A large number of users can also put strain on a server’s resources (processing power, memory, disk throughput, etc.), which can impact overall speed performance.Īs we discuss later in the article, our apps display a server load indicator to clearly show you how loaded each server is. The more people using a given server, the higher the likelihood of network congestion at its switches. Server load is simply how busy a given VPN server is. VPN Server loadĪlthough distance is the biggest factor affecting VPN performance, VPN server load is also important. When using our Secure Core feature, the data is routed through two VPN servers (the first of which is located in Switzerland, Iceland or Sweden), resulting in a further increase in latency. When using a VPN, the distance your data travels is increased because it must travel to the VPN server before being forwarded to its intended destination. Obstacles that slow down your data on its way to destination increase latency (the time it takes for your data to reach its destination), irrespective of how much bandwidth you have available. The extra physical distance to the destination.Old copper-based infrastructure, for example, can greatly reduce the speed at which data travels The type of cables your data packets need to travel through.Congestion when encountering routers that can even lead to loss of data packets.More routers, switches, and networks that your data packets need to travel through.
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These obstacles include, but are not limited to: So the further your data must travel, the more complex its routing is, which increases the risk of encountering obstacles along the way. The reason distance affects internet speed is because the internet is made up of countless inter-connected individual networks. This is true whether or not you use a VPN, but a VPN adds to the distance your data must travel because of the extra journey to the VPN server. The distance your data has to travel is the single biggest factor to impact your raw internet connection speed.
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ProtonVPN also implements a performance-enhancing proxy (PEP) to greatly improve internet speeds when using our service. Using a VPN, therefore, has an impact on your internet speed, but how much of an impact depends on factors such as how far away you are from the VPN server, how busy the VPN server is, how far the VPN server is from the website target or other destination, and which VPN protocol you use. It also means that your data has to travel an extra distance to the VPN server, which can cause delays (as described in the article mentioned above). Using a VPN means your data is encrypted and decrypted at both the client and server end, which takes processing power.
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If you would like to learn more in depth about internet speed and the various factors that can slow you down or speed you up, please see our article on latency, bandwidth, and throughput. We created this article to help demystify these factors and help you get the best VPN speeds while using ProtonVPN. Several factors affect VPN speeds, including which servers you select and how many other people are using your VPN service.