Does your VPN cut your internet speed in half? Here’s how to find out

Most of us have been frustrated by a Slow internet connection before. Maybe when your video keeps buffering in a paused state or when your website takes a long time to load.

It can slow you down or completely stop you in your tracks. This can be more clear if you use Virtual private network This will improve privacy by encrypting your data but will also hurt your internet speeds.

In fact, VPNs affect both Internet speed (the rate at which data is uploaded and downloaded) and latency (the time it takes for the signal to travel from your device to the server and back).

If you want to know how slow your VPN is slowing your internet, I’ll show you how to find out.

Main takeaways:

• Testing the speed of your VPN is a simple and easy way to make sure you’re getting the best online experience possible.
• Speed ​​tests such as Speedtest.net, Cloudfire, m-lab or speedsmart All of this allows you to get readings of your speed and test your connection. Once you get the results, you can see how slow your VPN is.

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Preparation before the test

Before you test your VPN speeds, you’ll want to get a basic measurement of your sans-VPN internet as a point of comparison. Here’s how to get an accurate reading:

1. First, disconnect from your VPN. This will allow you to get an accurate read on your basic internet speeds before adding a VPN into the mix.
2. Then close other applications Which runs in the background to ensure that no rogue streaming service or downloader may be using your bandwidth.
3. Finally, make sure you are using a reliable device. You’ll need to run the speed test on a device with a stable internet connection, ideally connected to a device Ethernet cable instead of using Wi-Fi.

Run a speed test

Now that you have your device ready, you can run the speed test itself.

We recommend Ookla’s popular and free speed test, which you can find at Speedtest.net. (Disclosure: Ookla is owned by the same parent company as CNET, Ziff Davis.)

last Good speed tests Includes Cloudfire, m-lab or speedsmart.

Once you get to the speed test site, the process is very simple. Below is a step-by-step breakdown, inspired by How we test VPNs.

1. Open the speed test website.

I’m a US citizen but I’m a digital nomad. At the time of this speed test, my ISP is Vodafone, and my location is Milan. This is where you will see your Internet provider and location appear.

You will see something like this.

1. Run your first speed test, without your VPN.

After clicking the Go button, you will see this screen while running the speed test.

1. Wait until the test is completely finished.

When the speed test is finished, you will see this screen with your results. Save the results or take a screenshot that you can refer to later.

1. Connect to your VPN, then update the speed test site.

While connected to your VPN, repeat steps 1 through 3 to get a new reading.

VPN Speed ​​Test: Analysis of Results

Now, you have results from two speed tests: one conducted without your VPN and one with your VPN enabled. This will allow you to compare how your VPN affects speeds.

You’ll likely notice a drop in speeds while using your VPN. This is normal, because your VPN encrypts your data and bounces it off a server that may add physical distance to your web traffic.

Many VPNs can cut your speeds by 50% or more, however CNET recommends Look for VPNs that reduce speed by 20% or less. If you lose more than 20% of your speed on your VPN test, check CNET’s list of the fastest VPNs For alternative service providers.

You’ll also need to compare the ping results from both speed tests.

To help explain ping (also known as latency), Joe Peterson, product manager at Ookla, compares it to hot water in your home. When you turn on a hot tap, it takes a moment for the hot water to move from the water heater to the tap. Ping measures essentially the same thing: how long it takes to get a response when you make a request online.

Ping is measured in milliseconds. Most of the time, it’s so short that even a VPN won’t make much of a difference. “If you have a good VPN provider, you may not notice the impact on latency,” says Peterson.

In general, low ping is ideal for real-time activities such as online gaming. Meanwhile, a high ping can cause lags or delays for these types of online activities.

Troubleshoot slow speeds

If you find yourself at slower speeds than you’d like, here are some things you can do Troubleshoot VPN speeds:

• Try a different or closer server: Speed ​​testing sites allow you to choose a different server to test. You can try this and see if a different server gives you different results. In theory, the closer the server is to your location, the faster your connection will be.
• Change VPN protocol: You may be able to switch the protocol your VPN uses to encrypt your data. Each protocol is a little different, and some are faster than others. Wireguard and similar proprietary protocols like ExpressVPN’s Lightway and NordVPN’s NordLynx generally provide the fastest speeds in our tests.

• Check server overload: Some VPN servers can become congested during peak hours, resulting in slower speeds. Your VPN server may also experience an outage. DownDetectoranother app from Ookla, can let you know if this is the case or not.
• Try connecting to wired internet: Instead of using Wi-Fi, try connecting directly to your router using an Ethernet cable, which will give you the best speeds.
• Consult your VPN provider’s support: You can also try contacting the VPN support team if the issues persist.

For more VPN tips, check this out How to set up a VPN And how to test Whether your VPN is working.