More Problems With Regular VPN Speed Tests
The majority of VPN speed tests give you the numbers from a single moment in time. What you see is a single speed reading from a single location during a particular hour and minute. Changing any one of the parameters will have an impact on the results. Now imagine changing all three and others that werent mentioned yet.
Here are just some of the reasons VPN speeds may vary:
Hopefully, this gives you an idea about the relevance of most VPN download and upload numbers that you encounter online.
Switch To A Faster VPN Provider
If your speed issues are still plaguing you after trying the above two fixes, it might be time to consider moving on. Perhaps your current VPN provider just isnt offering the fastest speed around. They might not be utilizing sufficient server load-balancing techniques, or maybe their infrastructure and network connections just arent up to par.
With so many commercial VPNs vying for your subscription fees, its truly a buyers market. Shop around and look for a VPN that meets your security, speed, and financial requirements but above all, be sure that youre choosing a trustworthy VPN provider like Avast and the Avast SecureLine VPN.
VPNs conceal your online activity from all parties except one: your VPN provider. Look for a provider that wont keep logs of what youve done while connected to their servers, and conduct thorough research to see what other peoples experiences have been like. Avast is log-free and offers a wide variety of speedy servers all over the world.
You Shouldnt Really Encounter Any Problems Though
For one, our VPN comes equipped with complete DNS Leak Protection you just have to turn it on before connecting to one of our servers.
And while all our servers offer high speed and unlimited bandwidth, you can also choose one of 6 VPN protocols to use when accessing the web so that you can tweak your online speeds to a certain degree. Speaking of encryption, youll be happy to know we use the best there is high-end AES encryption!
Besides that, we should also mention that CactusVPN features a Killswitch, so your IP wont be exposed even for a second if a connectivity issue occurs since the Killswitch will cut your Internet connection to keep you safe.
You can also use our Apps Killer to choose which application should be automatically closed if your VPN connection goes down .
Read Also: Are VPN Legal In Usa
What Happens If Your Ip Address Leaks
VPNs mask your identity by replacing your true IP address with the IP of the VPN server youve chosen. This means that your location and identity remain hidden unless your IP address leaks.
IP address leaksexpose your original IP address, and therefore your devices location, to third parties. They usually occur when you reconnect to the internet after an abrupt loss of connection. Most high-quality VPNs have kill switches that automatically cut your connection to the internet when your VPN malfunctions. This means that the risk of your unencrypted data leaking onto the web is significantly smaller.
Server Numbers And Distribution
A key differentiator among VPNs is server distribution. If a VPN company offers no servers where you are or where you wish to spoof your location, it’s not going to be very useful. We refer to the server locations and how widespread they are “geographic diversity.” In general, we give preference to services with a lot of servers in many different parts of the world. It’s particularly important to frequent travelers and users overseas, since a VPN server closer to their computer will likely mean a faster and more reliable connection. For users in the US, more VPN server locations means more opportunities to spoof your location.
We do not test each and every connection to ensure it is functional. This is one of the places where we must assume companies are telling us the truth about their products. However, we do investigate if we find a server is unavailable during testing.
Most VPN companies offer servers in Asia , Australia, Canada, the US, and Western Europe. Better services include a few servers in Africa, Eastern Europe, the Middle East, South America, and Southeast Asia. We give preference to services with robust offerings in Africa and South America, two areas generally underserved by VPN companies.
Our VPN reviews include a current count of the number of servers provided by the VPN company. With numerous servers available, the VPN company can assign fewer people to each server. That means a bigger slice of the bandwidth pie for each person assigned to a given server.
You May Like: Spectrum TV VPN
What Is A Good VPN Speed
Good VPNs will be around 10-20% slower than your regular connection. This sounds like a lot, but in reality, it’s such a small change that you won’t notice the difference. If your internet is normally a bit slow, you might need to double-check to make sure it meets the minimum requirements for streaming, browsing, gaming, and torrenting once your switch your VPN on.
- Streaming You need at least 5 Mbps for streaming in HD , and streaming in Full HD, Ultra HD, or 4K requires speeds of at least 25 Mbps.
- Gaming Most games require at least 3 Mbps.
- Torrenting Technically, you can torrent with any internet speed slower speeds just mean your files take longer to download or upload. However, I recommend download speeds of at least 10 Mbps and upload speeds of at least 3 Mbps for torrenting so that you don’t have to wait a long time for your file to download.
- Browsing If you just want a VPN for private browsing, checking your emails, and scrolling social media, you only need speeds of 3 Mbps.
Do VPNs Slow Down Your Internet
When a VPN is on, your data gets encrypted and then sent from your device to a server, where it is decrypted. This inevitably adds a few milliseconds to the process. However, the difference is often imperceptible if youre using a fast VPN.
