120M Does VM throttle VPN traffic?

RainmakerRaw · 07-03-2014, 04:54

As per subject. Does VM shape/throttle/manage VPN connections/traffic? It's hard to get a direct answer from VM it seems. I've read around online that they do, and my own experience suggests perhaps they do. However it'd be interesting to hear for sure, especially if anyone has details (whether it's by port, protocol etc)? Thanks.

roughbeast · 07-03-2014, 07:30

Quote:

Originally Posted by RainmakerRaw

As per subject. Does VM shape/throttle/manage VPN connections/traffic? It's hard to get a direct answer from VM it seems. I've read around online that they do, and my own experience suggests perhaps they do. However it'd be interesting to hear for sure, especially if anyone has details (whether it's by port, protocol etc)? Thanks.

Pretty well all the literature I have read talks about using VPN to get around throttling. Stuff like this

http://how-to-bittorent-safely-anony...p-torrent.html

However some actively discuss Virgin throttling certain VPN providers.

http://www.avforums.com/threads/woul...tling.1769192/

That is my contribution. Asking me anything technical about VPN is like asking Stevie Wonder to comment on the works of Titian.

Kushan · 10-03-2014, 14:52

I think Virgin don't shape specific protocols so much as they shape traffic on specific ports. 443/SSL seems largely untouched so anything using that should be ok.

toytown · 10-03-2014, 16:02

I don't think they do, every night at around 8pm i have to connect to my VPN to play an online game (League Of Legends). With the VPN i average a ping of 30ms in game, without the VPN i get a ping of approx 100ms.

craigj2k12 · 10-03-2014, 17:26

Quote:

Originally Posted by toytown

I don't think they do, every night at around 8pm i have to connect to my VPN to play an online game (League Of Legends). With the VPN i average a ping of 30ms in game, without the VPN i get a ping of approx 100ms.

VMs amazing peering strikes again

toytown · 10-03-2014, 17:40

Quote:

Originally Posted by craigj2k12

VMs amazing peering strikes again

I'm not sure it is the peering, a traceroute at the time showed me taking exactly the same route (once it had reached london), i couldnt check the return path. But it seemed that perhaps shaping was causing the noticeable lag. Especially as this has happened multiple times last year with this very same game.

Kushan · 10-03-2014, 20:12

Quote:

Originally Posted by toytown

I'm not sure it is the peering, a traceroute at the time showed me taking exactly the same route (once it had reached london), i couldnt check the return path. But it seemed that perhaps shaping was causing the noticeable lag. Especially as this has happened multiple times last year with this very same game.

No, I think what craigy is getting at is congestion on the peering links. As far as I know, the traffic shaping is enabled for most of the day but you're only seeing the issue in peak times which is probably why it would be congestion.

Ignitionnet · 10-03-2014, 21:34

VM shape everything unless their systems are told otherwise.

They may well have a blanket exemption in place for all VPNs based on protocol.

The systems do not go purely by port, they have to inspect packets else they'd never spot P2P or anything else that jumps ports. They may however have some ports that they don't shape regardless of what's on them.

RainmakerRaw · 08-08-2015, 03:03

Bumping this to save making a new thread. I've posted on VM's forum but despite virtually every thread on page 1 of their speed forum getting a staff reply in the last 24 hours, mine was ignored.

I'm still experiencing throttling of OpenVPN on multiple providers. If I connect to OpenVPN over UDP on port 443 (for example) I can barely manage 5MB/sec even on Ubuntu torrents (always exceptionally well seeded and can max practically any line). As soon as I further hide my OpenVPN connection inside an additional SSL layer (i.e. tunnel the tunnel by wrapping OpenVPN inside SSL) voilà! I'm back to 18MB/sec without issues.

VM are adamant they don't throttle or shape VPN traffic, but if that's true why does ADDING an extra layer of encryption (which should lose me speed) give me a 400% increase in throughput and allow me to max my line where plain OpenVPN to the same provider and the same server failed?

Anyone got any input? I'm seriously thinking of switching to FTTC from Plusnet or Sky or whatever. I can see the cab from my door and the checker reckons I'll get as close to 80/20 as makes no difference. I'd rather have 100% of 80Mbps than 25% of 152Mbps. Plus, that upstream...

Ignitionnet · 08-08-2015, 03:27

If you must use VPNs for everything and are getting nowhere with VM taking your business elsewhere might be wise. I doubt VPN performance is something the are going to make too much effort to look into.

RainmakerRaw · 08-08-2015, 03:36

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ignitionnet

If you must use VPNs for everything and are getting nowhere with VM taking your business elsewhere might be wise. I doubt VPN performance is something the are going to make too much effort to look into.

Maybe not, but if they're going to insist they don't throttle it when they plainly do, would it really kill them to spend a few seconds to whitelist openvpn on their shaping systems? As it is openvpn over SSL works fine, but it's the principle. I just wondered if anyone knew anything I didn't (especially people like you who know a lot more than I). I'm not in contract and if they can't even be bothered replying to me I think I'll seriously consider switching to FTTC. Thanks.

nomadking · 08-08-2015, 05:54

Noticed the same thing myself, Friday 7th August. Upload isn't affected. The speed drop goes beyond anything for traffic shaping and certainly not for 4am.

Chrysalis · 08-08-2015, 08:37

Dont move to plusnet, they another provider who love to shape everything.

For reference my VPN maxed out at about 5mbit/sec under plusnet, I could never get to the bottom of it but since plusnet didnt seem to rate limit anything else I always assumed was the software configuration, now on sky by magic its exceeding 40mbit/sec. Wasnt a major issue because as it happens 5mbit/sec. is adequate for the purpose I use it for, but thought I would chip in with this info.

Springy · 08-08-2015, 22:34

I use two vpn service, StrongVPN and IPVanish

I am on a 50MB connection, when using StrongVPN I get 50 Down and 3 Up without a problem.

On IPVanish I get around 35 Down and 3 Up.

IPVanish is on OpenVPN/L2TP and both gets similar speeds

With Strong VPN, I am on the cheap subscription so only use L2TP

So for now it is pretty good, well based on the two services I have...

Chrysalis · 09-08-2015, 03:29

my VPN is private as I own the server I have control over the configuration servsr side as well as client side. On plusnet the speed wasnt been affected by changes I made to the congestion window etc. was all bizarre as if some kind of intermediate DPI device was fiddling with the tcp packets.