Slow Steam download speeds

[eyes878 43]

I am encountering severe speed issues when it comes to downloading Steam games. When using AirVPN, attempting to download content from Steam will result in speeds consistently around 100kB/s, without the VPN, I can saturate my ISP's line at around 4.7MB/s. I have included screenshots of all this below. High packet loss and fluctuating ping also occurs when downloading from Steam with AirVPN.

 

I have tried many different countries and servers to no avail. For the purpose of this screenshot, I have used the "recommended" server from Eddie, which was Nunki in the UK.

 

Here you can see my ping and download speed while connected to AirVPN and downloading from steam:

 

As you can see, pings are often not replying and Steam struggles to reach anything above 100kB/s.

 

Secondly, here is a screenshot of Steam downloading while not being connected to AirVPN:

I have included the ping for completions sake, but even with my line being maxed, it is more stable than with AirVPN on only 100kB/s, and is encountering less packet loss.

 

Thirdly I have included my ping when idle, both with and without AirVPN:

 

With AirVPN:

Without AirVPN:

 

EDIT: I would also like to point out that I do not encounter any other speed issues while connected to AirVPN, only Steam.

[dj77 6]

On Steam Settings you can Chose Server Location too maybe it help you

[eyes878 43]

On Steam Settings you can Chose Server Location too maybe it help you

Thanks, but I have already tried changing servers many times.

[foxmulder 43]

I got the very same problem with STEAM, although I'm currently using a different VPN and not only AIR. So the problem seems not to be related to AirVPN.

 

It seems that STEAM detects OpenVPN - Connections and maybe throttles them... That's the only explanation i have since the EULA of STEAM forbids the usage of a VPN.

 

Regards,

 

Fox.

[eyes878 43]

I was thinking that something like that could be the case, it just seemed unlikely. Anyhow, I guess we'll have to find a way round it at some point.

 

EDIT: I just re-thought, yes, that is plausible, but how come it severely disrupts my internet connection regardless of only using 100kB/s? There must be something else here.

 

I got the very same problem with STEAM, although I'm currently using a different VPN and not only AIR. So the problem seems not to be related to AirVPN.

 

It seems that STEAM detects OpenVPN - Connections and maybe throttles them... That's the only explanation i have since the EULA of STEAM forbids the usage of a VPN.

 

Regards,

 

Fox.

[Guest]

I dont have this problem

 

Getting about 10-20% less speed than without vpn

[eyes878 43]

I dont have this problem

 

Getting about 10-20% less speed than without vpn

Only 10-20% speed loss while using VPN while downloading from Steam? Or just using the VPN in general?

[Guest]

I never fully max my connection speed with steam even without the VPN

 

With VPN on I get about 10-20% speed loss from what i usually get from steam 

[eyes878 43]

I never fully max my connection speed with steam even without the VPN

 

With VPN on I get about 10-20% speed loss from what i usually get from steam 

What server are you using when you get these speeds?

[Guest]

Acubens (.SE)

[regenschein 0]

I've got the same issue here and tried different servers too.

[eyes878 43]

I've got the same issue here and tried different servers too.

I guess it's good and bad news that it affects more people than just me.

If anybody has any further information or solutions then please share.

[foxmulder 43]

Hi there again,

 

sorry for digging up that old threat again. But i have some informations to share concerning speeds while downloading at STEAM:

 

I still have a subscription with another VPN, and that offers connections through PPTP and L2TP. So i tried logging into STEAM not with OpenVPN, but with PPTP and then L2TP. And, surprise, the speed went back to normal limits. That means, full speed with PPTP or L2TP and slow speeds with OpenVPN.

 

So it seems that STEAM detects and throttles OpenVPN connections. Maybe AIR could implement L2TP or PPTP some time, so that STEAM users can enjoy full speed even when running on VPN.

 

Regards

 

Fox

[eyes878 43]

I also have an update:

 

I have a secondary laptop that runs Windows 7 64bit Ultimate (the same as the PC encountering the problem in the screenshot) and I recently went to download a game on it through AirVPN and I got my full speed, with the same setup as my other PC.

 

I don't know anymore.

[foxmulder 43]

Well, that's strange. I don't know either. Just wanted to share my experiences i made the last days. According to your description it doesn't matter how you connect to STEAM. Well, if everything works fine now, everybody should be happy!

