How to Speed Up Your VPN: 10 Proven Tips for Faster Connections
Boost your VPN speed with these expert tips. Learn how to optimize protocols, server selection, and settings for maximum performance.
Understanding VPN Speed Loss
Some speed reduction when using a VPN is normal. Understanding why helps you minimize it.
Why VPNs Affect Speed
1. Encryption Overhead Encrypting and decrypting your data requires processing power. While modern encryption is efficient, it adds some latency.
2. Server Distance Your data travels to the VPN server before reaching its destination. More distance = more latency.
3. Server Load Overcrowded servers slow everyone down. Popular server locations can become congested.
4. Protocol Efficiency Different protocols have different overhead. Older protocols like OpenVPN are slower than modern ones like WireGuard.
5. Your Base Connection VPNs can't make your internet faster than your ISP provides. They can only work within your existing bandwidth.
Typical Speed Impact - Premium VPN, nearby server: 5-15% reduction - Premium VPN, distant server: 20-40% reduction - Free/poor VPN: 50-80% reduction
Tip 1: Choose the Right Protocol
Protocol selection has the biggest impact on speed.
WireGuard Is Fastest WireGuard consistently outperforms other protocols: - 20-40% faster than OpenVPN - Modern, efficient codebase - Lower CPU usage
Protocol Speed Ranking 1. WireGuard/NordLynx/Lightway: Fastest 2. IKEv2: Very fast 3. OpenVPN UDP: Moderate 4. OpenVPN TCP: Slowest (but most reliable)
How to Change Protocol In your VPN app, look for: - Settings → Connection → Protocol - Settings → VPN Protocol - Advanced → Protocol selection
Select WireGuard if available. Most modern VPNs default to it or auto-select the best option.
When to Use Slower Protocols - OpenVPN TCP: When bypassing firewalls - OpenVPN UDP: When WireGuard is blocked - IKEv2: On mobile when WireGuard isn't available
Tip 2: Connect to Nearby Servers
Server distance directly impacts speed and latency.
Why Distance Matters Data must physically travel to the VPN server. Light travels fast, but: - New York to London: ~70ms added latency - New York to Tokyo: ~150ms added latency - More distance = more potential routing issues
Choosing the Best Server
1. Use Quick Connect/Auto-Select Most VPN apps have smart server selection that picks the best option.
2. Sort by Latency Many apps show server ping times. Choose servers with lowest ms.
3. Start Local If you don't need a specific location, connect to a server in your country.
4. Consider Server Load Some apps show server utilization. A nearby server at 90% load may be slower than a slightly farther one at 30%.
When You Need Distant Servers If you need a server in another country (for streaming, etc.): - Choose the closest city in that country - Use servers during off-peak hours - Consider premium/dedicated servers
Tip 3: Avoid Overcrowded Servers
Server congestion significantly impacts performance.
Signs of Server Congestion - Slower than usual speeds - Connection drops - High latency - Buffering during streaming
How to Find Less Crowded Servers
1. Check Server Load Many VPN apps display load percentage. Choose servers under 50%.
2. Try Less Popular Locations Major cities are busiest. Try: - Secondary cities (Chicago vs New York) - Nearby countries (Netherlands vs UK for Europe) - Less common server locations
3. Time Your Usage Servers are busiest during local evening hours. Connect during off-peak times if possible.
4. Use Specialty Servers Some VPNs offer: - P2P-optimized servers - Streaming-optimized servers - Gaming servers These often have managed loads.
Favorite Less-Crowded Locations - Czech Republic (for European content) - Japan (for Asian content) - Dallas or Atlanta (for US content)
Tip 4: Use Wired Connections
Your local network affects VPN speed.
WiFi vs Ethernet WiFi adds: - Latency (5-20ms typically) - Interference potential - Variable speeds - Connection drops
Ethernet provides: - Consistent speeds - Lower latency - Stable connections - Full bandwidth utilization
WiFi Optimization If you must use WiFi: - Use 5GHz band instead of 2.4GHz - Position closer to router - Reduce interference (microwaves, other devices) - Use modern WiFi standards (WiFi 6) - Consider a WiFi mesh system
Mobile Optimization On phones/tablets: - 5GHz WiFi is faster than 4G - 5G is often faster than WiFi - Avoid VPN on congested public WiFi
Router Considerations If using VPN on router: - Router processing power limits speed - Consider VPN-optimized routers - Or use VPN on individual devices instead
Tip 5: Update Your VPN App
Outdated software often performs worse.
Why Updates Matter VPN updates include: - Protocol optimizations - Bug fixes affecting speed - New faster servers - Improved connection handling - Security patches
How to Update
Windows/Mac - Most apps auto-update - Check app settings for update option - Or download latest from provider website
iOS/Android - Enable auto-updates in App Store/Play Store - Or manually check for updates
Update Frequency Quality VPNs update every 2-4 weeks. If your version is months old, update immediately.
