VPN throttling on Firestick

[kaptin1]

When I run my VPN (Cyberghost) on my Firestick it throttles the speed really badly. I get 40-50mbs without it switched on and 10-20mbps with it (sometimes even less). The Firestick is hardwired into the router via Ethernet. I also have an android box (Ethernet) and iPad (WiFi) connected tonthe same router, but they see much better speeds with the VPN is switched on, so I’m assuming it’s not an issue with my ISP. Does anyone else have a similar problem or know any tricks to improve performance on Firestick?

[Steve1956]

Dont use a VPN with your Firestick is the best solution....i never have any problems.

[IanMcL]

Agreed

[Tricky Trevor]

10-20Mbps and you are complaining. My heart bleeds for you.

[TheOriginalLongsider]

I use my vpn on a fire stick (Surfshark) and all is well. 10-20 meg should be fine for streaming though. Try connecting to different servers. I tend to use Belgium and Netherlands but the UK ones are the fastest

[wembley94]

Try hotspot shield mod or power VPN.both free and good for streaming

[Longsidebogs]

Use a decent VPN and your problem will be solved. I use VPN Express and hardly any difference in speed at all. Not the cheapest but one of the best along with Nord VPN and a few others.

[superdimitri]

Its likely nothing to do with your VPN provider. Firesticks have very low powered processors not designed to support typical VPN encryption.

Try finding a PPTP or LTTP method to connect to your vpn instead, here are instructions: https://support.cyberghostvpn.com/hc/en ... CyberGhost

By using a different protocol, you are cutting back on security but making it a lot easier on the firestick to run the connection. For home/streaming usage LTTP or PPTP protocols are more than secure enough. Be aware though because the firestick is so underpowered, even using this method is likely going to top out at about 40-50mpbs. You really need a much more powerful device to run a VPN at high speed.

[Im_not_Robbie_Blake]

Am I the only one who dosen't have a clue what this thread is all about?

[Longsidebogs]

Its likely nothing to do with your VPN provider. Firesticks have very low powered processors not designed to support typical VPN encryption.

Try finding a PPTP or LTTP method to connect to your vpn instead, here are instructions: https://support.cyberghostvpn.com/hc/en ... CyberGhost

By using a different protocol, you are cutting back on security but making it a lot easier on the firestick to run the connection. For home/streaming usage LTTP or PPTP protocols are more than secure enough. Be aware though because the firestick is so underpowered, even using this method is likely going to top out at about 40-50mpbs. You really need a much more powerful device to run a VPN at high speed.

I still get close to 100mbps using express VPN on firestick.

[kaptin1]

Its likely nothing to do with your VPN provider. Firesticks have very low powered processors not designed to support typical VPN encryption.

Try finding a PPTP or LTTP method to connect to your vpn instead, here are instructions: https://support.cyberghostvpn.com/hc/en ... CyberGhost

By using a different protocol, you are cutting back on security but making it a lot easier on the firestick to run the connection. For home/streaming usage LTTP or PPTP protocols are more than secure enough. Be aware though because the firestick is so underpowered, even using this method is likely going to top out at about 40-50mpbs. You really need a much more powerful device to run a VPN at high speed.

Cheers, that’s helpful.

[houseboy]

I've been using various streaming facilities over the years and never used a VPN. No one has ever knocked on my proverbial door say 'what's going on here then'. To be honest I don't know anyone who has. I think VPNs are sold through fear (even the free ones).

[aggi]

If you consider that a VPN is basically encrypting your internet in real time, encryption is a very processor heavy action and a fire stick is designed to be a lightweight media device you can see where the issue arises.

The best solution is to offload the connection to another device that is more able to cope with encryption and the demands. Realistically though, there isn't much you're going to be streaming that requires a VPN and > 10Mbps connection. All the dodgy streams that you may need a VPN for are at a much lower bitrate than that.

[wembley94]

houseboy ask Kodi Devs who's that knocking at the door.showbox and now typhoontv and cyberflixtv.are keeping peoples IP address

[superdimitri]

I still get close to 100mbps using express VPN on firestick.

Then the method you use to connect probably isn't using Openvpn encryption then. Either that or you have the new fire TV 4k which has a much faster CPU.

[houseboy]

houseboy ask Kodi Devs who's that knocking at the door.showbox and now typhoontv and cyberflixtv.are keeping peoples IP address

We use a Kodi as well upstairs on a telly but mainly for normal TV on that one (BBC and ITV apps and such like). To be honest we don't use our other source too much now for films as we recently got a good deal from Sky for Cinema (got that and a very slight reduction in price as well). It also includes Netflix but we had that anyway so we have now saved on the subs to that.

[Claret32yrs]

I must be getting old, I thought this was a youngsters terminology for someone having trouble 'choking the chicken'.

[Bosscat]

I must be getting old, I thought this was a youngsters terminology for someone having trouble 'choking the chicken'.

You and me both C32yrs you and me both....

[KateR]

surely he needs his VPN though for the porn he is viewing, otherwise what's the use of a VPN?

[Claret32yrs]

You and me both C32yrs you and me both....

Back in my day we had a tissue and a magazine

[Bosscat]

Back in my day we had a tissue and a magazine

Posh bugger 'Tissue'

[Claret32yrs]

Posh bugger 'Tissue'

Mi mam took the curtains down. They rattled when she opened 'em

[Preppione]

If you consider that a VPN is basically encrypting your internet in real time, encryption is a very processor heavy action and a fire stick is designed to be a lightweight media device you can see where the issue arises.

