ProtonVPN Windows Client Major Upgrade - 32% Faster Connections
The most prominent line in the changelog reads "32% faster connections". Behind that percentage are rewritten handshakes, a changed protocol default and hundreds of network tests. ProtonVPN Windows client v3.4.2 turns the upgrade into a feelable change.
What This Update Brings
v3.4.2 makes WireGuard the default protocol. Previously the Windows client defaulted to OpenVPN, requiring manual switching to enjoy the low latency of the new protocol. After the change, new users get higher speeds with zero configuration β the main source of the "32% faster" claim.
On the UI side, the server list was rebuilt with one-click sorting by country, load and latency. Frequent disconnections on some networks were also fixed, noticeably improving stability.
Technical Details Behind the Speed
WireGuard's core advantage is code size. The WireGuard kernel implementation is about 4,000 lines, versus over 100,000 for OpenVPN. Less code means a smaller attack surface and faster handshakes β WireGuard's handshake averages under a third of OpenVPN's, which matters for frequent connections.
Official tests across network environments show download throughput up 28-35% and upload up about 20% after switching to WireGuard. The table below shows results from three scenarios.
| Scenario | OpenVPN Download | WireGuard Download | Improvement |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gigabit home broadband | 312 Mbps | 418 Mbps | +34% |
| Business line | 287 Mbps | 371 Mbps | +29% |
| Public Wi-Fi | 96 Mbps | 128 Mbps | +33% |
Stability Fixes
Beyond performance, this update fixed multiple user-reported issues summarized below.
| Fix | Scope | Status |
|---|---|---|
| No auto-reconnect after sleep | Windows 10/11 | Fixed |
| Reconnect failure on some networks | Corporate proxy | Fixed |
| Occasional crash on startup | Windows 11 | Fixed |
User Feedback
Within the first week, the official community collected over 2,400 responses: 87% reported "noticeably faster" connections, 9% "no change", and only 4% hit new compatibility issues. One long-time user wrote: "US servers used to buffer videos; now they load almost instantly."
"What moved me most wasn't the speed number, but that the default protocol finally caught up with the trend β new users get the best config without tinkering." β community comment
Summary and Upgrade Guide
v3.4.2 is a speed-and-stability focused release; defaulting to WireGuard spreads the technical benefit to everyone. Existing users get an auto-update prompt; new users can free download ProtonVPN and install the latest version.
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