Effect of VPN on Internet Speed

Utilizing a VPN can reduce your internet speed as your data has to travel a greater distance to reach its endpoint. When you connect to a VPN, your data is encrypted and sent via a remote server, which adds distance and encryption-related overhead that can affect speed.

Summary: Tips for Enhancing Your VPN Speed

Select a VPN server that is geographically close to your location.
Change servers if the one you are currently using is slow or overloaded.
Opt for fast protocols like WireGuard or OpenVPN.
Activate split tunneling to route only critical traffic through the VPN.
Switch to a public DNS server for potential speed enhancements.

What Causes VPNs to Slow Down Your Internet?

A VPN encrypts and redirects your data through a remote server, which increases the distance it has to travel and adds encryption overhead, resulting in a slower connection. The degree of slowdown can vary based on the VPN provider, protocol used, and server location.

How Much Can a VPN Reduce Your Speed?

The reduction in speed depends on the distance to the server, its load, and the infrastructure of the VPN. Servers that are nearby generally cause minimal speed drops, whereas servers that are further away can lead to more significant slowdowns. Free VPNs typically experience higher congestion and slower speeds because of their limited infrastructure.

Factors Influencing VPN Speeds

1. VPN Protocol

2. Server Location

3. Server Load

4. Quality of VPN Service

Ways to Enhance VPN Speed

Select Nearby Servers: Connect to servers near your location to achieve faster speeds.
Change Servers: Move to servers that are less congested within the same area.
Utilize Fast Protocols: Switch to WireGuard or OpenVPN for the best balance of speed and security.
Engage Split Tunneling: Direct only necessary traffic through the VPN to lessen the load.
Directly Install VPN Software: Use the VPN app on your device for improved performance compared to using a router installation.
Alter DNS Server: Use a public DNS server if the VPN’s DNS is sluggish.
Close Background Applications: Disable unneeded applications to conserve bandwidth.
Utilize Wired Connections: Ethernet connections offer faster and more dependable performance compared to Wi-Fi.

Can a VPN Increase Your Internet Speed?

In certain situations, a VPN may help circumvent ISP throttling, potentially enhancing your speed for tasks like streaming and P2P sharing by stopping your ISP from monitoring and restricting 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 assess the VPN's effect on your connection speed.

Final Thoughts

Although VPNs can decrease your internet speed due to encryption and rerouting, selecting the right servers, protocols, and configurations can mitigate this effect. In some cases, a VPN could even enhance speeds by bypassing ISP throttling.