General VPN Question

[h90]

Problem is that starting at roughly 5PM internet gets so slow that it is a pain, and often pages don't load at all. I run Windows 7 and on the Tablet Android.

But we have a rent server in Germany running Debian which reacts so fast that you would believe it is in the same room. In a fraction of a second it is on the screen while some newspaper pages needs minutes to open or need 3 times reload.

A friend in China has similar problems.

So I thought a VPN to this server would fix these problems.

Do I understand it right and it is the best solution:

I install OpenVPN on the server.

Than I install it on the Win7 and if possible on Android

When I need it, I turn it on, if not I turn it off somehow.

Problem fixed.....

Do I get it right? Or do I miss something? I am not interested in any gambling webpages or naked women webpages....

Just webpages, maybe youtube......

[RichCor]

While setting up a VPN Server will work, I would think setting up a SOCKS5 proxy would be easier to set up and maintain, and give faster throughput as it doesn't involve the encryption component.

There are helper apps to set up SOCKS on android devices.

[MKAsok]

Unless you're familiar with the command line, setting up OpenVPN on a server is going to be fairly challenging (assuming it's unmanaged).

[h90]

Unless you're familiar with the command line, setting up OpenVPN on a server is going to be fairly challenging (assuming it's unmanaged).

Well on the guides it sounds easy.....I am not afraid of command line, but I don't really know what I do....

[MKAsok]

If it 'sounds easy,' why don't you go ahead and try it?

[rakman]

Remember, the internet traffic will still have to travel over the same paths. It is possible the path to Germany is better than the other paths that might happen to other web sites.

there are vpn's to try the theory if you know where to search.

[noise]

h90

I hope someone will say I am all wrong with what I am going to write.... which is how i understand a VPN works (note: very limited understanding, at that).

First, if simply going through your server in Germany would solve your speed problem, then you would not be considering a VPN to that server, you would not need one.

If your speeds "tank" at a certain time because of traffic, I do not see how adding a VPN will speed anything up. You still have the same route in and out of your house through your ISP. You are just inserting an encrypted tunnel from your machine to the server.

I have a VPN and I see a slight, just barely noticeable delay when I use it. Since I have fairly constant speeds all the time, the delary is noticeable. Back when I was on ADSL and a slower speed option, I could not see that slight delay during high traffic times because the local service was so slow to begin with.

So, my impression is no matter whether you use a VPN or not, you are constrained by in-country conditions.

[innerspace]

Noise - the difference is in routes (or port throttling).

The op is finding access to the server is good at the same time that the rest of the internet is bad.

1) the route to other sites is bad or throttled but the server is good. A vpn will route everything via the server which may help.

2) its ports not routes that are throttled and the server is providing content on an unusual and unthrottled port. Vpn can run on an unthrottled port so this could help too.

In both cases it may help but it will also slow things down. But slowed down good may be better than normal bad.

Vpn adds a delay and also loses optimal routes.

Eg. Google will access via german servers instead of the thai ones...300ms+ ping rather than 50.

As said, try it and see. Some situations it will help and others will make worse.

Sent from my GT-N7100 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[yankee99]

I use Strong vpn at usd 7 per month. Its software loads on my pc ( very simple install)so it can only be used on one device at a time. It can be loaded in your router but it is complicated and not worth it. You could test it first and if you are happy the load it on your router for ease of use.

Edited April 13, 2014 by yankee99

[ramsy]

Setting up OpenVPN access server is pretty straight forward, and free for two users. It will save you the trouble of manually configuring.

If you need help with configuring send me a PM. It's a 5 minute job.

http://docs.openvpn.net/how-to-tutorialsguides/virtual-platforms/install-openvpn-access-server-on-linux-debian-6/

[Rorri]

Before anyone can really help, you first need to find where you problem is. If you go VPN you will not get any benefit if the bottleneck is your Thai ISP, which for example, if you are in Phuket the slowing of speed could be anywhere between Phuket and Bangkok. VPN via a VPN provider requires you to connect to their gateway via your Thai ISP. To set up your own VPN becomes very expensive because you have to lease a guaranteed bandwidth between you and the far end server. otherwise you will still suffer speed loses caused by your local ISP, You will also need to have the far end server running at all times.

[vadimbz]

Actually VPN is a musthave in Thailand, local ISP use poorly set transparent proxies, and their systems are poorly set in general, having a tunnel pretty much mitigates that, and solves the issue of censorship.

But why do you have to use your own server for that? Why not just buy VPN service, it's like 40 bucks per year, and you'll get choice of location, netflix/hulu/spotify, etc.

Edited April 13, 2014 by vadimbz

[Danbit]

Your speed is slow when you use VPN, the trafic to your server is the one you have now and then you add the time from your server. VPN is good if you wnt to look like you are in Gernamy

[yankee99]

Your speed is slow when you use VPN, the trafic to your server is the one you have now and then you add the time from your server. VPN is good if you wnt to look like you are in Gernamy

I have to disagree although in some cases it may be slower but it also can be faster. I stream 24\7 from florida to pattaya and when using a LA or san francisco server my speeds greatly improve when true is at 300-400kbps i can use the vpn and get 1300-1500kbps.My connection is also much more stable using the vpn. Like i said before at $7 per month its well worth it.

