diff --git a/bypass/bypass.go b/bypass/bypass.go
index 0ad66e94..938fe6fb 100644
--- a/bypass/bypass.go
+++ b/bypass/bypass.go
@@ -24,15 +24,25 @@ const (
 	// connectTimeout is the default timeout for the HTTP CONNECT handshake
 	// when the caller's context has no deadline.
 	connectTimeout = 10 * time.Second
+
+	// dialTimeout is the timeout for establishing the initial TCP connection.
+	dialTimeout = 30 * time.Second
+
+	// dialKeepAlive is the interval for TCP keep-alive probes.
+	dialKeepAlive = 30 * time.Second
 )
 
 // DialContext tries to connect through the local bypass proxy. If the proxy is
 // not reachable (VPN not running), it falls back to a direct dial.
 func DialContext(ctx context.Context, network, addr string) (net.Conn, error) {
-	proxyConn, err := (&net.Dialer{}).DialContext(ctx, "tcp", ProxyAddr)
+	dialer := &net.Dialer{
+		Timeout:   dialTimeout,
+		KeepAlive: dialKeepAlive,
+	}
+	proxyConn, err := dialer.DialContext(ctx, "tcp", ProxyAddr)
 	if err != nil {
 		slog.Debug("bypass proxy not reachable, falling back to direct dial", "addr", addr, "error", err)
-		return (&net.Dialer{}).DialContext(ctx, network, addr)
+		return dialer.DialContext(ctx, network, addr)
 	}
 	tunnelConn, err := httpConnect(ctx, proxyConn, addr)
 	if err != nil {
diff --git a/go.mod b/go.mod
index 59b61ab7..3f59a414 100644
--- a/go.mod
+++ b/go.mod
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@ require (
 	github.com/getlantern/appdir v0.0.0-20250324200952-507a0625eb01
 	github.com/getlantern/common v1.2.1-0.20260121160752-d8ee5791108f
 	github.com/getlantern/dnstt v0.0.0-20260112160750-05100563bd0d
-	github.com/getlantern/fronted v0.0.0-20260219001615-7eabaa834efe
+	github.com/getlantern/fronted v0.0.0-20260225205111-41c9e534027a
 	github.com/getlantern/keepcurrent v0.0.0-20240126172110-2e0264ca385d
 	github.com/getlantern/kindling v0.0.0-20260219202502-df15c15dc5fb
 	github.com/getlantern/lantern-box v0.0.6-0.20260220213333-4b20583e43ff
diff --git a/go.sum b/go.sum
index 84fed3f1..c6bbc249 100644
--- a/go.sum
+++ b/go.sum
@@ -206,6 +206,8 @@ github.com/getlantern/fdcount v0.0.0-20210503151800-5decd65b3731 h1:v+vJ3LgV4nW4
 github.com/getlantern/fdcount v0.0.0-20210503151800-5decd65b3731/go.mod h1:XZwE+iIlAgr64OFbXKFNCllBwV4wEipPx8Hlo2gZdbM=
 github.com/getlantern/fronted v0.0.0-20260219001615-7eabaa834efe h1:Q4fwCDDqgw21GGitBPXol68wbAJGBNBolNsa8MS5wXk=
 github.com/getlantern/fronted v0.0.0-20260219001615-7eabaa834efe/go.mod h1:1a+iv1xzGxZWj/vCHzr8Z3dF9H1sNTuMSPHUqRsgbl0=
+github.com/getlantern/fronted v0.0.0-20260225205111-41c9e534027a h1:mZVn1e2boHzKk4JgKwQ4Eqhn+omowFWzPduxGHCmYRs=
+github.com/getlantern/fronted v0.0.0-20260225205111-41c9e534027a/go.mod h1:1a+iv1xzGxZWj/vCHzr8Z3dF9H1sNTuMSPHUqRsgbl0=
 github.com/getlantern/golog v0.0.0-20210606115803-bce9f9fe5a5f/go.mod h1:ZyIjgH/1wTCl+B+7yH1DqrWp6MPJqESmwmEQ89ZfhvA=
 github.com/getlantern/golog v0.0.0-20230503153817-8e72de7e0a65 h1:NlQedYmPI3pRAXJb+hLVVDGqfvvXGRPV8vp7XOjKAZ0=
 github.com/getlantern/golog v0.0.0-20230503153817-8e72de7e0a65/go.mod h1:+ZU1h+iOVqWReBpky6d5Y2WL0sF2Llxu+QcxJFs2+OU=
diff --git a/kindling/fronted/fronted.go b/kindling/fronted/fronted.go
index 49a26257..92e1f71d 100644
--- a/kindling/fronted/fronted.go
+++ b/kindling/fronted/fronted.go
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ import (
 	"log/slog"
 
 	"github.com/getlantern/fronted"
+	"github.com/getlantern/radiance/bypass"
 	"github.com/getlantern/radiance/kindling/smart"
 	"go.opentelemetry.io/otel"
 )
@@ -24,6 +25,7 @@ func NewFronted(ctx context.Context, panicListener func(string), cacheFile strin
 	frontedOptions := []fronted.Option{
 		fronted.WithPanicListener(panicListener),
 		fronted.WithCacheFile(cacheFile),
+		fronted.WithDialer(bypass.DialContext),
 	}
 	httpClient, err := smart.NewHTTPClientWithSmartTransport(logWriter, configURL)
 	if err != nil {
diff --git a/servers/manager.go b/servers/manager.go
index 9a101aed..e1a43c4b 100644
--- a/servers/manager.go
+++ b/servers/manager.go
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@ import (
 
 	C "github.com/getlantern/common"
 
+	"github.com/getlantern/radiance/bypass"
 	"github.com/getlantern/radiance/common"
 	"github.com/getlantern/radiance/common/atomicfile"
 	"github.com/getlantern/radiance/internal"
@@ -101,9 +102,8 @@ func NewManager(dataPath string) (*Manager, error) {
 		serversFile: filepath.Join(dataPath, common.ServersFileName),
 		access:      sync.RWMutex{},
 
-		// Note that we use a regular http.Client here because it is only used to access private
-		// servers the user has created.
-		// Use the same configuration as http.DefaultClient.
+		// Use the bypass proxy dialer to route requests outside the VPN tunnel.
+		// This client is only used to access private servers the user has created.
 		httpClient: retryableHTTPClient().StandardClient(),
 	}
 
@@ -118,11 +118,8 @@ func NewManager(dataPath string) (*Manager, error) {
 
 func retryableHTTPClient() *retryablehttp.Client {
 	transport := &http.Transport{
-		Proxy: http.ProxyFromEnvironment,
-		DialContext: (&net.Dialer{
-			Timeout:   30 * time.Second,
-			KeepAlive: 30 * time.Second,
-		}).DialContext,
+		Proxy:                 http.ProxyFromEnvironment,
+		DialContext:           bypass.DialContext,
 		ForceAttemptHTTP2:     true,
 		MaxIdleConns:          100,
 		IdleConnTimeout:       90 * time.Second,