Effect of VPN on Internet Speed

Using a VPN can reduce your internet connection speed because your data has to travel a longer distance to reach its destination. When you are connected to a VPN, your traffic is encrypted and sent through a remote server, which increases both the distance and the encryption overhead, negatively affecting speed.

Summary: Ways to Enhance Your VPN Speed

Select a VPN server that is close to your actual location.
Change servers if the one you are using is slow or overloaded.
Utilize fast protocols such as WireGuard or OpenVPN.
Activate split tunneling to direct necessary traffic through the VPN.
Opt for a public DNS server to potentially enhance speed.

What Causes a VPN to Slow Down Your Internet?

When a VPN encrypts and redirects your data through a remote server, it increases the travel distance and adds encryption overhead, resulting in a slower connection. The degree of slowdown depends on factors like the VPN provider, protocol, and server location.

How Much Will a VPN Impact Your Speed?

The reduction in speed varies based on the distance to the server, the server load, and the VPN’s infrastructure. Using nearby servers usually leads to minor speed reductions, while connecting to more distant servers results in more significant slowdowns. Free VPNs often experience more congestion and slower speeds due to their limited infrastructure.

Factors Influencing VPN Speeds

1. VPN Protocol

Different protocols can affect speed differently due to encryption overhead. For faster speeds, WireGuard and IKEv2 are recommended, whereas OpenVPN (particularly TCP) may slow your connection down more.

2. Server Location

Servers that are closer provide quicker connections, while further servers introduce latency. Opting for a server near your actual location minimizes loss of speed.

3. Server Load

Servers that are overloaded with many users will slow down connections. Choosing servers with lower congestion can enhance speed.

4. Quality of VPN Service

The speed of a VPN is influenced by the provider’s server network and infrastructure. Services of high quality invest in optimized networks, which leads to better speeds.

How to Enhance VPN Speed

Select Nearby Servers: Connect to servers that are close to your location for improved speeds.
Change Servers: Switch to less congested servers within the same area.
Utilize Fast Protocols: Opt for WireGuard or OpenVPN for maximum speed and security.
Activate Split Tunneling: Only send necessary traffic through the VPN to relieve load.
Directly Install VPN Software: Install the VPN application on your device for better performance compared to router installations.
Change DNS Server: Switch to a public DNS server if your VPN’s DNS is lagging.
Close Background Applications: Close any unnecessary apps to free up bandwidth.
Use Wired Connections: Ethernet is generally faster and more stable than Wi-Fi.

Can a VPN Actually Make Your Internet Faster?

In some scenarios, a VPN may help you avoid ISP throttling, which could enhance your speed for specific activities such as streaming and P2P sharing by preventing your ISP from monitoring and limiting your traffic.

How to Measure VPN Speed

Conduct a speed test without the VPN to establish baseline speeds.
Connect to your desired VPN server and test again.
Compare the results to understand the VPN’s effect on your connection speed.

Conclusion

While VPNs can slow down your internet due to encryption and rerouting, selecting the right servers, protocols, and configurations can help minimize the effects. In certain situations, a VPN might even enhance speeds by bypassing ISP throttling.