Your internet service provider (ISP) might be secretly slowing down your stream (causing mid-movie buffering even on "super-fast" broadband), but NordVPN stops bandwidth throttling by wrapping your connection in NordLynx encryption.
This completely blinds the Deep Packet Inspection (DPI) systems providers use to flag and slow down high-bandwidth streams. Because ISPs see streaming as a ‘high-intensity task’, they throttle your connection speeds so millions of people watching shows at once don’t completely overload the systems.
But, as a result, you’re never truly getting the most out of your broadband connection. That is, unless you use it alongside NordVPN. NordVPN stops throttling because NordLynx encryption removes what Deep Packet Inspection reads, and in our March 2026 testing, it achieved over 1200 Mbps speeds.
- Internet service providers throttle internet performance while streaming to avoid broader network issues. NordLynx encryption removes the signal they use to identify it
- VPNs make your streaming traffic unidentifiable, ensuring it can never be throttled and giving you maximum streaming performance.
- NordVPN's SmartPlay also plays a key role. It’s SmartDNS built into the apps with no manual setup. It unblocked every service when we tested it (with only two exceptions)
- NordVPN’s fast NordLynx speeds and SmartPlay streaming technology have made it the best streaming VPN we’ve tested this year. NordLynx reached 1200 Mbps in our March 2026 testing
How do ISPs identify and throttle streaming traffic?
The primary way ISPs know that you’re streaming is through deep packet inspection (DPI).
DPI is a form of network filtering. So, your ISP looks at the type of data you’re sending over your connection and decides the best course of action for it.
High-intensity tasks such as streaming and online gaming can be uniquely identified by the data sent, and are flagged by DPI as possible causes for network congestion, which would slow the speeds for everyone connected.
To fix this, your ISP reduces the speed allocation to these specific data pathways, freeing up more space for more people to use the internet, and reducing risk of issue. This is called throttling.
If your network connection is throttled while you’re trying to stream, you may find your picture quality drops, or you’re regularly faced with buffering. This is most common when using lower-speed internet connections and public Wi-Fi spots in locations such as cafés and airports.
How does a VPN tackle streaming throttling?
Since NordVPN encrypts your traffic, using the highly capable AES-256-GCM encryption protocol, the data you are sending is no longer understandable to your ISP. As a result, the exact types of data you are sending can’t be identified and throttled through means such as deep packet inspection.
If, then, you’d found a 4K film through a service such as Apple TV to watch at home, your streaming experience would change drastically. Rather than seeing a low-quality, buffering version of your movie, your connection speeds would not be limited, allowing for a full 4K definition viewing experience, free of buffering or complete stream dropouts.
Premium movie downloads with improvements such as 4K resolution or Dolby Atmos require anywhere from 35 Mbps download speeds. If you’re on the move, public Wi-Fi will rarely give you anything close to this, before any ISP-related throttling. With a VPN connection on top of your public Wi-Fi, you’ll have access to the fastest speeds the Wi-Fi is capable of which should be enough to stream shows wherever you are.
Some VPNs tackle streaming throttling by integrating streaming optimisations into specific servers. Many of the best VPNs, however, such as NordVPN, bake improvements into their entire server network. This reduces the risk of congestion on streaming-focused services, and ensures there’s always a server available closeby no matter the country you’re in.
Talking to TechRadar about how VPNs tackle throttling, Marijus Briedis, CTO of NordVPN, explained:
“[A VPN] masks what kind of traffic you're sending, so your ISP can't identify it as video streaming and has no basis to slow it down.”
“Bear in mind that VPN quality matters. Free or low-end services may overload their servers and can introduce lag of their own, so you need one with streaming-optimized servers and a fast protocol”
Why is NordVPN perfect for tackling streaming throttling?
NordVPN is TechRadar’s best streaming VPN and has been for years, most recently, in March 2026, unblocking all but two of the global streaming services we tested it with, including the likes of Netflix, Disney+, and DAZN, and performing the best by far with live events. Its success comes down to several key features:
NordLynx
NordLynx is NordVPN’s proprietary protocol built from WireGuard. WireGuard is always our recommended protocol for streaming thanks to its reduced codebase and speed focus, making NordVPN far more reliable when unblocking streaming services. NordLynx takes this one step further.
NordLynx utilises a double-NAT system to combine the streaming performance of WireGuard with increased security against otherwise unaddressed WireGuard weaknesses. What’s more, these security improvements don’t affect performance at all. When we tested NordLynx in March 2026 using a local server, it achieved speeds over 1200 Mbps, more than enough for the whole family to stream without risk of buffering or dropouts, and faster than ExpressVPN (1177 Mbps) and Surfshark (1021 Mbps).
SmartPlay
SmartPlay is NordVPN’s improvement to smart DNS. Where smart DNS only changes your DNS server when it encounters streaming service blocks, SmartPlay employs DNS changes alongside VPN encryption to ensure you’re never left blocked when you want to stream your favorite shows.
When we put this to the test, SmartPlay was very effective. NordVPN unblocked everything we tested it with aside from US YouTube and Prime Video Australia - two services which were problematic for almost every VPN we tested this time around. So if you’re keen to watch any Netflix library worldwide, or services such as Disney+, BBC iPlayer, DAZN, or TVNZ+, you’ll be fine.
What was more impressive was when we tested NordVPN with live events - which are a hotspot for ISP throttling due to mass interest. We never found ourselves buffering constantly or worse, seeing our stream completely cut out - perfect while we watched the recent World Cup.
A huge server network
NordVPN’s server network now totals over 7,000 servers worldwide. This is perfect as it means you’ll never struggle to find a server with enough bandwidth to comfortably handle your binge-watch.
What’s more, these servers are spread across over 210 locations. This is perfect if you’re off on holiday and looking for a quick, secure way to catch up with your home comfort shows without encountering geo-blocking from the likes of Netflix.
How do I sign up for NordVPN to bypass ISP throttling?
To sign up for NordVPN, head to the NordVPN website, choose your plan, download the NordVPN app on your device of choice, and connect. It’s super simple and shouldn’t take more than a matter of minutes.
Signing up for NordVPN ensures you never need to worry about dropping streaming performance while retaining your security online:
- NordLynx encryption hides your streaming activity, preventing bandwidth limits
- Fast NordLynx download speeds allow you to enjoy 4K playback without buffering
- NordVPN’s SmartPlay technology bypasses geo-locks and selects the best server for platforms like Netflix, Prime Video, and Disney+
- NordVPN’s network of over 7,000 servers help keep your favorite shows streaming smoothly anywhere in the world.
If you want to find out more about NordVPN’s streaming capabilities, check out our best streaming VPNs guide, or read our full NordVPN review. Alternatively, if you’re ready to free your broadband connection from streaming-based throttling, head over to the NordVPN website to find out everything you need to sign up today.
FAQs
Does NordVPN slow down your internet?
No, NordVPN does not deliberately slow down your internet. TechRadar testing showed that NordVPN’s NordLynx protocol could achieve speeds over 1200 Mbps. So, unless you’re using a business-grade broadband connection at home, you shouldn’t face problems.
Is NordVPN good for streaming 4K video?
Yes, NordVPN is great for streaming 4K video. Its high-speed connectivity with NordLynx partnered with SmartPlay technology means you can comfortably stream high resolution movies and TV shows without issue.
Can NordVPN improve connection quality?
In some situations, NordVPN can improve your network performance. If your connection is being throttled due to high intensity tasks such as streaming, NordVPN’s secure tunnel removes the restriction by stopping your ISP from being able to identify high-demand traffic.