How to use Tunnelblick: A detailed guide

Tunnelblick is a free, open-source VPN (Virtual Private Network) client for MacOS. It’s designed to work with OpenVPN configurations and features a simple yet powerful interface. With Tunnelblick, you can connect to VPN servers and encrypt your internet traffic, providing a layer of security and privacy protection when browsing online. Another benefit is bypassing geographic restrictions on content, including internet censorship.

If this is your first time encountering Tunnelblick or your first time using a VPN, it can all appear a bit technical at first glance. The good news is that this guide walks you through everything you need to know about Tunnelblick, from installation to setup. This will help you have a fully functional VPN connection on your Mac device to browse, stream, and torrent more securely and privately.

What is Tunnelblick?

TunnelBlick is a free, open-source client for MacOS that allows users to connect to VPN servers using the OpenVPN protocol. Unlike commercial VPNs, Tunnelblick doesn’t come with its own servers or provide its own VPN services. Instead, it’s purely a client, providing an interface for users to connect to existing OpenVPN servers.

Tunnelblick is developed specifically for MacOS, so it integrates seamlessly with the operating system. This lets users manage their VPN connections directly from the MacOS menu bar. Tunnelblick is lightweight and highly configurable. Just as important, it’s designed with security and privacy in mind.

Key features of Tunnelblick

Here are some of the main features:

• Open-source and free: Unlike many VPN clients, Tunnelblick is open-source. This means that its code is publicly available for review, providing a high level of transparency and security.
• Supports OpenVPN: Tunnelblick is built solely for OpenVPN which is one of the most secure VPN protocols available.
• MacOS exclusive: Unlike some other OpenVPN clients which support multiple platforms, Tunnelblick is specifically designed for MacOS.
• Multi-server support: Users can configure multiple VPN connections and quickly and easily switch between them.
• DNS and IPV6 leak protection: Prevents leaks that could otherwise expose your real IP address and DNS requests.
• Split tunneling: Gives you the flexibility to choose whether to send all traffic through the VPN or only specific traffic.

How to use Tunnelblick

Setting up and using Tunnelblick is relatively straightforward. All you need to do is follow the step-by-step instructions below to install the software and configure a VPN connection.

Installing Tunnelblick

1. Visit the official Tunnelblick website and click Download Latest Stable Release. The downloaded file will be a .dmg disk image.
2. Open the .dmg file you downloaded and then double-click on the Tunnelblick image (a tunnel with “VPN” above it) to get started.
3. Your Mac may remind you that Tunnelblick is an app downloaded from the internet and ask if you’re sure you want to open it. Click Open to proceed.
4. On the welcome page, choose if you want Tunnelblick to check for updates and for IP address changes (the boxes are ticked by default) and then select Continue.
5. Tunnelblick may remind you that it must be installed in Applications. Enter your device’s password to install TunnelBlick in the Applications folder.

Configuring a VPN connection in Tunnelblick

As this is a fresh install of Tunnelblick, you’ll probably see a message that says that no VPN configurations are installed. Tunnelblick is an OpenVPN client and therefore requires configuration files (.ovpn) from your VPN provider.

The .ovpn files contain key information such as the VPN server address and encryption settings. Your VPN provider may offer .ovpn files for download which can usually be found within your account or in their support section.

1. If you’re still in the setup stage, you’ll be asked whether you have configuration files. Check your VPN account and support pages for them. Failing this, contact your VPN’s customer support for further assistance.
2. Once you have them, select I have configuration files.
3. Drag and drop the .ovpn file onto the Tunnelblick icon in the menu bar. Alternatively, click on the Tunnelblick icon, select VPN Details and drag the .ovpn file into the window of the Configurations tab.
4. Select whether the VPN configuration should be available only for your user account or for all users on your Mac.
5. If required, enter your Mac password to complete the installation of the configuration.

Connecting to the VPN

1. Click on the Tunnelblick icon in the menu bar (in the top right corner of the screen).
2. Select the VPN profile you imported to connect.
3. If the VPN requires authentication, enter your VPN login credentials. Alternatively, your VPN provider may generate a unique OpenVPN username and password for you to use.
4. You should now be connected to a VPN server in Tunnelblick!

How to set up the kill switch

Tunnelblick has a built-in kill switch. This optional setting blocks all internet access unless the VPN is connected, preventing any traffic from leaking outside the VPN’s encrypted tunnel. Here’s how to set it up:

1. Open Tunnelblick and go to VPN Details.
2. Select your VPN configuration and then click the Settings tab.
3. Under On unexpected disconnect, select Disable network access.
4. Check the Route all IPv4 traffic through the VPN box.
5. Check the Disable IPv6 box.

Troubleshooting common issues

Having some trouble with setup or when using Tunnelblick? Here are some common issues and how to fix them:

Tunnelblick won’t connect

• Check your internet connection: If your internet works without the VPN but not when it’s activated, try switching servers (you may need to add another configuration).
• Verify your OpenVPN credentials: If Tunnelblick is asking you to provide a username and password, make sure you’re using the correct OpenVPN credentials. These may be different from your VPN login details.
• Restart Tunnelblick: Completely close Tunnelblick before reopening it and trying again. If the issue continues, restart your Mac and then retry the connection.
• Reinstall Tunnelblick: Failing all of the above, uninstall Tunnelblick and restart your Mac. Proceed to reinstall the latest version of Tunneblick from the official site.

Random disconnections

• Enable auto-reconnect: Open Tunnelblick VPN Details > Settings > Advanced. Check the Keep connected box to activate the auto-reconnect feature.
• Restart your router: If you find your internet connection dropping regularly, restart your router or try a different network to see if the issue continues.

Tunnelblick connects but there’s no internet

• Check all traffic is being routed: Open Tunnelblick and then go to VPN Details > Settings. Mark the box labelled Route all IPv4 traffic through the VPN.
• Change DNS servers: It may be that your VPN hasn’t properly updated your DNS settings. You can fix this by manually setting your DNS to Google (8.8.8.8 or 8.8.4.4) or Cloudflare (1.1.1.1).
• Check your antivirus and firewall: Your antivirus or firewall may be blocking VPN traffic. Try temporarily disabling them to see if this fixes the issue. If it does, look to add your VPN to the security software’s allowed applications list.

Slow speeds

• Switch to a closer VPN server: The further the VPN server from your physical location, the greater the latency. Switch to a VPN server close by for the fastest possible speeds.
• Use UDP instead of TCP: If you’re currently using TCP, you may want to try switching to UDP, which tends to be a little faster. Various VPN services offer separate TCP and UDP configurations for you to download.
• Check your speed without the VPN: If your internet is slow without the VPN, your ISP may be the issue. You can use our speed test or a similar tool such as fast.com. If speeds are much slower with the VPN activated, switch to a different server.
• Used a wired connection: Wifi signal interference can slow down VPN speeds. Using an Ethernet cable should provide a more stable connection.

DNS leaks

• Test for a DNS leak: Use a DNS leak test tool like dnsleaktest.com. Select the extended test to see if your real ISP’s DNS servers appear. If they do, you’ll need to proceed to the following steps.
• Enable Tunnelblick’s DNS protection: Open Tunnelblick and go to VPN Details > Settings and select Monitor network settings before going to Advanced and checking Flush DNS cache after connecting or disconnecting.
• Manually set secure DNS servers: Consider changing the DNS servers using Google DNS (8.8.8.8 or 8.8.4.4) or Cloudflare (1.1.1.1).

Frequently Asked Questions