Does DNS Filtering Slow Your Internet? Understand Speed and Delay

DNS filtering checks where your device wants to connect. It does not normally carry the whole video or download.

A VPN works differently. It can send your browsing through an encrypted connection to another network. That extra route can affect speed, but the effect depends on the VPN and your connection.

Neither tool can promise zero delay.

Finding a website is different from downloading a video

DNS is the service that finds an internet address for a website name. An internet address is the location where a web page or server can be found on the internet.

A DNS filter checks the name against its blocking rules. If allowed, your device normally connects to the website itself.

Finding the address can take time. But that is different from how quickly the video arrives once the connection starts.

Datante, NextDNS and AdGuard DNS offer online DNS filtering. Pi-hole and AdGuard Home run on equipment you manage.

Why can a VPN affect speed?

A VPN may send your connection through a server farther away. That server may also be busy.

Some VPN settings send most internet use through the VPN. Others send only chosen apps. A speed test may not follow the same route as every app.

A slower test does not mean a VPN is useless. You may still need it for work or for connecting through another network. The EFF VPN guide explains what to consider.

What do speed-test numbers mean?

• Download speed: how much data your device receives each second.
• Upload speed: how much data it sends each second.
• Delay: how long it waits for a reply.

Mbps is a speed measurement. A higher number means more data can move each second.

Delay is often shown in milliseconds, or ms. One thousand milliseconds is one second. Lower delay can help calls and games feel more responsive.

FAST.com also checks delay while the connection is busy. A fast download can still come with a long wait when everyone is using the network.

What did Datante report?

Seven setups were tested by Datante. These are the supplied speed readings, assuming the first number in each record means download speed:

The original column labels conflict, so these readings are not confirmed download results.

If that reading is correct, Datante's 188 is about 1% below 190. The tested VPN setup's 44 is about 77% below 190.

That does not mean Datante always slows a connection by 1%, or that every VPN slows it by 77%. Repeat runs and matching test conditions were not supplied. Network conditions may have changed.

How can you check your own home?

1. Use the same computer and connection each time.
2. Choose a quiet time with no large downloads running.
3. Test your normal setup, then change just one tool.
4. Run each setup several times, switching back and forth.
5. Keep all results, not just the best one.
6. Try the calls, games and streaming apps you actually use.

A network cable can make the comparison easier because Wi-Fi signal changes will matter less.

If your calls slow down only during big uploads, a busy connection may be the problem. Do not blame one privacy tool based on one result.

Want household filtering without running your own server? Datante offers user friendly guided router setup. See the plans, or compare Datante and AdGuard.

About the tests

These are early results reported by Datante, not an independent speed study. The original FAST.com column order is unconfirmed. Test dates, equipment, repeat runs and background network use were not supplied. The figures describe the supplied records only, not a speed guarantee.