Does VPN Server Location Matter For Speed? (2024)

Yes, VPN server location matters for speed because some server locations offer faster internet speed than others. Usually, if you select the nearest Virtual Private Network server location where the internet infrastructure is good and does not have a heavy server load, you are more likely to enjoy better internet speed.

However, VPN location matters not only for speed but also for bypassing geo-blocking and censorship, torrenting, privacy protection, and many other reasons. Therefore, you will have to choose the right location based on your specific purpose.

And today, we will discuss the importance and technique of selecting the right Virtual Private Network server locations. We will also suggest some excellent locations for you to choose from. But first, let’s see how VPN works.

VPN, or Virtual Private Network, is a service that establishes a secure and private network over the internet by using encryption. It directs a device’s internet connection through a particular private server instead of your ISP. Therefore, the data transmission during your usage comes from the VPN, not your computer.

As a result, a VPN masks your IP address, and you can connect to almost any site safely without worrying about being tracked or data theft. The encryption technology of a VPN service makes your information unreadable. Nobody can read unreadable data without an encryption key, and this key is known only to the VPN server and your computer.

There are tons of VPN servers available for computers and mobile devices. Almost all of them have servers all over the world. The more servers a VPN service provides, the better it is for you, as each server accommodates fewer users. Therefore, you can expect more connection availability and better speed.

VPN services allow you to access any website from anywhere through their thousands of server locations. However, not all locations will offer you the same services. By choosing a VPN location carefully based on your need, you can enhance your browsing experience and better protect your privacy.

Below, we will explore seven reasons why VPN server location matters.

Internet Speed

Since VPN servers take some extra time and processing power to encrypt your data, you may experience slower internet speed. Moreover, your data needs to travel through a different location before reaching its destination. Hence, the longer distance your data has to travel, the slower your internet speed will be.

If you are concerned more about speed rather than issues like geoblocking or privacy, choose the nearest VPN server location.

If you do so, your data does not have to travel great distances. As a result, you will enjoy better internet speed compared to that of other Virtual Private Network server locations. However, the digital infrastructure and number of VPN servers in the location you choose also greatly affect your internet speed.

You will get a better internet speed if you pick a country where internet infrastructure is more developed. Also, if your chosen location is always crowded with different VPN servers, you will experience slower internet speed and more latency.

Bypassing GeoBlocking

Geoblocking or geofencing is one kind of internet censorship that some websites use to prevent access to some users based on their geographical locations. VPN allows you to bypass this geoblocking by hiding your real IP address and showing a different one to such websites. For example, you can watch YouTube videos that are not available in your region using a VPN.

Choosing the appropriate VPN server location is crucial if you want to bypass geoblocking. If you want access to content that is restricted for your region, you will have to pick one where it is not. Moreover, if you want to experience a website’s other regional versions, you can choose your desired location through VPNs. For example, if you live in the USA but want to explore UK Netflix shows more, simply pick the UK as your server location.

Ping Time

As we have already mentioned, when connected to VPN, your data has to travel through the VPN server before it reaches the target server. The extra travel through the Virtual Private Network server increases latency. It is problematic for gamers as the increased latency translates to higher ping. However, that is not always the case.

Here, carefully choosing a VPN location comes in handy. If you choose a Virtual Private Network server location that is the nearest to your physical location, you will experience significantly less ping. In fact, some servers keep optimizing their services to enhance gamers’ experiences when it comes to ping. However, just picking the closest Virtual Private Network server location will not help if you do not fix other factors that affect your ping time.

Privacy

Before understanding the importance of choosing the right VPN server location for protecting your privacy, you need to familiarize yourself with the “Fourteen Eyes.” Fourteen Eyes is an alliance of fourteen countries. These countries share military intelligence among themselves and keep attempting to access and share their own citizens’ information as well. The following countries are part of this alliance.

1. The UK
2. The US
3. Australia
4. New Zealand
5. Canada
6. France
7. Denmark
8. Netherlands
9. Norway
10. Italy
11. Germany
12. Spain
13. Belgium
14. Sweden

These countries, especially the US and UK, are infamous for their attempts to include tracking technology on various websites and software. Although the anti-privacy legislation is in action now, it is difficult to determine if the legislation is effectively protecting your privacy.

Therefore, if you live in any of these Fourteen Eyes countries and are concerned about your privacy protection, you need to choose a Virtual Private Network server location that does not fall under Fourteen Eyes or any other surveillance-heavy country. Moreover, using VPNs offering AES 256-bit encryption can better protect your privacy from government surveillance.

Bypassing Censorship

Your country can restrict its citizens’ access to particular websites and information that it considers harmful, inappropriate, or sensitive.

Such online censorship can be bypassed by using the right Virtual Private Network server location.

The websites and information censored in your country may be accessed from some other country. If you choose a location where access to your desired information is not restricted, you can easily browse through that.

Torrenting

Torrenting is illegal in most countries, and you don’t want to get caught while doing this. So, it is imperative to always use a good VPN service to download torrents. Here, choosing an appropriate VPN server along with the right server location is utterly important.

Just a few VPN services enable you to download torrents safely. They use specialized P2P servers in particular locations to facilitate your connection. Choosing such locations on those specific VPNs will protect you while torrenting. You can also torrent over the non-P2P servers in some cases, but that may not provide sufficient security and speed.

Server Load

As we have already discussed, VPN locations where user traffic is heavy may slow your internet speed down. Therefore, to enjoy a better connection speed, you need to choose a VPN server location where the server load is the least.

The server load of a location depends on several factors, including the number of connected users, possible DDoS attacks, the amount of data transferring, and internal server maintenance.

When any of these factors overload a server, it will significantly lower your internet speed and increase your ping.As a result, some VPNs automatically pick the servers with the least load and connect you to that. If your VPN does not have that feature, you will need to check the load of each server location and pick the right one by yourself.

As you can see, choosing the best VPN location for you depends on what you plan to do on the internet. For example, if you prioritize bypassing geo blocking, you can simply choose a Virtual Private Network server location different from your country. However, if you want to fully protect your privacy, you will have to avoid the countries that make up the Fourteen Eyes alliance.

Below, you will find some suggestions for picking the best Virtual Private Network server location in some common cases.

We hope we provided a comprehensive answer to the question- “Does VPN server location for speed?” We also discussed privacy, geoblocking, censorship, and other factors that are crucial in choosing the right VPN location.

Now, you may be wondering where the best Virtual Private Network server locations are, considering all the factors. Well, before ending our discussion today, let’s look at some of the best countries as VPN locations overall. Check them out, and pick the best ones for your purpose!

Joe Pfeffer

Content Writer

Customer Reviews for NordVPN: In-Depth Review, Tests, and Stats

IR Irina

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Connection issues with MLB.TV

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