Will VPN Increase Internet Speed

Switch VPN Server Location

If you have connected to a VPN server but are getting slow speeds, its time to change the server location. As a rule of thumb, always connect to a server that is close to your geo-location. The farther the VPN server is located, the slower the speeds.

When you connect to a VPN server that is located far away from your location, your internet traffic will take more time to reach its destination. For example, if you are located in the UK, you dont want to connect to a server in Australia because it will affect your connection speeds.

When you connect to a VPN, your data travels through that server before reaching its final destination. A large distance means the traffic will have to cover a longer distance which ultimately results in latency.

Are There Any Fast Free VPNs

We recommend against using any so-called free VPN. Free VPN services tend to be significantly slower than their premium counterparts. Their servers are usually congested and the apps often impose bandwidth limits or data caps. Server selection is more limited as well. Besides speed, free VPNs often use shady practices to make money, such as collecting your browsing data to sell to third parties and injecting ads into browsers. Some even carry malware payloads to infect your device.

Can A VPN Increase Internet Speed Sometimes Yes

One of the most common questions regarding VPN usage is: Can a VPN increase Internet speed? Yes, it can, but most of the time, it wont. I am going to explain when, why, and how it is possible.

We have performed a series of tests that show that a VPN may sometimes increase Internet speed. Lets see the results first, and then we will find an explanation.

What You’ll Learn

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How VPNs Affect Internet Speed

There are a lot of benefits that come along with having a VPN more security while using the internet and the ability to bypass geographical restrictions. But you may be wondering, does a VPN affect your internet speed?

There are a lot of different rumors floating around online some state that a VPN can increase internet speeds, while others insist that they cause internet speeds to .

Can A VPN Increase My Internet Speed

Technically, a VPN can improve internet speeds, but you shouldnt expect it to transform a 2Mbps connection into a super speedy one. For a VPN to have a positive effect on your internet speed and quality, some conditions must be met by your connection. Slowing down your connection artificially is sadly an everyday practice among many ISPs. Some ISPs use this sneaky tactic to cut expenses by deliberately reducing your bandwidth based on your behavior.

For example, if you’re playing PC games, streaming multimedia content, or torrenting huge files, you may notice some speed decreases. In these situationsSome ISPs, on the other hand, force their customers’ traffic to travel needlessly long paths to their destinations. As a result, the connection’s speed declines, latency rises, and some packet loss may occur.If you feel this is the case, a VPN may be able to help you avoid this poorly-routed network by encrypting your communication. It is not guaranteed to work every time, but when and if it does, you will notice a significant increase in speed.

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What Is VPN Latency

The time taken for a data packet to reach the server location when using a VPN, measured in milliseconds, is referred to as VPN latency.

The farther the VPN servers location from your actual location, the higher the experienced latency will be. Data transfer is measured in megabits per second and is referred to as the download speed.

A high download speed means that your data transfer rate is fast. The video quality that you experience when streaming is also determined by your download speed and bandwidth.

Knowing more about how a VPN works and other things like how does a VPN slow down the internet speed will help you achieve better results while connected to a VPN.

Is It Possible To Increase Internet Speed With A VPN

The quick answer is that sure, it is possible. For certain services, VPNs can improve their performance. Several variables influence your internet speed, such as your location the devices you use to connect to WiFi networks at home or in public places such as hotels. This may not always be possible if those areas do not provide services compatible with your needs.

However, in some cases, when multiple devices connect to a single wireless hotspot even if they are all running different applications their data traffic can still be uninterrupted because VPNs are used to encrypt the data traffic.

Is it true that using a VPN makes your connection faster?

The following is one of the most widely circulated rumors among fellow VPN fans that youll find on the Internet. People would encourage you to invest in a reputable virtual private network since it may assist you in getting a speedier connection.

They wouldnt be far off the mark either. However, it will not suddenly transform a substandard 1 Mbps connection into a Gbps Ethernet connection. Your connection must fulfill several specifications for a VPN to increase download and upload speed and reliability effectively.

Your Internet service provider may be restricting your bandwidth.

If this sounds all too familiar, we have good news for you. A VPN can let you escape your ISPs hungry grasp. In this case, a VPN can speed up your connection.

Improper traffic routing

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Will Using A VPN Affect My Internet Speed

Due to how they work, encrypting data and sending it through a server, most VPNs will have some effect on your internet speed. The good news is that better services will have little to no effect, while the best services may actually increase your speed by overcoming any throttling that your ISP is imposing.

