (Internet Service Provider) service.
Why is Split Tunneling Beneficial?
There are many reasons that split tunneling is beneficial.
Firstly, if you only want to access specific sites on the internet then you don’t have to worry about your VPN connection slowing down or dropping out when accessing websites that aren’t protected by a secure encryption key since these will go through your regular internet network.
Additionally, because not all of your traffic goes through the encrypted VPN service this means that only the traffic you want to remain private will go through the VPN. This makes it ideal for private browsing online without being tracked or monitored.
Another reason why split tunneling can come in useful is when using data-limited connections such as mobile broadband with limited monthly download allowance’s, where users can save bandwidth by allowing some website traffic to go through their regular, unencrypted connection.
Do All VPN Services Offer Split Tunneling?
Unfortunately, no. Split tunneling is an optional feature that many VPN providers do not offer their users. This means if you want to use split tunneling then it’s important to make sure your chosen service offers this function before signing up for the service.
Some VPN services may instead provide a kill switch or firewall which can be used as an alternative option to splitting traffic between different networks by blocking all internet activity when the connection drops out unless connected through the encrypted VPN connection again first. A kill switch is actually a good tool if VPN users want to know how to see if a VPN is working on Windows as if it doesn’t activate, it means the VPN isn’t working.
However, this isn’t quite as effective at stopping data leaks due to other programs on your computer trying to access the internet directly without passing through your secure network first and could potentially leave you open to being tracked online even with a protective VPN encryption key in place.
How to Activate Split Tunneling on a Windows VPN Client
Follow these steps to activate the split tunneling feature on your Windows VPN client.
- First, open the client.
- Go to settings and click on split tunneling.
- Then, choose which websites or apps you want to access outside of the VPN tunnel and save the settings.
- Alternatively, some VPNs allow users to add the websites they only want to access with the VPN and may call this feature another name.
Once you have set up split tunneling, you can enjoy a more customized and protected internet experience.
Hi, I'm Madeleine. I'm a British writer with a global background, currently based in the UK.
I have always been interested in the online world and how it connects people worldwide. My keen interest in the internet led me to ...
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