VPN Kill Switch explained
Bernard Hastings | Last Updated:
Technical Writer
What is the most important concern for you when you use a VPN? Many users say that they value their privacy and network reliability is a major issue for them. They don’t want their real IP to show because of a minor drop in VPN connection. Sometimes, anonymity can be extremely important. For example, if you live in a country with repressive laws and use a VPN to voice your opinion against the government policies, a drop in the VPN connection might be physically dangerous to you.
Network drops happen
While most leading VPN providers are reliable, there can be unexpected network drops anytime. Many of them provide 99.99% uptime but there can always be that 0.01% of downtime. Connection drops generally happen because of reasons such as poor internet connection, unstable protocol, or your firewall settings. There might be any reason behind the drop but it will leak your real IP which can be a really bad thing.
What is a Kill switch?
When you turn on the kill switch while using VPN and a connection drop occurs, it will drop the internet connection as well. This way, you will be unable to send unprotected data on the internet. When you get a VPN service from a provider, make sure they offer a kill switch. The option will be present in their client software. When you launch the client to run the VPN, switch on the kill switch and browse safely.
When the switch is engaged, you will not be able to connect to the internet. A kill switch is found in all good VPN services.
Stay safe online with a VPN with a kill switch
Why do you use or plan to use a VPN? If you do it to keep your details safe from hackers and federal agencies, you would not want to take huge risks such as IP leaks. In countries like Saudi Arabia and China, a person can be prosecuted and awarded harsh punishments for posting online comments against the government. If you plan to voice your opinion online, make sure you log in with an anonymous account and always use a VPN whenever you use the internet. Using just any VPN will not be enough – you need a trusted service that does not keep logs and offers a kill switch so that if the government ever contacts the VPN service to hand over your usage logs, they wouldn’t have any.
PRIVACY ALERT: Websites you visit can see your current IP Address:
- Your IP Address: 3.149.229.253
- Your Location: Dublin, US
- Your Internet Provider: Amazon.com, Inc.
* Scammers, Governments, and Advertisers can use this information to track and target you.
Our recommended vpn service provider for general all-round internet security and online privacy is ExpressVPN. It offers an excellent selection of online security and internet privacy features, excellent speed, and the ability to unblock your favorite streaming services (Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime, BBC iPlayer).
Visit ExpresssVPNCategories: Guides