The best solution is to offload the connection to another device that is more able to cope with encryption and the demands. Realistically though, there isn't much you're going to be streaming that requires a VPN and > 10Mbps connection. All the dodgy streams that you may need a VPN for are at a much lower bitrate than that.

This is very true. The load on the processor can be very heavy, both on the VPN server and on the client side. Of you know what kind of CPU (processor) you have, you can go on Intel and check if it has the AES-NI flag. This is a special feature in the processor that offloads the encryption.
If possible, you could go down on the "security" by not using 256-bit encryption, but instead 128-bit. My provider Sneakflix VPN also have 128-bits OpenVPN profiles available, and that is faster than using 256-bit. I guess most big VPN companies (including CyberGhost and ExpressVPN) have 128-bit available. (128 bit is only theoretically weaker than 256 bit, no real world difference in security).

[Claret32yrs]

surely he needs his VPN though for the porn he is viewing, otherwise what's the use of a VPN?

Very Personal Napkin?

[Longsidebogs]

I've been using various streaming facilities over the years and never used a VPN. No one has ever knocked on my proverbial door say 'what's going on here then'. To be honest I don't know anyone who has. I think VPNs are sold through fear (even the free ones).

It’s not about anyone knocking on your door though. It’s about being able to watch football without your ISP blocking your stream, which they cannot do if you are running a VPN.

[KateR]

It’s not about anyone knocking on your door though. It’s about being able to watch football without your ISP blocking your stream, which they cannot do if you are running a VPN.

so are you saying for example if I was in the USA and wanted to watch Sky Sports football, which I never can that if I used a VPN then I would get the PL matches?

[IanMcL]

I've been using various streaming facilities over the years and never used a VPN. No one has ever knocked on my proverbial door say 'what's going on here then'. To be honest I don't know anyone who has. I think VPNs are sold through fear (even the free ones).

Were they not originally for paedophiles to do their black web stuff?

[superdimitri]

so are you saying for example if I was in the USA and wanted to watch Sky Sports football, which I never can that if I used a VPN then I would get the PL matches?

Or you could live in the UK and subscribe to DAZN Canada and watch all the matches on TV.

[superdimitri]

This is very true. The load on the processor can be very heavy, both on the VPN server and on the client side. Of you know what kind of CPU (processor) you have, you can go on Intel and check if it has the AES-NI flag. This is a special feature in the processor that offloads the encryption.
If possible, you could go down on the "security" by not using 256-bit encryption, but instead 128-bit. My provider Sneakflix VPN also have 128-bits OpenVPN profiles available, and that is faster than using 256-bit. I guess most big VPN companies (including CyberGhost and ExpressVPN) have 128-bit available. (128 bit is only theoretically weaker than 256 bit, no real world difference in security).

From my personal experience it's only recently that some high end ARM chipsets that have been able to saturate a 100mbps connection with 128bit openvpn encryption.

If the op has a new fire stick then he may well be okay with 128bit but otherwise it will throttle badly. In which case falling back to a pre OVPN protocol should be more than secure enough for streaming and doesn't carry the performance penalty.

Of course connection speed, or peak bandwidth is only part of the story. You won't want all the CPU power taken up deciphering when you rely on the device for other means, so even with processing power aside the more you can offload from the CPU the better.

[houseboy]

It’s not about anyone knocking on your door though. It’s about being able to watch football without your ISP blocking your stream, which they cannot do if you are running a VPN.

I have heard this but frankly the only time I have lost my stream was with South American matches which, to be fair, are sometimes pretty dreadful anyway. I don't think they were blocked by the ISP it was just rubbish connections, try watching a football match through a sheet of bathroom window glass and you get the picture (or don't).

[houseboy]

Were they not originally for paedophiles to do their black web stuff?

I don't know about that but a friend of mine...oops!

[KateR]

Or you could live in the UK and subscribe to DAZN Canada and watch all the matches on TV.

I travel a lot, not just USA being in the UK is not an issue, it's being able to watch it in numerous countries, USA not that bad as you can usually find a pub playing games. That's what I was trying to understand, no matter anywhere in the world you are can you use a UK VPN and get onto Sky or BT for example? Would be the same theory for playing the lottery through the national lottery site in the UK, am useless at this stuff.

[superdimitri]

I travel a lot, not just USA being in the UK is not an issue, it's being able to watch it in numerous countries, USA not that bad as you can usually find a pub playing games. That's what I was trying to understand, no matter anywhere in the world you are can you use a UK VPN and get onto Sky or BT for example? Would be the same theory for playing the lottery through the national lottery site in the UK, am useless at this stuff.

When you sign up to a provider you get different countries you can connect too. So you can always seem like you are in the UK yes.

Only reason I mention Canada and DAZN is because it's the best way to watch every game. No good connecting to the UK when most games aren't televised. No relying on crappy quality illegal streams.

The USA is second best to DAZN in Canada since NBC split games coverage between their sports gold streaming subscription and their regular cable TV channels. So to watch every game in the USA you need both a NBC sports gold pass and a way to watch the cable channels. Most of the time we are not on their cable channels though since we aren't "fashionable".

But still. DAZN in Canada has every game and you only need a single subscription that way.

As long as the provider has locations you want to "emulate" being at then you can pretend you're anywhere. You just have to be careful with your choice of provider and shop for one that supports the services you wish to use. For example many providers let you emulate being in the UK but won't work for streaming because Sky, BBC etc have blacklisted them.

You can sign up to a free trial of each VPN though to try it.

[KateR]

Thank you