Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Can I run a VPN over HughesNet?

A: HughesNet® Home Service plan is not compatible with VPNs.

You may use a VPN with HughesNet, but you will likely experience reduced speeds as much as 50–75%. You can restore your connection to full speed by simply disabling your VPN client when your session is over.

Note: HughesNet Technical Support does not provide help with configuring or troubleshooting problems associated with VPN clients.

Q: Why does the service slow down when used in conjunction with a VPN?

A: HughesNet® uses sophisticated acceleration techniques to enable high-speed performance over satellite. These acceleration techniques require access to data packet header information, which is blocked when IPSec-based VPNs are used. These VPNs encrypt the data and create a secure tunnel through the HughesNet network. The encrypted data cannot be processed by HughesNet's acceleration techniques, therefore resulting in slower performance.