What is Split Tunneling?
Split tunneling lets you route some traffic through the VPN while other traffic goes directly to the internet. Instead of encrypting everything, you choose what gets protected.
When to Use Split Tunneling
- **Bandwidth-intensive personal apps** — Streaming, gaming, and video calls don't need VPN encryption
- **Local network access** — Printers, NAS devices, and smart home gear need direct LAN access
- **Latency-sensitive applications** — Real-time collaboration tools benefit from direct connections
- **Geo-specific services** — Some banking apps reject VPN connections
When NOT to Use Split Tunneling
- **Compliance environments** — If regulations require all traffic encrypted, split tunneling violates policy
- **High-security roles** — Finance, legal, and executive teams should route everything through VPN
- **Untrusted networks** — On public WiFi, encrypt everything regardless
Configuring in VynVPN
Navigate to Settings → Split Tunneling in your admin panel. You can define rules by:
- Domain patterns (e.g., `*.netflix.com` bypasses VPN)
- IP ranges (e.g., `192.168.0.0/16` for local network)
- Application (e.g., Zoom bypasses, Slack goes through)
- Per-team override (engineering gets split tunnel, finance doesn't)
Best Practice
Start with everything through VPN, then selectively exclude known-safe services that cause performance issues. This way you fail-secure rather than fail-open.