Effect of VPN on Internet Speed

Utilizing a VPN can decrease your internet speed since your data must travel a longer path to reach its target. When you use a VPN, your traffic is encrypted and sent through a remote server, which adds distance and encryption overhead that can affect performance.

Summary: Tips to Enhance Your VPN Speed

Select a VPN server that is geographically close to you.
Change servers if your current one is experiencing slowness or traffic congestion.
Opt for fast protocols like WireGuard or OpenVPN.
Activate split tunneling to allow critical traffic to bypass the VPN.
Consider using a public DNS server for potential speed enhancements.

What Causes a VPN to Slow Your Internet?

A VPN secures and reroutes your data through a remote server, resulting in a longer path and increased encryption overhead, which can reduce your connection speed. The degree of slowdown varies with the VPN provider, the protocol used, and the server location.

What is the Impact of a VPN on Your Speed?

The decrease in speed is influenced by the distance to the server, the load on that server, and the structure of the VPN service. Servers that are nearby usually lead to minor speed reductions, while those further away can result in more significant slowdowns. Free VPNs often experience greater congestion and slower speeds due to their limited infrastructure.

Factors That Influence VPN Speeds

1. VPN Protocol

Different encryption protocols affect speed differently. For example, WireGuard and IKEv2 tend to offer quicker speeds, whereas OpenVPN (especially the TCP version) may cause more noticeable slowdowns.

2. Server Location

Servers that are closer to you generally provide faster connections, while those that are further away add more latency. Selecting a server near your actual location will help reduce speed losses.

3. Server Load

Servers that are overloaded with users can slow down your connection. Choosing servers with lower traffic can enhance speed.

4. Quality of the VPN Service

The speed of a VPN depends on the quality of the provider's server network and infrastructure. Reliable services invest in well-optimized networks for better performance.

Ways to Enhance VPN Speed

Select Nearby Servers: Connect to servers that are in close proximity to you for improved speeds.
Change Servers: Switch to less crowded servers in your area.
Utilize Fast Protocols: Use WireGuard or OpenVPN for the best combination of speed and security.
Enable Split Tunneling: Send only crucial traffic through the VPN to ease the load.
Directly Install VPN Software: Use the VPN app on your device for better performance compared to setting it up on a router.
Alter DNS Settings: If your VPN's DNS is slow, switch to a public DNS server.
Shut Down Background Applications: Close unnecessary apps to free up bandwidth.
Opt for Wired Connections: Ethernet connections provide greater speed and reliability than Wi-Fi.

Can a VPN Speed Up Your Internet?

In certain scenarios, a VPN can help you bypass ISP throttling, potentially increasing your speed for specific tasks like streaming and P2P sharing by preventing your ISP from monitoring and restricting your traffic.

How to Evaluate VPN Speed

Conduct a speed test without the VPN to determine your baseline speeds.
Connect to your desired VPN server and perform the test again.
Compare the results to assess how the VPN affects your connection speeds.

Conclusion

Although VPNs may slow down your internet due to the processes of encryption and rerouting, selecting the right servers, protocols, and configurations can help reduce the impact. In some instances, a VPN might even boost speeds by circumventing ISP throttling.