Can you run two VPNs at the same time?

Can you run two VPNs at the same time

Many people are under the impression that having a double VPN can result in trouble while networking. So, can you run two VPNs at the same time or not?

That’s an interesting question, it is even mentioned on different portals that running two VPNs simultaneously is not possible and if someone tries that, it may not be safe.

We do admit that in a few cases double VPN may give rise to actual issues. However, most of the time, they function without causing a single problem. Therefore, the answer to your question is: yes, you surely can use more than one VPN at the same time.

In this article, we will discuss the technicalities that come with running two VPNs at once. Not only that you will learn in what ways you can get an advantage from a double VPN.

Table of Contents

  1. Can you run two VPNs at the same time?
    1. What are the benefits of VPN?
    2. What problem can you face when getting a double VPN?
    3. Getting multiple VPNs on one device
    4. Dealing with overlapping settings of the VPN app
    5. Getting rid of the VPN connection problems
    6. The ultimate solution for using two VPN connections simultaneously
  2. Wrap up

Without further ado, let’s get straight into how you can make this tough process doable.

Can you run two VPNs at the same time?

What are the benefits of VPN?

With a VPN, you get several advantages. You can achieve protection when you make a connection with public Wi-Fi, you get to see all sorts of content on various popular streaming apps and sites that were previously blocked, and of course, save and share files with people via torrenting in a secure manner.

Yet, for some people, this is not enough. They want to have more features from their VPN connection. There is another category of people who are currently using a free trial VPN connection. In that case, they may be a little worried about finishing data before a new month starts.

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Another great advantage is that a double VPN provides you with two layers of security. Let’s suppose that your VPN traffic is routed via one VPN service, then when you establish another VPN connection, it means that the websites you use get to see the second VPN’s IP address. That’s how your actual IP address can be more protected. These are the situations when using a double VPN seems like a great option.

What problem can you face when getting a double VPN?

Although adding a double VPN can get you a few privacy benefits, the VPN client may overlap. And, that shouldn’t happen as the VPN client builds a strong connection. Hence, the biggest issue that you are going to experience when getting a double VPN is that it may not work, especially, if you are not tech-savvy.

Let’s break down the issue; when you establish your first VPN connection, it reconfigures the device you are using to transmit the data traffic via the network adapter of the provider. Then, with a second VPN connection, the same thing will happen. As a consequence, there will be a battle between both VPN apps to control the data traffic and settings.

Normally, when this happens, the subsequent VPN fails to make a VPN connection to your device, and you can merely run the first VPN connection. Also, there is a likelihood of both the VPNs crashing. Another possibility is that any VPN app can stop working from the two VPN connections, or your internet connection will stop working until you shut one VPN server down.

Getting multiple VPNs on one device

First off, to build a multiple VPNs option on your system, you need to choose two VPN apps. And, installing two VPN apps on your device won’t be difficult. Especially, on mobile devices, you pick any VPN app you want. On a computer, it is not as easy as on mobile devices. This process has another name – VPN server chaining.

When using a double VPN on your PC, you have to get a VPN on Windows. It’s normally the case that your PC installs TAP and TUN adapters. These drivers are the virtual network that builds connections. If the VPN app is not well-designed, it may not build a connection as it gets confused because of the several adapters.

So, let’s say that your computer is equipped with a VPN one, and it doesn’t install the second. When this is the case, you have to uninstall both of the VPNs. On your next attempt, install the second VPN first, and then go for the first one.

The first VPN provider (or VPN A) that you install on your device may be smarter than the second one, so you won’t face any issue operating it in conjunction with another service. In this scenario, you won’t encounter any installation issues. So, any of the VPNs will connect with the server to enable the double VPN system.

Dealing with overlapping settings of the VPN app

Now, this is what double VPN is all about: conflicting settings. Mostly, people have to solve the double VPN problem to get the connection running smoothly. When you start up your device, one VPN app attempts to establish a connection to your closest server. Consequently, it causes the other VPN to start operating and the kill switch stops the internet access, and the results will not be something you wanted.

