What Makes A Fast VPN Tick?

Feb 15
08:12

2013

John R. Hughes

John R. Hughes

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Virtual Private Networks, or VPNS, work via network tunneling. These networks establish connections through the Internet to a secure server, which creates a secure connection for every device.

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How do Fast VPNs Work?

Virtual Private Networks,What Makes A Fast VPN Tick? Articles or VPNS, work via network tunneling. These networks establish connections through the Internet to a secure server, which creates a secure connection for every device. Once a user establishes a VPN service on their device, all of the user’s data is encapsulated and encrypted. This information is protected inside the secure tunnel as it travels through the network to the server.

Each data packet follows this path, keeping the connection secure regardless of the user’s online activities. A fast provider offers speeds that deliver data quickly so the user experiences the best possible performance. If a VPN service is slow, this creates a bottleneck that prevents users from utilizing the service to its full potential.

Why Are Fast VPN Speeds Important?

Fast speeds are important for low latency. Latency is the amount of time it takes the data to leave the user’s device and reach its destination. High latency takes a longer amount of time to get from the computer to the server and back. The faster the VPN speeds are, the lower the impact of latency will be.

What Affects Fast VPN Speeds?

Most VPN services report fast performance, but many factors affect speeds. These include, but are not limited to:

Internet Connection Speed: The user’s Internet connection speed is the prime factor that affects fast VPN speeds. If the connection is slow (Dial Up Internet, for example), the amount of lag between the time the data leaves the computer and when it reaches the server will be extremely noticeable. This also goes for satellite Internet connections that experience a high amount of latency.

VPN Quality: VPN quality varies between providers, but they mainly split between free and premium VPN services. Many people believe it is more financially rewarding to opt for a free VPN service, but a premium or paid service is much more reliable. Fast VPN servers provide their own infrastructure, complete with 24x7x365 support to help users when they need it.

Distance from the Server: The larger the distance between the user and the VPN server, the higher latency the user experiences. This isn’t always measured in physical distance; it is also measured in “hops”. Hops represent each stop the data must make on the way to a server. If there are several hops, the latency will be high. If the premium service has their own servers, the latency is hardly noticeable.

Understanding how speed affects service is important. It is also important to know the true speed of a VPN provider. There are many tools online (search “speed test” in Google) that measure Internet connection speeds with and without a VPN.