A virtual private network (VPN) is there to keep your online activities confidential and anonymous. Your information is transmitted securely over an encrypted channel to a server that can be located anywhere in the world. You may have been hesitant to use a virtual private network (VPN) because you’ve heard that doing so will slow down your Internet connection. Thankfully, options are available to improve VPN speed you have to find the best free VPN for PC.
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What limits VPN Speed?
The VPN connection is limited to the speed of your Internet connection.
Connecting to a VPN server is as quick as your internet connection allows. So, if your current connection is only 10 Mbps, you should expect something other than 50 Mbps.
When connecting to a VPN, speeds improve based on proximity to the server.
You’ll notice a significant slowdown in your VPN connection if you are far from the server. A VPN connection will be quicker if the server is closer to the user. VPN upload and download speeds will be reduced due to the increased time required for data to travel a greater distance.
when the VPN server is overwhelmed, connection times increase.
When a server is at total capacity, all its available bandwidth is used. The simultaneous online user count has a direct bearing on this.
Using a VPN, you’ll get a certain amount of data transfer each time you connect. The greater your VPN’s bandwidth, the quicker it will be. However, if too many people try to access this server at once, the rate has to decrease.
Different VPN protocols result in different VPN speeds.
Protocols form the backbone of VPNs. The protocols used by VPNs can affect their speeds. OpenVPN is one of the most well-known and dependable protocols, and it comes in two flavors: UDP and TCP. Compared to OpenVPN over TCP, OpenVPN over UDP is the faster option.
VPN’s speed is affected by the encryption level used.
The information sent and received over a VPN connection is encrypted. The encryption process is time-consuming. Further, additional data is required for encryption, known as encryption overhead. Communication delays on the internet could increase as a result of this. Higher VPN encryption levels usually result in increased lag.
Six ways to improve VPN speed
Run an Internet Speed Test
Find out if your VPN is slowing down your connection or your Internet service provider is having issues. All it takes to fix the problem is a call to the Internet service provider to have them do some troubleshooting. Compare your connection speed while using the VPN to your connection speed while not using the VPN using an online speed testing tool.
If you’re having trouble with wireless, try using a wired connection instead. While it may be inconvenient to use a wired connection, your VPN service will be able to send and encrypt data packets more quickly.
If you suspect your VPN might be slowing down your connection or if your internet service provider is having issues, comparing your connection speed with and without the VPN using an online speed testing tool can help identify the cause of the problem. Additionally, for a more stable and potentially faster connection, you can try using a wired connection instead of wireless when using your VPN. When choosing a VPN service, consider researching and selecting the fastest VPN provider available in your region for optimal performance.
Try Turning Your Router On/Off Again.
You might be thinking, that’s quite obvious. Amazingly, rebooting your router often solves connectivity issues. This time-tested advice has shown to work in the past, so give it a shot.
When was the last time you turned off all of your gadgets and started them back up? Your computer and router, just like any other piece of equipment, require some rest and relaxation every once in a while. You will be able to give your computer a much-needed refresh, free up some RAM, and get it functioning at its very best if you reboot it. Therefore, despite how corny it may seem, you should try turning it off and then back on again, and then observe how much faster your VPN connection becomes as a consequence.
Switch Server Locations
If the server you’re connecting to is located far away, your Internet speed will suffer. For instance, pick a VPN server in your area if you have a 150 Mbps connection. You may achieve speeds of 150 Mbps or more with this setup.
Selecting a VPN server geographically distant from you but with the same Internet speed will result in a connection speed of 5-10 Mbps at best and improve VPN speed. That’s a significant dissimilarity. If you want faster VPN speeds, it’s best to connect to a less crowded server.
Disable Firewalls and Security Software Temporarily
It’s no surprise that having a firewall installed on your computer can interfere with your ability to connect to the internet. If you bought and installed the router yourself, it may have a firewall that actively protects your network. Check it out if you believe this is your situation.
This could be because firewalls inspect data packets before leaving a computer. You can disable the firewall to see if it’s causing the slow Internet connection.
Purchase a New Computer or Router
The hardware available now is cutting-edge in terms of technology and processing power. This helps things progress much more quickly. However, the encryption requirements may be too much for an older router or computer to handle.
Select the Proper VPN Protocol
Switching to a different protocol may help if your Internet connection is slow. It’s possible that your ISP doesn’t support the protocol you’re using.
I recommend using the SSTP protocol because it is more reliable and is built into Windows. Because OpenVPN isn’t built into Windows, it’s not always the best option for Windows users.
Lastly, Close and stop any background programs that are not essential to improve VPN speed.
Unused programs that are running in the background may be sucking up resources on your computer and slowing down your connection. Check to see if there are any background processes that you are not utilizing and shut them off. It’s possible to have a quicker connection by eliminating potential bottlenecks like these.
Conclusion
The most obvious solution is to stop using a VPN if it interferes with your Internet connection. Some users may use it when they already have a secure connection. However, try the above solutions if you must use one and are frustrated by your slow Internet and VPN speed.
Ananya Prisha is an enterprise level Agile coach working out of Hyderabad (India) and also founder of High Level PM Consultancy. Her goal has been to keep on learning and at the same time give back to the community that has given her so much.