DNS Leak Checker

VPN Slowing Down Your Internet? How to Speed It Up

Some speed loss is inevitable with a VPN — your traffic is being encrypted and routed through an extra server. But if your VPN is cutting your speed by more than 20-30%, something is wrong. Here's how to diagnose the cause and significantly speed up your VPN connection.

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Common Causes

Distant Server Location

Connecting to a server on the other side of the world adds hundreds of milliseconds of latency to every request, dramatically slowing down browsing and downloads.

Slow VPN Protocol

Older protocols like OpenVPN TCP add significant overhead. Modern protocols like WireGuard and NordLynx are significantly faster with less CPU usage.

ISP Throttling

Your ISP may be deliberately slowing down VPN traffic or specific types of traffic like streaming, even when using a VPN that doesn't fully mask its traffic signature.

Server Congestion

Popular VPN servers get overcrowded during peak hours, reducing the bandwidth available to each user and increasing latency.

Double Encryption Overhead

Features like double VPN or multi-hop route your traffic through two servers, doubling encryption overhead and halving your effective speed.

Step-by-Step Fix

  1. 1

    Test Your Base Speed Without VPN

    Disconnect your VPN and run a speed test at speedtest.net. Note your download, upload, and ping. Reconnect and test again. If the VPN drops speed by more than 30%, the steps below will help.

  2. 2

    Connect to a Closer Server

    Choose a VPN server in your own country or a neighbouring one. Every additional thousand kilometres adds roughly 10-20ms of latency. Most VPN apps show server load percentage — pick one under 50% load.

  3. 3

    Switch to WireGuard Protocol

    In your VPN settings, change the protocol to WireGuard (or NordLynx for NordVPN). WireGuard is dramatically faster than OpenVPN, uses less CPU, and reconnects faster after network changes. This single change often doubles VPN speeds.

  4. 4

    Enable Split Tunnelling

    Configure split tunnelling to only route sensitive traffic through the VPN. Local network traffic, gaming, and large downloads can bypass the VPN while your browser stays protected. This reduces VPN server load and improves overall speed.

  5. 5

    Test for ISP Throttling

    Connect to your VPN and run a DNS leak test on our homepage. Then test speeds to various servers. If speeds are consistently slow regardless of VPN server, your ISP may be throttling VPN traffic. Try obfuscated servers to disguise your VPN connection.

  6. 6

    Disable Double VPN / Multi-Hop

    If you have double VPN or multi-hop enabled, disable it. Unless you need extreme privacy, single-server connections are 40-60% faster. Reserve multi-hop for situations where you genuinely need layered encryption.

  7. 7

    Try a Different VPN Provider

    If your current VPN is consistently slow after optimisation, the provider's infrastructure may be the bottleneck. NordVPN consistently delivers the fastest speeds in independent tests, with 6,000+ servers and NordLynx protocol optimised for speed.

While fixing your VPN, run a DNS leak test to make sure your real IP isn't exposed

Run DNS Leak Test

Split tunnelling is safe when configured correctly. Route your browser, email, and sensitive apps through the VPN. You can safely exclude local network devices, gaming, and large file downloads. Just ensure DNS queries always go through the VPN — run a DNS leak test to verify.

Not sure if your DNS is leaking? Find out in seconds.

Run a Free DNS Leak Test Now

Related Guides

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Frequently asked questions

How much speed loss is normal with a VPN?

A quality VPN using WireGuard protocol and a nearby server should only reduce your speed by 10-20%. If you're losing more than 30%, something is misconfigured. OpenVPN can cause 30-50% speed loss, which is why switching to WireGuard makes such a big difference.

Does VPN protocol affect speed?

Enormously. WireGuard/NordLynx is the fastest, followed by IKEv2, then OpenVPN UDP, then OpenVPN TCP (slowest). Switching from OpenVPN to WireGuard typically doubles or triples your VPN speed with no reduction in security.

Can my ISP throttle VPN traffic?

Yes. ISPs can identify and throttle VPN traffic patterns. Use obfuscated servers (available in NordVPN and some other providers) to disguise your VPN traffic as regular HTTPS, making it impossible for your ISP to selectively throttle it.

Is split tunnelling safe to use?

Split tunnelling is safe when configured correctly. Route your browser, email, and sensitive apps through the VPN. You can safely exclude local network devices, gaming, and large file downloads. Just ensure DNS queries always go through the VPN — run a DNS leak test to verify.

Stop leaks for good

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