How to Stop IP Booting in 2022

If you came over here looking for some tips on how to stop IP booting, you’re in the right place!

Isn’t this illegal? Do you need a VPN?

It’s a more common problem than you’d think, actually, so if you want to know the answers to those questions – buckle up and read on!

What Is IP Booting and How Common Is It?

When a third party interferes with your internet to prevent you from playing a game, this is known as IP booting, also known as DoS (Denial of Service). The goal is to send a large amount of data through your IP address, causing your device to slow down, disconnect, or, in the worst-case scenario, completely destroy your gaming system.

To overrun the other user’s device, a random user sends unwanted traffic to a certain IP address. As a result, the network of the recipient may be shut/slowed down. The attackers frequently combine multiple devices to send out large amounts of data, causing the victim’s network to become overloaded.

How to Stop IP Booting?

It may seem like buffering at first, but you could be wrong. It helps to know how to go about it to protect yourself in the future because it’s better to be safe than sorry. Right? 

Avoid Strangers

Joining an unprotected internet party to play with someone you don’t know is the easiest way for your device to get attacked, so that’s a no-go. That said, the easiest way to avoid a malicious user interfering with your PC is to organise a gaming group together with your friends. If the glitch still happens, you will have an easier time tracing the source because you’re already playing with people you already know and (hopefully) trust.

Reset Your IP address

If you’re concerned that you’re a hacker’s next target, the best solution is to change your address. Although this isn’t a foolproof method of preventing IP booting, it will keep you secure by making it difficult for the attacker to locate you.

If you want to reset your IP address, just unplug your router for a few minutes, plug it back in, log in, and then you’ll have a new address.

Improve Your Network

Upgrade to a secure and up-to-date ISP network to keep yourself safe from hackers. It’s best to avoid buying any router unless it’s from a trusted source. Also, you might want to upgrade your system (if you’ve been using the same one for years).

Some routers have built-in features such as firewalls to protect you from traffic overload, mainly botnets. Data from botnet IPs can also be blocked by modern systems.

Make Sure You Report the Attack

This strategy works best with a small group of people signing on to the game. If it’s a private gathering, you’ll be able to spot the malicious user. You might still contact the console administrators and submit their ID, but you can also report them to the authorities in charge of cybercrime to kick them out.

Use a VPN

Using a VPN gives you the security you want when dealing with hackers. Your IP address is hidden behind the ISP’s network, requiring the attacker to roam through a more extensive and more secure network to reach you. Thus, as a result, your service provider is directly responsible (if it can protect its server, your IP address will be secure).

With a VPN, you can connect to multiple VPN servers worldwide. For example, if you live in London, you can connect to a VPN server in Manchester or even a city in a different state, like Skopje, North Macedonia. This allows you to hide your real IP address and replace it with a fake IP address brought by the VPN provider.

All that said, before securing your traffic, be sure you’re using a trustworthy premium VPN with increased security features. With that, you can rest assured that your device is secure.

What Are the Best Gaming VPNs to Stop IP Booting?

Now that we’ve explained the importance of using a VPN to stop IP booting, it’s only fair for us to tell you which ones are the best for the job.

• Surfshark

Surfshark is a straightforward VPN service. There are helpful features like an optional kill switch (which disables your internet connection if the VPN goes down for any reason) and a whitelist, which allows banking applications and other services to bypass the VPN block. Surfshark has a strong “no-logs” policy, so you can be sure that no data will be saved on your PC.

If you’re a gamer who’s new to VPNs, Surfshark’s user-friendly UI and straightforward installation will do you justice.

• CyberGhost

CyberGhost is capable of protecting you from a DDoS attack and has a number of useful features, such as auto-connecting to your preferred server at startup for an instant secure connection.

It has good speed performance, which helps you avoid glitches when playing online games. Simply choose from 6000+ servers in over 90 countries, and you’re good to go.

• NordVPN

NordVPN is well aware of the threat of DDoS attacks, and even though VPNs aren’t a foolproof solution, they promise to help neutralise more traffic than your standard internet connection.

NordVPN apps are available for PC gamers as well as those who play on smartphones or tablets. The accessible map-based interface will make things straightforward: simply click on a location, and you’ll be connected to the quickest server in that country. On the other hand, finding the best VPN server for certain online games (especially multiplayer games) might take longer.

How to Prevent IP Booting on PS4 or PS5

A VPN or proxy server can be used to protect PS4 and PS5 systems from IP booting by letting them connect to a separate server before connecting to the internet. It requires concealing your IP address from people looking to ban you from the game. If the hackers try to discover your address in order to overburden traffic, they will receive a different address.

Ready to Play Safe?

IP booting happens to many gamers daily, so it’s crucial to install a VPN, firewall, reset, or get a new IP address. It is also a good idea to keep an eye out for signs of booting, such as network lag and sudden shutdowns. We hope that this guide helped you if you are still wondering if a VPN service is worth it for IP booting. In the end, the easiest way to prevent this from happening is to play with close friends that you trust. 

Stay safe!