My (Windows) computer is connected with OpenVPN to my VPN provider. That means that everything goes through it, alternatively using its proxies as well for a little bit of variation.
In many situations, I don't want it to go through the VPN (or any proxy) when making a request. For example, when I use PHP to log in to my bank. Or when all proxies/VPNs are blocked from downloading a file, or loading a webpage, etc., which happens frequently. But then I'm stuck, because to the best of my knowledge, there is no way to tell PHP to "bypass the VPN and use my home IP address directly".
I would like something like:
php_bypass_VPN();
/* make cURL requests here */
php_restore_VPN();
Is it possible at all? If not, why is this not a major problem for anyone else? Or is it? It has caused countless issues for me, and not just in PHP context. For example, I would want the buffering local Internet radio station to go through my normal IP address as well, but no software I've ever seen provides any means to "bypass VPN".
If the solution involves hacking the OS and/or installing a bunch of spyware, I'll not be happy. Please tell me there is some simple way to do this, such as:
shell_exec('somebinary bypassvpntemporarily');
That would be swell, although a cross-platform solution would be vastly preferred.
