- Surfshark’s Dausos promises better reliability on restricted networks
- Update fixes connectivity issues with school and corporate networks
- This is the latest modification to a young protocol that claims speeds up to 30% faster.
Surfshark has rolled out a new update to Dausos, the proprietary VPN protocol it built in-house, and this time the work is aimed at one thing: allowing it to reliably connect to networks that lock everything down.
If you’ve ever tried to launch one of the best VPN apps over a school or work connection and found it crash, this is the kind of solution you’ve been waiting for. The problem lies in the rigor with which some networks are managed.
Academic institutions and corporate environments tend to run strict firewall configurations that can block or interfere with VPN traffic, and previously, some Surfshark users run into exactly this wall when connected to the Dausos protocol.
The update is the latest in a series of improvements to a protocol that is still finding its feet, having already been patched once after a TechRadar investigation reported problems on residential broadband lines.
What the update changes and who benefits from it
The goal of the update is to ensure that Dausos connects reliably over restricted networks, such as those found in academic institutions and enterprise environments.
“We want as many people as possible to experience the power of Dausos, which is why continuous improvement is our priority,” says Karolis Kaciulis, Chief Systems Engineer at Surfshark.
Kaciulis explains that, directly responding to user feedback, the update fixes connectivity issues experienced by some in certain network environments.
The first VPN protocol designed for the user. No big deal, just set the industry standards as always. Dausos is now available on macOS. Learn more about Dausos in the link below. pic.twitter.com/sqlbb99xOApril 13, 2026
For everyday users, the practical benefit is obvious. Whether it’s students trying to access content on campus Wi-Fi or employees working over a tightly managed corporate connection, this update directly addresses one of the biggest friction points faced by Dausos users.
Surfshark’s reasoning is that a protocol designed for everyday people should work where everyday people actually connect.
Why use Surfshark Dausos
Dausos is Surfshark’s proprietary VPN protocol, and the company’s argument is that it was designed from the ground up for individual, everyday use rather than being adapted from older split-tunnel technology.
The major difference is how it handles traffic. Where protocols such as WireGuard and OpenVPN route each user through a single shared tunnel, Dausos gives each connection its own private, dedicated data channel.
By isolating each user’s data, it aims to eliminate slowdowns caused by other people sharing the same server, especially at peak times, and Surfshark claims the protocol can be up to 30% faster than its competitors.
For security, Dausos uses AEGIS-256X2 encryption optimized for modern hardware and is designed with post-quantum protection in mind, combining ML-KEM and X25519 hybrid key exchange with an ML-DSA self-signed root certificate system so connections remain secure against current and future quantum threats.
The protocol also relies on post-compromise security, which generates a new key for each connection so that a leaked key cannot expose future sessions, and port randomization which obfuscates the connection path. It has also been independently audited by cybersecurity company Cure53.
To turn it on, open the Surfshark apphead towards Settings, VPN Settingsopen it Protocol menu, choose DausosAnd connect to a server.
Follow TechRadar on Google News And add us as your favorite source to get our news, reviews and expert opinions in your feeds. Make sure to click the Follow button!
