Surfshark app stops and leaves android phone connected to network without VPN

VPN
1

Hi

I am a relatively new user. Surfshark works very well most of the time, but occasionally leaves me vulnerable to observation.

Observations:

  • Surfshark initially working, connected to multi-hop VPN, kill switch working
  • Phone discovered with surfshark not running: Evidence:
  1. no notification in notifications like there normally is,
  2. no surfshark icon along the top of the phone screen,
  3. no key icon along the top of the phone screen to indicate that a VPN is running
  4. surfshark not evident when I use the square box at the bottom of the phone screen to show me all the running apps for me to choose one and bring it to the foreground
  5. Starting surfshark app acts like the app is starting from scratch and making a connection
  • Naturally I find:
  1. My public IP address identifies my ISP
  2. Connections to torrent trackers blocked
  3. Torrent app stops sharing data
  • What I think I want
  1. Surfshark never to stop running, but I do understand that it may be the android OS that is letting me down
  2. Set up the android phone to use the “Android native kill switch” as mentioned in the surfshark app in settings/VPN settings

Technical details

  • Phone Huawei FIG-LX1
  • Phone build number 9.1.0.235
  • Kernel version 4.9.148
  • Android version 9.1.0
  • Internal storage 1.72 GB free out of 32 GB
  • RAM 3 GB

Any ideas?

Thanks

Vince

2

Hi, Vince, thanks for such a detailed post! We’d like to investigate this issue as well, could you send us a diagnostics report?
https://support.surfshark.com/hc/en-us/articles/13412100532242-How-to-collect-diagnostics-from-any-device

Once you do, please contact us at [email protected] and we’ll get in touch with you.