Satellite internet is well know for having ultrahigh latency often times exceeding 900 ms. Strict data caps of less than 50 gigabytes per month are also a harsh reality with most satellite internet services. The nature of VPN technology does not play super friendly with high latency internet connections.
Additionally the limited upload bandwidth of most satellite internet connections further limits VPN performance. Although data caps do not directly affect your ability to use a VPN, the problem is that VPN adds up to 20% more data usage due to the encryption overheads. This means you will reach your data cap even sooner by using a VPN. Does VPN work with satellite internet in 2022.
Yes VPN works with satellite internet. Performance on the other hand leaves a lot to be desired when using VPN on a satellite based internet connection. Latency is always an issue with geostationary satellite internet connections due to the roughly 44,000 mile round trip that every data packet must take. VPN increases the number of data requests that have to be made and compounds the effect of high latency. VPN is not recommended with satellite internet in most situations.
Traditional Geostationary Satellite Internet Servcies
Geostationary satellite internet services such as those from HughesNet and Viasat are generally not going to perform well with VPN. If you must use VPN with satellite internet choose a VPN that uses the WireGuard protocol. NordVPN is a great option for most people.
The WireGuard protocol is the most friendly to high latency connections. Avoid using OpenVPN at all costs with satellite internet. Using OpenVPN will likely slow your connection down to dial up like speeds on a geostationary satellite internet service.
The best thing you can do if you are using a geostationary satellite internet service is to connect your VPN only when absolutely necessary. In many cases you do not need your VPN connected. For example if you are using a VPN to remotely connect to your employer and need to access email. In many cases the email service is hosted in the cloud and you will have no need for using VPN to connect. By limiting your usage of VPN to when it is actually need you will get the best performance and use the least amount of data.
In my testing, NordVPN offered the best performance on both HughesNet and Viasat.
Starlink Low Earth Orbit Internet Service
If you are using Starlink internet service you will not have any issues using VPN. VPN actually performs quite well on Starlink. Starlink works well with all of the major VPN protocols including IPsec, IKEv2, WireGuard, and OpenVPN. This means that most people will have no issue with compatibility.
VPN stability with Starlink is nearly comparable to a wired internet connection. In most cases VPN connections will be glitch free using Starlink. The only exception is when there are occasional drops in Starlink service. Unfortunately for VPN users, even momentary drops can break the VPN tunnel causing a longer drop.
Although this issue can happen with a cable, DSL, or fiber connection it tends to be much less common. Starlink says that as more satellites are launched and coverage is increased these drops will be greatly reduced.
VPN performance is roughly on par with wired internet options. Using a VPN will always add some latency to your internet connection due to the nature of the technology. Fortunately the latency on Starlink is already low and adding a VPN connection does not result in much additional latency, assuming you are not connecting to the other side of the earth.
Best VPN Service For Starlink Internet 2022
Does VPN work with satellite internet? VPN works with satellite internet but is not recommended for a variety of reasons. If you need to use a VPN with satellite internet you can but performance will be very poor.
Using the WireGuard protocol can improve performance somewhat. The best thing to do is to only connect your VPN when you absolutely need to use it. Keeping your VPN disconnected when possible will improve performance and also reduce your data usage. This is especially important given the restrictive data caps found on most satellite internet plans.
NordVPN offers its own VPN protocol built upon the WireGuard protocol for faster speeds.
FAQ
Can I Use a VPN With Satellite Internet
Yes you can use a VPN with satellite internet. However performance will suffer greatly due to the increased latency. If you must use VPN with satellite internet use the WireGuard protocol instead of OpenVPN for best performance. Disconnect your VPN whenever possible to minimize data usage.
Why Does Satellite Internet Not Work With VPN?
VPN technically works with VPN, However, VPN performs quite poorly with satellite internet due to the high latency. In some cases speeds will feel as low as with a dial up internet connection due to the excessive latency. If you must use VPN with satellite internet use the WireGuard protocol.
Does VPN Work Wth HughesNet
Technically yes VPN works with HughesNet. However performance will suffer greatly due to the increased latency. If you must use VPN with HughesNet use the WireGuard protocol instead of OpenVPN for best performance. Disconnect your VPN whenever possible to minimize data usage.
Can You Use VPN on Viasat
Technically yes you can use VPN on Viasat. However, performance will suffer greatly due to the increased latency. If you must use VPN on Viasat use the WireGuard protocol instead of OpenVPN for best performance. Disconnect your VPN whenever possible to minimize data usage.
Does Nord VPN Work on Viasat
Yes NordVPN works on Viasat. Performance is however very slow. This is standard when using VPN with any satellite internet service. If you need to use NordVPN with Viasat use the wireGuard protocol for best performance. Disconnect the VPN whenever possible to save on data usage.
Viasat VPN Issues
Performance issues using VPN with Viasat are generally due to the increased latency. If you must use VPN on Viasat use the WireGuard protocol instead of OpenVPN for best performance. Disconnect your VPN whenever possible to minimize data usage. VPN is not recommended for satellite internet.