Effect of VPN on Internet Speed

Utilizing a VPN can decrease your internet speed, as your data has to travel farther to reach its endpoint. When you’re connected to a VPN, your traffic is encrypted and sent through a remote server, introducing additional distance and encryption overhead that can affect speed.

Summary: Tips to Increase Your VPN Speed

Select a VPN server that is geographically close to you.
Change servers if you are experiencing slowness or congestion with your current one.
Opt for fast protocols such as WireGuard or OpenVPN.
Activate split tunneling to direct critical traffic through the VPN.
Consider switching to a public DNS server for possible speed enhancements.

What Causes a VPN to Slow Down Your Internet?

A VPN encrypts and reroutes your data through a remote server, which increases the distance your data must travel and adds encryption overhead, leading to a decrease in connection speed. The degree of slowdown varies based on the VPN service, protocol used, and server location.

How Much Slower Can a VPN Make Your Connection?

The extent of speed reduction is influenced by the distance to the server, the server’s load, and the infrastructure of the VPN. Servers located nearby typically cause minor speed reductions, while those further away result in more significant slowdowns. Free VPNs may experience greater congestion and slower speeds due to limited infrastructure.

Elements Influencing VPN Speed

1. VPN Protocol

Different protocols affect speed differently due to the encryption overhead involved. Faster speeds are generally associated with WireGuard and IKEv2, while OpenVPN (especially in TCP mode) could lead to a more substantial reduction in speed.

2. Server Location

Servers that are closer will yield faster connections, while those located farther away can introduce latency. Opting for a server near your physical location helps minimize speed reduction.

3. Server Load

Servers that are overloaded with users can lead to slower connections. Choosing servers that are less crowded can enhance speed.

4. Quality of VPN Service

The speed of a VPN is affected by the provider’s network and infrastructure. High-quality services invest in optimized setups to provide better speeds.

Ways to Boost VPN Speed

Select Nearby Servers: Connect to servers that are close to your location to achieve faster speeds.
Change Servers: Switch to servers that are less congested within the same region.
Use Fast Protocols: Transition to WireGuard or OpenVPN for the best speed and security.
Enable Split Tunneling: Allow only vital traffic to go through the VPN to lessen the load.
Install VPN Software Directly: Installing the VPN application on your device generally results in superior performance compared to router setups.
Change DNS Server: Switch to a public DNS server if the one provided by your VPN is slow.
Close Background Apps: Terminate unnecessary apps to free up bandwidth.
Use Wired Connections: Wired connections via Ethernet are usually faster and more stable than Wi-Fi.

Can a VPN Actually Speed Up Your Internet?

In specific situations, a VPN might help you circumvent ISP throttling, potentially increasing your speed for certain activities such as streaming and P2P sharing by preventing your ISP from monitoring and restricting your traffic.

How to Measure VPN Speed

Conduct a speed test without the VPN to establish a baseline speed.
Connect to your preferred VPN server and perform another test.
Compare the results to assess the VPN’s effect on your connection speed.

Conclusion

While VPNs can slow your internet due to encryption and rerouting, selecting optimal servers, protocols, and configurations can lessen the impact. In some scenarios, a VPN can even enhance speeds by bypassing ISP throttling.