Fibre install and VPN not working

[Jer999]

Hi

I have just had fibre installed and am delighted with 75mb over ethernet.  However when I turn on my VPN the speed drops to 20mb.  Any idea what the problem might be and how to fix this?

Thanks in advance.

John

[KeithFrench]

Ah, I can do a comparison for you. Using Ookla & Bitdefender VPN (terminating in the UK) on a fibre 80/20 service on a WiFi connection I get:-

Download: 74.62Mbps  Upload: 18.34Mbps

With the VPN disconnected my fibre returns:-

Download: 75.14Mbps  Upload: 18.73Mbps

So nothing in it. Which country is the VPN terminating in with your Bitdefender client?

[Jer999]

Hi Keith

I would be inclined to agree with you..  I am using Bitdefender VPN.  Support are looking into it.  What is strange is that it worked perfectly on broadband and I am getting poor speed results using Talk Talk speed test and speedtest.net.  35mb.

Its just odd that fast.com powered by Netflix shows 75mb.

[KeithFrench]

Hi @Jer999 & @Michelle-TalkTalk 

The problem with all VPNs is that if you use them to access the internet, the speed on your fibre (unless it is slow without the VPN connected), is of no relevance. You are using the VPN provider's internet access router and the speed that it delivers. With some providers that allow a choice of country where the encrypted tunnel ends, changing to a different country can improve the speed.

What VPN client are you using?

[Michelle-TalkTalk]

Morning,

This is the first time that I've seen this mentioned (speed drops when using VPN) I can't see any reason why this would be happening. If the speeds are ok without the VPN connected then it does seem to point to the VPN possibly causing the issue. Please let us know what your IT team find.

@KeithFrench - have you ever come across this before?

Thanks

Michelle

[Jer999]

Hi Debbie

No I do not have another VPN to try.

This is what we know:

1 VPN worked fine with broadband, if anything choosing the right server made the connection faster.

2 I had fibre installed, software in the router is the latest version.  With VPN  turned off and testing with (fast.com) I get 75mb.  Turn on VPN I slow down to 20mb

3 However when I use the Talk Talk speed test or speedtest.net I get 35mb and a poor connection sign.  I have now tried this on an Ipad and another computer and get the same issue.

I have spoken to the VPN support team that are looking into the issue and will get back to me at some point.  They have suggested it could be an ISP issue.  What's odd is the different speed test results.  Given talk talk is my ISP I am tempted to go with that being the true result but can't explain the others.

Any ideas? 

[Debbie-TalkTalk]

Hi Jer999

Is your max speed always 75mb? (when not connected to VPN)

Do you always use the same VPN client? Do you have another that you can test with? (just to see if the speed still drops)

[Jer999]

Debbie

I just ran a speed test using Talk Talk and it suggests my service is poor,  no VPN was used in the making of this speed test.  This is getting way to weird.  See the attached image.

[Jer999]

Up date:

75mb without VPN.  7.5 with VPN connected to London server 😃

[Jer999]

Hi Debbie

Off for 45 minutes.  Without VPN 75mb.  With VPN 17mb.  I know you have a plan B 😉

John

[Debbie-TalkTalk]

Hi John

Thank you 🙂

Debbie

[Jer999]

Hi Debbie

Will do.  Back in 30 😉

[Debbie-TalkTalk]

Hi John

Thanks for your reply.

Please can you try powering down the WIFI hub for a full 30 minutes and then running another speed test?

[Jer999]

Hi Debbie

I run everything through Ethernet so all computers have a vpn facility.  I do a speed test ( fast.com ) with the VPN disconnected I get 76mb.  If I connect via the VPN the speed drops to 20mb.  I have tried this with different vpn destinations and the results are always the same.

It worked fine on broadband,  in fact I was getting faster speeds at some locations using the vpn!

[Debbie-TalkTalk]

Hi Jer999

Thanks for your reply.

I've just checked and your router has the latest firmware version and this should work ok with VPN.

Just to confirm, when the speed drops is this affecting the general connection (other devices) or only specifically the VPN connection feels slow?

[Jer999]

Hi Debbie

Thanks for the reply.  Its the router talk talk sent number 7YQ7J3P4  I think its the WI Fi hub

[Debbie-TalkTalk]

Hi John

I'm sorry to hear this.

Are you using the eero or WIFI hub?