How is a VPN different from manually downloading and uploading data through the server?

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Today I needed to download some files through a website which was blocked by my ISP. So, I spun up a VPS and decided to download it there and upload it to Dropbox, which was accessible through my internet connection. I was wondering if I would get the same download speed on my local machine if I chose to connect to my VPS through something like OpenVPN and then download it through that, instead of first downloading it on my VPS through RDP/VNC and then transferring it through some other file sharing method. My primary requirement here is speed.

P.S. I would have tried it by myself, but I can't, for some reason.

anukul

Posted 2015-10-19T04:38:21.187

Reputation: 107

To clarify, you want to know if you can download file X through a VPS to your home/work computer at the speed which you get at home/work? – Leathe – 2015-10-19T04:58:07.223

Yes. Will this be equal to the speed that I got by uploading X to dropbox through my VPS and then downloading it on my home/work computer? – anukul – 2015-10-19T05:37:24.463

Well, kind of yes. You're still limited to the upload of the host that has the file and then the upload of your VPS (and of course the download speed of your VPS and your local download speed). I guess uploading it to Dropbox is just an extra step you're avoiding if your VPS can upload at least as fast as your local home/work connection can download. – Leathe – 2015-10-19T06:01:14.910

Answers

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 You+--------------------> Tasty Internet goodness                       

    +--------------------+                                               
You |------------------> |VPN Provider  +-------->Tasty Internet Goodness
    +--------------------+                                               
        Encrypted Tunnel

The chart on top is a simplified view of how you get your cat videos. Your internet connection bounces through various things, and how fast you download your cat videos is a function of how fast those links are.

A VPN on the other hand has a few additional functions. There's a small overhead for encrypting and decrypting traffic between you and the VPN provider. Your speed is determined by the speed between you and the VPN provider, and the speed between the VPN provider and your host.

As such, typically unless you have somewhat strange bandwidth shaping or something like that, a VPN is unlikely to be faster than a direct link.

Journeyman Geek

Posted 2015-10-19T04:38:21.187

Reputation: 119 122

Asked: 2015-10-19T04:38:21.187

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Active: 2015-10-19T08:30:32.157