How a VPN Affects Your Internet Speed on Windows PCs

A VPN is an Internet safety service that enables users to access the Internet just like they were on a private network. VPNs maintain user anonymity and encrypt Internet windows pcs communications. Individuals use VPNs when they require an extra layer of anonymity and protection on the Internet; as a result, VPNs are extremely popular among enterprises with remote or globally separated workers. However, a built-in disadvantage of VPNs is that they frequently cause latency.

What is latency?

Term “latency” on the Internet describes the interval of time between a user’s activity and the response that follows; for example, the interval between a user clicking a link to open an image and the browser displaying that image. Let’s say Bob clicks on a link while using the Best VPN For Windows, and the image loads after a few seconds. In this situation, Bob’s request has a large latency.

One of the key sources of Internet delay is the physical distance between the places where data is retrieved and delivered. The longer distance a user has to travel for their Internet request and the response that follows, the more latency they will encounter. For example, if Alice in California sends a request to a website whose content is hosted on a CDN server a few kilometers away, its response and request will be extremely fast due to the small distance to travel.

However, the request and response time will be much longer if Alice sends a request to the web server in Japan. Every request and response must pass through a number of routers on its path from point A to point B, much like an international trip with numerous connections. Latency increases with each of these “hops” between routers.

How does latency rise with VPNs?

Let us discuss the factors behind the rise in latency.

Increased travel time

VPNs can raise latency by adding extra transit time between requests and responses. For instance, let’s say Bob works remotely from Oregon and connects to his company network via a Vietnam-based VPN service. Every time Bob’s computer communicates via the Internet, it must transmit a request all through to Vietnam, where his VPN service decrypts it and forwards it to the web server. Furthermore, the web server will reply to the VPN server located in Vietnam. The VPN will then encrypt the message and forward it to Bob, who is located in Oregon.

Server load

Server load may also raise latency, and linking to a VPN opens up new opportunities for users to encounter server load concerns. Assume that Alice is joining a VPN server concurrently with 1,000 other users, and that the server can only process 300 requests at once. Alice and many other VPN users will experience slower load speeds as a result of the server becoming overwhelmed and beginning to queue or drop requests. This phenomenon is particularly prevalent with free and inexpensive VPN services.

Encryption

All user-to-VPN communication is secured when using a VPN. Depending on the type of encryption being used, the lengthy encryption procedure could cause observable lag in Internet conversations. Latency and  VPN encryption strength have a compromise; usually, the most secure encryption algorithms need more time and produce the highest latency.

IPsec vs. SSL VPN performance

The two most widely used encryption protocols by VPNs are SSL (sometimes called TLS), which operates on the application layer of the OSI model, and IPsec, which operates on the network layer. Customers must choose their preferred protocol when selecting a VPN provider.

Although the performance rates of IPsec and SSL are quite comparable, the IKEv2/IPsec protocol has a slight performance advantage due to its somewhat faster connection negotiation speeds.

It should be noted that SSL VPNs may function better when firewalls are present. SSL VPN traffic is less likely to be stopped or have its rate limited by a firewall because it is indistinguishable from regular HTTPS Internet traffic.

Can Internet speed be increased with a VPN?

VPNs can improve the speed of certain services under certain conditions. ISPs occasionally restrict, or artificially slow down, certain types of traffic; for example, several large ISPs have throttled streaming services such as Netflix. A VPN could get around an ISP’s limiting of connection speeds with a particular service because the VPN’s encryption will keep the ISP from identifying which services the user is interacting with.

Conclusion

VPNs offer essential privacy and security benefits, but they do come with one downside: they can slow down your internet speed. Increased travel time, server load, encryption overhead, and protocol differences all contribute to the slowdown. However, by choosing a nearby server, selecting a faster protocol, and using a paid service, you can minimize the impact on your speed.