Every VPN says it’s blazing fast, but, when you actually test the various services available, they are clearly quite different. Many VPN services will advertise speeds without giving any speed data. They bank on the fact that most people don’t know what fast is for VPN service, and that although they can get a fast connection under perfect conditions doesn’t mean that everyone will always experience fast speeds using their connections. That’s why it’s good to understand what goes into a high speed VPN so that you can make the best choice.
How VPNs Achieve Speed
A VPN’s speed is related to a lot of different factors, so when you are shopping for a fast VPN there are a few specific areas that you should pay attention to.
One of the things that you should take notice of is how many servers the VPN has. Where those servers are located is also important, since it is faster for information to travel shorter distances. Making sure that you are connected to the nearest server to your physical location is always a good idea as it can considerably speed things up.
The quality of the servers is also a key concern. Some VPNs use rented servers while others on and maintain their own. In general, the VPN service that has full control over their server fleet will be able to optimize their equipment in ways that are more beneficial to the user.
However, even the fastest VPN service can experience slow speeds if connection settings aren’t optimal. Some settings that affect VPN speed include protocol type, encryption level, and specialized features like double-VPN. Each VPN service comes with its own set of features, some more demanding than others. The more demanding or is, the slower the connection can be.
Encryption levels, in fact, can have a huge impact on speed. Most of the encryption keys used by VPNs is either the 128-bit or 256-bit variety. Both are quite strong, but the 256-bit keys are considered to be military-grade encryption and are virtually impossible to hack. With more encryption comes more computation, and with more computation comes more time. Not everybody needs that level of encryption and if you are among them you will get faster speeds by going with a VPN that allows you to change the encryption settings to 128-bit.
Protocols can also have an effect on overall speeds. While many people choose OpenVPN for its stability and security, those interested in achieving fastest speeds possible many people go with the IPSec/IKEv2 VPN protocol. In fact, this is one of the fastest protocols around. It is also one of the most stable and one of the most secure VPN protocols available.
Are You Getting the Fastest Speeds Possible?
If you choose a VPN known for its speed, you may not have to think about any of these variables. It is quite likely that the VPN has taken all of these things into consideration which is how they are able to offer speeds that they do. However, if you are not getting the speeds that you’re expecting checking into these various areas could help you find ways to speed things up. Just remember that the fastest VPN connections in the world are still slower than the Internet connections they are operating on. In short, if you have a slow connection to start with fast VPN service is not going to make your connection faster.
