VPN Speed Issue
Steve234
Newbie

Hi all,

I am having a VPN speed issue. When I am using the internet and not connected to the VPN, I experience speeds of 25mbps/25, which is what my contract with Verizon calls for. When I connect to the VPN with my laptop, speeds drop to about 3/2 mbps. (I am connected via Ethernet hardwire not wireless)

I ran Ethernet wire to the Verizon box and then had Verizon activate. Unfortunately this did not solve my problem. Internet is fine until I connect to the VPN.

I also was able to conduct a test: I connected wireless to an open local network while in the office and then to my work server via the VPN with no noticeable speed issues. This leads me to believe the issue lies with the Actiontec router issued from Verizon?

I only work remotely 1x per week so have been hobbling along with this problem for the past 3 months since our switch from Comcast. (Speed was fine with Comcast ) It is painful as it causes a 5-10 second lag for each click when navigating folders on the remote server. This means it can take me 5 minutes to pull down one PDF file.

Is there a suggested solution for this - should I buy another router?

thanks,

Steve

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Re: VPN Speed Issue
dslr595148
Community Leader
Community Leader

What is the brand, model, and ver of this router?

For example: Actiontec, MI-424-WI, Rev C.

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Re: VPN Speed Issue
Steve234
Newbie

I have an Actiontec MI424-WR Rev:E Router

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Re: VPN Speed Issue
dslr595148
Community Leader
Community Leader

Does the connection just slow down OR does the connection appear to hang?

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Re: VPN Speed Issue
spacedebris
Master - Level 2

Steve234,

Like we said in the other thread, changing the router was not needed to switch to Ethernet for VPN, but many people do need to switch because the VPN's dont work well with the Actiontec routers. Unfortunately many VPN systems just do not seem to work well with actiontec. Some because of the coax connection (which is why you changed, to see if that was the problem) and some just simply do not like that router. Personally, if it were me, I'd make it easy on myself and go out and purchase another router and daisy chain it with the Verizon router. If you get something like a D-link router that has a different IP than the Verizon router. (D-link defaults to 192.168.0.1  and Verizon is 192.167.1.1), then this is a simple matter.

You run your Ethernet from the ONT to the WAN on the D-link. Then Ethernet from D-link LAN to Actiontec WAN. Connect your VPN computer to the D-link and leave everything else connected to the actiontec. Problem solved. At least if the actual problem is on the Actiontec to begin with.

To make sure this will work, for a test, bypass the router and connect your computer directly. Since you now have Ethernet run from the ONT, all you have to do is log into the actiontec router, release the IP address, then connect the Ethernet directly to the computer, pull your new public IP, and connect to the VPN. Check the speeds. If this works, then you know your problem is with the actiontec and the solution above will fix. If you have the same issue. Then you no longer have to waste your time troubleshooting the router and look for other possibilities.

Re: VPN Speed Issue
viafax999
Community Leader
Community Leader

To make sure this will work, for a test, bypass the router and connect your computer directly. Since you now have Ethernet run from the ONT, all you have to do is log into the actiontec router, release the IP address, then connect the Ethernet directly to the computer, pull your new public IP, and connect to the VPN. Check the speeds. If this works, then you know your problem is with the actiontec and the solution above will fix. If you have the same issue. Then you no longer have to waste your time troubleshooting the router and look for other possibilities.

Think you will find you have to leave it for 4 to 5 hours before connecting the machine directly as the network remembers the mac for the router for some amount of time and will only allow that device to reconnect.

Re: VPN Speed Issue
spacedebris
Master - Level 2

No, usually, you dont have to wait. You do have to log into the router and go in and release the IP, but most of the time this is all you have to do.

Once in a while it wont release properly, in which case you do have to wait a couple of hours. But most of the time it will release just fine.

Re: VPN Speed Issue
Steve234
Newbie

: My connection is slow but does not really appear to hang. It is more like a delay of 5-10 seconds before it will navigate to the folder I have selected. If a file is layered in 3 folders deep the delays start to add up.

 

spacedebris: I like your suggestion and especially like the not wasting time troubleshooting part : )

 

One question on the test. I logged into the router but am not sure I know what you mean by "release the IP address?"

 

The rest of the test and new router set up seems straightforward and make sense to me. I'd really like to test it before buying a router but option B is to buy it and just keep the receipt. : )

 

thanks again

Steve

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Re: VPN Speed Issue
viafax999
Community Leader
Community Leader

@Steve234 wrote:

 

 

One question on the test. I logged into the router but am not sure I know what you mean by "release the IP address?"

 

The rest of the test and new router set up seems straightforward and make sense to me. I'd really like to test it before buying a router but option B is to buy it and just keep the receipt. : )

 

thanks again

Steve


The instructions following are for a Westell 9100EM, they're similar for the Actiontec.

Logon to the router as an admin user

Select My network

Select Network connections

Select Broadband Connection Ethernet (in your case), for most people this would Broadband Connection Coax

Select Configure connection

Select Release on the DHCP Lease line

disconnect the Actiontec and connect your machine - be aware that your machine is exposed to the internet so take precautions accordingly.

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Re: VPN Speed Issue
Steve234
Newbie

I was able to test this.

I released the IP address and then connected directly to the ethernet line.

When I ran the test:

without VPN connection 30.77/23.85 MBPS

while connected to the VPN: 7.2/3.35 MBPS

This is with the Actiontec out of the way, so unfortunately my issue can not be solved with a second modem. I am thrown why this delay is not present when I connect to the open network near my office.

Also - how do I set the IP back up properly? I resert the Actiontec thinking that would return all settings...

thanks

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