Effect of VPN on Internet Speed

Utilizing a VPN may slow your internet connection because your data has to travel a longer distance to reach its destination. When you are connected to a VPN, your traffic is both encrypted and sent through a remote server, which adds distance and encryption overhead that can affect speed.

Summary: How to Enhance Your VPN Speed

Select a VPN server that is close to your physical location.
Change servers if the one you are using is slow or overloaded.
Employ fast protocols like 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 redirects your data through a remote server, which increases travel distance and introduces encryption overhead, leading to a slower connection. The degree of slowdown varies based on your VPN provider, protocol, and server location.

How Much Slower Will a VPN Make You?

The reduction in speed depends on the distance to the server, the server's load, and the infrastructure of the VPN. Connections to nearby servers usually experience minimal speed decreases, while connections to distant servers tend to face more significant slowdowns. Free VPNs frequently have higher congestion and slower speeds because of limited infrastructure.

Aspects Influencing VPN Speeds

1. VPN Protocol

Various protocols affect speed differently due to the overhead of encryption. WireGuard and IKEv2 generally provide quicker speeds, whereas OpenVPN (especially TCP) may result in greater connection slowdowns.

2. Server Location

Servers that are closer yield quicker connections, while those that are farther away introduce latency. Opting for a server near your physical location helps to reduce speed loss.

3. Server Load

Servers that are overloaded with many users can slow down connections. Choosing servers that are less congested can enhance speed.

4. Quality of VPN Service

The speed of a VPN is influenced by the quality of the provider's server network and infrastructure. High-quality VPN services invest in well-optimized networks, which leads to superior speeds.

Ways to Boost VPN Speed

Select Nearby Servers: Connect to servers that are situated close to your location for improved speeds.
Change Servers: Opt for less crowded servers within the same geographical area.
Utilize Fast Protocols: Switch to WireGuard or OpenVPN for the best combination of speed and security.
Enable Split Tunneling: Direct only necessary traffic through the VPN to decrease load.
Direct VPN Software Installation: Install the VPN application directly on your device for better performance compared to router installations.
Alter DNS Server: Try switching to a public DNS server if your VPN's DNS is slow.
Close Background Applications: Terminate unnecessary apps to free up bandwidth.
Utilize Wired Connections: Ethernet connections are typically faster and more dependable than Wi-Fi.

Can a VPN Increase Your Internet Speed?

In certain instances, a VPN can help evade ISP throttling, which may improve your speed for specific activities like streaming and P2P file sharing by stopping your ISP from observing and limiting your traffic.

How to Measure VPN Speed

Conduct a speed test without the VPN to establish baseline speeds.
Connect to your chosen VPN server and re-test.
Compare the results to assess the VPN's effect on your connection speed.

Conclusion

Although VPNs can reduce your internet speed due to encryption and rerouting, selecting optimal servers, protocols, and configurations can mitigate the effects. In some cases, a VPN can even enhance speeds by avoiding ISP throttling.