A Remote Worker’s Guide to Staying Connected and Productive
The most common VPN issues when working from home are slow speeds and connections that drop, and many of them start with the home internet connection under the VPN rather than the VPN itself.
Speedify is an app that combines Wi-Fi, 4G/5G cellular, Ethernet, Starlink and satellite internet connections into one connection and encrypts the traffic like a VPN. On home Wi-Fi plus a phone’s 4G/5G cellular, the connection holds when one of the two weakens, and the public IP address stays the same, so a call or remote session does not see a new address. With only one internet connection, Speedify works as an encrypted VPN and can be a little slower.
Speedify keeps the call running when the internet connection fails.
Below are the VPN problems remote staff hit most often, the fix for each one, and where Speedify helps. Check your company’s IT policy before installing any app alongside a work VPN. For VPN problems outside work, see what to try when a VPN fails.
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Speedify offers three commercial paths. They work together, and most enterprise customers use two or more.
01
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02
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How to Set Up Speedify Next to a Work VPN at Home
- Download Speedify on a second computer at home, or run it on a supported router (routers need a Router License). Check with your IT team first: Speedify and a company VPN can’t reliably run side by side on the same computer, so this setup uses two devices.
- Connect that device to home Wi-Fi plus a second internet connection, ideally from a different provider, such as a phone’s 4G/5G cellular by USB (on a Mac, use an iPhone). Then open Speedify and sign in or create a free account (the free tier includes 5 GB per month; Linux needs a paid plan).
- Share the Speedify connection from that device over Wi-Fi or Ethernet, and connect your work laptop to it.
- Start the company VPN on the work laptop as usual. If one internet connection drops, Speedify keeps traffic flowing over the other with the same public IP address.
The Most Common VPN Issues for Remote Workers
1. Slow VPN Connection Speeds
The most frequent complaint is a slow internet connection once the company VPN is on: a home connection that tests at 100 Mbps can feel far slower through the VPN, so file uploads, video conferences and cloud applications drag.
Why it happens: Traditional VPNs route all your traffic through a single server, creating a bottleneck. Distance to the server, encryption overhead, and server congestion all contribute to speed degradation. Additionally, many corporate VPNs prioritize security over performance, using heavy encryption protocols that further slow down connections.
2. Frequent VPN Connection Drops
Nothing disrupts productivity quite like a VPN that constantly disconnects. One moment you’re accessing company files, the next you’re locked out and scrambling to reconnect while your colleagues wait on a video call.
Why it happens: Connection drops occur due to network instability, switching between Wi-Fi networks, or your device going into sleep mode. Many VPNs struggle with “network switching”: the common scenario where your laptop automatically switches from Wi-Fi to mobile hotspot or between different Wi-Fi networks throughout the day.
3. Limited Device Support and Multi-Connection Issues
Modern remote workers don’t just use one device. You might start your day on a laptop, check emails on your phone during lunch, and finish reports on a tablet. However, many corporate VPNs limit simultaneous connections or don’t support all devices equally well.
Why it happens: Enterprise VPN solutions often impose connection limits to manage server load and licensing costs. Additionally, some VPNs have poor mobile app performance or lack support for certain operating systems.
4. Geographic Restrictions and Server Limitations
Remote workers traveling for business or working from different locations often encounter geographic restrictions. Your company’s VPN might not have servers in your current location, resulting in even slower connections due to increased distance.
Why it happens: VPN providers maintain servers in limited locations, and connecting to distant servers increases latency. Some regions may have restricted or censored internet access, further complicating VPN connectivity.
5. Work VPN Will Not Connect from Home
If the work VPN will not connect at all, check that your home internet works with the VPN off, restart the router and laptop, and update the VPN client. If Speedify or another VPN app runs on the same laptop, quit it first: two VPNs cannot reliably run side by side on the same device. If the VPN still fails, your IT team can check your account and whether the company’s VPN accepts connections from your network.
How to Fix VPN Issues When Working from Home
Optimize Your Setup
Start with the basics: ensure you’re using a wired connection when possible (instead of a Wi-Fi connection), close bandwidth-heavy applications, and restart your router regularly. Position yourself close to your Wi-Fi router.
Choose the Right Protocol
If your VPN allows protocol selection, experiment with different options. WireGuard and IKEv2 typically offer better performance than older protocols like OpenVPN, especially on mobile devices.
Use Split Tunneling
Enable split tunneling to route only work-related traffic through the VPN while allowing other applications to use your direct internet connection. This reduces the load on your VPN connection while maintaining security for sensitive work data.
Implement Connection Redundancy
Consider using multiple internet connections at once: your main broadband (fiber, cable or Starlink) plus a second internet connection from a phone’s 4G/5G cellular, ideally on a different carrier from your home internet. This prevents complete disconnection if one connection fails.
Speedify Is Used on Millions of Devices Worldwide
Speedify has made internet connections faster and more reliable for businesses and individuals since 2014.
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Speedify downloads worldwide75K+
5-star reviews for Speedify on iOS and Android82
Speedify server points of presence in 50+ cities on 6 continents500TB+
Of internet traffic carried by Speedify every weekSpeedify Partners
Speedify works with these companies to bring faster, more reliable internet and networking technology to their customers and employees.
Why Speedify Stands Out as a VPN for Remote Workers
Traditional VPNs rely on a single internet connection. Speedify takes a different approach that addresses these problems directly: it uses technology that combines multiple internet connections at the same time.
You can use Starlink, Wi-Fi, DSL, 4G/5G cellular and other connection types together for a steadier, faster connection. When one connection weakens or drops, Speedify moves traffic to the others without interrupting your work session, and your public IP address stays the same, so calls and remote sessions do not see a new address. If you only have one connection now, here are options for a second internet connection for remote workers.
Speedify runs on Windows, macOS, iOS, Android and Linux. With two or more internet connections, Speedify combines their bandwidth; on one connection, expect Speedify to be a little slower than no VPN at all.
If your work VPN is slow or drops at home, fix the home network first (a wired connection, a router restart, a closer VPN server), then add a second internet connection on a different provider. Speedify, on a second computer or a router, combines both connections under the work VPN and keeps the same public IP address when one of them drops.
Speedify Business Solutions
Speedify Teams
Speedify for Routers
Speedify Embedded Solutions and Integrations
Add Speedify to your own app or hardware with the Speedify SDK. Your product then combines internet connections, fails over automatically when one drops, and encrypts the traffic, using the same technology as the Speedify app.