What's up with Private Internet Access VPN?

Continuing the discussion from Private Internet Access vs. Pure VPN?:

So, I've been less than impressed with Private Internet Access lately. I started using them before Tek Syndicate was endorsing them, and I felt reassured that I made the right choice once TS was on board.

When I first started using them, I was on a 10Mb/s connection, and I was getting 15-20Mb/s with PIA turned on, and less that 10Mb/s turned off. Awesome, right?

Now, I've switched connections, and I think my connected is rated at 25Mb/s (I can't remember for sure and don't feel like looking it up). The weird part is that I have Comcast Xfinity, and, without my VPN, I get 50Mb/s on a regular basis! I never expected that kind of service from the hated cable companies!

Here's the problem though: I turn on PIA, and I never get over 10Mb/s! What the crap?! I've tried EVERY server in the list with anywhere from 1 to 7Mb/s being the norm, and higher being the exception.

According to this topic, their service has dropped significantly lately

Is this true? Does anyone else have some insight? Is anyone else experiencing the same drop in service?

I'm ready to jump ship, but I want to make sure that I'm not missing something.

We have some reports that vpns are being throttled. You can try hoatwinds VPN free for a month to see if it is affected.

Anecdotal : our experience hasn't changed much the last few months that I've noticed.

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Well, that's disappointing to hear. I'll still look at a couple other options and see if I get different results. Thanks for the info @wendell and please keep us updated!

Where are you egressing? I've been with PIA for 2 years and have not suffered the issues that you mention. I'm getting the speed that Im rated for. I've ran several tests from several different test websites. Im averaging 99-105Mbps while using my VPN.

@dragonzswordz I've tried them all. Literally. Right now I am connected to US Midwest and I'm getting 3-5 Mbps on multiple test sites. 50+ Mbps as soon as I turn it off.

Judging from the reports that Wendell brought to light, I may be experiencing some cable company shenanigans. This theory reconciles with your information as well. I have been with PIA for at least a year and a half, and I've been nothing but happy until now. Like I said, I'm going to try another service or two and see if I get different results.

Thanks!

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@Grayson. that bites man. I hope you find a solution or better yet, I hope the ISPs act right (will they ever?).

make sure you keep PIA up to date!! and install new apps monthly.

i was getting like 10kb down and i was like WTF!!
then i reinstalled with a newer app and it works great now i get like 10mbs down

I know that the new deal that the FCC put out doesn't directly address VPNs but isn't throttling supposed to be against the rules. I don't see why connections to a VPN would be any different form a concretion to a service like Netflix.

also I think I was having the same problems as OP but the Ethernet port on the computer I was running PIA on broke and then I went on vacation before I was able to run any test. I also use comcast as an ISP.

Thanks. ISPs will shape up the day they have real capitalistic guidelines... with consumer protection built into those guidelines, hahaha.

It's up to date. Maybe I'll try a reinstall. I forgot the throwaway email address that I used to buy the service (I used a gift card that was bought with cash too. Paranoid much?), so I'll have to wait until I get a new username and password, hahaha

I don't know for sure, but I'm pretty sure they haven't had time to implement any of those changes yet... or if they have even been finalized. I know a few places have flat out declared they wouldn't follow any FCC guidelines until elected officials (read purchased officials) passed them into law. I think that was in the last Tek...

With companies like Comcast being so big, they have different degrees of service depending on where you live, the policies of that department, and which company Comcast bought out to get in that area. Your experience is probably totally different from mine. They might throttle a VPN for me, but not for you. They might give me decent customer service, but change your name to "Asshat" on your bill (they said it, not me).

Also, I just realized I should have replied to everybody in one post. Oops. I'll post back once I have time to try some other services. Thanks all!

Lately I've noticed that PIA has been slower than normal But after doing some test's including speed,transfers etc. It's still faster than before, Comcast has been screwing around with a lot of people by throttling people with VPN connection. Next I'm connected to my buildings network I'm the one who set it up and it has an AC1900 router and some other stuff, So I'm running good gear with a comcast connection of 100Mbps. without the Vpn and about 21 people connected at the same time I'm running 10-20 with the VPN I run 20-50 with (6-12) on the network i run 50-105. I can play games with or without the Vpn easily. I watch movies with the VPN it loads the full movie in about 2 mins starts instantly.

Make sure your stuff is updated
Remember that hardware can affect your network speed
Comcast are lying peeholes

Wow the second i posted this my internet stopped working with my VPN on........ I dont want to be one of those people... But for real comcast!!!!

This is happening to me now... My connection now comes to a crawl when I use PIA. This is bullshit and needs to be taken care of right away!!!

Try reinstalling the TAP driver, and make sure that you're running a reasonable amount of low latency, reasonable voltage/speed ram. Hardware speed and power delivery + limitations are especially important when you're pushing data through an adapter the way you are with a VPN and the TAP driver. More often than not, internal latency will have more of an effect on your network speeds than any external source.

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Hey @BioBandit. I was thinking about updating this post a couple days ago but never got around to it. I moved from an apartment to a house, but kept Comcast as my ISP.

At the same time, I started working out of town a lot, so I haven't set up my desktop at the new house. I installed PIA on my laptop and renewed my subscription, which effectively updated me to the latest version and ensured my subscription was paid up.

Everything is working fine now whether I'm traveling or at home. One thing to note is that I moved, kept Comcast, but experienced a MASSIVE difference in service. By the time I moved, I was seeing 15-50 Mbps at my old apartment. Now I'm in a house (more of a condo) and I regularly see 100-120 Mbps. Keep in mind I pay for 25 Mbps, so this part is great.

TL/DR

Everything is working fine now and I can only think of three reasons why:

1) Updating/reinstalling PIA fixed it.
2) I may have moved to a location that Comcast doesn't throttle VPN traffic
3) MAYBE I was wrong on my subscription status and needed to pay up

I will try reinstalling and see what that does. The only thing I see weird about it is that I was using it in a hotel room about a week ago and it was just fine. I will report back with my results shortly.

I guess that did fix it, which is crazy because it is the same version (v46) that I had previously installed.

Yeah. Computers are weird. Glad it worked!

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Glad you guys got your problems fixed!! I've been using pia on and off and it has been working very well!

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