Choose the right location for your VPN server and you’ll be rewarded with optimal performance, speed, and security for all of your online activities. VPN servers are located all across the globe, and while not all VPNs are built equal, selecting the right one can significantly impact your browsing experience. If you want to enjoy smooth, unrestricted streaming, secure browsing, and lag-less gaming, you’ll need to know how to choose the VPN location that best suits your needs.
That’s where this guide comes in. Let’s explore the key factors you need to consider when choosing a VPN server location, as well as tips for getting the most out of your VPN.
Understanding How VPNs Work and Why Server Location Matters
A Virtual Private Network (VPN) creates an encrypted connection between your device and the internet. You can think of it as a secret tunnel, hiding your IP address and routing your data through a remote server to protect it from prying eyes. The process not only provides security and privacy but also allows you to adopt a virtual location based on the server’s country of origin. This virtual location can help you bypass geo-restrictions, access content securely, and avoid ISP tracking.
General benefits of VPNs
If you’re not already familiar with all the benefits a VPN can offer, let’s run through them.
- Protecting your privacy – VPNs prevent tracking by hiding your IP address and encrypting your data.
- Improving your security – VPNs help to keep your data safe, especially when using public networks.
- Bypassing geo-restrictions – VPNs let you bypass content restrictions by connecting to servers in other regions.
- Avoiding ISP throttling – VPNs help to prevent your connection from slowing down while streaming or downloading.
All of these benefits can be influenced by the location of the VPN server you choose.
Factors to Consider When Choosing a VPN Server Location
Choosing a server location is about more than just picking whichever is closest to you. While your distance to the server is something to consider, there are other factors —such as the server’s load and bandwidth — that can play a role in the effectiveness of your connection. Whatever it is you plan to use your VPN for — such as streaming, browsing, or gaming — will also shape your server choice.
Proximity to the server
The distance between you and the VPN server you use will impact your connection speed. Data packets have to travel from your device to the VPN server and then to the internet and back again, so it makes sense that shorter journeys typically mean faster speeds. Most VPN providers will list their servers by country, and some are even so specific to list them by city. There might also be an option to automatically select the nearest server. For tasks where speed and quality are the priority, a nearby server is usually the best option.
Server load and bandwidth
The performance of a VPN server is also impacted by how many users are connected to it at any one time. A high server load can slow down speeds, even if it’s your nearest server. A good VPN service will balance traffic across their servers, but manually checking for servers with lower loads can improve your experience. Lots of VPN providers will display real-time load indicators showing how many users are connected to each server, allowing you to choose the server with the lowest load percentages.
Use case (streaming, privacy, gaming)
Here are some examples of where your primary activities may dictate what kind of server you pick.
- Browsing and streaming – for general browsing and streaming, especially if you want HD content, servers located nearby generally offer optimal speeds.
- Video conferencing – when using a VPN while attending video calls and meetings, choosing a server within your region is the best option to avoid lag and ensure high video quality.
- Privacy – if you’re looking to prioritize privacy and security, connect to a server in a country with strict data privacy laws.
- Gaming – gamers benefit from servers close to their region to minimize latency, but they may choose a different region to access specific content.
VPN Server Locations for Streaming and Bypassing Geo-Restrictions
Many people use VPNs to access region-specific content. There are lots of reasons why you might want to stream content that may not be accessible in your region, from catching the latest season of your favorite show to being able to play online games with people across the globe. Factors such as server proximity, streaming policies, and peak traffic hours can all impact streaming quality.
Accessing streaming services
Due to licensing agreements, streaming platforms might restrict certain shows or movies to specific countries. You might notice this when accessing platforms like Netflix or Amazon Prime while abroad. These are called geo-restrictions or geo-blocks, and they’re a form of digital censorship. They work by analyzing the IP address of your device and using it to identify your geographic location. Being able to change your server location to different regions can give you access to a streaming platform’s full library of content. However, some platforms have started to block IP addresses associated with VPNs.
Servers for international content and sports streaming
If you’re a sports fan, a VPN can also be used towatch live sports internationally. Changing one’s geographical location via a VPN would allow European-based NFL fans to connect to US servers and watch football, for example. When watching live sports, the goal (pun intended) is often to minimize lag and establish a secure connection, reducing the risk of missing out on any of the action. This means VPN users will need to strike a balance between finding a server within the correct region that’s also close enough to minimize irritating buffering.
VPN Server Locations for Privacy and Security
Privacy-conscious browsers make up a large part of the VPN user demographic. There are lots of reasons why people might want to remain anonymous online and prevent their data from being tracked; lots of organizations tell employees to use VPNs and proxy servers for this reason. And when it comes to data privacy, some countries have more robust laws than others.
Choosing privacy-friendly countries
Countries with advanced data protection policies are favorable server locations for people looking to get the most privacy from their VPNs.
- Switzerland – famous for its strict privacy laws and strong data protection policies, Switzerland is an excellent server location choice, as it lies outside the jurisdiction of major surveillance alliances.
- Iceland – a long-standing advocate for internet freedom and online privacy, Iceland is a popular choice for privacy-focused VPN servers.
- Sweden – known for strong freedom-of-information laws and supporting individual privacy, Sweden allows anonymous browsing and provides robust protection against unauthorized data collection, making it an excellent choice of location for your VPN server.
Advanced Tips for Optimizing VPN Performance
After you’ve selected your ideal VPN server location, you might want to consider the following tips to help you get the most out of your VPN. These practices will help to ensure a seamless experience.
Switching between servers based on network traffic
VPN server traffic fluctuates throughout the day. Similar to traffic on the roads and public transport, there are peak hours that you might want to avoid. To maintain optimal speed, you might choose to switch between VPN servers based on network traffic. Using real-time load indicators can help you make this choice, as well as a knowledge of different time zones.
Using split tunneling
Split tunneling allows you to choose which apps or websites go through your VPN, while the rest of your internet traffic follows your regular connection. This can enhance the performance of your VPN by reducing the load it has to bear. Most VPN providers offer the option of split tunneling in their settings.
Testing and monitoring VPN speed
Periodically testing the speed of your VPN helps you to identify when your choice of server might be slowing down your connection. Most VPNs have built-in speed testing, but you can also use third-party tools.
Make sure your server serves you
Experimenting with server locations can help you to get the most out of your VPN, whether you’re looking to improve privacy, streamline your streaming, access international content, or simply ensure a fast and stable connection.
Thanks to the above guidance, you should now know not only how to choose the VPN server location that serves you best, but also understand what makes one server better-suited to your needs than another.
For those looking to invest in a VPN, ioloVPN is a secure, easy-to-use and affordable option. We can give you lightning-fast connections across multiple devices with a comforting blanket of total privacy. Try it today, and enjoy uninhibited, undetectable browsing.
