Safe and secure internet browsing is one of the main reasons why we subscribe to VPN services. But did you know using VPNs can slightly decrease the speed of your internet connection? The Internet speed slows down because of the rerouting and encryption (read more) of your internet connection to VPN servers. Most users affected by this drawback are gamers who play their online games, workers that solely rely on fast internet speed at their home, and students during their online classes!
Slow VPN performance can impede the speed of your internet connection. After all, they will need to pass through the server first. Many factors affect VPN performance, and they may be from the services themselves or extrinsic factors. In this article, we will tackle these factors and improve the speed and performance of private networks!
About VPNs And Their Use
VPN is an acronym for Virtual Private Network. The network is structured to reroute internet connection and encrypt data from devices connected to their servers. It masks the IP address of your router resulting in safer net browsing. Metaphorically speaking, VPNs are tunnelways you go through to visit websites, and people would not see you pass through them.
What Type Of VPN Do We Use?
The virtual private network has three different types and has its specific uses. Knowing which type of VPNs you are using can help improve their performance since they have different infrastructures. Below is the list of the three types and a brief overview of their functions.
1. Remote Access VPNs
Remote-access VPNs are the most commercialized virtual private network. Approximately 31% of the world’s population (link: https://dataprot.net/statistics/vpn-statistics/) uses this type, and it continues to rise to this day. This type is the foundation of many companies by creating their network and allowing clients to access their servers for a price!
In a nutshell, the remote access virtual private network connects you to a server from different countries. Through the servers, it allows you to browse websites that are usually inaccessible from your local connections. But the bread and butter of its function are to allow sending and receiving data with utmost security, allowing browsing to be safer. This type is primarily utilized for personal use, such as playing your online games, doing your research, or talking to your friends and family!
2. Intranet-Based Site-To-Site VPNs
This type has the same function as remote access but has a different manner of application. This type is designed to allow multiple users in a fixed location to access each other’s data or resources. This type is used for businesses with branches in different parts of the world.
VPNs are crucial to vast companies as their data is transferred to distant branches and are potential targets for hackers. The best example for this type is having two sites of a company collaborating. With the help of the Intranet-based site-to-site VPN, the local area networks (LANs) are connected to the same wide area networks (WANs) of each site. And that allows each branch to share information and resources privately.
3. Extranet-Based Site-To-Site VPNs
This type is slightly different from an Intranet-based one and has a few extra steps. Through extranet-based virtual private networks, two intranet-based types have access to each other’s resources. The extra step it took is not allowing each other to have direct access to each of their data. The best example of this is two different companies collaborating!
Common Factors Affecting VPN Performance And How To Improve Them!
In this list, we will focus on the Remote Access VPN type as it is widely used. The solutions shown may or may not work. So try not to use only one option to improve the performance of your network. Finally, these are common factors, so if you are looking for a specific or more complicated issue, this may not be the article for you. So without further ado, here are some factors affecting the performance of your private network!
1. Internet Connection
When a family member connects to your wifi access at the same time as you do, the connection to your VPN server might get interrupted or become slower. Multiple devices connected to your internet access result in a slower connection. And that affects the performance of your private network. One tip to resolve the issue is to test out your internet speed first without connecting to a private network server!
If the speed is slower, try to reboot your router or modem and compare it. If the speed is still slower than usual, you can ask the person to limit their connection to your wifi and take another speed test. If the speed test improved, try to connect to your private network server again, the performance should improve as well!
VPN Provider
If your internet speed is fast, but the VPN performance is still not up to par, then the VPN provider might not be for you. If you are looking for the fastest VPN providers, FastestVPNGuide.com and see which provider is the right one for you! Different providers mean different servers, services, and protocols. So one way to resolve the issue is to switch providers!
3. Distance Between The Network Server And Your Device
The distance between the servers and your wireless device affects the speed and performance of the VPN. The throughput and latency are primary components that affect the speed of your private network. Throughput is the amount of transferable data in a specific amount of time, and latency is the range of time from sending a request to getting a response from the accessed server. Therefore, the farther the distance of the server, the slower the speed of data transfer.
Troubleshooting comes easy when you understand the nature of the issue, so try out using nearer servers! Many providers have tools that show how good the connection is to different servers. Utilize this tool to see if the issue was resolved. Otherwise, this brings up another factor: full servers!
Full Servers
Connecting to a capped server might end up annoying you. Overloading can significantly slow your connection and lower the quality of the performance. Trying out other servers is an obvious solution, but it might be troubling if other nearer servers are full. Switching to premium servers is another option you can try out (learn more here), but of course, that costs you some extra cash. Most premium servers have high-speed connections and also some other added benefits like top-notch security!
Final Thoughts
There can be many solutions to one problem, so try out different options to improve your private network performances. Whether switching to another provider or not or looking for more solutions are totally up to you as the user. There are still many more ways to improve the speed and performance of your VPN. Some articles may even provide specific solutions, so go ahead and read more!
