VPN, no doubt, is a lifesaver service, but can we even keep the connection alive the whole time we are up and about? Should we keep a VPN live 24/7? How do we keep a VPN connection from dropping? Before we venture further in search of these questions, let’s recap what’s a VPN, and why we need it.
A virtual private network (or VPN for short) as the name suggests, is a private network that is virtually set up in a remote location, thus efficiently shielding our online activities from prying eyes. It is recommended to use a VPN for not only safety and privacy issues, but also for bypassing regional restrictions.
Can we keep a VPN on all the time?
It is already a fact that VPN can help us a lot. Given its dynamic nature, we can rely on it to resolve our variety of privacy and security issues. However, there are those, who appear apprehensive towards the usage of VPN, more so round the clock.
First, to answer the question — can a VPN be kept on all the time?
It is recommended to use a VPN like NordVPN or ExpressVPN for not only safety and privacy issues, but also for bypassing regional restrictions.
Yes, it’s possible, and actually easy, to keep a VPN connection on all the time. There are a ton of customization and configurations a VPN service provides, including, such as, auto-connection that will connect us to the VPN at startup. There is also a kill switch, which will ensure that the moment it detects no VPN, it will by default turn off our internet connection.
So, should you keep a VPN on all the time?
It totally depends on why you are using a VPN. Let’s browse the following FAQs to find out.
- Do you frequently use public/free Wi-Fi?
- Does your ISP (internet service provider) throttle your bandwidth?
- Are you using torrents?
- Do you frequently make online payments?
- Do you want to access geo-restricted/censored content?
- Are you worried about online privacy?
If you answered YES for most of the questions aforementioned, then it’s imperative that you keep your VPN alive and kicking the whole time you are online.
Then, how do we keep a VPN on all the time?
For Windows 10: when using a manual VPN connection
You will need to auto-connect to the VPN by using the Windows AutoStart sequence. It will ensure that your VPN is running as soon as the system boots up. Also, the connection has to be dropped manually thus it will essentially keep your VPN on all the time
Follow the easy steps mentioned below to auto-connect your manual VPN:
1. Create a VPN connection.
- Click on the Start button and head to Network Connections.
- Select VPN and press Add a VPN connection.
- Add the required VPN connection details.
- Copy the Connection name, Username, and Password.
- Click Save.
2. Create a BAT file.
- Open Notepad (Ctrl + R, type notepad, press Enter)
- Paste the code: c:windowssystem32rasdial.exe YourConnectionName YourUsername YourPassword
- Fill in the details you previously copied in the code given above.
- Save the Notepad file and exit.
- Change the notepad file extension from .TXT to .BAT
3. Add the BAT file to Windows AutoStart sequence.
- Press Ctrl + R, type shell:startup, and press Enter.
- Copy the BAT file to this location.
- Restart your PC.
For Windows 10: when using a VPN desktop client.
Running VPN all the time while using a VPN desktop client is very easy and hassle-free. All you need to do is follow these easy instructions:
- Launch the VPN client.
- Head to its configuration settings screen.
- Enable the “connect at start up” feature.
- Head over to look for the kill switch feature and enable it too.
And we are set. Not only will the VPN connect at system boot, but it will keep on running the entire time you are online. If by chance the VPN connection drops, the kill switch will immediately cut off your internet connection, thus preventing any loss in security.
For Android Smartphones
Unlike Windows system, android smartphones have a huge constraint that is their limited battery life, which in turn leads many to either ignore VPN or to use it occasionally (manually connecting and disconnecting)
There are obvious reasons why one shall use VPN on android phones constantly. One of which is that it will prevent ISPs from stealing your data. Another one is android phones often send and receive data packets in the background even while locked, which in turn can lead to a security leak.
So, if you want to keep a VPN on all the time while on a smartphone, just follow these simple steps.
- Run the Settings app and click on Wi-Fi & network (some have this as connections)
- Then tap on VPN
- Press the gear icon on the right next to the name of your VPN app
- Toggle on the “Always-on VPN” and “Block connections without VPN” options.
- Disable battery optimization for your VPN app in case you end up killing it when you lock the phone.