Split tunneling: the VPN setting you probably never turned on

What BBN said about it

1. 

   Hank Ledger · Lead AnchorWired says the best feature of your VPN is the part where some of your traffic skips the VPN.

2. 

   Vera Bullock · Co-AnchorIt's called split tunneling, and I'd call it customized protection. You choose which apps and websites go through the encrypted tunnel and which connect directly.

3. 

   Hank Ledger · Lead AnchorWithout it, a VPN usually sends all of your device's traffic through its server. This lets you carve out exceptions.

4. 

   Vera Bullock · Co-AnchorAnd the exceptions are useful.

5. 

   Vera Bullock · Co-AnchorYou can reach a printer or a file server on your local network while the VPN stays connected for everything else.

6. 

   Hank Ledger · Lead AnchorWhy would anyone want that?

7. 

   Vera Bullock · Co-AnchorSpeed, mostly.

8. 

   Vera Bullock · Co-AnchorSecurity.org says the point isn't more security, it's letting certain services run at normal internet speeds, and some sites that need a specific address can skip the tunnel so you needn't turn the VPN off entirely.

9. 

   Hank Ledger · Lead AnchorSo the VPN's best feature is for the times you'd like less VPN.

10. 

    Vera Bullock · Co-AnchorI'd say it's a flexible privacy experience. Even though TechRadar says an app you exclude goes over the open internet, and that can be exposed on public Wi-Fi.

11. 

    Hank Ledger · Lead AnchorIt's usually off by default and you have to set it up yourself in the VPN settings. Best feature, hidden in the settings.