On February 23rd, 2022, Surfshark signaled a ‘new era of VPNs’ with the introduction of its latest technology, Nexus. Nexus is a game-changer in the VPN industry as the Software-defined networking (SDN) technology improves privacy and resolves issues that standard VPN connections suffer from.
Surfshark has been working on this project for around three years and is finally ready to share it with the world. Here’s everything you need to know about Surfshark Nexus and why we think it will influence how other VPN services operate.
What is Surfshark Nexus?
Surfshark Nexus is an SDN technology that connects VPN users to an entire network of servers instead of establishing a connection to a single server. Rather than your internet traffic entering and exiting via the same server, you’ll now be able to choose entry and exit points and send your data through several servers before it reaches its destination.
By sending user data through a network made up of many servers, Nexus removes the common problems that VPN users face. For example, server drops are less likely to cause disruptions as your traffic can easily be re-routed to another server in the network. Furthermore, high user loads on servers shouldn’t cause further disruptions as Nexus enables data to be spread across several servers and not condensed on just one.
Features of Surfshark Nexus
Surfshark Nexus comes with several interesting features that increase privacy and help to improve the reliability of VPN connections.
- IP Rotator: This is a feature we’re really excited to see. Although HideMyAss! offers a similar feature with its IP shuffle, Nexus’ IP Rotator appears to be an automatic feature. It will change your IP address at certain intervals during your VPN session so that you cannot be linked to just one IP address. Therefore, if anyone were to try and track your VPN usage during a single session, they’d be unable to due to the IP rotations. Better yet, this feature changes your IP without ever disconnecting you from the VPN. Say goodbye to the days of manually switching servers!
- IP Randomizer: The IP Randomizer is another great feature that distances your online actions from just one IP address. This feature changes your IP address every time you visit a new website or app. This makes it harder for websites to track your VPN use and completely hides your browsing habits from third parties.
- Dynamic MultiHop: The Dynamic MultiHop builds upon the impressive MultiHop technology that Surfshark offers. Now, users can choose the routes their internet traffic takes, choosing entry and exit points. This means if you want to send your data from the UK > Spain > Germany, you can do so.
Benefits of Surfshark Nexus
As you can see from the features listed above, Surfshark Nexus provides a more private VPN experience than before. By sending traffic via multiple servers and changing IP addresses frequently, users will enjoy more layers of privacy.
Not only will Nexus improve privacy, but it will also resolve speed and connection issues. When you connect to a standard VPN server, your entire connection depends on the status of that server; if it goes down, you lose the connection. Since Nexus truly is a network, if one server goes down, you won’t lose access to the VPN; instead, your data will be re-routed through the other available servers.
Nexus also is a state-of-the-art technology because it can adapt to traffic patterns. So, if you’re using the VPN to unblock a streaming site, Nexus will recognize this and direct your data via the best route for the fastest speeds. Although you may think that Surfshark needs to see your traffic for this feature to work, all that it can view is traffic patterns. Nothing will link you to your VPN use.
Will Nexus Change the VPN Industry?
We certainly think that Nexus is going to shake things up. Unlike other VPN services, Surfshark Nexus is the first real network of connected servers. We believe other VPNs will follow suit and begin to unveil similar features or tools that build off of Nexus. NordVPN and Surfshark VPN signed a merger earlier this month and this consolidation may see NordVPN developing its own version of Nexus.
If you’re afraid of change, don’t be scared to give Nexus a try. Although the specifics may sound complex, the technology is designed to provide you with a more accessible and private VPN experience. You can also still send your data via one server if you wish to. However, it’s great to know that you now have more options than before when it comes to improving your internet privacy with a VPN.
I’m Madeleine, and I'm a writer that specializes in cybersecurity, tech products, and all things related to the internet.
I have a keen interest in VPNs and believe that everyone deserves internet freedom and security. I wr...
Read more about the author
