For stronger everyday privacy, start by preventing traffic from escaping when the VPN drops: use a supported protocol, enable the kill switch or operating-system lockdown, and confirm DNS and IPv6 traffic stay inside the tunnel or are blocked. Add options such as split tunneling, multihop, or obfuscation only when you have a specific reason to use them. A VPN changes whom you trust; it does not make you anonymous.
What VPN settings can—and cannot—protect
A VPN routes traffic through servers operated by the VPN provider. That can protect traffic from exposure to a local network or internet service provider, but it shifts trust toward the VPN provider rather than eliminating the need for trust. The Federal Trade Commission cautions that “A VPN app generally isn’t going to make you entirely anonymous.” Read the FTC’s VPN guidance before treating a VPN as an all-purpose privacy tool.
Settings matter because they determine what happens to traffic during a disconnect and which traffic takes the tunnel. They cannot establish that a provider is trustworthy. Compare the provider’s privacy policy, logging practices, third-party sharing, documentation, and client permissions as well as its features.
Set a fail-closed baseline
Choose a maintained protocol
Use a current protocol that your provider supports and documents clearly. Privacy Guides includes WireGuard and OpenVPN among its VPN criteria; its VPN recommendations and criteria are a useful starting point for evaluating protocols and providers. A protocol label alone does not establish how well a specific client is implemented, and speed depends on your device, location, and network.
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- Security - SPI Firewall, VPN Pass through, FTP/H.323/PPTP/SIP/IPsec ALG, DoS Defence, Ping of Death and Local Management. Standards and Protocols IEEE 802.3, 802.3u, 802.3ab, IEEE 802.3x, IEEE 802.1q
Enable the kill switch or system lockdown
A kill switch is intended to block ordinary internet traffic if the VPN connection fails, rather than letting that traffic continue outside the tunnel. Enable it if preventing exposure during a disconnect matters more to you than uninterrupted connectivity. Verify whether the control applies to all traffic or only certain connections, and whether it behaves differently during startup, network changes, or sleep.
On Android, open Settings > Network & internet > VPN, tap the gear next to the VPN, and enable Always-on VPN. If available, also enable Block connections without VPN. Android’s VPN settings guidance explains these system controls. Menu names can vary by device and Android version. Blocking non-VPN connections can interrupt internet access while the tunnel is down, and apps excluded from the VPN may lose connectivity.
Do not treat the presence of a kill-switch setting as proof that it works correctly. A 2022 NDSS VPNalyzer study reported that 18 tested VPN providers leaked all user traffic during tunnel failure. That result applies to the services and tests in that study; it is not a current failure rate for the entire VPN market. See the VPNalyzer study.
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Check DNS and IPv6 routing
DNS requests
DNS lookups translate domain names into network addresses. Check that the VPN routes them through its tunnel to the resolver you intend to use, or blocks them when the tunnel is down. A separate DNS service or a browser’s secure-DNS setting can change which resolver sees lookups, so review those settings alongside the VPN app. The exact controls vary by client and operating system.
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IPv6 traffic
Confirm that IPv6 packets are routed through the VPN or blocked; an active VPN icon does not prove every traffic path is protected. Proton recommends leaving its IPv6 leak protection enabled in its own app, as described in its IPv6 leak protection guidance. Other clients may handle IPv6 differently, so check the documentation for the app and operating system you use.
Rank #3
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Use optional features only for a defined need
Split tunneling
Split tunneling deliberately sends selected apps or traffic outside the VPN. It can help when an app or local service needs a direct connection, but excluded traffic does not receive the VPN’s routing protection. Keep it off unless you need the exception and accept that consequence. Check which apps or destinations are excluded; the exact controls vary by provider. Private Internet Access describes its client-specific options in its split tunneling guide.
Multihop
Multihop routes traffic through more than one VPN server. Consider it only if the added routing separation addresses a particular concern. It does not remove trust in the VPN operator, and Privacy Guides lists multihop as an option rather than a universal requirement.
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Obfuscation
Obfuscation is aimed at networks that block VPN protocols or inspect traffic to identify VPN use. It is a tool for restrictive-network or censorship-circumvention situations, not a general anonymity setting. Use it when you have that specific problem and the provider explains how its feature works.
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Local network access
Allow local network access only when you need devices such as printers or casting targets to remain reachable while connected. On public Wi-Fi, disabling LAN access can reduce exposure to nearby devices. Private Internet Access documents this control for its own client in its LAN traffic guide.
Debug logs and usage statistics
Leave troubleshooting logs off unless you need them to diagnose a connection problem, and review what your provider says it collects or sends. Private Internet Access documents debug logs and opt-in usage statistics as client-specific choices; consult its usage statistics guidance and the provider’s own privacy disclosures.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Compare VPN clients and providers by behavior
When choosing between options, compare the protections that matter on the operating system and networks you actually use. A checklist of feature names is not enough: implementation and provider trustworthiness matter.
Best Value
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- Disconnect behavior: Does traffic fail closed when the tunnel drops, and can you enable an OS-level lockdown?
- DNS and IPv6: Does the client route or block both on your target operating system?
- Protocols and maintenance: Are the protocols supported and documented, and does the provider maintain the client?
- Transparency and permissions: Is the client clear about what it does, and are its requested permissions appropriate?
- Provider practices: What do the privacy policy, logging disclosures, and third-party sharing terms say?
- Practical options: Does it offer only the features you need for your usual networks and devices?
The FTC’s consumer guidance also notes that a study of almost 300 VPN apps found potential privacy and security risks. The FTC is reporting that study rather than providing its original findings, so use the point as a reason to evaluate apps carefully, not as a precise measure of risk for any one provider.
When a VPN router makes sense
A VPN-capable router can apply VPN routing at the network level for devices connected through it, which may help when you want network-wide coverage rather than configuring each device separately. It also makes router setup and behavior part of your privacy decision. GL.iNet’s OpenVPN client documentation and WireGuard client documentation describe setup, while its block-non-VPN-traffic guide covers a fail-closed option. Those instructions are firmware-specific; check the documentation for the router and firmware you use.
Quick Recap
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