VPN Slows Down Internet

VPN Slows Down Internet

VPN—a technology that is commonly employed for security purposes can slow down your internet speed. Of course, not all VPN lead to internet speed interference. However, there are certain types of VPN that can lead to high fluctuations when it comes to internet speed. It's also worth knowing that most VPN providers offer solutions that come with a slight reduction—normally 5-6 percent. The encryption process causes a reduction in speed. However, it's important to secure your files and data. Thus, it's worth investing in a VPN.

Various factors can lead to a reduction in internet speed. Of course, VPN can make your internet speed to be slower. However, you need to check for other factors that can cause the speed to be lower. The following article is going to delve deep into this topic, giving you an elaborate overview of VPN and internet speed.

Checking Your Internet Speed

Here is how to check your internet speed:

Various factors can lead to a reduction in internet speed. Pixabay

  • Disconnect the VPN
  • Then get a good internet testing tool
  • Run the speed through this tool
  • It will take about 5 seconds to get the details of your internet speed
  • The content of the details should show you the state of your internet speed.

Common Causes

There are several issues that can make the VPN lead to slow internet connectivity. Of course, other factors can influence the speed of your internet. However, using a VPN can also lead to lagging speed. The following factors can lead to slow internet speed when you are connected to a VPN.

The Server's Geographical Location

The distance of the server influences the VPN speed. For instance, a server that's located far away from the server will lead to low VPN speed. So, be sure to connect to a server that's close to your physical location.

If you're utilizing a reputable VPN service, there are fewer chances that you'll experience high-speed degradation. Nevertheless, you could sometimes face speed issues as a result of the above-mentioned causes. So, before choosing a provider, familiarize yourself with various aspects of speed irregularity.

Encryption Level

Normally, the encryption level of your unit influences the overall internet speed. The higher the level, the slower the speed. On the other hand, the lighter the encryption, the higher the speed. So, when undertaking internet tasks requiring less security, choose a lighter VPN.

Of course, VPN can make your internet speed to be slower. Pixabay

Depending on how strong the VPN protocol's encryption is, it can potentially trigger your VPN speed to drop. Remember, this only happens at times, and during other instances, it doesn't happen at all.

Generally speaking, the OpenVPN protocol is more vulnerable to VPN speed drops, while PPTP is perhaps the fastest one. But since it lacks reliable encryption, PPT still remains to be one of the riskiest protocol. SoftEther, IKEv2, and L2TP are usually good in-between.

Protocols

Certain protocols are designed for higher security, but others are perfect for providing fast speed with a comparatively lower level of protection. Generally speaking, most of the reputable VPNs offer all the popular protocols like OpenVPN, L2TP, and PPTP.

But OpenVPN is often considered as the best option since it provides higher speeds with optimal security. And the PPT protocol is super-fast with lower security. On the contrary, L2TP offers high security with less speed.

Server Load

When it comes to VPN services, server load as another common issue. With most VPNs, you can't really judge or get deeper insights into every server's load condition.

If there are numerous users connected to the server you're using, you might experience slow speed. In this case, you should consider switching the servers so as to identify the one that has relatively less load.

ISP Based Speed Restrictions

Sometimes, the speed coming from your internet supplier could affect the VPN speed. And there are countless reasons as to why they hinder your internet speed or even implement bandwidth throttling.

If your server has bandwidth limitations, chances are your speeds will take a hit when it's overcrowded. It's also worth noting that the VPN itself can directly impact on your VPN speed. A high-quality server will definitely process things such as web traffic and encryption much faster, and so the better your VPN speeds will be.

How to Increase Internet Speed

The following steps will help you to speed up a VPN internet speed:

Split Tunneling

Split tunneling is a new feature that was recently introduced by some VPN services. It allows users to divide their internet traffic into two categories- VPN encrypted plus unencrypted traffic. This way, you can choose some of the applications whose data will be routed via the VPN whilst the unselected applications remain directly connected to the internet.

Implementing such procedures could automatically enhance speed since some of the traffic is processed swiftly. If you only need security for a few apps or certain types of data, split tunneling could be an excellent choice.

Switch VPN Software

Most often, the VPN provider will offer a high-performance software that's pre-configured with their service. However, some existing software and settings available on your device might interfere with the software's configuration, hence reducing your VPN speed.

Trying a different VPN software can go a long way in improving results and giving you faster internet speeds. But before proceeding down this path, consider doing some research as this might require advanced technical know-how.

In most VPN services, OpenVPN is utilized as a standard connection protocol. So, you may want to start by grabbing the vanilla OpenVPN client. It's often listed by operating systems such as Microsoft Windows, Apple iOS, and Android.

Discuss with your provider about how to configure the software since there are probably specific settings designed for each VPN service.

Investigate Your Internet Service

If you experience slow speeds when trying to access your websites or any other online services, you may want to check your underlying internet connection. First, you'll need to disconnect from the VPN. This will ensure that your data gets transmitted directly through the standard internet connection, and isn't re-routed via a VPN server.

After doing this, run a speed test to evaluate the performance of your internet. And if the results are good, just like that, then you've definitely eliminated your VPN as the source of the slowed internet speeds.

Firewall Interferences

Firewalls don't usually affect VPN speed but if they're configured to interfere with your VPN traffic or CPU performance, they truly can. Besides, the power of your CPU might also end up influencing your VPN speed. If you have got an older model, your VPN speed may take a hit since the CPU has a tough time working on the encryption or decryption process and also handling the VPN application process.

Network Setup

According to research, there is a better chance that users may get enhanced VPN connection speeds if they utilize a router featuring a LAN cable. And instead of using Wi-Fi, they should connect directly to it. So, consider this as an aspect that might affect your VPN speed, though it isn't guaranteed to do so.

VPN Routing Algorithms

How the VPN provider routes your internet connection between different servers can as well affect your VPN speed. In addition, the way they route your online data also plays a significant role.

In most cases, VPNs rely on sub-par algorithms, and you're therefore more likely to get lower speeds when using them

Individual Connection Speed

When your original ISP connection speeds are too slow, then pretty much guaranteed that you'll also experience the same problem with your VPN. In this case, there are several measures that can be undertaken. Other than getting a better connection strategy from your internet service provider, you may also want to give different VPN connections a try. Check out different services and perform all the VPN speed tests you'd like. From there, you can choose a VPN service that perfectly suits your internet needs. You really don't want to get stuck, while there are countless options out there!

Depending on several factors such as the VPN server's location, the type of protocol utilized, as well as how powerful the CPU is, it's possible that your VPN slows down internet connection speeds.

But the good news is that there are numerous things you can do to improve the VPN speed. You could also utilize various VPN speed test tools to determine if you're getting a better speed or not. This will give you an overview of the speed of your internet.

The Bottom-Line

Speed is good—especially when it comes to the internet. Nobody wants a slow speed. However, the security of your data is also important. That's why you need a VPN for security and safety of your files online. But using VPN can slow down the speed of your internet. There are various factors that can cause the speed of your internet to be slower when connected to a VPN. The above article contains crucial information regarding VPN and internet speed. Plus, it gives you the tips you need to beat slow internet speed.

Related Stories

No stories found.
logo
NewsGram
www.newsgram.com