If you do notice a marked reduction in browsing speeds, there could be several factors at play:
- The infrastructure used by your VPN provider might be old or inadequate, which often leads to reduced speeds and unstable connections.
- Security protocols vary among different VPNs, with some being faster than others. For example, NordVPN uses the highly secure and exceptionally fast NordLynx protocol. Other VPNs, especially free services, sometimes employ older, less reliable protocols.
- Servers are often the root of the problem. If a VPN company doesnt bother to set up enough servers, heavy traffic can cause your internet speeds to drop dramatically.
When youre picking a VPN, its important to know how fast it can move your data. Thats where speed testing comes in handy.
Don’t Miss: Does A VPN Use Cellular Data When Connected To Wifi
Where Do I Run A VPN Speed Test
Knowing where to run a test on you VPN speed is half the battle as some give more accurate results than others. For most of you looking to run as speed test you will simply want to see the basic Download/Upload speed results so below weve compiled a list of popular services you can use to easily check what speed your connection is running at while using a VPN Client.
- Google+
Speedtest is probably one of the most commonly known, popular free speed testing services online. Its no real surprise as for seeing the basic results of you connection speed its fast and super easy to use giving you a result in less than a minute. The also have downloadable apps for iOS, Android and Windows phone so it really is a go-to choice for most people If they want a quick overview of their current VPN speeds.
Using Speedtest.net to run a VPN speed test will give you a mostly accurate results but its important to note that based on things like LZO, and other factors that effect your connection, speeds can vary greatly especially if you pick a testing server with Speedtest.net that is far away from your real connection geo-graphically.
- Google+
Testmy.net offers a lot more data when testing VPN speeds as they keep a database of all users tests and give you averages based on your current connection location. They also deal with LZO a lot better than Speedtest.net and Speed.io which makes them a better option for higher accuracy results.
- Google+
How To Test For Webrtc VPN Leaks
WebRTC uses Session Transversal Utilities for NAT protocol also known as STUN protocol. This enables your public IP address to make peer connections that expose your public IP address even if you are using a VPN.
The first step to solving the problem? Find out whether you have the problem. So its important to test if your VPN is leaking your IP address. Follow the steps below to determine if you have a leak.
Step 1: Go to Google or another web browser and type in what is my IP address. Before you do this, make sure youre not connected to your VPN. Write down your IP address.
Step 2: Log in to your VPN and verify that you are connected to the server of your choice.
Step 3: Go back to your browser and type in what is my IP Address and check your IP address again. It should show the masked IP address of your VPN.
Step 4: Finally, use one of several free websites that will enable you to run a WebRTC VPN test to check if your VPN is leaking your public IP address.
If both steps 3 and 4 do not show your public IP address, you should be fine. But if your search shows your VPN-masked address but the WebRTC test shows your public IP address you have a leak.
Don’t Miss: How Long Does It Take To Get Unbanned From Omegle
How To Fix VPN Speed Issues
Is your VPN too slow? Here are a few ways you can speed up your VPN connection. But remember, your VPN can only be as fast as the speed you get from your ISP.
-
Disconnect and reconnect. You never know sometimes a reset can make a difference.
-
Change servers. Experiment and see if you get faster speeds on a different server. Some VPNs can auto-connect you to the fastest available server at any time.
-
Try a wired connection. Wi-Fi is usually slower than Ethernet. Youll likely get faster speeds if you connect your computer to your router with an Ethernet cable.
-
Close down other apps. The more apps that are funneling data through your internet connection, the slower everything will feel.
-
Do a malware scan. Malicious software can eat up your PCs resources and slow it down. Try a virus removal tool to speed things up.
Why Your VPN Is Not Working And How To Check
When your VPN is working properly, it hides your identifying information from anyone online. But not all VPNs are built as securely as others, and many will inadvertently reveal information that could be used to identify you or your geographical location. If youre trying to use a VPN to unblock websites, these leaks will prevent you from doing so.
Its especially important to check for leaks if youre setting up your own VPN, since you cant rely on a VPN provider for security. A trustworthy VPN for PC or VPN for Mac should already be leak-proof but it helps to make sure.
Here, well review the three most common types of VPN leaks and show you how to check your VPN in each case. The best way to avoid all VPN leaks and fix them if you find any is to choose a secure and reliable VPN from a provider you trust to keep your data safe.
Don’t Miss: At& t VPN Server Address
How Am I Exposed If My VPN Leaks
Fundamentally, if someone can see your IP address, then they can know your location. Each IP address youve ever come across is attached to a specific geolocation, including the country, city, state and time zone.
