Very slow speeds in one direction for PPTP VPN

Question

Hi all,

I'm running a PPTP VPN server from my PC, so my friend in another country is able to route his connection through mine. We're using the PPTP VPN solution built into Windows 10 (specifically Win 10 Pro x64). For some reason, when he connects to me, he's getting an internet speed of around 3 Mbps upload/download.

We both have gigabit internet (symmetrical up and down), so would be expecting a much faster connection.

We did some testing, and performed the same in reverse (have him host the PPTP VPN server, and have me connect as the client). When done this way, internet speeds remain around 800 / 900 Mbps, as would be expected. He is also on Win 10 Pro x64. The config is identical.

So, it appears that the speeds are only affected when I am hosting. The connection works, so it shouldn't be a port issue (port 1723 forwarded on the router and local firewalls, for inbound and outbound traffic), but is just frustratingly slow.

Are you aware of anything that could cause this issue, and how best to rectify it? I'm wondering if it could be software conflict, AV protection, etc. I was wondering if anyone has experienced the same thing and might know the cause!

Any help is appreciated.

Thanks.

Answer 1

Encrypting data on-the-fly for a VPN requires processing power. These demands scale approximately linearly with speed (twice as much data per second, twice as much CPU power). How do the two PCs compare re CPU and RAM?

Answer 2

Hi,

In regards to your issue, here're my suggestions:

The upload/download speeds you get while connected to a VPN server depend on a bunch of factors. Some of these are controlled by your VPN provider (server speed, server load, routing, available locations, etc). However, your home network and connection choices also make a big impact on speed (available bandwidth, server choice, protocol, router speed, etc).

The following is a similar case like you. In his situation, he switched to L2TP protocol and found it to be much better.
https://forum.peplink.com/t/very-slow-vpn-client-connection-over-pptp/4884/14

You can try to change the WAN MTU setting, configure split tunneling or use an other VPN protocol while your PC being host .

For more details, please refer to the following link:
https://www.makeuseof.com/tag/useful-tips-vpn-speed-slow/
https://www.vpnuniversity.com/learn/vpn-speed
https://www.cactusvpn.com/tutorials/how-to-set-up-l2tp-vpn-on-windows-10/
https://forum.peplink.com/t/split-tunneling-option-for-l2tp-connections-to-max-routers/4639

If my answer is helpful to you, please remember to mark them as answer. Thank you!

Best regards,
Gloria

Answer 3

I believe PPTP is no longer as secure as it used to be. Though it was once created by Microsoft but there's much other better option even if we pick a free VPN or proxy.