Internet speed with VPN

[Pib]

A VPN service does not have to be router based to use it on your computer or smartphone/tablet.   You just logon the VPN service using the VPN app or a manual connection.  That's how I use my VPN service/connections....I do not put my VPN credentials into my router.   

[SooKee]

1 hour ago, Pib said:

A VPN service does not have to be router based to use it on your computer or smartphone/tablet.   You just logon the VPN service using the VPN app or a manual connection.  That's how I use my VPN service/connections....I do not put my VPN credentials into my router.   

 

Why are you assuming I want to use it on a computer or tablet/smartphone?  If I did the issue I refer to wouldn't be an issue would it!  There is also an important part of the post that you seem to have missed - many devices.  Many devices is 100% accurate.   Hence I wrote: Part of my concerns with VPNs (other than the fact I hardly even need one) is that many devices have no local configuration if you want to use a VPN service. In my case that's EVERY device. The Fire TV (unless you root it) is just ONE example.

 

Obviously if your chosen device DO allow local configuration the point does not apply. Jeez!!

 

 

[Pib]

One drawback of having VPN loaded in your router, and let's say it's setup for a US VPN connection, while you'll be able to get around geo-location content restrictions in many cases you may not see any speed improvement or will experience significant speed decrease.  A lot will depend on your ISP's network configuration and of course VPN service provider.  

 

I know this from personal testing on True DOCSIS/cable and AIS Fibre using both StrongVPN and PureVPN.   While my speed to the U.S. was generally improved with using PureVPN when I was on True it really didn't help with StrongVPN.   And on AIS Fibre almost any time I use a VPN connection, StongVPN or PureVPN, the speed is slowed down significantly.  Now folks on 3BB generally see a very significant speed increase like those folks on True.   Several other ThaiVisa threads that have a lot of VPN speed results posted of folks using True, 3BB, AIS, etc.

 

And say you have a VPN connection to Los Angeles but you are currently surfing websites in Thailand, Singapore, or just anywhere other than the U.S.  Your  ping time will go up  greatly (i.e., get worst) significantly because all data is going through that LA VPN connection even if you are just surfing the Bangkok Post webpage.  Kinda like taking the long way to get somewhere when a shorter route exists.

 

A person must make trade offs when using VPN.  I've got PureVPN service, which works fine, for $2.08/mo for two years...or around Bt875/year.   Can have 5 connections at once.  But yea, there are some pricey VPN service providers out there that will charge $5 to $10/month and still may only allow 1 or 2 connections at once.

[sniffdog]

Strange thread opener. Always thought Apple TV doesn't support VPN, only DNS.

Sent from my MHA-L29 using Tapatalk

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

3 hours ago, sniffdog said:

Strange thread opener. Always thought Apple TV doesn't support VPN, only DNS.

Sent from my MHA-L29 using Tapatalk
 

I'm assuming the notion of that would be running a VPN service off one's wifi router, thus getting the desired IP location. And then having the Apple TV connect to that VPN'd wifi router, thus picking up its geographic location.

 

The OP specifically mentioned having acquired an AC wifi router pre-configured by one of the well-known commercial VPN services.

 

-----------------------------------

 

For me, I do exactly what was described earlier above, and that is run two side-by-side wifi routers at home.

 

1. is my 3BB issued combo fiber modem/Gigabit wifi router that's only 2.4 GHz N standard, so I use that when I want to make local Thailand connections.

 

2. is my own ASUS AC standard Gigabit wifi router, which is daisy chained via an Ethernet cable to the 3BB router. My ASUS router has Open VPN and PPTP VPN capability native in the router's own firmware, which makes it very easy to set up and use for that purpose. The faster AC/VPN router that I use the 5 GHz band on is the connection for all my audio/video streaming and various set-top boxes like for Fire TV, Roku, Mi Box, etc.

 

And that way, the Thai connection on 2.4 GHz N isn't clashing/interfering with the VPN connection on 5 GHz AC.

 

[sniffdog]

Oh yeah ... didnt read well. Yes, I have my devices connected like that ... ddwrt

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[muratremix]

On 17.03.2017 at 10:13 AM, Pib said:

One drawback of having VPN loaded in your router, and let's say it's setup for a US VPN connection, while you'll be able to get around geo-location content restrictions in many cases you may not see any speed improvement or will experience significant speed decrease.  A lot will depend on your ISP's network configuration and of course VPN service provider.  

 

I know this from personal testing on True DOCSIS/cable and AIS Fibre using both StrongVPN and PureVPN.   While my speed to the U.S. was generally improved with using PureVPN when I was on True it really didn't help with StrongVPN.   And on AIS Fibre almost any time I use a VPN connection, StongVPN or PureVPN, the speed is slowed down significantly.  Now folks on 3BB generally see a very significant speed increase like those folks on True.   Several other ThaiVisa threads that have a lot of VPN speed results posted of folks using True, 3BB, AIS, etc.

 

And say you have a VPN connection to Los Angeles but you are currently surfing websites in Thailand, Singapore, or just anywhere other than the U.S.  Your  ping time will go up  greatly (i.e., get worst) significantly because all data is going through that LA VPN connection even if you are just surfing the Bangkok Post webpage.  Kinda like taking the long way to get somewhere when a shorter route exists.

 

A person must make trade offs when using VPN.  I've got PureVPN service, which works fine, for $2.08/mo for two years...or around Bt875/year.   Can have 5 connections at once.  But yea, there are some pricey VPN service providers out there that will charge $5 to $10/month and still may only allow 1 or 2 connections at once.

gl-inet mini routers support openvpn and other type vpns and as cheap as 20-25 usd. With them, you can seperate devices, like use one for US vpn for Appletv or whatever, and use another one to create a new wifi network with singapore vpn etc. Or just use one for US vpn wherever it is necessary and avoid using US vpn in other devices.

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

I bought my ASUS AC router a few months back on sale from Amazon for $50, whereas its normal price is about $70. Thus far, it's worked very well both for general use and handling VPN duties, and has received very good reviews from purchasers.

 

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01LXL1AR8/

 

One nice thing I especially like about it, over the D-Link AC router that it replaced, is the ASUS router's VPN-supporting firmware allows you to save and store multiple VPN account/location configurations, and gives you a menu where you can deactivate one and activate another just with the click of a mouse.

 

The D-Link model it replaced also allowed PPTP and Open VPN connections via its firmware, but for PPTP, it only allowed one configuration to be saved at a time. So anytime I wanted to switch from using a San Francisco to a Los Angeles server, for example, I had to entirely delete the existing entry and then type in all the new info: account ID, password and server address, and then save and reboot the router.

 

With the ASUS, once you've set up the info for the servers you want to use, it's one click to change from one to another. Saves a lot on the hassle factor. And the wifi connections have been rock solid with it thus far.

 

And in my case, having 3BB fiber as my ISP, I'm one of those who actually gets faster connections to the U.S. and elsewhere WITH my VPN vs. slower connections to outside Thailand when I just use 3BB alone. And for local Thailand use, I never really notice any slowness even when connected via VPN. But that's with 3BB's 200/50 Mbps plan.