Windows 10: VPN speeds dropped suddently - What windows config might cause that?

On or around the 21st - 23rd of March my speeds to every server in every state of Australia except the one I'm in suddenly and permanently dropped for 3 or 4 states by 60% - 70% and for 1 state by 90%.

I don't want to get into the nightmare experience's I've had with the ISP and VPN provider suffice to say they both blame my system and have washed their hands of the issue. Let's assume there are no other viable ISPs with the same level of service at the same price, and that our income has declined such that more expensive ISPs are not affordable.

My Windows was installed from Scratch on 9th Feb 2020. Between that date until on or around the 21st - 23rd March the service was close to the 100Mbps we are paying for. Both on and off VPN, and almost all day. There were of course occasional issues, but that's to be expected.

Connection is FTTP 100/40. Router is ASUS RT-AC88u running latest Merlin firmware. Keep in mind absolutely nothing changed on any of the 10 PCs here, including mine. The problem is present on all 10 PCs. The issue is also present if I bypass the router and connected directly to the NTD.

I have not installed any Feb or March Windows 10 CUs, so the Jan CU which was installed when Windows was installed was then and is now still the only CU installed.

I can't think of or find anything on how this could be a Windows issue. I've been searching for weeks.

I don't use the VPN providers software, I just use OpenVPN, and the same version has always been installed.

Whatever tweaks were made to windows (Services, privacy, tasks etc) were all made on the 9th of Feb. Nothing has been changed or installed since that date.

I'm at a complete loss. Instead of getting 80+ MBps from my favorite server, I'm now getting 10 Mbps.

Speed tests are pretty meaningless, so in real world terms, websites load slower, emails used to take 2 - 5 seconds to send, now take 60 - 120 seconds. Some websites won't load images, or they take minutes. Online games lag, disconnect, online video buffers, audio plays while video stops, same for netflix, mba league pass and twitch. Essentially the service is almost useless all of the time.

Not using a VPN is out of the question. I'm not using a dodgy free VPN. People now working from home are required to use a VPN, and I would never do anything online since Australia expanded its mass surveillance in April 2017.

Any ideas?

:)

 

Vpn ( trusted Vpn)

Hi everyone.
I am not an expert about Vpn and that's why I would like to know if someone could list me a few trusted Vpns, I would really appreciate any suggestion/ advice.

Thanks.

 

Vpn ( trusted Vpn)

Tired of Germany blocking many youtube videos? *Big Grin

 

VPN speeds.

Hello,

Thanks for getting back to me with those details.

Am I correct in saying that Opera VPN only affects activity from the Opera browser?

I suggest you try to temporarily disable your AV and add the VPN as an exception in the firewall.

Let me know if you need help with it. Sometimes AVs can interefere with the connection speeds.

Noah