Yes, devices linked to a laptop hotspot would send their data via the VPN if it was active on the laptop.
Yes, devices linked to a laptop hotspot would send their data via the VPN if it was active on the laptop.
The main concern is whether enabling a VPN on your laptop will encrypt all data from connected devices, including your phone. If you connect a device to the laptop via VPN, it should route its traffic through the same secure tunnel. You could potentially access US Netflix through the phone if both are properly configured with the VPN active.
It might depend on the method you use to set up the Wi-Fi hotspot. If it skips the VPN, those devices won't connect properly.
Windows includes a native WiFi hotspot control, and I’m currently using it. The device I have is an XPS 15 9550.
In theory it should work, but depends on how Windows handles network sharing. If the adapter connects the primary network card to the Wi-Fi hotspot, it might avoid the VPN. A simple test: 1. Turn off the VPN 2. Look up your WAN IP on the laptop (search “what is my IP”) 3. Reconnect the VPN 4. Verify your WAN IP again (it should now differ and match the VPN server’s IP) 5. Keep the VPN active. Activate the Wi-Fi hotspot. 6. See your IP on the wireless client—if it matches the first IP, you’re not routed through the VPN. If it matches the second IP, you are. It’s straightforward to confirm.
It seems I answered my own query. With ExpressVPN, the VPN traffic goes through. I linked my phone to the laptop using the VPN and everything worked fine. When I ran a speed test on the phone, it didn’t show anything. Turning off the VPN on the laptop caused the test to start immediately. This suggests the VPN pass-through feature isn’t functioning properly. In retrospect, it makes sense since ExpressVPN has its own service for WLAN routers, which is what I was trying to mimic. It probably wouldn’t be easy to replicate with their standard device offerings. Thanks!
It seems like you're dealing with a potential issue where your PC might be using the default network route unintentionally while connected to the VPN. This could be due to a settings change in Windows 10 or a VPN configuration problem. You should focus on sharing the internet connection rather than just acting as a hotspot. If the VPN appears as a network device, there may be an option to "share this internet connection."