Internet Slow While Using VPN A virtual private network (VPN) is a great option for privacy protection. But you should be careful when choosing a VPN. Cyber security experts recommend using a reliable and secure VPN app.
Often using a VPN can reduce internet speed by 50% or more. The reason for this is the nature of how VPNs work. Generally: a VPN encrypts the user’s data and sends it to a server somewhere. When that happens, it takes time to re-decrypt the encrypted traffic.
It also takes time to transfer your data from the VPN server back to your device. Therefore, the speed of the Internet becomes slow. However, you can improve your VPN connection by paying attention to a few things.
Similarly, the VPN protocol you are using, i.e. how many people are using the VPN server you are using, also makes a difference in the speed of the Internet.
But if you do activities that require high-speed internet like gaming, streaming, or video conferencing, you will find that it is different. Online games can be lost if the internet slows down by a few milliseconds.
Similarly, if the internet slows down due to VPN, the video streaming experience will be poor. If your VPN isn’t running at the speed you need, you can do the following:
-Connect to the nearest server from your location
Auto VPN speeds are faster when you connect to a server that is closer to your location than in normal language. Because your traffic route will be shorter.
Let’s say: you are in Nepal. Now if you connect to a VPN server inside Nepal, you will get high speed. But if you stay here and connect to the server in Japan, the internet will be slow. But this is not always practical.
-Connect to a server that is not overloaded
When many people use the same VPN server, that server becomes overloaded. Or it has a lot of weight. This slows down the connection with that server and slows down the internet speed.
Some VPN providers display the current server load through their app or website. Then you can also know the status of the VPN servers you are using.
-Connect via different VPN protocols
The VPN protocol controls how data is transmitted between your device and the VPN server. There are different types of VPN protocols available in the market. In terms of speed and security, the pros and cons depend on the protocol. Therefore, if the connection is slow, you can change the VPN protocol.
-Enable split tunneling
If your VPN provider provides a ‘split tunneling’ feature, you can also use it to increase VPN speed.
This feature sends only the traffic you want to the server. The rest of the encrypted data is transmitted over a regular connection. like; If you use a VPN for streaming, this feature only sends streaming traffic to the VPN server.
-Use wire for connection
A wired connection is faster than wireless (Wi-Fi) internet. At home, different devices are connected to the same internet. Which is wireless. If you use a VPN at the same time, the internet speed will become unstable. And, the connection is slow.
As a solution, you can connect your device to the internet through a cable. For example: A computer can be directly connected to the Internet through Ethernet only.
-Close unnecessary apps running in the background
Even if you have the app running in the background but not using it, the speed of the VPN connection will slow down. Because such apps use the power of the device.
Therefore, before using VPN, apart from the application that you want to use, you should check whether other applications are running in the background. If there are such apps, close them.
-Restart your router and other devices
If the speed of the VPN connection is slow, you can restart the device including your router. Restarting such devices is like ‘refreshing’ them.
With restart, you can free some RAM on your mobile. After doing these things you may find your VPN speed increased.