Regarding VPN being slow, two possibilities here:

1. They analyze internet packets, detect VPN connections and deliberately throttle them.
2. They just slow down anything that is not a common protocol (not http, https, ftp, …) that would make other things like torrent or even ssh session to be also equally slow.

If it is the first possibility, I know that OpenVPN with static key tend to be very difficult to detect if not impossible. Its also a bit faster but it has its cons that I encourage you to read about.

If it is the second possibility then you need to disguise your VPN traffic as https. I know its doable but I am fuzzy on the details.

I bought TP-Link thinking its a decent company but with all vulnerabilities I am reconsidering.

There is no excuse for having that many serious vulnerablities

I know there is a lot of misleading information online regarding this matter so please allow me to write down my version and feel free to correct me.

1. The law - as it is now - doesn’t require any actual verification, it just wants OS to require users to provide a birth date. You - as a user - can put whatever date your heart desire. The purpose is that parents performing OS setup for their children could input their correct date of birth so that apps know that a minor is using the PC not an Adult.

2. Systemd provides field for you to store your birth date. It is an optional field and it will obviously be blank in your system unless you dig around to find out how to set it.

3. The ones who would enforce the date of birth thing is installers of various Linux distribution who wish to comply. ArchLinux has an open merge request that would require providing a birth date (again no verification, you put what you want)

Happy to provide links to support any of my claims above

what difference does it make to you if you don’t mind me asking