
Reducing VPN traffic is beneficial for your speed, especially if your internet connection is limited and/or unstable.Slow Internet speeds are annoying for any user. This is because by activating this option, you can decide which traffic to encrypt inside the VPN tunnel and which one to opt out. Many VPN services offer a feature called split tunneling that can come handy when it comes to pumping up internet speeds.

However, ExpressVPN has developed its own Lightway protocol which rivals WireGuard closely. The new industry standard of security and speed is WireGuard. For doing so, you just need to head to the settings of your VPN app and customize your choice.

Beside opting for one closest to your geographical location, premium VPN providers often have several different servers in the same country too.Īgain, being that the type of security protocol can affect your overall VPN speed, switching to a different one may allow you to enjoy better performance. All the top providers offer a huge array of international servers - our overall favorite ExpressVPN boasts over 3,000 across 94 countries. This is why trying out different networks might help you get a faster connection. We talked before about how VPN servers can affect the performance of your security software. Here are some tips to boost your online performance and enjoy the best VPN speeds possible.
Speed test internet speed test how to#
(Image credit: NordVPN) How to improve your VPN performance You should aim for at least 3 Mbps for everyday use and around 10 Mbps for maximum performance. High upload speeds are particularly important if you're often on calls and video meetings, or gaming. This defines the rate you send online data. Higher is the better here - with the advent of fibre optic broadband, speeds of over 100Mbps are common, but anything above 20Mbps will suffice for streaming and browsing. This perhaps the most important result for anyone one surfing the web as it represents how fast data can be downloaded - for instance, how long a page takes to load fully. A low ping rate is vital for those using a gaming VPN to play online. The lower your ping is, the quicker this will be. This represents the lag between taking an action - for example, clicking on a link - and that action being registered by the website or app.

For this, we recommend running two different tests to compare the results.Īfter the speed test is complete, you will be presented with a set of results and factors to consider according to your needs. Speedtest (opens in new tab) is one of the best speed test apps around, and it's one of the services we use when reviewing VPNs.īefore checking how fast your connection is when safely browsing the net with your VPN on, you need to have an idea of your baseline internet performance.

Speed test internet speed test free#
This might sound a bit complicated but the good news is that there are many free services available online for testing your internet connection performance. Among all the ones available, WireGuard is the fastest option you can opt for right now. As encryption is a major cause for a VPN to slow down your overall internet speed, the security protocol defining the type of encryption employed is a huge defining factor here. Premium services generally provide some details about this point. This is more likely to happen when the VPN infrastructure is obsolete or inadequate. A drop in connection speed might occur if the server gets overloaded. Many users are likely to be connected to your chosen network at the same time as you are. As all of your traffic has to pass via this server, your connection will inevitably be faster when you connect to one close to your physical location. The biggest reason for your connection slowing down is the distance between you and your chosen server.
