VPN extremely slow, might lose job over it

I very recently got a new WFH job. They sent me 2 monitors and a Lenovo workstation. When I test my internet speeds, it usually hovers around about 270mb download. However, when I turn on the vpn that is required for work, it drops down to below 20mb download.

I’ve contacted their tech support, they can’t figure out the issue. I’ve contacted my service provider, and they’ve had technicians out 9 different times in the last 3 weeks. No one can figure out what’s going on.

I’m extremely worried that my work is going to fire me over this, as you are required to have at least 45mb download to start your shift. I havent been able to start a single shift, and I can tell they’re annoyed.

Any ideas that I can try to solve the issue will be greatly appreciated.

If your company has IT ask them for help this is literally what they are paid for.

So this all depends on how your jobs vpn tunnels your traffic. If when you’re connected to the VPN the VPN client routes ALL of your traffic to their firewall before then going out, 20mb spunds about right in my experience. However if they only have a route set up for when you’re trying to access their network resources that is odd. Are you seeing that 20mb on the VPN client or is that from a speed test you’re running?

Sounds like the VPN is routing you through a slow network\pathway in a different country?

See if you can be set to a different priority for the VPN or do you get to pick the closest company server using the VPN?

Has this IT department even been on your work machine and done some actual troubleshooting?

My company is global and sometimes someone in Australia gets routed to the UK server instead of from Australia to Australia. So their internet gets super slow because they route from Australia, UK then back to Australia.

Easiest fix is to get the VPN working properly, or set your account so you have access to choose the best performance server THIS depends on the VPN software though and its capabilities and your IT department.

VPN connections will be slower than your home connection. Due to the nature of what a VPN does, that’s unavoidable. Its quite normal for many VPNs to be significantly slower.

Sounds to me like the VPN you are using is the issue. A VPN is only as good as the network they opt to use. Some focus on stability not speed. Seems like the VPN isn’t suitable for what you’re expecting it to do.

for a good VPN you need synchroneous ISP comnection at both ends.
the lowest upload speed determines the effective speed. if the download is 270mb and the upload at the other end is is 20mb you can never archieve more than theoretical 20mb, effective10-15mb over vpn.

this is not someting you can just solve by yourself.

It’s from my speed test, and also the program they use. They use something on there end to determine my speeds, but I’ve tested it on my end too and its consistent with what they test

Well that’s what makes me mad. IT went through and rerouted me to the closest server, which worked and got me over that download requirement, barely. He then got in trouble for it, because they aren’t allowed to do that for some reason. IT has remote controlled the machine, and determined it’s nothing wrong on my end

Unfortunately, I have no choice in if I use a vpn, nor what vpn it is

The vpn is provided by my work and I can’t change it

LL of your traffic to their firewall before then going out, 20mb spunds about right in my experience. However if they only have a ro

What type of VPN do you have setup? Maybe all traffic is going over the VPN so you are limited to the speed of the VPN/Office.

Maybe take it up with the IT manager? Is your IT Team internal or external BTW?

You gotta escalate this a bit more on your IT Departments IMHO as these ISP tech’s are usually contracted by your ISP and have no real control. especially in this situation.

The tech getting in trouble could be because of a range of issues\company policy, security bs etc etc

This sounds dodgy. Why would they control what location your VPN runs through unless what they are doing is not allowed in that location?

IT has remote controlled the machine, and determined it’s nothing wrong on my end

Then that narrows it down to their end. It seems like it’s their problem. Your internet speeds are good. I worked from home with 50mb for a long time without any problems. This needs to be escalated to someone who can fix it or exempt you.

Then you have nothing to worry about as to whether your job will be affected. Its your employer’s responsibility to look in to the matter if you have taken every reasonable step already.

Its their VPN that is underperforming after all.

Most likely they have a license limit on that location’s firewall.

They won’t let me log on to work. Every time I log on, they test my internet speeds. If it isnt fast enough, they simply dont let me work

Can you tell me of any VPN where you have limitations in licensing by location? That’s absolutely new by me.

Tell them they need to fix it then, with a screenshot of your usual speed test and a screenshot with the VPN connected.

Its their choice of VPN so its their responsibility to make it play nicely.

If they are unreasonable about it, then it seems like it could be a pretty shitty company to work for.

Sure, pretty much all the major firewall vendors sell seat licenses for client VPN connections (Sonicwall, Fortinet, Watchguard, Sophos, etc).