(Vietnam) High ping and very low speed with MullvadVPN during night time

VPN
1

I’m currently in Vietnam and I’ve just purchased 1-month MullvadVPN to test.

Here is my scenario

  • Mullvad has no server in Vietnam so the nearest server are located in Singapore and Hongkong.
  • The problem always happens during night time till the next morning.
  • 200-300ms latency from Vietnam to Singapore regardless Wireguard or OpenVPN protocol.
  • 1-2mbps download/upload speed.
  • The problem happens with all Singapore servers.

without any vpn, my night time speed to Singapore servers is always 180mbps :frowning:

Is there anything I can do to get the daytime’s speed which normally 160-180mbps?

Updated 0: solution from u/frostN0VA change the default mtu to 1280, everything will be fine.

Update 1: all the solutions suggested by bros are helpless, maximum download speed with mullvadvpn is limited at 4mbps.

Update 2: Even reddit is (maybe) under Vietnam’s isps watcher, 100mbps upload/download w/ other VPN enabled connection but it takes much time to access reddit.

2

this is a you/your isp issue

from asia, 30-40ms ping 99% of the time, to sg & hk servers

but, hk servers do sometimes drop speed, tbh, and that’s a hosting issue as with any vpn, there are multiple servers for both sg & hk

so get or make a script to ping the servers, check that each time and find the best server to use

i mostly use wireguard servers, but here is latest ping tests to sg & hk

sg-sin-wg-001.relays.mullvad.net : xmt/rcv/%loss = 5/5/0%, min/avg/max = 30.1/30.4/30.6

sg-sin-wg-002.relays.mullvad.net : xmt/rcv/%loss = 5/5/0%, min/avg/max = 30.2/30.5/30.7

sg-sin-wg-003.relays.mullvad.net : xmt/rcv/%loss = 5/5/0%, min/avg/max = 31.5/31.8/32.2

sg-sin-wg-101.relays.mullvad.net : xmt/rcv/%loss = 5/5/0%, min/avg/max = 70.8/71.0/71.3

sg-sin-wg-102.relays.mullvad.net : xmt/rcv/%loss = 5/5/0%, min/avg/max = 29.6/29.9/30.1

===================================================================================

hk-hkg-wg-201.relays.mullvad.net : xmt/rcv/%loss = 5/5/0%, min/avg/max = 39.0/39.2/39.5

hk-hkg-wg-202.relays.mullvad.net : xmt/rcv/%loss = 5/5/0%, min/avg/max = 41.2/41.7/41.9

hk-hkg-wg-301.relays.mullvad.net : xmt/rcv/%loss = 5/5/0%, min/avg/max = 39.1/40.6/41.9

hk-hkg-wg-302.relays.mullvad.net : xmt/rcv/%loss = 5/5/0%, min/avg/max = 39.3/39.6/39.9

3

The important thing is to try servers with high speeds, not just the nearest ones. You can check which servers are fastest. I remember that Germany, Sweden, the Netherlands, and Switzerland have some of the fastest servers. Mullvad also has many fast servers in the USA that you could check.

4

It could just be someone at the internet provider recognizing VPN activity and intentionally slowing it down at certain hours.

I live in the US where internet providers are evil, but you live in vietnam, I can’t even imagine how evil the internet providers over there are.

Also have you tried obfuscation with wireguard and the quantum encryption? Mullvad bridges?

5

Update 2: Even reddit is (maybe) under Vietnam’s isps watcher, 100mbps upload/download VPN enabled connection but it takes much time to access reddit.

6

I am using the Internet through MullvadVPN and have exactly the same issue. How did you address this?

7

I have my personal reason to use Singapore server :frowning: not Hongkong or Thailand. Without MullvadVPN, my night time speed to Singapore servers is stable at 160-180mbps.

8

No option can really help me out of the throttled speed, I’ve tried them all. The best option for mullvad vpn at “certain hours” is mtu 1280 and other settings are default. Speed will be 1-3mbps download and 1-2 mbps upload.
Fortunately, I have another vpn client and it provides 80-100mbps upload / download at “certain hours”. “This vpn client” uses the same wireguard protocol as mullvad vpn but it has not been detected yet, it’s weird.

9

“I can’t even imagine how evil the internet providers over there are.”
They’re angel when they charge me 10 bucks per month for 200mbps download/upload connection. They’re evil when they slowing it down at “certain hours” and blocked websites / contents and feed me propaganda contents base on my ip address.

10

Mullvad is recognized by Vietnam’s ISPs so imo there is no effective solution for this.

11

Well in this case you can try using multihop. Set Thailand or any other nearby country as your entry and Singapore as your exit. If you’re on PC set your Wireguard MTU to 1280 or 1360 (in the Wireguard options in the app, 1280 is the safe value) when using multihop.

But keep in mind that different server provider mix can have different results. Check this page to see what servers are hosted by what provider: mullvad dot net/en/servers

For example HongKong xtom + Singapore Datapacket combo may have better speed than HongKong xtom + Singapore M247

12

Mullvad is recognized and blocked by many things

13

How did you know that? I am curious.

14

Nope, without any vpn, my night time speed to Singapore servers is always 180mbps :frowning:

15

wow, it’s way complicated :frowning:
multihop literally help improve a little download speed but upload speed still capped under 2mbps.

16

I’ve resetted all the setting to default except the mtu value = 1280. Everything is fine now. No need multihop.

17

Mullvad only “clearly slowed down” at certain hours. Other VPNs are okay at the same time.

18

I will retest again at night, maybe mtu value can help.

19

Maybe you had obfuscation activated? That will bring down your connection to a crawl. And with the way app works, if you fail to connect to the server a few times obfuscation will automatically kick in with thinking that you’re on a network that blocks VPNs.

20

So we should use Elon’s internet.