Its easy to find the location of a person based on their IP address. In fact, most websites you visit on a daily basis do this automatically. For example, a given website may want to show you relevant German content if youre from Germany. Similarly, a news site may want to show you your local version of news or the international version, depending on your location.
The problem with collecting and storing IP addresses arises when suspicious groups get a hold of them. If you use a social media platform like Facebook or Twitter to post that youre out of town, someone who already has access to your IP address might search for your home address and plan a break-in.
Then theres the problem of overly suspicious governments who can actually access all your records and know your real-time location. They may come and arrest you if they find you hold views that the government thinks are not safe for the country.
A hacker might also use your real IP address to launch cyberattacks on your device. With enough skills, a hacker could use your IP address and other data to form a direct connection with your device.
Every device with an internet connection makes use of ports to permit online services to form a connection to it.
Warning:
How Does A VPN Affect Your Internet Speed
A VPN encrypts your internet data and reroutes your connection through a different server. This process can affect your devices performance. Some VPNs drastically lower your internet speed, while others have found ways to affect the speed as little as possible.
There are several factors that might influence your VPN connection speed, including:
- Chosen VPN protocol: VPNs work with different protocols to encrypt your data. Some protocols are safer than others, but they might also slow down your connection. You can read more about the differences between VPN protocols in our article VPN Protocols Compared.
- Distance from server: The more distance there is between your physical location and the location of the VPN server youre using, the higher the chance that this will negatively affect your speed.
- Server load: Many VPN servers are shared among users of a provider. This means that your chosen server and IP address will also be used by others. The more people are using the same server, the slower your connection might become.
As a result of these things, turning on your VPN might cause all sorts of issues. You might have to wait longer for websites to load. Perhaps it takes a while for your YouTube videos to buffer or you might experience lag while gaming online.
You May Like: Opera Browser For Firestick
Network Testing With Mtr
This open source tool combines a ping test and a traceroute to let you perform advanced network testing. There are Linux/macOS and Windows versions available letting you use it on any operating system.
With this tool, you put in the hostname or IP address of the server you want to test . On running the test youll see:
- Sent: Number of packets sent to the server.
- Loss %: How many were lost, which can indicate network instability.
- Avg, Best, Worst: The best, average, and worst latency for responses from the server, which can indicate a slow hop in the path between you and the server.
Using these metrics, you can figure out why a speed test is returning certain kinds of results for you. For example, the Loss % jumping up suddenly and not going down again means that the connection may be faulty.
If the latency jumps up at a specific point, it can mean that a slow path is being chosen there. Selecting a different VPN server may help you get around that link.
By performing an MTR test while not connected to the VPN, and then again while connected, youll have very useful information to help you debug speed issues. This page explains MTR testing in more detail. And if you have any additional questions, ask them in the comments below!
Protect Your Digital Privacy !
How Do I Check My VPN Latency
A Ping test will be used when connected to a VPN server so that the ping time can be checked. Comparing this to ping times with not using a VPN, as long as the VPN is turned off, run a Ping test. Then you can run a ping test to compare time taken to connect to each VPN server and evaluate their ping rates.
Don’t Miss: Download 911 Re
Check For Ip Address Leaks
Your IP address is like your address online. Its a lot more personally identifiable than a DNS address. A VPN masks your outgoing information source and the data thats transferred along from website to website. Thats why its recommended to hide your IP with a VPN.
Your real IP versus the IP your VPN provider gives you should always be different. If not, your IP is leaking. You can run this test on any device that has a VPN installed.
Heres how:
Step 1)Check your real IP address
Step 2) Turn on your VPN and choose any country server
Step 3) Check your IP address again by refreshing the page
Step 4) Thats it youre protected. As you can see, the IP address is different, indicating that the VPN is working correctly.
Make sure to check that the country server you connect to always matches the country displayed in the IP address checker. If not, your IP may be leaking.
How To Test If My VPN Is Working
To test VPN security, youll first have to find your original IP address. This is the IP address that your internet service provider has assigned to you.
To get started on the whole process, you first need to use a tool that tells you your current IP address.
Before using the tool though, make sure youve turned off your VPN service if its running. If you dont turn off your VPN service, the tool wont work.
Now, if youre connected to a VPN and its working as it is supposed to, it should show you a new IP address thats different from your real IP address.
If your new IP address matches the original IP address that you wrote down, then your VPN either leaking your IP address unintentionally or intentionally.
Here is another thing about IP leak tests: They are not perfect when it comes to detecting problems such as DNS leaks. Sometimes a DNS leak will not pop up on an IP leak test.
Again, Domain Name System leaks are every bit as serious as IP leaks since these can also expose your online identity to hackers. Run a test on our DNS leak test tool.
Also Check: Nordvpn Lg TV