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No independent testing establishes a single VPN as the best choice for Google Drive. Google’s own troubleshooting guidance does not name any VPN provider, and no source reviewed for this guide measures how a VPN affects Drive uploads, sync reliability or collaboration speed. What you can do is check whether a VPN is causing the problem, decide whether split tunneling is useful for your setup, and compare providers on the features that actually matter for Drive.
Why there is no verified “best VPN for Google Drive”
A VPN changes the network path your device uses to reach Google’s servers. It does not change how Drive works. A ranking that names one provider as fastest or most reliable for Drive would need controlled tests of uploads, downloads and sync across providers, servers and devices. Those tests are not available in the sources behind this guide, so the comparison below focuses on compatibility, troubleshooting and feature differences instead.
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Diagnose the problem before blaming the VPN
Google’s “Fix common issues in Google Drive” help page, checked in October 2026, lists network and browser causes first. A Drive page that won’t load or stays on “Trying to connect” can have several causes, and a VPN is only one of them. Work through these checks in order, and change one thing at a time:
- Test with the VPN off. Disconnect the VPN and reload drive.google.com or open Drive for desktop. If the problem disappears, the VPN route, its server or its settings are involved. If it persists, the VPN is probably not the cause.
- Try a different network. Switch from Wi-Fi to a mobile hotspot, or the reverse. This separates a local network fault from a VPN-specific one.
- Check browser support and settings. Confirm your browser is supported by Google, that cookies and JavaScript are enabled, and that you have cleared the cache and cookies for Google sites.
- Review firewall, proxy and security software. Security tools that inspect HTTPS traffic can interfere with Drive in the same way a VPN can. Temporarily disabling them is a diagnostic step, not a fix to leave in place.
- Check Google’s service status. A widespread Google outage will look like a VPN fault from your side.
If the problem only appears with the VPN connected, change the VPN server location or protocol and retest. That comparison is useful evidence, but it is not a full causal test on its own.
#1 Best Overall
- 【Five Gigabit Ports】1 Gigabit WAN Port plus 2 Gigabit WAN/LAN Ports plus 2 Gigabit LAN Port. Up to 3 WAN ports optimize bandwidth usage through one device.
- 【One USB WAN Port】Mobile broadband via 4G/3G modem is supported for WAN backup by connecting to the USB port. For complete list of compatible 4G/3G modems, please visit TP-Link website.
- 【Abundant Security Features】Advanced firewall policies, DoS defense, IP/MAC/URL filtering, speed test and more security functions protect your network and data.
- 【Highly Secure VPN】Supports up to 20× LAN-to-LAN IPsec, 16× OpenVPN, 16× L2TP, and 16× PPTP VPN connections.
- Security - SPI Firewall, VPN Pass through, FTP/H.323/PPTP/SIP/IPsec ALG, DoS Defence, Ping of Death and Local Management. Standards and Protocols IEEE 802.3, 802.3u, 802.3ab, IEEE 802.3x, IEEE 802.1q
Drive for desktop: troubleshooting and a warning about unsynced files
Google’s “Fix problems in Drive for desktop” page, also checked in October 2026, starts with a stable internet connection, then recommends restarting the app. Account-level steps, including disconnecting and reinstalling, come later in that page.
Before you disconnect an account, check the Lost and found folder. Google warns that unsynced files stored there may be deleted when the account is disconnected. Copy anything you need to a safe location first, and only then continue with account steps.
Rank #2
- 【AC1200 Dual-band Wireless Router】Simultaneous dual-band with wireless speed up to 300 Mbps (2.4GHz) + 867 Mbps (5GHz). 2.4GHz band can handles some simple tasks like emails or web browsing while bandwidth intensive tasks such as gaming or 4K video streaming can be handled by the 5GHz band.*Speed tests are conducted on a local network. Real-world speeds may differ depending on your network configuration.*
- 【Easy Setup】Please refer to the User Manual and the Unboxing & Setup video guide on Amazon for detailed setup instructions and methods for connecting to the Internet.
- 【Pocket-friendly】Lightweight design(145g) which designed for your next trip or adventure. Alongside its portable, compact design makes it easy to take with you on the go.
- 【Full Gigabit Ports】Gigabit Wireless Internet Router with 2 Gigabit LAN ports and 1 Gigabit WAN ports, ideal for lots of internet plan and allow you to connect your wired devices directly.
- 【Keep your Internet Safe】IPv6 supported. OpenVPN & WireGuard pre-installed, compatible with 30+ VPN service providers. Cloudflare encryption supported to protect the privacy.
Split tunneling: what it does and what it does not do
Split tunneling lets you choose which traffic goes through the VPN tunnel and which uses your ordinary connection. It is the most relevant feature to compare for Drive, but it is not a fix for sync problems, and its behavior depends on the device, operating system and app.
Proton VPN’s published documentation illustrates the main types of control. These are examples of how one provider documents its feature, not an endorsement:
Rank #3
- New-Gen WiFi Standard – WiFi 6(802.11ax) standard supporting MU-MIMO and OFDMA technology for better efficiency and throughput.Antenna : External antenna x 4. Processor : Dual-core (4 VPE). Power Supply : AC Input : 110V~240V(50~60Hz), DC Output : 12 V with max. 1.5A current.
- Ultra-fast WiFi Speed – RT-AX1800S supports 1024-QAM for dramatically faster wireless connections
- Increase Capacity and Efficiency – Supporting not only MU-MIMO but also OFDMA technique to efficiently allocate channels, communicate with multiple devices simultaneously
- 5 Gigabit ports – One Gigabit WAN port and four Gigabit LAN ports, 10X faster than 100–Base T Ethernet.