 

Cheers!

[eyes878 43]

Well, that's strange. I don't know either. Just wanted to share my experiences i made the last days. According to your description it doesn't matter how you connect to STEAM. Well, if everything works fine now, everybody should be happy!

 

Cheers!

I probably typed it wrong. My primary gaming PC still has issues with Steam (I have to disconnect from AirVPN in order to get any speeds above 100kB/s) but my gaming laptop is fine. It is far from a big issue, just an inconvenience. Overall, the AirVPN service has been amazing.

[OpenSourcerer 1441]

I use Steam as well and herewith confirm that I personally do not experience any problems with Steam. All german servers and Kitalpha were tested by me. For months. Maybe even years.

 

So it seems that STEAM detects and throttles OpenVPN connections.

 

This is not true, they can't "detect" it. But they can do an IP lookup. If it belongs to a data center - why not assume the user does not use a residential internet connection to connect? Who else reroutes his traffic through a data center if not a VPN user?

Of course that does not explain the speeds.

[foxmulder 43]

This is not true, they can't "detect" it.

 

Well, i wasn't so sure about that, but it was my only reasonable explanation for this.

[leakforce 0]

Sorry to bump this old thread again but i recently got the same problem with my steam downloads.

​I get max 70kbs and this does not depend which airvpn server im currently using.

​While downloading from steam im also not able to load anything else, it freezes my whole internet connection.

​Did you found any fixes for this?

[eyes878 43]

Sorry to bump this old thread again but i recently got the same problem with my steam downloads.

​I get max 70kbs and this does not depend which airvpn server im currently using.

​While downloading from steam im also not able to load anything else, it freezes my whole internet connection.

​Did you found any fixes for this?

Not yet. It seems only certain setups are affected, no idea what decides that yet.

 

My laptop and my PC is running on Windows 7 Ultimate 64bit, yet only my PC is affected.

[bobs 5]

​

I was about to bump this thread asking if anyone had any luck finding a fix yet; I was sick of having to disable my VPN every time I wanted to install or update a game. After a little extra reading through the forum, however, I am happy to say that I have found a solution.

 

The issue for me was the latest TAP-Windows 9.21.0 drivers which, it seems, are known to have a number of issues. I downgraded to the previous 9.9.2_3 drivers and am now getting full speed with Steam and it has fixed some intermittent instabilities that I noticed with my torrent client.

​

----

​

You can find older releases of TAP-Windows here: http://build.openvpn.net/downloads/releases/  or here: http://swupdate.openvpn.org/community/releases/ .

 

​----

 

Now, if you want to do this yourself (at your own risk), here are the steps I took:

 

- First, inside of Eddie (The AirVPN software), go to Preferences > Advanced and make sure you tick the "Disable Driver Update" box in the 'Microsoft Windows Only' section on the right side, otherwise it will upgrade you back to the problematic drivers.

 

- I then closed Eddie completely and used Revo Uninstaller Pro to remove the TAP-Windows 9.21.0 driver (I guess you could uninstall it however you please, I just use Revo for everything out of habit). I then Installed the 9.9.2 drivers, opened the AirVPN client and connected as usual.

 

And that was everything. No more ridiculous saturation of my whole connection whilst only getting 100kbps download speeds .

I hope this is helpful for some (all) of you.

 

Big thanks to dbsantos77 for ​his thread here ​ which prompted me to give this a try to begin with.

 

Hopefully OpenVPN are working on this. I really would prefer not to be using outdated drivers but, at least for now, it fixes my issues with VPN connections on this particular machine.

​

[foxmulder 43]

Wow, it works!

 

You are a genius, dude!

 

Thanks a lot for your efforts!

 

Regards

 

Fox

[Khariz 109]

I bet giganerd is facepalming right now.

[me.moo@posteo.me 80]

doubt it much

[OpenSourcerer 1441]

You bumped an old thread (it's the hell for you). But what a useful bump this was (there'll be flowers and cute kittens when you get there). Welcome to the club, and thanks for reporting it.

 

We need to lock away TAP 9.21 for good, this demon shall never see the surface again. Currently, people report a variety of connectivity issues on Windows, and in almost all of them a TAP driver version downgrade is the solution. I can even use magic to find out people's issues. Don't need to ask for logs.