VPN: How to test the connection of your VPN service in just a few steps

1. Check VPN connection

2. Test VPN speed

3. Reasons for a faulty VPN connection

Have you equipped your PC or mobile device with a VPN? This not only allows you to surf more securely, but also hides your IP address and thus circumvents country blocks. At the same time, VPN services promise you fast speeds. However, not every VPN solution can keep this promise.

A VPN connection first establishes a secure and encrypted connection between your device and a VPN server. It does this by creating a tunnel that sends your data over a public internet connection while hiding your IP address. This anonymizes your online activity and allows you to access content that is normally blocked in your country.

If you have doubts about the security of your data or the connection speed seems a bit slow, you can check the connection and speed of your VPN in just a few steps. We’ll explain how to do this and what to do if the client isn’t working properly.

Check VPN connection

One of the main functions of a VPN is to encrypt your IP address. To find out whether your provider does exactly that, you can test it as follows:

• Open your VPN client and temporarily disable it.
• Now use our tool to display your IP address. Make a note of the IP address provided.
• Then turn your VPN service back on.
• Finally, use the tool we provided again and look at the IP address again.

Ideally, you will see two different IP addresses: your regular address without VPN and the disguised address with VPN, which is based on the server you are accessing. However, if you see identical data, there could be a problem with the connection. This can also happen if you have selected different server locations.

You can also use a DNS leak test to find out whether your VPN is revealing your IP address despite an active connection. Providers such as Surfshark, NordVPN, ExpressVPN or CyberGhost VPN have an integrated check option directly in the user interface.

Also check what type of encryption your VPN provider uses. Strong encryption protocols like OpenVPN or IKEv2 offer a higher level of security. Ideally, you should look for providers that offer AES-256 encryption.

Test VPN speed

Does your internet connection seem slow? The speed of a VPN connection can be affected by various factors, including the server location, the protocol, and the general internet speed. But you can also easily check the speed of your VPN connection:

• First, temporarily turn off your VPN.
• Then check your internet speed with our speed test. Make a note of the speed displayed.
• Now activate the VPN service again and repeat the speed measurement. Make a note of this value as well.

By comparing the values ​​with the VPN turned on and off, you can see how much the VPN you have chosen affects your internet speed. In general, the speed drops lower and lower with the VPN turned on.

You should note that the speed of your connection also depends on your internet provider and your contract. For everyday use and uninterrupted streaming, between 50 and 100 Mbit/s for downloading and 10 to 50 Mbit/s for uploading are more than sufficient.

If your connection is slow using both of the options mentioned, it could also be due to a problem with your provider. You can find out whether your provider is affected by an outage by checking our outage reports.

Reasons for a faulty VPN connection

In addition to an ISP outage, the proximity to a VPN server can also have a big impact on your speed. If you are in Europe and choose a server in North America, your connection could be slower. For a faster connection, choose a server that is in your area, such as in a neighboring country.

If your VPN connection is slow, it’s not always the VPN’s fault. However, if your internet speed is significantly better without a VPN, it might be helpful to check your software for updates and try different servers.

A slow connection can also be due to the VPN protocol. If you find that your connection is sluggish, try a different protocol.

Are you experiencing other issues with your VPN provider? In our article on common VPN server problems, we provide solutions for different devices and operating systems.

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