After weeks of research, you finally found the perfect Virtual Private Network, and you can’t wait to start torrenting. You connect to a VPN server, but the speed isn’t what you expected. There is a noticeable reduction, especially when compared to your original connection. Unfortunately, this is a common issue.
Many users do not realize that servers are not built the same way. There are weak servers that are only good for surfing the internet, while others are built to handle big chunks of data at high speeds. VPN servers optimized to work with the BitTorrent protocol will give you the best results when it comes to download speed. You just have to know how to identify them.
But speed isn’t everything. When selecting a server for P2P, you also need to have security in mind. To improve your privacy, you can take a few steps.
To download torrents from the best possible server, you’ll need to find one that offers the best combination of speed and security.
How to Find the Fastest Servers for Torrenting?
The answer to that question depends on which VPN provider you are using. Some VPNs make your life easier by telling you which servers you should use to download torrents.
A couple of examples are NordVPN and PureVPN. These two providers have a section of servers optimized for torrenting. In this particular case, you know from the beginning that your server is suitable for P2P.
How about the VPNs that do not differentiate servers? That’s when it gets a bit trickier. For example, IPVanish has thousands of servers, and they allow BitTorrent downloads in all of them. To find the fastest ones, you have to test them yourself.
Distance plays a role
The first thing to do is to consider how far the server is from you. As a general rule, choose servers that are located in the same continent as you are. Remember that distance impacts speed. If you choose one on the other side of the world, it’s going to slow your connection down. This should exclude most servers from your test list.
Test individual VPN servers
There’s nothing like testing servers yourself. Look for the ones located in nearby countries and head over to a reliable online speed test. We recommend speedtest, which is very accurate.
The procedure is straightforward:
- Test your connection speed without a VPN
- Connect to a VPN server
- Run a test on the website and write down the result
- Connect to another server location
- Refresh the website and perform another test
This may be a boring thing for some, but if you’re like me, you will have a great time comparing results. Remember that the metric you want to look at is the download speed. The ping and upload are not relevant when it comes to downloading torrents.
A Good Server for Torrents Should Keep You Safe
Knowing about the distance issue and how it affects speed, you may be tempted to use the nearest server, even if that means one in your own country. Well, don’t.
One thing to keep in mind when connecting to a server is its location. The wrong choice may compromise your anonymity.
Choose a server in a different country
We recommend choosing a server located in a different country from your own. If someone wants to spy on your activity, they would have to deal with two separate jurisdictions, which is very difficult, if not impossible. This adds an extra layer of security.
Also, avoid servers in countries that are known for heavy monitoring, such as the US and UK.
For example, a user in the US would have two good options nearby; Canada and Mexico.
Extra Tips
Some extra steps can make your life a lot easier. Here are a few helpful tips.
Some VPNs make the testing step easy
Just like other products, VPNs keep coming up with new features to stay on top of their competition.
Some VPNs already include a speed test tool, such as Surfshark. With the click of a button, the user can test all the servers that the VPN offers. The testing process on a website is not necessary when you have such a tool.
But other VPN providers offer similar alternatives for finding good servers for torrenting. For example, you can visit NordVPN’s online server picker tool to see the recommended servers for your connection.
Bookmark Servers
Most VPNs allow you to save the servers you like. That way, you have a list of favorites, giving you the option of connecting in a fast way, instead of searching for them every single time.
This may sound basic, but you would be surprised at the number of servers I lost because I didn’t bookmark them.
Conclusion
A simple VPN server can make a huge difference in your torrenting experience. Connecting to a bad one may cause low speeds or even decrease your protection.
It is crucial to use a server capable of handling a lot of data. More importantly, when choosing a location, you should be very careful.