- Commercial-grade Security Anywhere – Protect your home network with AiProtection Classic, powered by Trend Micro. And when away from home, ASUS Instant Guard gives you a one-click secure VPN.
| Control type | What it selects | Documented limitation |
|---|---|---|
| App-level split tunneling | Individual applications on supported platforms | On macOS, Proton VPN describes split tunneling as experimental and says it may not reliably exclude WebKit-based apps such as Safari (Proton VPN support page “How to use split tunneling”, checked October 2026). |
| IP-level split tunneling | Specific IP addresses or ranges | Traffic to excluded addresses uses your ordinary connection, so it is not covered by the VPN. Availability varies by platform (same Proton VPN page). |
| Website exclusions in the browser extension | Specific websites in the browser | Subdomains are included by default unless the setting is changed (Proton VPN browser extension support page, checked October 2026). |
What excluding Google Drive actually changes
Excluded traffic leaves the VPN and uses your normal connection. Excluding Drive therefore does not keep Drive traffic protected by the VPN. It is a routing choice, and it can help if a VPN route is causing the problem while you still want the VPN for other traffic.
Avoid adding broad Google domains to an exclusion list based on guesses. Neither Google nor the provider sources reviewed confirm a complete list of domains that Drive requires, so check your provider’s current documentation before you build a rule around it.
Rank #4
- 【DUAL BAND WIFI 7 TRAVEL ROUTER】Products with US, UK, EU, AU Plug; Dual band network with wireless speed 688Mbps (2.4G)+2882Mbps (5G); Dual 2.5G Ethernet Ports (1x WAN and 1x LAN Port); USB 3.0 port.
- 【NETWORK CONTROL WITH TOUCHSCREEN SIMPLICITY】Slate 7’s touchscreen interface lets you scan QR codes for quick Wi-Fi, monitor speed in real time, toggle VPN on/off, and switch providers directly on the display. Color-coded indicators provide instant network status updates for Ethernet, Tethering, Repeater, and Cellular modes, offering a seamless, user-friendly experience.
- 【OpenWrt 23.05 FIRMWARE】The Slate 7 (GL-BE3600) is a high-performance Wi-Fi 7 travel router, built with OpenWrt 23.05 (Kernel 5.4.213) for maximum customization and advanced networking capabilities. With 512MB storage, total customization with open-source freedom and flexible installation of OpenWrt plugins.
- 【VPN CLIENT & SERVER】OpenVPN and WireGuard are pre-installed, compatible with 30+ VPN service providers (active subscription required). Simply log in to your existing VPN account with our portable wifi device, and Slate 7 automatically encrypts all network traffic within the connected network. Max. VPN speed of 100 Mbps (OpenVPN); 540 Mbps (WireGuard). *Speed tests are conducted on a local network. Real-world speeds may differ depending on your network configuration.*
- 【PERFECT PORTABLE WIFI ROUTER FOR TRAVEL】The Slate 7 is an ideal portable internet device perfect for international travel. With its mini size and travel-friendly features, the pocket Wi-Fi router is the perfect companion for travelers in need of a secure internet connectivity on the go in which includes hotels or cruise ships.
Platform differences to check first
- Windows, Linux, Android and iOS: confirm in your provider’s app settings whether app-level or IP-level split tunneling is available on your version.
- macOS: treat split tunneling as experimental and test Safari and Drive for desktop separately after any change.
- Browser extensions: they only control browser traffic. Drive for desktop, which runs as an app, is not governed by a browser extension’s website list.
Speed and upload performance
Google’s “VPN by Google One, Explained” technical paper states that Google’s own VPN did not limit throughput and that speeds were often above 300 Mbps. That statement describes Google’s own VPN service at the time of the paper, and the paper’s publication date was not confirmed in the sources reviewed. It does not measure Drive uploads and does not compare third-party VPNs.
Do these 3 things before closing this tab:
1Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems2Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute3Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsTo measure the effect of a VPN on your own Drive uploads, record the time to upload the same file, for example a 1 GB folder, with the VPN off and then on, using the same network and server location. Repeat each test several times at different times of day. Your results apply only to your location, network and provider.
Best Value
- Next-Gen Gigabit Wi-Fi 6 Speeds: 2402 Mbps on 5 GHz and 574 Mbps on 2.4 GHz bands ensure smoother streaming and faster downloads; support VPN server and VPN client¹
- A More Responsive Experience: Enjoy smooth gaming, video streaming, and live feeds simultaneously. OFDMA makes your Wi-Fi stronger by allowing multiple clients to share one band at the same time, cutting latency and jitter.²
- Expanded Wi-Fi Coverage: 4 high-gain external antennas and Beamforming technology combine to extend strong, reliable, Wi-Fi throughout your home.
- Improved Battery Life: Target Wake Time helps your devices to communicate efficiently while consuming less power.
- Improved Cooling Design: No heat ups, no throttles. A larger heat sink and redefined case design cools the WiFi 6 system and enables your network to stay at top speeds in more versatile environments.
How to compare VPNs for Drive use
When you compare providers, check these points against each provider’s current primary documentation rather than a review or a price page:
- Split-tunneling method: app, IP address, or website/domain, and which of these you need.
- Platform availability: Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS and browser extensions, and any stated limitations on each.
- Protocol choices and connection stability controls: whether you can change protocols if one causes disconnects.
- Privacy documentation: how clearly the provider documents its privacy claims, and whether those claims are independently verified.
- Server selection: whether you can choose a server close to your location, and whether that improves your own upload results.
- Current price and terms: check the provider’s own pricing page at the time you buy, because prices and offers change.
Proton VPN’s features page lists its protocols and feature set. Those are provider claims and are not independent comparisons with other services.
Once you have shortlisted providers, run the upload test above on each one before you commit to a plan.
Quick wins for a faster PC:
Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →Quick Recap
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