Home Lab VPN Routing: Split Tunneling vs Full Tunnel Explained

Designing an efficient and secure home lab frequently involves implementing a VPN (Virtual Private Network). Whether your goal is accessing internal services remotely, connecting multiple networks, or learning enterprise‑grade networking, understanding how VPN routing works is essential. Two dominant routing strategies exist in home lab environments: split tunneling and full tunnel routing.

Each method offers unique advantages and trade-offs related to security, performance, privacy, and usability. If you are experimenting with VPN appliances like pfSense, OPNsense, MikroTik, Ubiquiti, or WireGuard-based setups, choosing the right tunneling method can dramatically impact the behavior of your home lab network.

This in-depth guide explains how VPN routing works, the differences between split tunneling and full tunnel configurations, when to use each one, and how to optimize your setup for maximum security and performance. Whether you are a home lab beginner or an advanced self-hosting enthusiast, this article provides a clear roadmap for choosing the best VPN routing strategy.

What Is VPN Routing?

VPN routing determines how network traffic is directed when connected to a VPN tunnel. Although VPNs encrypt data and provide privacy, the routing method defines whether all or only select traffic is sent through the VPN.

In home labs, VPN routing is typically used to:

• Securely access internal services remotely
• Route traffic from remote sites or devices into the home network
• Provide secure access for cloud servers to local infrastructure
• Enable remote management of homelab hardware
• Test networking technologies for certification or career development

Choosing the right VPN routing mode impacts bandwidth usage, latency, security posture, and the stability of your home network.

Full Tunnel Routing Explained

Full tunnel routing (sometimes called “force tunneling”) means that 100% of the client’s traffic is routed through the VPN connection. This includes internal home lab traffic as well as all outbound internet traffic.

How Full Tunnel Works

When a remote device connects to your VPN, the default gateway on that device points to the VPN server instead of the local network. As a result, the home lab’s VPN server becomes responsible for routing all outgoing traffic.

For example:

• A laptop in a coffee shop connects to your WireGuard or OpenVPN server.
• The laptop sends web browsing traffic, DNS queries, app data, and internal service requests through the VPN.
• Your home network handles internet requests on behalf of the laptop.

Full tunnel is highly secure because nothing escapes the encrypted VPN tunnel.

Benefits of Full Tunnel

• Maximum privacy — no traffic leaks outside the VPN
• Enhanced security on untrusted networks (public Wi‑Fi, hotels, airports)
• Consistent firewall rules and content filtering from the home network
• Better monitoring and logging through home lab infrastructure
• Ideal for security‑focused or enterprise-grade setups

Drawbacks of Full Tunnel

• More bandwidth usage on your home internet connection
• Higher latency, especially for long‑distance users
• If your home internet goes down, VPN clients lose all connectivity
• More resource consumption on the VPN server

Full tunnel VPNs are best for secure remote work or hardened homelabs configured with strong firewall policies.

Split Tunneling Explained

Split tunneling allows you to route only specific traffic through the VPN while all other traffic goes directly to the internet. This hybrid approach is common for home lab setups where the goal is accessing internal services without forcing all traffic through the VPN tunnel.

How Split Tunneling Works

With split tunneling, you specify only the networks or IP ranges that should pass through the VPN connection. Everything else uses the local internet connection.

For example:

• 10.0.0.0/24 — routed through VPN
• 192.168.1.0/24 — routed through VPN
• All other traffic — goes out the client’s local gateway

This avoids unnecessary bandwidth load on the home lab network while still granting access to internal resources.

Benefits of Split Tunneling

• Better performance for remote devices
• Lower bandwidth usage on your home internet
• Improved latency for internet‑bound traffic
• More flexible routing for multi-site setups
• Does not break local network services on client devices

Drawbacks of Split Tunneling

• Less secure — traffic outside the VPN is unprotected
• Potential for DNS leaks depending on configuration
• More complex setup if you want to avoid routing conflicts
• Not suitable for hostile networks like hotels or public Wi‑Fi

Split tunneling is ideal for home lab users needing a balance between convenience and secure internal access.

Split Tunneling vs Full Tunnel: Comparison Table

Feature	Split Tunneling	Full Tunnel
Security Level	Moderate	High
Internet Traffic Routed Through VPN	No	Yes
Bandwidth Usage	Low	High
Latency	Lower	Higher
Access to Internal Services	Yes	Yes
Best For	General homelab access	Secure remote work & full privacy

Which VPN Routing Method Should You Use?

Your choice depends on your goals. Here are examples of when each method makes sense:

Choose Split Tunneling If:

• You want fast access without routing all traffic through home
• You only need to reach internal home lab services
• Your home internet upload speed is limited
• You access the VPN from multiple devices frequently
• You do not require full privacy on the client side

Choose Full Tunnel If:

• You need maximum security on public networks
• You want full encryption of all traffic
• You want to enforce home firewall and DNS policies for remote clients
• You want your home IP address to be used remotely

Home Lab Example Setups

Split Tunneling Home Lab Use Case

A user running a Proxmox cluster wants to access dashboards, virtual machines, and storage systems from outside the home. They configure WireGuard with a split tunnel so only their lab network subnets route through the VPN.

This avoids unnecessary use of bandwidth and allows remote work without performance issues.

Full Tunnel Home Lab Use Case

A cybersecurity student running pfSense wants complete privacy when connecting from public locations. They configure OpenVPN or WireGuard to route all traffic through the home gateway. The home firewall filters ads, malware domains, and blocks malicious IPs.

This replicates enterprise VPN behavior for learning and security.

Recommended Hardware and Tools

If you want to build a high-performance home lab VPN server, here are useful tools:

• WireGuard router or firewall appliance {{AFFILIATE_LINK}}
• pfSense or OPNsense mini PC {{AFFILIATE_LINK}}
• VPS for remote site-to-site routing {{AFFILIATE_LINK}}
• Cloud backup solutions {{AFFILIATE_LINK}}

For more home lab guides, visit {{INTERNAL_LINK}}.

Best Practices for Home Lab VPN Routing

To ensure reliability and security, follow these principles:

• Always use strong keys and encryption settings
• Enable DNS over TLS or DNS over HTTPS for privacy
• Avoid mixing overlapping subnets
• Test routing with traceroute and packet captures
• Document your network ranges and VPN configs
• Use dynamic DNS if your home IP changes frequently
• Monitor logs for unauthorized access attempts

Applying these practices ensures your home lab VPN is both safe and high-performing.

FAQ

Does split tunneling reduce security?

Yes. Split tunneling exposes some traffic directly to the local network or the internet. It is less secure than full tunnel routing, especially on untrusted Wi‑Fi.

Is full tunnel always better?

No. While full tunnel is more secure, it increases latency and uses more bandwidth. For many home lab uses, split tunneling is more practical.

Can I switch between split and full tunnel?

Yes. Many VPN clients allow toggling between modes. pfSense, OPNsense, Ubiquiti, and WireGuard support flexible routing adjustments.

Does split tunneling affect DNS?

It can. Some DNS queries may leak outside the VPN if not configured properly. Set static DNS servers inside the tunnel if you want better privacy.

What is the best VPN protocol for home labs?

WireGuard is widely considered the best due to speed, simplicity, and modern cryptography. OpenVPN is still useful for compatibility and enterprise-like environments.