is vpn really needed to override isp throttling?

[warheadxxx]

how would i know if i need a vpn based on this idea? would my connection always be lagging at peak gaming hours or what? i have att internet

 

[Brian Boru]

Welcome to the forum

According to the article below, a VPN can't help with throttling—makes sense since your traffic still starts and ends with your ISP.

It can apparently help with shaping tho, which may be what's happening to you. So test and find out.

What Is ISP Throttling and What Can You Do About it?

Throttling and shaping can ruin your internet experience, but there are ways you can avoid having your connection slowed down.

www.howtogeek.com

 

[Frag Maniac]

As Brian said, the throttling is done by the ISP, which a VPN has no control over since it still has to connect from point A to B.

In my experience, the main things VPNs can affect are 1) download speed, 2) how well some web sites work, 3) ads, and 4) logins.

If you manage to get a decent VPN though, only website functionality and login are a problem, and only on a small percentage of sites. If you use streaming services though, it can be annoying when they don't work. I use PlutoTV a fair bit, and even though it's a free service, I have to use it without my VPN running.

 

[Konquerah]

What are the benefits of using VPN in a normal every day to day life?

 

[Frag Maniac]

What are the benefits of using VPN in a normal every day to day life?

Very little risk of malware or viruses, and most of the better ones block ads pretty well too. In fact the main difference you immediately see is all the ads popping up without it running.

I mean I still run malware scans every now and then, but since using a VPN, they never catch anything. Dynamically masking your IP address is a pretty foolproof and easy way of blocking shenanigans of all types, including keyloggers.