How to Increase my Download Speeds

Med101007

Hi. I have started working from home and I connecting back to my work PC using a secure VPN connection. I am connecting a Cat 6 cable from my Eir fibre box to a desktop in my back bedroom. Using this method I am getting around 140mbps download speed before I connect to the VPN, and around 20mbps when I connect to the VPN. I bought a cheap wireless adapter so I wouldnt have to string the Cat 6 cable across the hallway, and when I connect to the VPN I am only getting around 5mbps. Is there a way I can increase my download speeds when I connect to the VPN using a wireless adapter. Thanks.

(Note: the wireless adapter I bought was only €10 in Argos so that might be a reason why the speeds are so bad)

Boxcar_Willie

Get a mesh system

daheff

Have you tried checking your speed before and after the vpn is connected? Sometimes company vpns throttle the bandwidth as they don't have it themselves.

Med101007

daheff wrote: »

Have you tried checking your speed before and after the vpn is connected? Sometimes company vpns throttle the bandwidth as they don't have it themselves.

Yeah I'm getting 140mbps before the VPN is connected and only 5mbps after I connect to the VPN, using the wireless adaptor method. The Cat 6 cable gets me up to around 20mbps after I connect to the VPN.

Med101007

Boxcar_Willie wrote: »

Get a mesh system

What do you mean by a "mesh system"? Thanks.

ongarite

You need to find out more about your company VPN?
It doesn't sound like it's a split tunnel configuration.

In split tunnel VPN only work designated traffic goes through the VPN with the rest through your home ISP.

Your VPN setup sounds like all traffic is going through the VPN and this will be a lot slower if VPN server is not in Europe and is overloaded with most employees WFH.

A WiFi mesh system isn't going to help if your non VPN download speed is 140MB

Deagol

Med101007 wrote: »

Yeah I'm getting 140mbps before the VPN is connected and only 5mbps after I connect to the VPN, using the wireless adaptor method. The Cat 6 cable gets me up to around 20mbps after I connect to the VPN.

Sounds like the wifi adapter is not connecting at a decent speed back to the router.

Do you know the make and model? Looking at Argos it would seem to be the TP Link N300? If I'm right on that then you should be getting plenty wireless bandwidth IF the signal is strong enough. I suspect though that the wireless signal is being attenuated between the router and your adapter and therefore it's connecting at a low speed. The VPN is then adding to the problem as I think they add quite a lot of overhead to the link also.

Can you see the signal strength of the wirless connector? Hover your mouse over the signal in the task bar should give you some indication of the connection speed.

If that is the issue then getting a PCI type internal card with proper antenna would probably give you better connection. OR, a much higher speed wireless adapter might give better results also.

ED E

Posters (bar deagol) are missing the point here, OP has two setups

Cabled: 140 Standard, 20 VPN
Wifi: 5 Standard, 5 VPN

Your crappy adapter by your own admission is crap. No need for a mesh system, just get some AV1000/1200 powerlines and you'll be golden.

Deagol

ED E wrote: »

Posters (bar deagol) are missing the point here, OP has two setups

Cabled: 140 Standard, 20 VPN
Wifi: 5 Standard, 5 VPN

Your crappy adapter by your own admission is crap. No need for a mesh system, just get some AV1000/1200 powerlines and you'll be golden.

I always forget about the powerlines... even though I have them... good spot!

OP- I second ED E suggestion.