I set up VPN Split Tunneling and it was easier than I thought

VPNs are great at protecting your privacy, but one downside is that encryption slows down your internet connection. However, there is a solution: activate the split tunneling feature of your VPN.

Why I use VPN Split Tunneling

When I’m connected to a VPN, all my traffic goes through its servers. But most of the time I only need it for a specific purpose – like reading a region-locked message – not for all my internet activities.

So I don’t want the VPN to slow down other things like playing games. After all, it’s embarrassing to drop a juggle combo in Tekken because the lag timed it for me.

This is where VPN split tunneling comes in. Split tunneling allows you to specify which apps you want the VPN to be active for and which apps don’t. I use VPN split tunneling over full tunneling to have full VPN protection for some activities while allowing other applications to get full connection speed.

For example, I configure split tunneling to have VPN enabled for:

• Specific websites to access region-locked content
• Torrenting to overcome ISP restrictions
• Crypto transactions to prevent cryptocurrency theft
• Access public Wi-Fi for privacy and security wherever I am

However, I use split tunneling to bypass the VPN for:

• Gaming to achieve the lowest possible latency
• Local access to devices on my home network because they are trusted
• Cloud sync for fast downloads of large files

You see, split tunneling is actually one of the most underutilized features of a VPN.

How to enable VPN Split Tunneling on NordVPN

Setting up split tunneling isn’t too technical – it simply involves enabling a menu option in your VPN app. But before I walk you through a step-by-step example, there are a few things you should know.

Requirements for VPN Split Tunneling

First, you need to use a VPN provider that offers split tunneling. Most of the best VPN services offer this, but you’ll need to check.

Second, even if your VPN provider has split tunneling, it is unlikely to be supported on all operating systems. Most providers support it on Windows and Android, while fewer providers support it for Linux, routers, or browser extensions. At the time of writing, no provider supports true split tunneling on Mac or iOS (although IPVanish has a form of it); however, there is strong competition on this front. Check beforehand if split tunneling is supported on the platform you need it for.

Third, there are different ways to implement split tunneling. For example, you can include or exclude specific applications, domains, or IP addresses. To make things easy to understand in our example that follows, I’ll have VPN protection enabled by default for all connections and only disable it for specific apps.

Enabling VPN Split Tunneling with NordVPN

Here’s how to set up split tunneling with NordVPN on Windows.

1. In the NordVPN app, click the gear icon to navigate Settings > Split Tunneling.
2. File Split tunneling on Onand set Type on Disable VPN for selected apps.
3. From the Windows Start menu, launch the applications for which you want to enable split tunneling – such as Steam or Zoom.
4. Back in the NordVPN app, click on Add apps button. A list of running programs will appear. Check the boxes next to the apps you want to disable VPN for. Click when you’re done Add selected.
5. You will now see them listed below Selected applications. Close the settings and you’re done.

If you’re having problems with split tunneling on NordVPN or another service, it may be due to a bug that causes connections to fail in certain Windows applications marked for split tunneling.

You can often fix things by enabling custom DNS settings and specifying a public resolver like Cloudflare DNS (1.1.1.1). This little-known VPN setup can make a surprising difference when you’re having split-tunneling connection problems.

Speed ​​results compared to VPN Split Tunneling

Now that you know how to enable split tunneling, let’s look at its effect on connection speed. We’ll use FAST, a speed tester owned by Netflix, to measure streaming capability. (The tests below were done with an Ethernet cable to remove any inconsistencies caused by Wi-Fi.)

Here is my speed with VPN enabled for all connections:

Here’s my speed with split tunneling enabled so my browser gives Netflix full speed:

I think the difference is pretty clear.

That’s all. If you want the benefits of a VPN without affecting everything you do, enable split tunneling for specific applications to enjoy full connection speeds.