How to fix slow internet during VPN on Windows 11

On Windows 11, if you connect to your organization’s network through a VPN (virtual private network) connection, you probably notice a slow internet browsing experience while the connection is active.

The slower internet connection is because when you connect to a VPN server, the system also uses the remote network route for your web traffic. This is not an issue if you’re using a VPN service to bypass region restrictions or for privacy. However, if you only connect through a virtual private network to work from home or another remote location, routing your web traffic through the company’s network is not a good idea, not only because it’ll slow down your connection but also because you may come across web filtering issues.

If you don’t need to route your web traffic through a VPN connection, on Windows 11, you can create a split tunnel, a networking feature that will allow you to maintain connectivity to the private network while ensuring web traffic flows through your internet connection. 

This guide will teach you the steps to create a “split tunneling” to fix a slow internet connection on Windows 11 during an active VPN connection.

Fix VPN slow internet using split tunneling on Windows 11

To prevent a VPN connection from slowing down the internet on Windows 11, follow these steps:

1. Open Settings.

2. Click on Network & internet.

3. Click the VPN page.

4. Click on the VPN connection.

5. Click the Advanced options button.

   

6. Click the Edit button for the “More VPN properties” setting.

   

7. Click the Networking tab.

8. Uncheck the “Internet Protocol Version 6 (TCP/IPv6)” option.

9. Check the “Internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP/IPv4)” option (if applicable).

10. Click the Properties button.

    

11. Click the Advanced button.

    

12. Click the IP Settings tab.

13. Clear the “Use default gateway on remote network” option to enable split tunneling.

    

14. Click the OK button.

15. Click the OK button again.

16. Click OK one more time.

Once you complete the steps, the system will create a split tunnel staying connected with the remote network but using the local internet connection to browse the web.

The only caveat with these instructions is that the computer can only access the remote network that matches the network ID from the IP address configuration the device has received. As a result, depending on your remote network requirements, it’s a good idea to consult your network administrator to verify that these changes won’t affect your connection.

While for many users changing these settings makes more sense than sending web traffic through a VPN connection, there is a good reason for this default behavior. It’s for security reasons as it allows companies to control the flow of the internet with firewalls, filters, and other security solutions to monitor and meet the organization’s network policies as if employees were physically connected to the network. In addition, in most cases, using the default settings won’t affect VPN users as they usually only engage on one network at a time.