The internet is at the very center of life in the Twenty-first century, in every corner of the free world. Like a lot of people, you may find that your VPN is slowing down your internet speed. Like many others, you may not know what VPN is, much less how to get around it crashing your internet service.
According to the FTC, identity theft cost people all over the world roughly $3.3 billion in 2020. And a lot of that was rooted in the internet, victims made vulnerable by information left behind without them even knowing.
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That's why they invented VPNs or virtual private networks.
A VPN is a way to encrypt internet traffic and disguise the user's online identity. It serves to protect the user from third-party interference and related, crimes, including identity theft and other types of fraud. The encryption VPNs provide takes place in real-time.
VPNs provide encryption keys, which protect data. They disguise the user's whereabouts geographically, of greater value to users. They allow access to regional content, which can vary from place to place all over the world. They secure data transfer, where it is most vulnerable.
The services a VPN includes are encryption of the IP address, protocols and traces, two-factor authentication, and a kill switch if the VPN connection is interrupted.
How To Speed Up A VPN Connection
But all these services can slow down almost any internet connection. And internet speed is crucial to today's life on so many levels. VPNs can affect gaming, downloading, streaming, and other internet activities. Luckily, there are ways to handle the problem.
First, choose a VPN server that isn't overloaded. The apps or website will generally tell you their current server load. Servers with a lighter load will provide faster service speeds.
Next, reconsider the protocol you're using. Yes, that sounds like some strange, foreign language. A protocol is a set of instructions between the VPN app, which is on your device, and the VPN server, which determines how the connection is established. There are advantages and disadvantages to varying protocols. And most VPN servers give you a choice as to what protocol to use. You don't have to know all the details (and you don't want to). But OpenVPN, IKEv2, and WireGuard are popular.
Third, split tunneling may help. Again, you don't have to be a computer genius. Split tunneling allows you to filter some traffic through the VPN, but not all. That naturally eases up on internet speed. Most VPN providers offer this option.
Use a wired connection. It's faster than Wi-Fi.
Fourth, close down other apps which might be open. They can be a real drain on your data usage.
You might want to restart your computer, your router, or other devices. It's a cliché, sure, but it really can work wonders. You'd be surprised at the periods you leave your computer on but in sleep mode. It's still on. Turning it on and off again, apps too can refresh every app.
Websites To Test Your Internet Speed And Connection Stability
And there are websites to test your internet speed, to make sure it's up to snuff. The most popular are Speedtest.net, Measurementlab, and Internet Speed Test. When you use one of these fine services, there are certain things you need to look for: Download and upload speed, ping, jitter, and latency. Let's take a look at these in greater detail.
What To Look For In Speed Test Results
Download and upload speed: These aren't that tricky. If you're moving big files to sites like Mediafire, or if you're live streaming, this is crucial. How quickly does the information come in and go out? The best way to remedy this is to pay for it. The more you pay your internet server, the faster these speeds will be. Sorry, we can't give you a magic bullet for these.
Ping: This is a computer network administration software utility. It's used to test the connectable nature of any host on any Internet Protocol network. It is available for most operating systems that have networking capability. Most embedded network administration software has this capability. Adjusting it, according to the instruction provided by the server, should help internet speed.
Jitter: Data is passed through the internet in packets. Smaller packets pass more quickly, while larger packets take longer. That makes sense, right? They're generally sent at regular intervals. The time delay in sending these packets is called jitter. It results in dropped calls, voice dropouts during calls, and other failures. VPNs can antagonize this jitter. Testing for jitter is the best way to spot the problem. Using an ethernet cable can help this, and so will prioritizing packets. Your router may offer a quality of service setting (QoS) which allows you to choose which packets have priority over other types of internet traffic.
Latency: This term refers to the time it takes for information to travel. It may be from one network to another, or within a network. Latency is a problem in every aspect of computer communication. Most software programs have latency settings so that you can increase or decrease the latency depending upon your needs. If your internet is slowing down from your VPN usage, latency may be the key.
How To Speed Up Your Internet Connection
Scanning for viruses is also a good idea, always. That's something you should do periodically, as well as having a good virus-blocker, such as are provided by companies like Norton.
Clear your computer of cookies and outdated bookmarks too. You'd be surprised how much data processing that wastes! Other devices, such as gaming devices, could be sapping your computer of its processing strength as well.
These are the best ways to keep your internet running smoothly and quickly even when using a VPN, which you really should consider using. They are affordable, plentiful, and useful. The time and money they will save you in preventing identity theft alone make them well worth the while. And more reliable options than ever before. Make the most of them, and enjoy your time on the internet, and in your life.
