8 Effective Ways to Speed up Your Internet When Using a VPN  

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Virtual private networks (VPNs) are best for internet users who want to protect their identity and other information on the web. It hides your IP address and encrypts your browsing activity while providing access to geo-restricted websites. Therefore, you get more autonomy and freedom to visit any website without risking your privacy.

There are some downsides to using VPNs. The most common issue is that when you are connected to a VPN server, it slows down your internet. It means that your internet connection will take longer to stream videos or download files.

To fix these speed issues associated with VPNs, we have curated a list of methods to increase your internet speed while staying connected to a VPN. Before diving into the solutions, you need to understand why you get slower speeds with a VPN server.

How Does a VPN Slow Down Your Internet Speeds?

A VPN tunnels your online activity by taking you through an encrypted route to an external server. It reroutes your internet traffic through an external VPN server to protect your IP address from other parties, including your internet service provider (ISP) and the government. As a result, you get increased privacy and security to carry out your online tasks without having anyone snooping on your browsing information.

On the other hand, encryption and rerouting increase the time it takes data packets to transmit from your device to the destination. Hence, you get slow speeds while using a VPN.

Most of the time, your speed will reduce slightly. However, if you encounter constant slowdowns on a VPN connection, must try out different ways to speed up your VPN connection.

8 Ways to Boost Your Internet Speed While Using a VPN

Here are some of the most effective ways to improve slow speeds while using a VPN connection:

Change Your VPN Protocols

Your VPN protocol consists of a system that encrypts your data before you are connected to an external server. The protocol you choose will affect not only your privacy and security but also your VPN speed. Therefore, you need to understand the difference between different VPN protocols before you choose one.

Protocols, such as PPTP and WireGuard do not provide enough security whereas the OpenVPN protocol provides high-level encryption to secure your online activity.

Select a Different VPN Provider

Some VPN providers may not deliver high speeds in your specific area even if you switch to another server and protocol. To fix this issue, you can change the VPN service you have chosen.

For example, Surfshark gives fast speeds for servers available near your location and even far from you. Similarly, NordVPN and ExpressVPN offer high speeds without asking you to go for a fully paid subscription.

Close Unnecessary Background Apps

You may not notice but you might have some apps and programs running on your device in the background. It may not show up in your user interface but these apps end up consuming your bandwidth and processing power.

You need to check if background apps are running on your device and close them to boost your VPN speed.

Restart Your Device

The simplest way to fix internet speed issues is to reboot your device. It helps fix internet system errors on your device that may slow down the VPN connection.

Use a Different VPN Server

The distance between your actual location and the external VPN server influences the time taken to transmit data. To increase your VPN speed, choose servers located nearby and you will notice a significant change in the internet speed.

Enable Split Tunneling

Since VPN services encrypt your internet traffic from every app or software on your device, you may experience slower speeds. This happens when multiple apps that consume too much bandwidth are running on your device.

Therefore, you need to safeguard your traffic from certain apps to increase your VPN speed and stay protected at the same time.

Use a Wired Connection

Wi-Fi is the most convenient option for users who want to surf the web without being tangled by any wires for an internet connection. However, wireless connections might have speeds slower than what you get with a wired connection.

If you have an Ethernet cable and a device with Ethernet ports, you could easily switch to a wired connection and enjoy seamless connectivity.

Disable Firewall or Antivirus

Both firewall and antivirus play an important role in keeping you secure. But, if you are accessing a trusted source to download files while you need fast VPN speeds, disable your firewall and antivirus. As a result, you will get much better internet speeds.

However, it is crucial to have your antivirus switched on as it provides additional safety and security for your online activities. So, once you are done with your task, make sure you turn your antivirus back on.

Conclusion

Now that you have tried all the above-listed ways to improve your internet speeds, you will get a seamless online experience while surfing the web securely through a VPN. However, if none of the methods worked for you, then there is a chance that there are issues associated with your internet connection. In such situations, the best option is to switch to Spectrum Internet. They offer amazing plans for users to carry out any online task without encountering speed issues. So, pick your phone up and contact servicio al cliente de Spectrum to get connected!