VPNs Inherently Slow Down Your Internet. But Not All of Them
Whether you’re using it to unblock restricted content, avoid government censorship or stay anonymous online, a VPN (virtual private network) is a must-have tool. It works by encrypting and routing your traffic through a cloud server.
Unfortunately, many users get the slow VPN experience, making their Internet sluggish when connected through the VPN. Slow VPN can cause video buffering, timing out issues, slow downloads, choppy music streams etc. Not to worry – there are ways to remedy this.
Speedify delivers an unbreakable VPN connection by intelligently bonding multiple internet sources, ensuring continuous uptime and encrypted protection.
Should you have a backup 4G, 5G, Starlink, or cable internet connection?
Yes — every internet connection goes down, including Starlink, which drops for ~34 minutes a day on average. A backup connection from a different provider means one outage never takes you fully offline. The most common options are a 4G/5G cellular hotspot, a cable or DSL line, or a second satellite dish.
4G/5G cellular
Works anywhere. Just a SIM or hotspot — no installation needed.
Learn more →Cable / DSL
Best for fixed locations. Different network, so outages rarely overlap.
Learn more →Second Starlink
Adds redundancy and throughput for remote sites or heavy usage.
Learn more →Speedify bonds any two connections into one — automatic failover, more speed, no dropped calls.
Try Speedify free →What Causes a Slow VPN?
First – it’s your location in regards to the VPN server you’re connecting to. If you’re using a VPN server on another continent, you may see some significant latency and slowdown in bandwidth. That’s because your traffic needs to make one more stop on its way to the internet and back. If the server is far away, it will take more time.
Another thing that can cause slow VPN is the server load. If you’re not using a dedicated VPN server, but rather connect to public servers, these may slow down under the load of many users.
Sadly, many times the servers and the service a VPN provider offers are subpar. It’s important to choose a reliable VPN – here are some articles to make it easier for you.
4 Tips to Fix Slow VPN
There are some general fixes which everybody recommends – these should help in most cases:
- Restart the device and see if the problem persists
- Use a wired connection if possible
- Restart your modem/router
- Try another VPN server. If you connect to a server closer to your actual location you will reduce the latency and improve the speed.
- Change the port / protocol. Most VPN providers will allow you to change the network protocol. Some will also allow you to change the port, while others will select the best port automatically. Changing the protocol from TCP to UDPwill be better for gaming and streaming. Learn more about network protocols in this Netscout article.
If none of those 5 steps above help, you can try to combine two internet connections into one. You can do this with a bonding VPN software like Speedify.
Speedify is a bonding VPN that encrypts your internet traffic while combining multiple networks to provide faster and reliable internet. Speedify is not a slow VPN!
How Come Speedify Is Not a Slow VPN?
With its channel bonding technology, Speedify allows you to take advantage of all internet connections available to you. For example, you can combine WiFi and cellular data on your mobile device so you could join that important business meeting while connected to a public WiFi hotspot. All without worrying about your privacy and personal data.
In many cases, Speedify can also help if used with only one Internet connection, by minimizing packet loss. This can be very useful for streaming and online gaming.
Feel free to test Speedify yourself. Take advantage of our free plan and download Speedify now.
Alex and the Speedify team are always exploring the latest in networking and security technology—like 5G, 6G, WiFi 7, laser and satellite internet—and sharing it in new discussion content across YouTube, TikTok, Instagram, and LinkedIn every week.
Got a tech question? Let's go deeper! Pop into Speedify Office Hours live every Wednesday at 10 AM Eastern. Speedify CEO Alex Gizis and our network engineers are standing by to break down your questions about networks, tech updates, and Speedify features.
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