Clear Your Browsers Cache

The browser cache is usually intended to make your browsing experience faster, but if it gets filled with unnecessary files, it can have the opposite effect. All internet browsers will have a way to do this, but it generally follows these three steps.

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How To Check Your VPN Speed

To see how internet speed differs when connected to servers in different locations, run a speed test and take a look at the ping time. It shows the length of delays in the connection between your device and the server its communicating with. This will give you some inkling of how much latency youre likely to experience.

Here’s a quick and easy way to perform a VPN speed test:

• Turn your VPN off
• Search your browser for Internet speed test.
• Make a note of your upload and download speeds.
• Now, turn your VPN on and connect to a server of your choice.
• Repeat steps 3 and 4, and compare your speed results. You should now see the difference in speed when using a VPN, compared to when you’re not using a VPN.

To run a VPN speed test for NordVPN, we used the Ookla service for speed testing while connected to Wi-Fi. Without a VPN, using a local speed test server, the internet speed looked like this:

When connected to a recommended server via the auto-connect functionality, which picks an optimized server based on its load and geographical proximity, we noticed a slight decrease in the download and upload speed.

When continuing to experiment by connecting to servers in geographically distant countries, we got varying results depending on the server location. Generally, the closer the server, the less the internet speed drops. That being said, some countries have faster internet speeds which can make your VPN faster.

Supercharge your online experience.

Change The VPN Protocol And Choose The One That Is Best Suited For Your Needs

Switch to a different VPN Protocol if the option is available from the advanced settings in your VPN client. If you prefer fast connections, you should also take into account the possibility of sacrificing connection stability and security for more speed.

It would be best if you did your own research on VPN protocols so you can choose the right one for your needs.

Also, many VPN providers allow users to change the encryption type that’s used for their connection. Before diving into a new VPN protocol or different encryption type, study the way they differ and clearly understand the possible risks.

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My VPN Is Slow What Can I Do To Make It Faster

The Internet is a large and dynamic network routing data packets between billions of devices. When the computers routing this data fail certain routes become unavailable and traffic has to be temporarily routed over an alternate path causing congestion on the new route . Speed issues are therefore often temporary and will resolve themselves automatically as new routes are added, repaired and optimized.

A VPN is dependant on the speed of your connection to the Internet. Whatever the speed of the connection is, the VPN cannot be faster. In fact, you should expect a small loss in speed when connecting to any VPN service due to the software having to encrypt every packet of data. This loss should be small, usually 10-20% when compared with your connection without a VPN.

If you have a persistent speed issue consider the following troubleshooting steps.

Strategy #: When All Else Failsreboot

As you can tell with each of these strategies, increasing your VPN connection speed is really a trial and error process. The solution could be as simple as closing the program youre using and rebooting your device.

Rebooting solves issues with the operating system either not connecting properly or improperly overriding a connection.

Your device just needs the opportunity to carry out a fresh batch of programming instructions.

I know it seems trivial, but more often than not, this simple act of rebooting the software and even the entire computer can make a huge difference.

Chances are, you havent entirely shut down your computer or device in weeks or months.

Am I right?

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How Much Does VPN Slow Down The Internet

With proper server infrastructure and configurations, you shouldnât feel a difference. What does that mean?

Letâs say you have a 100Mbps download speed and connecting to a VPN brings it down to 80Mbps.

For regular browsing â you wouldnât even feel the difference. It would also allow you to stream comfortably. For downloading â you might notice a change, but not by a lot .

Thatâs not always the case though. If you connect to a VPN server thatâs close by, you might see an even smaller change in your VPN speed.

So, your internet speed and VPN server proximity matter a lot. Hereâs a quick tip: try a wired connection as well as connecting to the closest server to you.

Use A Wired Connection

Wi-Fi is awesome, but it can cost you some speed, especially if you connect multiple devices to the same network. Wireless connections use a shared channel to transmit data to many computers and phones in your home, which can slow down your speeds. If you can, consider switching to a wired connection to enjoy faster connectivity.

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What Is Bandwidth Throttling

Bandwidth throttling is when your internet service provider slows your internet connection as a response to certain online activities. Common activities that may lead to bandwidth throttling include streaming, torrenting, and gaming. ISPs engage in bandwidth throttling for many reasons, such as to prevent network congestion during peak usage hours.

If youve been experiencing either a fluctuation in your internet connection speeds or significantly slower speeds than usual, you may be experiencing bandwidth throttling at the hands of your ISP.

