VPNs can protect your internet traffic, but that extra layer of encryption and routing often comes with a performance penalty. Surfshark believes it can reduce that slowdown by changing how data moves through its network.
The VPN provider has expanded its FastTrack technology to more than half of its server locations. Surfshark claims the feature can improve connection speeds by as much as 70 percent, although the company is currently limiting it to macOS users.
That limitation immediately raises a question. Why the heck is FastTrack still only available on the Mac?
Surfshark does not explain why Windows, Linux, iOS, and Android users are being left out, nor does it provide a timeline for bringing the feature to those platforms. It may simply be using macOS as a controlled testing ground, but that is only speculation.
I say this as someone who genuinely likes Surfshark. It is my preferred VPN, and I use it regularly. That makes the platform restriction even more frustrating. I would love to see FastTrack become a standard Surfshark feature rather than something reserved for one desktop operating system.
FastTrack runs on Surfshark’s Nexus infrastructure. Rather than sending a user’s traffic through one traditional VPN tunnel, Nexus can route it through multiple servers before it reaches the selected destination.
That might sound like it would make a connection slower. After all, adding more stops usually increases latency. Surfshark argues that the most direct route is not always the fastest one, especially when internet service providers choose paths based on cost and existing network agreements instead of raw performance.
“After receiving positive user feedback since the initial release, we have expanded this feature to the majority of our locations and enabled more optimized routes,” said Karolis Kaciulis, leading system engineer at Surfshark.
“Previously, it was available to three locations, and those with an already excellent connection may not notice a major difference. Now, more macOS users globally can enjoy enhanced performance and faster speeds across multiple locations.”
Internet traffic does not necessarily travel in a straight line between two places. It moves through a complicated collection of routers, networks, land-based cables, and submarine cables. A geographically shorter route can sometimes be slower because of congestion, aging equipment, limited capacity, or poor peering arrangements.
FastTrack is designed to test alternative routes through Surfshark’s own infrastructure and select the one that currently offers the best performance. In some situations, that could mean routing traffic through a location that appears to be out of the way but offers faster hardware or a less congested connection.
Surfshark says it operates a globally distributed probe system that continually tests possible traffic paths using Nexus. The system collects speed and performance information and uses that data to determine how connections should be routed.
“We have a globally distributed probe system that actively tests all possible path combinations using Nexus infrastructure,” Kaciulis explained.
“By continuously collecting and analyzing real-time speed and performance data, FastTrack selects the optimal paths for user traffic. This approach enables us to consistently deliver faster speeds by up to 70 percent to the chosen location.”
The words “up to” are doing plenty of work here. Surfshark is not promising that every Mac user will see a 70 percent speed increase, and the company openly acknowledges that people who already have an efficient connection may see little or no noticeable improvement.
VPN performance also depends on several factors outside Surfshark’s control, including the user’s physical location, broadband provider, Wi-Fi quality, selected VPN server, network congestion, and the speed of the destination service. A dramatic improvement under one set of conditions may not translate to another household or network.
Still, intelligent traffic routing makes sense as a way to improve VPN performance. Many users simply choose the closest available server and assume that it will deliver the best results. FastTrack attempts to make that decision using actual network conditions rather than distance alone.
Mac users can identify supported locations by looking for a connection route icon in Surfshark’s list of VPN locations. Surfshark says the icon will not appear when the standard connection to a particular location is already considered fully optimized.
Expanding FastTrack from only three locations to more than half of Surfshark’s server network is certainly useful for Mac owners. The claimed performance boost should still be treated as an internal company figure until broader independent testing confirms it.
The technology sounds promising, and as a Surfshark customer, I am eager to try it. I just wish the company would explain why such an interesting feature remains limited to macOS and when the rest of its users can expect access.
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