VPN SmartRoute: Connect Through Two Locations for Greater Privacy

VPN SmartRoute routes your traffic through two VPN locations to add another layer of privacy and flexible routing.

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A laptop is open and showing the PrivadoVPN Settings menu with SmartRoute visible and enabled. There is also a mobile phone showing the same thing in a mobile version of the app.

What Is VPN SmartRoute?

VPN SmartRoute is a multi-hop VPN routing feature that sends your encrypted traffic through two VPN locations instead of one. Instead of connecting to a single VPN server, SmartRoute creates a two-stage path that separates the entry and exit points of your connection. The first server acts as the entry point, while the second server acts as the exit point that websites detect. This two-stage routing adds an additional layer of privacy by separating where your connection begins from where it appears on the Internet.

The first location acts as the entry point, encrypting and forwarding your traffic. The second location acts as the exit point, where your traffic appears to originate from on the Internet.

A closeup of the PrivadoVPN app server selection screen. SmartRoute is highlighted and the user is prompted to “Select Your Exit Location.”

How SmartRoute Works

SmartRoute uses a two-stage VPN connection:

Entry Server (Automatic Selection)

PrivadoVPN selects the fastest entry location automatically.

Encrypted Relay

Traffic moves from the entry server to the exit server while staying encrypted.

Exit Server (Your Selection)

Your selected exit location determines the visible region and IP address.

Internet Access

Websites and services detect the exit server location.

Benefits of SmartRoute

SmartRoute adds flexibility and privacy compared with a single-location VPN connection.

Increased Privacy

Routing through two VPN locations makes activity harder to correlate to a single source.

Flexible Routing

Traffic can enter through the fastest location while exiting through the region you choose.

Reduced Correlation Risk

Separating entry and exit locations adds distance between your device and the visible Internet address.

Stable Performance

The fastest entry location is selected automatically to keep performance strong.

SmartRoute vs Double VPN vs Multi-Hop VPN

People use different terms for routing through multiple VPN servers. Here is how VPN SmartRoute compares.

VPN SmartRoute

  • Two-stage path with an automatically selected entry location
  • Manually selected exit location
  • Designed for simple setup with flexible exit routing

Double VPN

  • Two VPN servers in sequence
  • Often uses a fixed pair (or a limited set of pairs)
  • Built to add extra separation, with less control over where traffic exits

Multi-Hop VPN

  • A broader category meaning traffic passes through two or more VPN servers
  • Can include double VPN or routing designs like SmartRoute
  • May involve more hops, which can add latency

Quick takeaway: SmartRoute is a multi-hop approach with a fast entry location and a user-selected exit location.

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When SmartRoute Is Better Than a Standard VPN Connection

A standard VPN connection is usually the best choice when speed and simplicity matter most.

SmartRoute can be the better option when:

  • You want traffic to appear from a specific region, but still want a fast entry location
  • You want extra separation between where you connect and where you exit
  • You are using the VPN for privacy-focused browsing and prefer a two-stage path

If the goal is maximum speed for everyday use, a single VPN location is typically the better fit.

A closeup of the PrivadoVPN desktop app showing an Entry Location in Frankfurt, Germany and the user having chosen an exit location in London, UK.

How to Enable SmartRoute

  1. 1 Open the PrivadoVPN application
  2. 2 Open the Settings menu
  3. 3 Select SmartRoute
  4. 4 Choose an exit location
  5. 5 Click Save and connect to the VPN

Once enabled, VPN connections use your selected exit location until you disable SmartRoute. The entry location is selected automatically.

The SmartRoute Settings page in the PrivadoVPN desktop app showing that the checkbox to enable SmartRoute has been selected, the All Traffic radio button is active, the entry location is selected as Frankfurt, Germany, and the exit location is Amsterdam, Netherlands.

SmartRoute and Other PrivadoVPN Features

SmartRoute works alongside several other PrivadoVPN security and privacy features to create a layered protection system.

Kill Switch

Stops Internet traffic if the VPN connection drops so your real IP address is not exposed.

Threat Prevention

Blocks trackers, malicious domains, and known harmful websites before they load.

Ad Blocker

Reduces advertising networks and tracking scripts across websites and apps.

Secure DNS

Routes DNS requests through protected DNS servers to help prevent DNS monitoring and manipulation.

Split Tunneling

Choose which apps use the VPN connection and which connect directly to the Internet.

PhantomMode

Blocks trackers and app-based network requests even when the VPN is disconnected.

Parental Controls

Filter categories of websites and manage Internet access across devices.

Cross-Device Support

PrivadoVPN supports Windows, macOS, Android, iOS, Fire TV, Android TV, and tvOS.

Start Using VPN SmartRoute with PrivadoVPN

VPN SmartRoute is available to PrivadoVPN users who want more control over how their connection moves across the Internet. With a fast entry location selected automatically and a customizable exit location, SmartRoute adds flexible routing and an additional privacy layer to everyday browsing.

Create a PrivadoVPN account to start using VPN SmartRoute and experience multi‑location VPN routing designed for privacy, speed, and control.

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Frequently Asked Questions

VPN SmartRoute is a multi-hop VPN routing feature that sends encrypted traffic through two VPN locations instead of one. One server acts as the entry point and another acts as the exit point visible to the Internet.
VPN SmartRoute connects your device to an entry server first. That server forwards encrypted traffic to a second VPN location, which becomes the visible exit point for websites and online services.
A normal VPN connection routes traffic through one server. SmartRoute uses two servers: an entry location and an exit location.
Both technologies use multiple VPN servers. Double VPN often routes traffic through fixed server pairs, while SmartRoute allows the exit location to be selected while the fastest entry location is chosen automatically.
The exit location can be selected manually. The entry location is chosen automatically based on network performance.
Routing through two VPN locations can add network distance. PrivadoVPN automatically selects the fastest entry location to maintain strong connection speeds.
VPN SmartRoute can be useful when you want additional privacy layers, more flexible routing paths, or when you want traffic to appear from a different region than your entry location.
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