However, there is a way to check this by installing both apps. You have to start by rebooting the system and checking if everything is going as it should. In other words, if everything is working normally, the error messages or complaints won’t appear from either one of the VPN apps. Hence, the applications and computer programs all function like they typically do on the device.

And, if the opposite of this happens, (i.e., you start seeing error messages and you begin to have a problem with accessing the Internet), then there might be a battle going on in your settings.

This is the time when you have to choose the best VPN app for yourself. Also, you need to have full permissions over your system for this. After that, start the other VPN app and go to the page that shows Settings. There, you can find comprehensive system settings that can be the root cause behind the problem you are experiencing.

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It could be the case that if the kill switches of both VPNs are on by themselves, they can cease all internet usage till they create a connection. No VPN app will end up getting the connection because they will block each other, so you might lose your internet. To prevent this from happening, you can turn off any of the two kill switches.

So, what you have to do is to shut down any option in the setting that you are wondering might be appropriate, restart, and repeat the process. To remember every change you have made, write it down somewhere.

There are some safety concerns when you achieve double VPN through this method. If the second VPN functions only when you disable the kill switch, it can risk your security. So, you shouldn’t prefer to use it for torrenting on your device, and some people may not use this one at all.

Getting rid of the VPN connection problems

Imagine your PC is equipped with double VPN apps. More interestingly, they both are refraining from causing any problem for you. Yet, the question remains: can both of them create a connection?

There is a method to determine that. Open your Google search and ask about your recent IP address. In this way, you will get your regular IP address. Then, connect to the VPN server and search your IP address one more time on Google.

If the IP address of the location you have selected is confirmed by Google, disconnect the VPN app. After that, connect to the other VPN. Finally, repeat the process in order to confirm it again.

On devices like smartphones and tablets, operating a double VPN is simple and easy. Nevertheless, on your PC, Windows offers more range to the double VPN setup to take over the system, hence, it leads to different intricacies.

If any of the applications deny connecting, the problem is commonly associated with the virtual network kernel as mentioned previously. You first have to go to the Settings page of the application. Following that, look for an option that allows you to either install the TAP, restore, or do something similar.

That measure might solve the problem but at a price. There is a possibility that by performing this action, you can get one VPN app to start working again, however, it might shut down the other. You can test one more time to figure out the case.

A more straightforward way to do this is for the second VPN app, to choose a separate VPN protocol. Suppose the first VPN is using OpenVPN, WireGuard, or a protocol by the vendor, making the other one employ a native protocol of Windows.

The ultimate solution for using two VPN connections simultaneously

An easy way to do it is by installing the second VPN on a virtual machine. For that, you need to install a virtual machine on your computer and then open the VPN service.

By this method, you actually use the system from the virtual machine.

This gives you two tunnels rather than just one. Routing of the IP address will first occur through your computer.

Then, finally, routing takes place through the virtual machine. This process slows down the speed so refrain from adding another VPN tunnel.

Using your router is a simple way of operating multiple VPNs. The traffic that is encrypted first makes its way through one server that you have chosen on the router.

It then passes on to the next server you like in the VPN client software.

You can use Tor as well for a double VPN. The VPN server encrypts your data traffic and then hands it over to a virtual network driver, where encryption takes place for the second time, and routing takes place in a selected set of servers without an order. It is slow but works fine.

Using double-hop permits you to make multiple VPN connections simultaneously to a VPN server in a certain zone, then routing the data traffic to a server in another location before transmitting it to the location you want the server to connect.

Wrap up

By following the methods in this article, your traffic passes through a double VPN server instead of a single server, encrypting your data two times.

With a double VPN, more than one server hides your online activity to make you feel protected.

If you follow these steps correctly, connecting with the server while having multiple VPN connections won’t be difficult.

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