---
type: concept
title: VPN Routing for SearXNG
description: Send only SearXNG outbound requests through a VPN while leaving all other local traffic alone.
tags:
  - vpn
  - searxng
  - networking
  - proxy
  - unverified
verified: 2026-08-28
timestamp: 2026-08-19
resource: https://docs.searxng.org/admin/settings/settings_outgoing.html
---

# VPN Routing for SearXNG

SearXNG talks to many upstream engines. Some of them rate-limit or block the source IP. You can send only that outbound path through a VPN and leave every other process on the host untouched.

This page gives four working patterns. Choose the one that matches how you run SearXNG.

> **Your setup:** SearXNG runs on another host at `192.168.0.143:8081` (dankclaw). Apply the Docker patterns on that host. The proxy pattern works from any host.

## The Goal

```mermaid
graph LR
    A[Local agent] --> B[SearXNG]
    B -->|through VPN| C[Upstream engines]
    D[Other local traffic] --> E[Plain internet]
```

The VPN carries only the SearXNG outbound path. Nothing else changes.

## Pattern 1: SearXNG Proxy Setting

SearXNG supports HTTP and SOCKS proxies natively. Point the outbound settings at a local proxy that exits through the VPN.

```yaml
outgoing:
  proxies:
    all://:
      - socks5://vpn-proxy:1080
  extra_proxy_timeout: 10.0
```

Apply the proxy to one engine only:

```yaml
engines:
  - name: google
    engine: google
    proxies:
      https:
        - socks5://vpn-proxy:1080
```

To force the VPN source IP on a multi-homed host, add `source_ips` and pin the engine to IPv4:

```yaml
outgoing:
  source_ips:
    - 10.8.0.2

engines:
  - name: my-search
    engine: duckduckgo
    network: ipv4
```

## Pattern 2: Gluetun (Recommended)

Gluetun is a VPN container (WireGuard or OpenVPN). Attach SearXNG to its network namespace. Only SearXNG shares the tunnel. Other containers stay on the default network.

```yaml
services:
  gluetun:
    image: qmcgaw/gluetun:latest
    cap_add: [NET_ADMIN]
    devices: [/dev/net/tun:/dev/net/tun]
    ports:
      - "8081:8080"
    environment:
      VPN_SERVICE_PROVIDER: mullvad
      VPN_TYPE: wireguard
      WIREGUARD_PRIVATE_KEY: <key>
    restart: always

  searxng:
    image: searxng/searxng:latest
    network_mode: service:gluetun
    depends_on:
      - gluetun
    volumes:
      - ./core-config:/etc/searxng
    restart: unless-stopped
```

Put the port mapping on the `gluetun` service. The `searxng` container does not get its own ports.

## Pattern 3: Dedicated Internal Network

Create a network that only SearXNG shares with a lighter VPN client.

```yaml
services:
  searxng:
    image: searxng/searxng:latest
    networks:
      - searxng-vpn
    volumes:
      - ./core-config:/etc/searxng

  vpn-client:
    image: dperson/openvpn-client:latest
    networks:
      - searxng-vpn
    cap_add:
      - NET_ADMIN

networks:
  searxng-vpn:
    internal: true
```

An OpenVPN client container is simpler than Gluetun when your provider uses OpenVPN.

## Pattern 4: Run SearXNG Inside the VPN Container

```yaml
services:
  searxng:
    image: searxng/searxng:latest
    network_mode: "container:vpn-client"
    depends_on:
      - vpn-client
    volumes:
      - ./core-config:/etc/searxng

  vpn-client:
    image: dperson/openvpn-client:latest
    cap_add: [NET_ADMIN]
    environment:
      VPN: server.address;username;password
    restart: always
```

This pattern places the whole SearXNG process inside the tunnel namespace. The host sees the tunnel as the only route for SearXNG.

## Compare the Patterns

| Pattern | Complexity | Isolation | Per-engine control |
|---------|-----------|-----------|--------------------|
| Proxy setting | Low | Medium | Yes |
| Gluetun | Medium | High | No |
| Dedicated network | Medium | High | No |
| Inside VPN container | Medium | Highest | No |

## Decisions That Matter

- A SOCKS proxy keeps the per-engine control. Use Pattern 1.
- Gluetun gives the cleanest full-tunnel setup. Use Pattern 2.
- Mullvad ships its own WireGuard keys for Gluetun.
- An OpenVPN-only provider works with Pattern 3 or 4.

## Verify the Route

1. Run the instance with the VPN active.
2. Query an IP-echo page through SearXNG.
3. Confirm that the returned IP differs from your host IP.
4. Confirm that unrelated host traffic keeps the host IP.

```bash
# Gluetun ships no curl; use its own endpoints or a throwaway container.
podman exec gluetun sh -c 'test -e /sys/class/net/tun0 && echo tunnel-up'
podman exec gluetun sh -c 'wget -qO- 127.0.0.1:9999/health'   # "OK" when up
# NOTE: :9999 is Gluetun's HTTP health server (200 "OK" / 500); :8000 is the
# CONTROL server (/v1/* API), which 404s on everything else. Do not health-
# probe :8000. Egress-IP check needs a real binary — run a companion
# container on gluetun's network: docker run --rm --net container:gluetun
# curlimages/curl -s ifconfig.me
```

## Citations

- SearXNG outgoing settings: <https://docs.searxng.org/admin/settings/settings_outgoing.html>
- SearXNG engine settings: <https://docs.searxng.org/admin/settings/settings_engines.html>
- Gluetun: <https://github.com/qdm12/gluetun>
- Connect a container to Gluetun: <https://github.com/qdm12/gluetun-wiki/blob/main/setup/connect-a-container-to-gluetun.md>
- Docker Compose networking: <https://docs.docker.com/compose/networking/>

## See Also

- [SearXNG Tuning](searxng-tuning.md) — The instance these patterns protect.
- [Agentic Search Best Practices](agentic-search-best-practices.md) — Proxy rotation and retries.