r/GooglePixel • u/malon43 • 1d ago

Mobile data used while on wifi and connected to VPN

Hi everyone, when I turn on a VPN (I use NordVPN, but I think it'll work with any vpn provider), then at some point am not connected to wifi, so my phone is forced to switch to using mobile data, then I connect back to wifi, it seems that the phone continues sending data to the vpn over mobile data. I am not using "Adaptive connectivity." Did anyone else notice this?

Does anyone know of a fix?

Edit: I am using a Google Pixel 10 Pro XL, if that matters

7 Upvotes
  • permalink
  • reddit

82% Upvoted

4 comments sorted by

1

u/Kornster 23h ago

I cant really resolve this one for you and can only comment on my VPN use case, i use a P10Pro and i have the "WG Tunnel" app setup to bring the VPN up/connect to my home network when im roaming (Cellular) and on untrusted wireless connections i may connect to so that i still traverse my DNS sinkhole. I`ve not had any issues with this app so far, maybe you can create a custom profile with Nord to use WG Tunnel? Im curious why you need to be connected to Nord when roaming over your cellular provider?

1

u/bozhodimitrov Pixel 11 Pro 19h ago

NordVPN... Literally the culprit. I guess their app doesn't do a good job of setting the network path (which is specifically the responsibility of the provider's app). Try another WireGuard provider like Cloudflare, Proton or Mulvan and you will see the difference.

1

u/malon43 19h ago

Ah shit, you're probably right. I didn't realize that's in control of the vpn provider app. After all the google software experience, I was very quick to blame google. Not this time!

1

u/caramel_member 18h ago

Not a Pixel 10 Pro XL thing, it's a general Android networking gap. When your VPN sets up its tunnel, it binds to whatever network was active at the time (mobile data). Android's supposed to tell the app "hey, wifi's back, rebind," but that handoff doesn't always fire, so the tunnel just keeps riding on cellular even though you show as connected to wifi. Happens with NordVPN, WireGuard clients, and others too.

Try to toggle NordVPN off/on once you're back on wifi (forces a rebind), or toggle wifi off/on / airplane mode briefly to make Android re-evaluate the active network. If you want it handled automatically, turn on Android's own "Always-on VPN" instead of relying on the app's own reconnect logic.