[vadimbz]

Increased ping (delay) is not a problem, unless you are regularly playing Call of Duty online. On the other hand VPN is the only way I can get plan speed from True Online in Khon Kaen.

Edited April 13, 2014 by vadimbz

[thailandbeachisland]

Remember, the internet traffic will still have to travel over the same paths. It is possible the path to Germany is better than the other paths that might happen to other web sites.

there are vpn's to try the theory if you know where to search.

Exactly, so I wonder how a VPN vould be useful to get faster Internet when local connections are so lame ?

[vadimbz]

VPN lets you bypass this, as well as traffic-specific throttling, and some other issues.

[recom273]

I use a VPNclient, viscosity, to manage multiple connections.

It sits in my toolbar just like you would connect to wifi access points.

Just take your openvpn config file from the server, point viscosity to that, enter pass and your away.

Sent from my iPhone using ThaiVisa app

[hawker9000]

Since you already have this server in place in Germany, why not just try it? Your only investment will be the time & effort with the OpenVPN learning curve. You will still be using the same physical connection to your thai ISP you have now, but there are other variables involved, too, as others have pointed out, some of which may offer you improvement. If you get the improvement, I doubt it'll be like night & day, at least not all the time, but what do you have to lose? For me, the commercial VPN is an absolute necessity; I can't even get to my webmail without it. Either on a PC or a tablet, you should be able to select between connecting with the VPN or without it, and even enabling/disabling it mid-session (though doing so may result in having to re-connect to whatever website you were online with).

Two suggestions before you start:

1) Do some homework and read up a little on VPNs generally, and OpenVPN specifically.

2) Line up some OpenVPN expertise, online or otherwise, where you can go for near real-time help if you need it.

It would be nice if you had someone who's a regular VPN user who could test out your Debian VPN damon/service to make sure it's correctly installed & working, before you start trying to configure your PC or tablet. (Or alternately, have a known working OpenVPN server to connect to and test your PC or tablet VPN connections on before you start tinkering with your Debian server.)

[vadimbz]

One other thing: single-client OpenVPN on a rented physical server will be a lot like nuking a mouse.

[connda]

ISPs can and do throttle Internet content such as torrent traffic. Installing a VPN, such as Strong VPN, allows you to bypass the local ISP filtering/throttling or whatever other filtering (censoring) being done by TPTB here in the LOS. Any filtering and throttling will affect bandwidth. If you can VPN to a faster server that doesn't filter, your bandwidth should increase. I sometime see a significant difference. You can use Speedtest.net to check your throughput. Yesterday I tested my throughput without my VPN 2.5Mbps, and with my VPN 8.7Mbps. In my own mind, that tells me that the connection through my local ISP is being filtered/throttled a lot.

I wouldn't bother setting up OpenVPN on your router if you don't know what your doing. Just load the Strong VPN client on you computer (easy, breezy). Also, the VPN does provide an extra layer of security from prying eyes, especially if you are using http vs https as a browsing protocol. One caveat, Strong VPN will cancel your account if you start getting excessive numbers of DMCA complaint, so watch what your downloading via torrent services! If you want a VPN that doesn't log their client's connections, try privateinternetaccess.com.

Good luck.

Edited April 14, 2014 by connda

[hawker9000]

If in your original post you were saying that you have great connectivity with that Debian server back in Germany from where you are in Thailand, and that's truly your only concern (not confidentiality or accessibility, avoiding filtering, etc.), then using it as a proxy server instead of a VPN server might be a viable solution for you as someone else suggested. My experience with web proxies (just like with commercial VPN services, commercial web proxies are also available) however is that they don't always work well with script intensive or highly interactive websites.

I use WiTopia VPN and am reasonably satisfied with it.

[kaveh]

VPN would not fix your speed problem for sure, it's like a Tunneling protocol, so you're only setting up a tunnel into your current connection and this not only wont solve speed problem but also it will be more problem there.

consider a more deep evaluation of your internet connection. sometimes you have DNS problems and web pages load slowly not because of the whole bandwidth but just for lack of DNS optimization and also check your line latency by PINGing an address like:

c:\>ping google.com

and send numbers here to check your net connection latency.

remember that 4pm to 11pm is rush hour in any local area

Edited April 14, 2014 by kaveh

[hawker9000]

Agree with kaveh to a large extent. VPNs simply weren't invented mainly to improve throughput. But some VPNs do compress data (e.g., PPTP) and can yield better end-to-end performance. Bypassing (or, more accurately, being tunneled through) some of the operations that go on transiting the ISP enclave can also help (and no two ISPs do everything exactly the same). Users' traffic and patterns of use also differ greatly. Generalizations can be way off for some individuals. Without extensive profiling and analysis of your traffic, the only way to know for sure is to try it & see.

[vadimbz]

VPN would not fix your speed problem for sure, it's like a Tunneling protocol, so you're only setting up a tunnel into your current connection and this not only wont solve speed problem but also it will be more problem there.

consider a more deep evaluation of your internet connection.

Not true. Have you ever actually used Thai ISPs?