Long response time when visiting a site with VPN active Android

[Stephanie_Clark-Will]

Note: Please do not post Personally Identifiable Information like email address, personal phone number, physical home address, product key etc.

Issue abstract:

Detailed description: When using antitrack and VPN active, I can’t reach the site because of delayed response times.

Product & version number: Proton VPN

OS details: Android

What is the error message you are seeing? Cannot reach site to long response times

If you have any supporting screenshots, please add them:

[bjm]

@Stephanie_Clark-Will

Long response time when visiting a site with VPN active Android
When using antitrack and VPN active, I can’t reach the site because of delayed response times.
Proton VPN
Android

Hello @Stephanie_Clark-Will

That sounds plausible, and my suspicion would be an interaction between Norton AntiTrack’s anti-fingerprinting/proxy techniques and the Proton VPN exit IP reputation, rather than a pure Android issue.

A few possibilities:

1. Website blocking or rate-limiting the Proton VPN server

• The site may respond slowly or not at all when traffic comes from a shared VPN IP.
• Test: Leave Proton VPN on, disable AntiTrack temporarily, then retry.

2. AntiTrack browser protection interfering with site scripts

• Some sites rely heavily on JavaScript, tracking domains, or fingerprinting APIs.
• AntiTrack may cause repeated retries or timeouts on poorly coded sites.
• Test: Keep AntiTrack on, disconnect Proton VPN, then retry.

3. Combined latency

• Traffic path becomes:
  Android → Proton VPN server → site
• Meanwhile AntiTrack may be modifying requests, injecting protections, or rotating fingerprint data.
• Individually each works fine, but together push a marginal site over the edge.

4. DNS interaction

• Proton VPN typically uses its own DNS infrastructure.
• AntiTrack may also influence browser/network behavior.
• Some sites are sensitive to DNS delays.

For troubleshooting, I’d suggest checking:

Test	Proton VPN	Norton AntiTrack
A	Off	Off
B	On	Off
C	Off	On
D	On	On

If the problem only occurs in D, the combination is the trigger.
If the user reports that each product works normally by itself but the site stalls only when both are active, that would be useful information for both Norton and Proton to investigate.

A quick test is to stay connected to Proton VPN but switch to a different Proton server. If the problem disappears, that points toward the reputation or treatment of a particular exit IP rather than a problem with Android itself.

• Which Android browser? (Chrome, Firefox, Samsung Internet, etc.)
• Norton AntiTrack app version?
• Proton VPN app version?
• Does the issue occur on all websites or only specific sites?
• Does disabling either AntiTrack or Proton VPN immediately resolve the delay?

• Proton VPN may already be causing the site to scrutinize the connection.
• Norton AntiTrack may further reduce the information the site uses to identify visitors.
• Some sites react poorly when they see both a VPN IP and anti-fingerprinting measures, resulting in delays, CAPTCHAs, or connection failures.

AI sourced content may make mistakes
Caveat: I’m not Norton AntiTrack user nor Proton VPN user.

May be best – to document/report “issue” directly via Norton support.
Note: for an official Norton response – open a support case:
Norton Support Help Center → Contact us (bottom of page)
Contact Norton Support → Let’s get started.

[bjm]

Hello @Stephanie_Clark-Will
Care to share your progress

[bjm]

Hello @Stephanie_Clark-Will
Care to share your progress