After Updating - Reconnect to VPN - Test speeds - Reconfigure any changed settings - Check that kill switch is still enabled
Tip 6: Optimize VPN Settings
Beyond protocol, other settings affect performance.
Split Tunneling Route only necessary traffic through VPN: - Reduces VPN bandwidth load - Keeps local network access fast - Gaming can bypass VPN while browsing stays protected
Disable Unnecessary Features Turn off what you don't need: - Ad blocking (if you use browser extension instead) - Antivirus scanning (if you have separate software) - Double VPN (unless needed)
DNS Settings Some VPNs let you choose DNS: - VPN's DNS is usually best - Cloudflare (1.1.1.1) can be faster - Avoid ISP DNS
MTU Optimization MTU (Maximum Transmission Unit) affects packet size: - Default is usually fine - Some networks need smaller MTU - If experiencing issues, try 1400 or 1300
Port Settings If having connection issues: - Try different ports - Port 443 mimics HTTPS traffic - Some ISPs throttle default VPN ports
Tip 7: Test and Troubleshoot
Regular testing helps identify and fix issues.
Baseline Speed Test 1. Disconnect VPN 2. Test speed at speedtest.net 3. Note download, upload, and ping
VPN Speed Test 1. Connect to VPN 2. Test speed again 3. Compare to baseline
Acceptable Speed Loss - 10-20%: Excellent - 20-30%: Good - 30-50%: Acceptable for distant servers - 50%+: Problem to investigate
Troubleshooting Slow Speeds
1. Try different servers: Could be server-specific issue 2. Change protocols: WireGuard may not work best on your network 3. Restart VPN app: Clears any stuck connections 4. Restart router: Fixes local network issues 5. Check for ISP throttling: If VPN is faster than direct, ISP is throttling 6. Contact support: May have server recommendations
Speed Test Tools - Speedtest.net - Fast.com (Netflix's test) - Speedof.me (HTML5 based)
When to Contact Support If speeds are consistently 50%+ slower than expected after trying all tips, contact your VPN's support with: - Your base internet speed - VPN speed with different servers - Protocol being used - Device and OS information
Tip 8: Consider Upgrading Your VPN
Not all VPNs perform equally.
VPNs Known for Speed 1. NordVPN: NordLynx (WireGuard) is extremely fast 2. ExpressVPN: Lightway protocol offers great speeds 3. Surfshark: Good WireGuard implementation 4. Mullvad: Efficient infrastructure 5. Private Internet Access: Fast on WireGuard
Speed Test Results (Typical)
Signs You Need a Faster VPN - Consistent buffering on streams - Speeds below 50% of baseline - Frequent disconnections - Poor server availability
Switching Checklist Before changing providers: 1. Use money-back guarantee to test new VPN 2. Compare speeds on same server locations 3. Test at different times of day 4. Verify all features you need work properly
Budget-Speed Balance Fastest VPNs aren't always most expensive. NordVPN and Surfshark offer excellent speeds at reasonable long-term prices.
With a quality VPN and nearby server, expect 5-15% speed reduction. Distant servers may cause 20-40% reduction. If you're losing more than 30% on local servers, something can be optimized.
Yes and no. VPNs can't make your internet faster, but higher base speeds mean more bandwidth even after VPN overhead. If you have 1Gbps and lose 20%, you still have 800Mbps—plenty fast.
WireGuard uses modern, efficient code (about 4,000 lines vs OpenVPN's 100,000+), state-of-the-art cryptography designed for speed, and optimized kernel integration. Less code = less processing = faster speeds.
Yes, in specific cases: if your ISP throttles certain traffic (streaming, gaming), a VPN hides your activity and may restore full speeds. Also, VPNs can sometimes provide more direct routing paths.
Common causes: varying server load throughout day, ISP traffic management, WiFi interference, background downloads, or VPN server maintenance. Try testing at different times and with different servers.
Yes. You need approximately: 5 Mbps for HD, 25 Mbps for 4K. Most VPNs easily handle this, but if your base speed is slow or VPN connection is heavily degraded, you may experience buffering.
Yes, if you don't need all traffic protected. Routing only sensitive traffic through VPN reduces load. For example, VPN for browsing, direct for gaming.
Mobile networks have variable speeds. Also, phone processors are less powerful for encryption. Use WireGuard or IKEv2 on mobile. Avoid OpenVPN on phones if speed is important.
If your internet is fast normally but slows significantly only when VPN is active, ISP may be throttling VPN traffic. Try obfuscation features or different ports to work around this.
Usually yes. Most consumer routers have limited processing power for encryption. For best speeds, install VPN apps on individual devices. Router-level VPN sacrifices some speed for convenience.