Yes, a VPN can sometimes kill your internet connection, and that could happen for a few reasons. And sometimes, it could have little to do with the VPN itself. But I’m getting ahead of myself, let us go into details explaining why a VPN is disconnecting and what you can do about it.
Protecting your data
This could be the main reason why VPN disconnects; most VPNs come with the so-called “kill switch” that will cut you off from the Internet should the VPN connection drops for any reason. By doing so, a kill switch prevents the user from unknowingly being connected to the network unprotected. This, in turn, will keep your IP address hidden from prying eyes even if your VPN service stops working.
Something could always go wrong and therefore, all of the top VPNs include the kill switch capability in all of their apps — not just those for computers.
There is a problem with your Internet connection
A different reason could come from your Internet connection. Before blaming the VPN app for the problem you should first check whether the slowdown is really due to a VPN.
To do this, simply turn off the VPN and browse around the web as you usually do — just don’t visit the fishy websites. Better yet, see if you can repeat the steps that led to the VPN disconnection. Try Speedtest by Ookla, download some files and so on.
Now turn on the VPN, connect to it and try again. This should give you an idea whether the problem is really in your VPN software or not.
Select a different server location
Perhaps you’re always selecting a server in the U.S. or Europe, and say – you live in Asia. If you don’t need to access stuff in the U.S. or Europe, go for the server that is closer to where you live. This could help you remove the VPN disconnect issue.
Sure, for some things like accessing Disney+ or U.S. Netflix you will need to connect to far off places — but do that only when that is really necessary. Otherwise, select nearby servers while still keeping your anonymity online.
The reason for this is simple — as you connect to distant servers, data has to pass through several networks before getting to your server — and that makes a big difference in performance. And yes, it could also lead to a VPN disconnecting you from the Internet.
Change the protocol
For most people, the OpenVPN protocol is the best – offering the highest level of security and performance. But that doesn’t mean that some other protocol, presuming it is supported by your VPN provider, won’t deliver equally fast download speeds.
We’ve read stories of people getting a more stable connection with the IKEv2 protocol, which provides an almost equal level of security.
Also, there is PPTP and the brand new WireGuard which is supported by a few VPN providers. Try them out and see if that helps.
Disable “heavy” software
There could be a data-hungry software running in the background that is causing the VPN connection to drop. It could be Windows itself or some other app downloading a heavy update. Also, there is some software that is constantly connecting to the internet and VPN may have a problem with it. These could be slowing down your experience and even get your connection to drop. See if you see something strange in the Task Manager and also check out the VPN app settings.
Bear in mind that turning off some software may be temporary and you can start it again once you finish what you wanted to do online.
Restart everything
It is a last resort or the first one if you ask some experts.
If you can’t make your VPN to keep a stable connection, try restarting your computer and see if that helps. Also, try restarting your router – there may be other devices that have been connecting to it for data-hungry tasks (like the mentioned updates). And as far as you (don’t) know, your neighbor may have decided to piggyback on your internet, slowing it down along the way.
…
If all of the above doesn’t help, perhaps it’s time to switch a VPN provider. But first, you may want to contact their support and explain the problem. They may be able to help you out by providing you with some specific settings you may not be aware of.
And when that doesn’t help, well – you may have to get another VPN. For that, we suggest you consult our list of Best of the Best VPNs, which has the field-tested services that have been proven to seamlessly work from a number of countries. They won’t let you down.