Norton VPN boosts its OpenVPN speeds with the launch of DCO

Norton VPN is continuing its feature drive with the launch of OpenVPN DCO. The OpenVPN protocol is very secure but its speed suffers as a result – especially when compared to WireGuard.

Norton VPN’s Data Channel Offload (DCO) for Windows improves this performance, enabling faster connection speeds and boosting efficiency.

The provider is looking to become one the best VPNs and our Norton VPN review details the success it has had so far. The addition of OpenVPN DCO signifies another step in the right direction for Norton VPN.

Shifting encryption

The OpenVPN protocol is a stalwart feature of VPNs and has been for a long time. It’s reliable and very secure but its performance is impacted – this has led to the WireGuard protocol becoming more popular.

OpenVPN runs entirely in software and during high-volume or high-speed use, speed can drop.

Norton VPN has integrated DCO into its Windows VPN app to achieve what it describes as “game-changing performance improvements.” The intensive encryption and decryption process has been shifted from software into the kernel.

A kernel is part of your PC’s operating system that communicates directly with your hardware.

This streamlines the encryption process, removing extra steps. System resources are used more efficiently. A high-standard of security is maintained but you’ll experience faster speeds.

“With the implementation of Data Channel Offload for OpenVPN, key data-handling tasks shift to the operating system’s kernel, reducing processing overhead,” said John Mah, Technical Director, Norton.

“This preserves the strong encryption and privacy our users expect, while delivering major performance gains, especially for bandwidth-heavy activities like 4K streaming and large file transfers.”

OpenVPN speeds doubled

In a blog post, Norton VPN reported results of its OpenVPN internal speed testing. It ran tests on Windows with and without OpenVPN DCO.

When DCO was enabled, the provider found that connection speeds more than doubled and latency fell by 15%.

It said this would mean faster downloads, consistent speeds, and more efficient performance.

Himmat Bains, Norton VPN Product Lead, said: “OpenVPN is one of the most established open-source protocols, trusted for its maturity and broad compatibility.”

“With the addition of Data Channel Offload, Norton VPN customers get the same reliable security on Windows they expect, now with noticeably faster speeds that make everyday online activities smoother and more enjoyable,” he added.

It’s worth noting that this was internal testing, so your speeds may differ. Speed and latency improvements will also vary based on server distance.

In our latest round of speed testing, we found Norton VPN averaged 275 Mbps when using OpenVPN. If speeds are more than doubled, we’d expect to see OpenVPN speeds of over 500 Mbps on Windows – although we haven’t had a chance to test this yet.

Norton VPN’s standard OpenVPN speeds hold their own against some of its competitors. It recorded faster OpenVPN speeds than NordVPN and Proton VPN – two of the fastest VPNs out there.

ExpressVPN recorded the fastest OpenVPN speeds, clocking 898 Mbps. Surfshark hit 431 Mbps and Private Internet Access recorded 347 Mbps. OpenVPN DCO could therefore see Norton VPN’s speeds eclipse both of these providers.

It’s also worth mentioning Norton VPN’s WireGuard speeds are very fast. It hit 909 Mbps in our testing and only ExpressVPN and Proton VPN topped this.

OpenVPN DCO is a Windows-only feature and is being rolled out over the coming weeks. New subscribers will get the upgrade straight away. Existing users should ensure they update their Norton VPN Windows app to v25.8 or higher.

Thanks to Digitpatrox’s exclusive deal, Norton VPN Plus works out as $2.50 per month ($29.99 up front). There’s also a free trial, as well as a 60-day money-back guarantee.