Using VPN for browser only?

VPN
1

I want to browse the internet as if I’m in a different country. But I want everything else to not go through the VPN.

I’ve tried using mullvad and split tunnelling but excluding every single thing I use outside of a browser is a chore and often impossible/really difficult.

Would prefer not to use a VM. I just want my chrome window (or other browser) to send all traffic through VPN, whilst the rest of my computer is normal.

Is there a way to do this with mullvad? Or do I have to use a different VPN? What other VPNs are good for this purpose if so?

2

ProtonVPN has a browser extension that only routes browser traffic through their VPN. Their VPN client also lets you selectively include apps to go through the VPN (instead of purely exclusion, like Mullvad). PIA has a browser extension as well.

Brave has a built-in VPN, but you have to use the Brave browser.

3

The Mullvad vpn CLIENT does not support such a scenario, you will have to use a different vpn client.

For example WireSock can do this. And you will need to manually generate wireguard config files for your account on the official Mullvad website to use the vpn with a non-mullvad vpn client.

4

My recommendation to achieve this with Mullvad would be to generate a WireGuard config and set the allowed IPs value to just be the servers’s WireGuard IP and the Socks5 Proxy IP.
Then you can send all browser traffic over the Socks5 proxy built-in to the tunnel.

5

Docker, gluetun as network host and a browser client. Some guides on the internet.

6

So can I use 2 vpns at once?

7

Mullvad client doesn’t support it, but you can also connect to mullvad kinda easily thru wireguard. I’m sure there’s some open source wg client that has what you need

8

The tor browser might be an option. Although technically it’s not a vpn and traffic over the tor network can be attacked.

9

I use split tunneling on Mullvad and I don’t have any issues with it. Obviously, excluding everything aside from one app takes time to set up.

10

Have you tried their browser?

11

I’ve got exactly what you’re looking for. I use Private Internet Access VPN. What you’re describing is called “split tunnelling” and I use it daily. I set it up to run 24/7 and my one browser can only work with it on, but every other app on my machine bypasses it. It’s easy to set up.

If you’re looking for a quality VPN that’s cheap check out Private Internet Access (PIA).

They’ve been around for 10+ years, offer everything a casual user like you would need with excellent privacy and a strict no-logs policy. Best bang-for-buck in the industry. You even have the option to pay with crypto like I did for full anonymity.

They have a deal on right now, 83% off for 39 months for 79USD.

That works out to 3 years 3 months for $2.03USD per month.

You can get another free month on top of that if you use my referral code:

This is the exact plan I use.

Cheers! :clinking_beer_mugs:

12

You have to pay for it right?

13

Wirsock? Or is it Wireshark?

14

This is inaccurate. Split tunneling works with the Mullvad Windows VPN client. I know this because I do it myself. I don’t know why it doesn’t work for the OP.

15

Okay thanks I’ll look into this a bit. I’m techy but haven’t used wireguard or anything with proxies before.

16

To do this you need to change your “AllowedIPs” in the wireguard config to 10.0.0.0/8 and then make your browser run via SOCKS5 proxy using 10.64.0.1:1080 address and port. For Firefox you can set it in the settings but for Chromium browsers you’ll have to use a command switch, or use any browser proxy extension that supports SOCKS5 like SmartProxy: GitHub - salarcode/SmartProxy: Firefox/Chrome browser extension. SmartProxy will automatically enable/disable proxy for the sites you visit, based on customizable patterns.

But proxies are kinda slow so personally I’d rather get a different VPN that supports reverse split-tunnel like Proton. But if you really want to stick with mullvad that’s the only way to make it work without using 3rd-party apps or VM.

17

The ranges of Allowed IPs I used for a similar setup myself were as follows:

AllowedIPs = 10.67.224.0/24,10.64.0.0/24,10.124.0.0/24,10.124.1.0/24,10.124.2.0/24

This I use on a VPS that I can tunnel into over SSH and then forward browser traffic to any of their servers using the SOCK5 address listed on their site from anywhere. Works pretty well. Happy to help further if needed (and I am able).

Edit: Just realized some of those ranges are redundant. Not sure why I ever set it up that way. Oh well.

18

I’m a Mullvad customer who uses split tunneling on Windows. You are mistaken.

19

Explain how I’m wrong. I’ll wait.

20

Re-read what I said. Mullvad supports split tunneling. The OP hasn’t mentioned which apps aren’t supported…unless you know something I don’t know.