Gluetun’s firewall already acts as its VPN kill switch: when the VPN connection drops, it blocks traffic from Gluetun and containers sharing its network stack. The essential setup is to give Gluetun the NET_ADMIN capability, configure a supported VPN provider and protocol, and route each protected app through network_mode: "service:gluetun". There is no separate kill-switch toggle in the typical Compose configuration.
How Gluetun’s kill switch works
Gluetun calls the feature its firewall. Its official FAQ says the firewall allows only necessary network traffic and blocks traffic if the VPN connection goes down. The firewall’s default outbound policy permits the VPN connection’s interface, server IP, port, and protocol. See the Gluetun firewall FAQ.
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The protection applies to containers that actually share Gluetun’s network stack. A container that uses an independent network path is not protected merely because Gluetun is running alongside it.
Configure the Compose services
Use this as a minimal shape, not a drop-in provider configuration. Replace the provider and protocol values with ones supported by Gluetun, and supply the credentials or keys required by that provider. Gluetun’s Docker Compose guide shows provider-specific examples, including Mullvad with WireGuard.
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services:
gluetun:
image: qmcgaw/gluetun
cap_add:
- NET_ADMIN
ports:
- "8080:8080" # Example app web UI, if needed
environment:
- VPN_SERVICE_PROVIDER=your_provider
- VPN_TYPE=wireguard
# Add the provider-specific credentials and server options.
app:
image: your-app-image
network_mode: "service:gluetun"
depends_on:
- gluetun1. Set the provider and protocol
Configure VPN_SERVICE_PROVIDER and VPN_TYPE, then add the provider’s required authentication and server-selection settings. The placeholder values above are illustrative; they are not valid credentials or universal settings.
2. Give Gluetun network administration capability
Keep NET_ADMIN under cap_add on the Gluetun service. Gluetun needs this capability to manage the network and firewall rules.
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3. Route each protected app through Gluetun
Set the app’s network_mode to "service:gluetun". Apply this to every container you want covered. Check the full Compose configuration for any separate network path that would let an app bypass Gluetun.
4. Publish app ports on Gluetun
For a web interface or other port exposed from a container sharing Gluetun’s network stack, put the Compose ports mapping on the Gluetun service, not on the child app service. In the example, 8080:8080 is only an example mapping; use the app’s actual port and publish it only if needed.
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Allow access to a LAN only when needed
By default, the firewall is intended to keep outbound traffic on the VPN path. If a protected app must reach a local device or another specific subnet, add the smallest necessary range using FIREWALL_OUTBOUND_SUBNETS. This exception permits Gluetun and containers sharing its network to reach the specified subnet, so do not add broad private ranges without a clear need.
Make sure an allowed subnet does not overlap the VPN tunnel’s address range. Gluetun warns that overlap can misroute VPN-related traffic and disrupt port forwarding. The firewall options documentation also explains that when a hostname resolves to a private IP in an allowed outbound subnet, it may need to be added to DNS_REBINDING_PROTECTION_EXEMPT_HOSTNAMES.
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Know which kind of port forwarding you need
Docker port publishing and VPN-provider port forwarding solve different problems. A Compose mapping on Gluetun makes an app port reachable through the Docker host’s published port. VPN-provider forwarding opens a port through the VPN provider’s network; publishing a Docker port alone does not request that provider-side forwarding.
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Troubleshoot the common failures
- An app still has internet access when it should be routed through Gluetun: confirm its network mode is
"service:gluetun"and inspect the Compose configuration for another network path. - A web UI is unreachable: check that its port mapping is on the Gluetun service. Then check whether the intended access path also requires an appropriate firewall input exception.
- A local device or service cannot be reached: identify the specific subnet the app needs and allow that range with
FIREWALL_OUTBOUND_SUBNETS. If a private hostname resolves to an allowed private IP, check the DNS rebinding exemption option. - VPN port forwarding stops working after adding a subnet exception: check whether the allowed subnet overlaps the VPN tunnel address range; Gluetun documents that this can cause misrouting and forwarding failures.
- A port-forward rule has no effect: establish whether you need Docker host-to-container publishing or a port forwarded by the VPN provider, then configure the corresponding mechanism.
What Gluetun’s timing figures do—and do not—show
The Gluetun FAQ reports that firewall setup takes about 15 milliseconds from container start and that setting the firewall rules itself takes 10 milliseconds. The FAQ does not state a publication date for these figures. They are project documentation timing claims, not independent performance tests or measurements of leak-prevention reliability. The inspected documentation does not establish a leak rate or security-outcome statistic.
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