[Solved] Kill switch when VPN connection drops

To my knowledge the VPN will be reconnected automatically and keeps assigned to a device even after eBlocker reboot. At least with Tor I can confirm this behavior for sure.

True for both. After reboot eBlocker automatically connect to the VPN and even when VPN connections drops, eBlocker reconnect to VPN. I have seen both happening. But what is happening with the traffic between the VPN connection drop and the reconnect?

Posted by: @mrsmith42

But what is happening with the traffic between the VPN connection drop and the reconnect?

That‘s completely out of control for eBlocker and depends on the services using the VPN traffic. Most services will try to reconnect a few times and if connection is not back up within a timeframe (timeout) it will stop retrying.

ok, maybe its a misunderstanding on my part and your reply answer my question.

So, when I understand you correctly, if I use my VPN provider in eBlocker over OpenVPN for a client (e.g. my laptop) and the connection to the VPN provider is dropped because of whatever reason eBlocker tries to reconnect to the VPN provider and only when the connection is restored again, internet traffic is flowing again.
Can you confirm?

The tools (e.g. for Windows) from my VPN provider have a killswitch, but I now use eBlocker with OpenVPN and I like it much more because I can set it once in eBlocker and then I only have to activate VPN for each client. If I would use the tool from my VPN provider I would have to install the device specific version on each client.

Posted by: @mrsmith42

Can you confirm?

Positive.

Posted by: @mrsmith42

tools (e.g. for Windows) from my VPN provider have a killswitch

Killswitch: I‘m not sure what that is, sorry. It it‘s to disable: You can always disable VPN in the dashboard. 

Or do you want the VPN connection not to be re-established after Internet drop? Guess that can be easily implemented (as we had the behavior in the past and users complained).

You might also find a tweak in the openvpn.conf already?

I think this article is a good description of the meaning of a VPN kill switch:
https://whatismyipaddress.com/internet-kill-switch

Also from this article this is a pretty good summary:
It is a special VPN feature that automatically disconnects your computer, phone or tablet) from the Internet until the VPN connection is restored. With a kill switch, there’s no possibility that your IP address accidentally gets exposed, or the security and anonymity of your internet connection would be compromised.

So, I want to ensure that my IP address (from the internet provider) don't get exposed when for a client VPN is activated in eBlocker.

Thanks for the explanation. Appearantly I did‘t get your initial question. 

To my knowledge if VPN is down, client using that VPN has no connection. So no IP can leak thru other „channels“ if VPN is down.

That‘s due to the fact that eBlocker connects a device to an endpoint and routes all device traffic to that endpoint. Endpoint can be Tor or VPN. In case endpoint has no connection, device has co connection.

 So yes, if that‘s a killswitch - eBlocker has a killswitch.

Perfect, that was what I wanted to know.

Thanks for the clarification

Sorry to get back to this topic. To me, a kill switch is of high significance. And I had the issues with ProtonVPN that it lost the connection and I surfed "unprotected." I have spoken to Proton and they told me the kill switch is not an OpenVPN profile topic but an operating system topic.

Does anyone have a clue how much effort this would be?

In my ProtonVPN apps on computers they offer a kill switch.

And I dont mean this solution  🙂

https://www.connectedcrib.com/raspberry-pi-internet-kill-switch/

eBlocker has a default „kill switch“ implemented, so that „If the switch is activated, no data can be sent over your internet connection unless the VPN is enabled.“ (Definition from https://whatismyipaddress.com/internet-kill-switch)

To set up: Settings>Devices>Select device for VPN. Then select (scroll down) Anonymization and set it to your VPN. In the general VPN config make sure the Monitoring of VPN is disabled. This device will then always use VPN and you get exactly what‘s defined above (no Internet if VPN is down).

Personally I would rather enable Monitoring, so VPN is re-enabled automatically (s. here for details  https://eblocker.github.io/help/en-us/360013334693.html )

THX!

@random Ah, thanks. Great help....

Monitoring is disabled.

So you suggest regularly ping VPN Provider?

Posted by: @taipan

So you suggest regularly ping VPN Provider?

Yes, that's what I said above 🤔 

If you want a "kill switch" = "no internet" if VPN is down, DO NOT enable monitoring / ping provider. It's not overly complicated and you might want to check out the all new Instant Help for further details.

THX!