NordVPN can block access across home server VLANs
A home network was split into VLANs to keep devices separated, with the NAS kept away from general devices and IoT gear separated too. When NordVPN runs on the main PC, going to another VLAN inside the home is treated like outside internet and sent through the VPN. Local private addresses then fail to resolve, so devices on other separated parts of the home network become hard to reach.
The NordVPN app does not offer a way to exclude whole internal network ranges from the VPN. App-based split tunnel settings do not fully solve it, because DNS can still go through the VPN even when a browser is excluded.
Key points
- The home network uses VLANs to separate a NAS and IoT devices from other devices.
- NordVPN sends between VLANs through the VPN instead of keeping it local.
- The NordVPN app does not support split tunnel rules for whole internal network ranges.
- Even an excluded browser may fail because DNS still goes through the VPN.
- owners should test local access while the VPN is turned on.