Hide your IP address with Surfshark VPN in 2024 - Surfshark (2024)

FAQs

Hide your IP address with Surfshark VPN in 2024 - Surfshark? ›

A strict no-logs policy

To be private means to be private from everyone, including your VPN provider. Surfshark never tracks what you do online, meaning that no connection logs are kept aside from what is needed to keep your VPN tunnel up.

A strict no-logs policy

To be private means to be private from everyone, including your VPN provider. Surfshark never tracks what you do online, meaning that no connection logs are kept aside from what is needed to keep your VPN tunnel up.

It opens a new browser window where you have no history; you're not logged into any sites, etc. However, stealth mode is not as secure as many assume: your surfing habits can still be seen by your internet provider, and websites you log into while in 'stealth' will obviously know who you are.

A VPN connection allows you to change your virtual location and hides your activity. As a result, you often get better deals when your VPN is on. Disclaimer: Please note that using Surfshark services for any illegal activities is strictly forbidden and constitutes a violation of our Terms of Service.

According to Surfshark, there is no way to track live, encrypted VPN traffic, which means that government agencies would need to contact your VPN provider to obtain information about your online activities.

The good news is that there is almost no way to track live, encrypted VPN traffic. Law enforcement can only obtain data, if available, about websites visited and so on. Otherwise, hackers and snooping government agencies are generally blocked by the fact that the data is encrypted.

By connecting to a VPN server, you get a different IP address (that of the server) and encrypt your internet connection. The server's IP address replaces your original address, and the sites and services you visit will not know who you are unless you identify yourself.

1 Plus, knowing your IP address by itself isn't harmful. As long as Surfshark doesn't know what websites you visited, there's no way your IP address can be used to backtrack your VPN activity. In short, Surfshark is trustworthy, despite its logging of IP addresses.

The government may see (by asking your Internet Service Provider) that you're using a VPN service. However, they still can't see the websites you're using while connected to a VPN. To avoid such dangers posed by the governments, Surfshark VPN has an obfuscation called “Camouflage mode.”

Can an IP address be traced through a VPN? ›

A premium quality VPN encrypts data and hides your IP address by routing your activity through a VPN server; even if someone tries to monitor your traffic, all they'll see is the VPN server's IP and complete gibberish. Beyond that, you can only be tracked with information you provide to sites or services you log into.

Leaving your VPN on increases privacy and security

If you frequently use public Wi-Fi (in places like cafés, airport terminals, and hotels) then it's vital your VPN is kept on because these networks tend to be insecure, which means hackers and snoopers could easily gain access to your online data/activity.

When should you turn off your VPN? While we recommend to keep your VPN on as much as possible, there may be cases when you actually need it off. This includes accessing local content or devices. For instance, you may need to access streaming services that are unavailable in countries you're virtually connected to.

How can the FBI track a VPN? The FBI and other law enforcement agencies cannot track encrypted VPN traffic, even if they have a court order. However, they may force your internet service provider (ISP) to disclose your connection and usage logs, which will show that you use a VPN.

Overview of VPN detection methods. VPNs can be detected through simple mechanisms like comparing the actual browser timezone with the target server's exit node or by using databases that store information about whether a given IP address belongs to the VPN.

Your ISP and other online entities can still see that you're online and generating traffic from your device. However, as long as you're connected to a VPN, your ISP and other entities capable of monitoring your connection can only see that you're sending encrypted data to a server.

It's a good thing Surfshark has a “no-logs” policy. Under this policy, it won't capture any sensitive browsing data – what files you downloaded or websites you visited – while you're connected to the service. Concerningly, though, Surfshark does log the IP address of users connecting to its VPN.

Your ISP can see your VPN connection because it recognizes an unfamiliar IP address. However, it cannot see anything specific about your online activity, like your search and download history or the websites you visit.

You can't be tracked using a VPN because it encrypts your data. As a result, your ISP or bad actors can't get any information out of your traffic. They only see the VPN server's IP address (e.g. if you're connected to a US server, the US IP address is visible), while your real IP and online activities stay hidden.

We never track, log, or store your browsing history, data transfers, or anything else you do online, so you can rest assured that your personal information remains private and secure.