iOS app “on-demand” but not “includeAllNetworks”

VPN
1

From mullvad’s website, explaining iOS kill switch, there is a mention of “It is not using includeAllNetworks” - what does this mean?

I know there is exception on iOS that Apple services can connect outside the tunnel if airplane mode isn’t entered after VPN turned on.

  1. But what benefit does Mullvad get from specifically not using “includeAllNetworks”?

  2. If iPhone goes to sleep, does Mullvad app maintain the tunnel with “on-demand” or do apps pinging servers when phone is idle, ping using my real IP? eg Reddit notification server.

  3. If iPhone switches from mobile to WiFi or vice versa, does Mullvad “on-demand” stop traffic while tunnel is established? Or leaks to apps in transition?

  4. Anyone using Mullvad app on iOS, can you confirm if you restart your iPhone with a “on-demand” VPN profile installed, does your VPN tunnel establish straight away on restart or do you need to go in app and hit a button to start connection?

2

Afaik…this falls on apple to implement these type of killswitch for vpn use. Yes apple bypasses them but until they open up that way to 3rd party vpn use it’s going to be limited how we do this so far.
I might be wrong but that’s what I’ve know. And read about iOS and VPN killswitch

Also I’ve been using Mullvad vpn on Wireguard protocol with NextDNS as a dns and it’s been good so far. There’s been a few little problems but so far for iOS I can’t complain the progress they have come with this

3

As for your second question, my VPN is always connected even if off screen. It could be that it connect before or like checks to connect anytime there’s a network access but it’s always been connected even if the screen is off. I did notice that when the power is really low like 1-3% it does disconnect off screen and connect when I access my phone. My guess is that it’s a power saving thing it does but I’m not sure

4

I get the limitation. The issue is I don’t know what the “on demand” as ON and “includeAllNetwork” as OFF vs both being ON does.

5

Thanks! I guess the “IncludeAllNetworks” thing is something that allows other VPN clients to choose between when to be on, whereas Mullvad just forces it ON for all networks so doesn’t use that specific argument.

6

Oh that. So from what I can make out of it from my perspective is that every time you connect to Mullvad it will try to reconnect every time. I check both to use vpn whether on cellular or Wi-Fi so that I can be secure in any connection as much as possible. Obviously there’s not 100% yet but I rather have on demand connecting always.
Also when it doesn’t connect right the internet in my phone won’t work. It would say off network or something about can’t connect to server. That’s when it tries to connect again for me.
One way to see what I mean is if you have both option on demand checked. Go to iOS settings. And go to vpn setting. It has a toggle to turn it off and on. If you try to turn it off manually it will turn it on without you pressing on it by itself. Im guessing that’s the “on demand” working there. Only way to actually turn it off is to go to the vpn app or Wireguard and actually manually turning it off for the vpn to actually be off.