How VPN services affect internet speed
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Worldwide, more and more people are turning to the best VPN services every day. Whether they want to bypass online censorship, increase their online privacy, unblock foreign streaming platforms or a combination of everything, connection speeds will always be crucial for all users.
As for how it works, a VPN encrypts all data leaving your device and then decrypts it when it reaches its final destination.
And while you’re unlikely to see a huge difference using the fastest VPN services out there, the encryption process will inevitably affect your internet connection – even if it’s just a few Mbps.
At the same time, there are some situations where using a VPN can actually help improve your overall online performance.
Let’s take a closer look at both scenarios.
Why a VPN can slow down your connection
We’ve already mentioned that the main factor that affects your VPN speeds is encryption. That’s because the process of encrypting data inevitably takes time.
Every time you turn on a VPN, all data goes with it goes through one of its servers. This adds an extra step that can negatively impact the results of your internet connection. Don’t worry too much though, as the drop in speed is often imperceptible here.
Other factors that can slow down your VPN speeds include:
- Location of the VPN server. The distance between you and your chosen server is often the biggest reason why your connection speed drops. Since all traffic from your device must go through the VPN server, the connection will obviously be faster if the physical gap between the two is reduced.
- VPN server is under load. Unless you get a dedicated IP address that only you can use (some services like NordVPN and CyberGhost offer such an option for an additional fee), many users will be on the same network while you are. If it becomes overloaded, the connection may drop. Free VPN services are more likely to have this problem.
- Protocol. We’ve already mentioned that encryption is the main reason why a VPN slows down your internet speed. Next, the security protocol that defines the type of encryption used is a huge determining factor here. Modern protocols like WireGuard and Lightway are much faster than older protocols like OpenVPN.
When a VPN can boost your connection
Using a VPN does not necessarily mean that your internet speed will decrease. If you choose a reliable service and at the same time choose the best server and protocol encryption based on your needs, it is unlikely that you will experience any difference from your normal connection.
In addition, sometimes a VPN can even help improve your overall internet speed.
That’s because when you enable it, your ISP will not be able to track your online activities. It allows you to avoid ISP or bandwidth throttling, which ultimately speeds up your internet.
Bandwidth throttling is the practice of your internet service provider intentionally slowing down your internet connection. This could be, for example, for managing network congestion. Therefore, using a gaming VPN can help you get better performance while playing online.
Internet throttling can also occur when you hit your monthly data limit, and authoritarian countries often restrict the internet to enforce online censorship of unwanted content.
How to improve your VPN speed
If your internet connection slows down while using a VPN, there are a few hacks you can use to improve your overall online performance.
However, before fiddling with settings, make sure your VPN is actually slowing you down. Therefore, we recommend that you start by running some speed tests, with and without the software.
Speed test (opens in new tab) is one of the best speed testing tools out there, and it’s one of the services we use when reviewing VPNs. Check out our dedicated broadband speed test explanation to know all the details.
Once you’ve determined that the VPN app is the reason for your poor connection, try the tips below:
- Change the VPN server: As we said before, the VPN server you choose can have a huge impact on your connection – be it distance or overload. Changing servers may be just what you need to enjoy better performance. But don’t worry, because all the top providers offer a huge range of international servers – for example, our favorite provider ExpressVPN has over 3,000 in 94 countries.
- Change the encryption protocol: Since encryption is another major factor that affects your internet speed, switching VPN protocols can also be helpful here. Just go to the settings in your VPN app and adjust your choice. Of all available WireGuard is the fastest option you can choose right now.
- Enable split tunneling: Many VPN services also offer an interesting feature that can be useful for pumping up internet speeds. As the name suggests, split tunneling lets you decide which traffic to pass through the encrypted tunnel and which to omit. Such a practice can be quite useful if your broadband speeds are already quite poor to begin with.
- Restart your device: An old and easy way to troubleshoot technology, restarting your device or home router might be just what you need to kick things up a notch. It could be that your hardware’s memory buffer needs to be cleared, or some heavy programs are running in the background. Likewise, you can try the same with your VPN app.
- Update your operating system: Sometimes the device you are using is the culprit for your slow connection. Check that your operating system is up to date. If not, upgrading to the latest version may help.
- Use a wired connection: A Wi-Fi connection is much more convenient, but it can also be unstable at times. If your broadband speed isn’t the best out there yet, try switching to a wired connection to stabilize your internet.