The ability to mask users’ IP addresses is one of the main reasons why more and more people around the world are using VPN services. However, one of the best VPN apps today has taken this feature a step further.
Not only does ExpressVPN spoof your real IP, it also automatically gives you a new random IP every time you access a different website or web server – without needing to change your server location. As a result, the provider explains, it’s even harder for authorities or attackers to link your online activities to a specific server.
So called Mix IP is one of the core components of ExpressVPN's infrastructure, meaning you don't need to pay extra to use it. The provider also maintains that while some competitors offer a similar feature, ShuffleIP is a “more protective” method of dynamic IP assignment.
ExpressVPN ShuffleIP: How does it work?
As Pete Membrey, director of engineering at ExpressVPN, explains in a blog post, most of the provider's VPN servers are tied to a pool with a few dozen IP addresses located in that location rather than just one.
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, will see a different IP for each site you visit, even if you haven't changed your ExpressVPN location.
This automatic IP reassignment 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 and link the user's activities to specific remote servers or create a profile based on the user's browsing habits,” Membrey explains.
For mobile devices, protection is even greater. After a few seconds, the VPN system automatically closes the connection to an app in the background. As soon as you reopen the app, it will reconnect and ExpressVPN will assign you a new IP address for that connection.
“This automatic IP reassignment (via ExpressVPN's ShuffleIP feature) complicates any form of traffic analysis, as each app's connection regularly receives a new, random IP,” Membrey said.
However, it is worth mentioning that not all ExpressVPN servers integrate ShuffleIP. This includes its virtual locations, which each use a different IP. Despite this, the provider promises to employ the same strong encryption protocols and strict no-logging policy across its network.
Dynamic IP: ExpressVPN vs. the Competition
As I mentioned earlier, ExpressVPN is not the only provider that dynamically changes IP addresses.
Surfshark, for example, is one of the most reliable services in the industry and also offers IP rotation. If enabled, Surfshark’s software will change your IP every 5 to 10 minutes.
Want to know more?
Check out our guide on how VPNs work for a jargon-free explanation of these useful tools.
According to Membrey, however, this method creates identifiable patterns that could be linked to the same person. He believes it would be safer not to have rotation, since a continuous IP address is always shared with 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 from the one in 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 doesn’t affect performance. This is because while each connection to a web server or website is assigned a different IP, the session itself remains stable.
We test and evaluate VPN services in the context of legal recreational uses. For example:
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 when you are abroad.
We do not support or tolerate illegal or malicious use of VPN services. Future Publishing does not endorse or approve the consumption of pirated content for which payment is required.