Fortunately, an easy way to get around bandwidth throttling is by using a VPN.

• What is a VPN? Here, we explain all

Best VPN Against Throttling

There are a huge number of VPNs out there and knowing the one to choose is vitally important. One tip we would give is that its always worth spending some money on a VPN. A free VPN can be tempting, but the technology is complex and takes a lot of expertise to maintain and run properly.

Here are some of our recommendations:

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How Do I Get The Fastest Server For Gaming

If you’re an online gamer who uses a VPN to access another region’s servers , the most important factor in choosing a VPN is latency, also called ping. The ping time between the game servers and your computer or console is mostly what determines how much lag you’ll experience. If you want to stay competitive, figure out where the game’s regional servers are hosted and choose the VPN’s closest server. Download rate is also important, but gaming requires less bandwidth than you might think. The first priority should always be reducing latency.

Best VPN For Faster Internet

If youre looking for a VPN service to prevent bandwidth throttling or for one which will give you the best shot at improving your internets performance, right off the bat avoid free providers.

One of the big differences between paid and free is performance. Free VPN servers are notorious for being overloaded, and an overloaded server always results in slower speeds. Theres just no way around it.

Just based on that fact alone, premium providers are the way to go. Yes, they cost money, but its probably less than you may be thinking. You can easily get a subscription to some of the top VPNs for as little as a few dollars per month. That subscription gets you access to hundreds of VPN servers worldwide. All those server use top of the line hardware and all implementing proper user load balancing.

As part of running this site, I regularly measure the performance of dozens of VPNs. While I invite you to take a look at my full list of the fastest providers, below are the top three. These are by far your best bet to stop bandwidth throttling and increase the download and upload speeds of your internet connection.

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Can VPN Change Your Location

If mock locations still dont work, one solution is to root your Android phone, which will allow you to use mock locations without declaring it in the phone settings. Once youve set a mock location, use a VPN to connect to a server near the same place. This will ensure your GPS location and IP address location match.

Choose The Right VPN Server Location

VPN connection speed can depend on the location of the server. For example, South Korea has the fastest internet speeds in the world with an average of 26.7 megabytes per second compared to the global average of just 5.5 Mbps. Other VPN servers that likely offer higher speeds include Sweden , Norway , and Japan .

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What Latency Score Is Acceptable For Gamers

Lower latency is especially important for gamers that play online first-person shooting games. Higher latency can seriously impact the quality of gameplay. In high stakes first-player shooting games, you want your connection latency to be at least under 30ms, otherwise you will experience lags. If you are an average user, anything under 100ms will not impact your online experience.

Its important to notice that ping doesnt exclusively depend on you. For instance, if you are trying to access servers in Japan from Europe, its only natural that the latency time will be higher, considering the two computers geographical positions. However, many online gaming developers have bridged this issue by allowing the user to choose from multiple servers spread across the globe.

Recommended Internet Service Providers

Your router also strongly impacts your internet speed. If its outdated, your router isnt going to be able to keep up. Its location in the home also makes a difference youll want your router close so it can get a strong signal to your devices.

Of course, youll want to make sure your modem and all your hardware is working as it should.

Before you accept that buffering wheel as your way of life, check out our tips for improving your internet speed.

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Nordvpn Speed Test Data

Website: www.Surfshark.com

Money-back guarantee: 30 DAYS

Surfsharks latest adoption of the Wireguard protocol has resulted in huge speed improvements. It averaged 324 Mbps in our tests. This budget-friendly VPN allows for an unlimited number of simultaneous connections, making it a great option for a family or group of housemates with lots of devices.

Surfsharks security meets all of our standards, and it keeps no logs. Its great for streaming Netflix, Hulu, HBO Max, and Disney+, among others. Live chat support is available around the clock.

Apps are available for Windows, MacOS, iOS, Android, Linux, and Fire TV.

Change Your Port Or Protocol

If you notice that the speed of your VPN is severely lagging, then you should seriously consider taking the time to change the port and/or protocol of your VPN software. Note that the software of your VPN links to servers of a certain designated port number. Furthermore, be mindful of the fact that they also use a specified protocol.

The protocols are typically UDP or TCP. There are some networks that will place restrictions concerning the speed of various ports and protocols. Consequently, it will take some time for you to experiment with changing the port and the protocol. By doing so, however, you should eventually find the best and quickest connection that provides the speed you need.

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