The ability to mask users’ IP addresses is one of the main reasons why so many people around the world are increasingly turning to VPN services. However, one of the best VPN apps today has recently taken this feature a step further.
ExpressVPN doesn’t just spoof your real IP. It also automatically gives you a new random IP every time you visit a different website or web server, without having to change your server location. As a result, the provider explains, it’s even harder for authorities or attackers to link your online activity to a specific server.
So-called ShuffleIP is a core component of ExpresssVPN’s infrastructure, meaning you don’t have to pay extra to use it. The provider also claims that while some competitors offer a similar feature, ShuffleIP is a “more protective” dynamic IP assignment method.
ExpressVPN ShuffleIP: How does it work?
As Pete Membrey, Chief Engineering Officer at ExpressVPN, explains in a blog postMost of these providers’ VPN servers connect to a pool of several dozen IPs at that location, rather than just one IP.
Every time you initiate a connection to a website or web server, ExpressVPN randomly assigns an IP from this pool – also known as a swarm. This means that your ISP (internet service provider), for example, sees a different IP for every site you visit, even though you haven’t changed your ExpressVPN location.
This automatic reassignment of IP addresses complicates any form of traffic analysis.
Pete Membrey
“This makes it extremely difficult for any observer, even those with access to the user’s device, to track the user’s activities and link them to specific remote servers or build a profile based on the user’s browsing habits,” Membrey explains.
On mobile, the protection goes even deeper. After a few seconds, the VPN system automatically disconnects an app running in the background. When you reopen the app, the app reconnects and ExpressVPN assigns you a new IP address for that connection.
“This automatic IP reassignment (via ExpressVPN’s ShuffleIP feature) complicates any kind of traffic analysis, as each app’s connection regularly receives a new and random IP address,” Membrey said.
It is worth noting, however, that not all ExpressVPN servers integrate ShuffleIP. This also applies to the virtual locations, which use a single IP each. Despite this, the provider promises to use the same strong encryption protocols and strict no-logs policy across the entire network.
Dynamic IP: ExpressVPN vs. Competitors
As I mentioned earlier, ExpressVPN isn’t the only provider that dynamically changes IP addresses.
For example, Surfshark is one of the most reliable services in the industry and also offers IP rotation. When enabled, Surfshark’s software will change your IP every 5-10 minutes.
Would you like to know more?
Check out our guide to how VPNs work for a jargon-free explanation of these handy tools.
However, according to Membrey, this method creates identifiable patterns that can be linked to the same person. He believes that it would be demonstrably more secure to have no rotation at all, since a continuous IP address is always shared among multiple users anyway.
He said: “ShuffleIP’s approach is more dynamic and unpredictable. Each outgoing connection to a web server or website is assigned a different IP address than the swarm, ensuring that even if the same IP address is reused during a session, overall anonymity is significantly improved.”
ExpressVPN also promises that ShuffleIP won’t impact performance. That’s because while each connection to a web server or website is assigned a different IP, the session itself remains stable.
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1. Accessing a service from another country (subject to the terms and conditions of that service).
2. Protect your online security and strengthen your online privacy abroad.
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