iOS 11.2 iPad中IKEv2 VPN为何缺失Send All Traffic选项？

Great question—this is a common point of confusion when comparing iOS's VPN implementations to other platforms like Windows. Let’s break down the design choices behind this omission:

1. IKEv2's Security-First Mobile Design #

iOS’s IKEv2 stack is optimized for mobile security and simplicity, unlike older protocols like L2TP which carry legacy design baggage. Apple made the deliberate call to default IKEv2 to a full tunnel (equivalent to "Send All Traffic = yes") because mobile users often rely on VPNs for sensitive work or personal data. A user-facing toggle here could lead to accidental misconfigurations—like enabling split tunneling without realizing it’s leaking unencrypted traffic outside the VPN.

The "Send All Traffic" toggle for L2TP exists because that protocol was never designed with mobile security as a primary goal; it’s a holdover to accommodate legacy use cases where split tunneling was more common on fixed desktop setups.

2. Platform-Specific Use Case Prioritization #

Windows’ IKEv2 implementation caters to a much broader set of use cases—from corporate desktops to home users who might regularly switch between full tunnel and split tunneling for things like streaming or local network access. Apple, however, prioritizes consistency and security for mobile users, where unexpected traffic leaks can have more severe consequences (e.g., exposing sensitive data on public Wi-Fi).

3. How to Get Split Tunneling for IKEv2 on iOS #

If you need to control which traffic goes through the IKEv2 VPN (split tunneling), you can’t do it via the native Settings app. Instead, you’ll need to create a custom VPN profile using:

• Apple Configurator 2 (free for Mac)
• A mobile device management (MDM) solution for enterprise setups

In the profile, you can define specific IP ranges or domains that should route through the VPN. All other traffic will use your device’s default internet connection, effectively replicating the "Send All Traffic = no" behavior you get on Windows.

内容的提问来源于stack exchange，提问作者Jimm Chen