Regarding VPNs & Zscaler Performance

Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) provide essential security benefits, they often slow down your internet performance. This guide explains why VPNs may affect your internet speed, providing our Join Tips to help test and mitigate the slowdown. Always check with your local tech team to see if there are any measures they can take to improve your performance. If testing your speed, be sure to test your performance with VPN and network monitoring programs enabled and testing them disabled. This will be key to see if they are the cause for your performance issues. 

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Join also has a full guide on performing your own speedtest via: https://jndgtl.co/speedtest 

Server Distance

Connecting to a VPN server far from your physical location can introduce latency, resulting in slower internet speeds. Choose a server location closer to your physical location for better performance.

Encryption Overhead

VPNs use encryption to secure your data, which adds extra processing overhead. High levels of encryption can impact your internet speed. Consider using a less resource-intensive encryption method if your tech team offers options.

VPN Protocol

The VPN protocol you use can affect speed. For example, OpenVPN might be slower than other protocols like IKEv2 or WireGuard configured with dedicated settings. Experiment with different protocols to find the one that balances security and speed.

Server Load

Overloaded VPN servers can lead to reduced speeds. Opt for VPN providers with a wide range of servers to distribute the load effectively. Some VPN providers offer dedicated servers with low user counts to ensure rapid service delivery. 

Internet Connection Speed

Your original internet connection speed plays a role. If you have a slow connection with all VPN and network applications closed, the VPN will also be limited to a slower speed. 

Background Processes

Check for other applications or processes consuming bandwidth in the background. Close unnecessary applications to free up bandwidth for the VPN. Common applications that would affect your performance would be traffic heavy services. These include items such as streaming platforms, file sharing programs, cloud monitoring services, and even having a large amount of internet browser tabs can greatly affect speeds.

Note for Zscaler

Zscaler is a cloud-based security platform that provides internet security and web filtering services to protect users and organizations from online threats and malware. It acts as a secure gateway between users and the internet, inspecting all traffic and ensuring safe and compliant internet access. Because all traffic is handled via this platform, there will always be a delay to any network requests. Check with your tech team to see if they can configure this network to allow for better performance.