If I download something to my device which has a vpn turned on does the download route through the vpn server to the device and does the same apply to uploads?
Depends on the VPN (whether it’s split tunnel or not, etc) and the route configured on your device. If it’s configured correctly, everything will appear encrypted to the local network, but now your VPN becomes your provider that can see what you’re “downloading or uploading”.
it can protect against traffic inspection from the links along the vpn path, like your isp. the isp might not know what you’re googling or watching on netflix, but it can know that you’re using them which has value.
A VPN can obfuscate your actions. This should reduce the ability of an ISP to target you for uploading violations.
Never trust any VPNs man NONE.
As long as all traffic is set to go via the VPN the yes the content you’re downloading will come through the VPN.
Basically all traffic is download/upload so just because you downloaded a zip file is no different from downloading a web page.
The only time you might run into issues is using a different protocol. So most VPN’s support http/s (TCP and UDP) but might not support things like FTP, SSH, torrents etc.
This use ports that are different from your standard http/s so you need to check with your VPN provider of they accept it.
But even if they don’t normally that just means it won’t work not that you will be exposed. But that’s also pending how you setup your VPN and how you’re routing traffic through it.
What defines a “properly configured VPN”?
I never said I did, however, per my threat model it is better for me to have one than not have one. You either put your trust in a decent VPN provider or you place your trust in your ISP and I’d rather go with the former.
Yeah I never thought about whether it could support other protocols, but that is something to make note of as I would want it to.