SQL Server query result transfer time over VPN (WAN) I have a mysterious phenomenon on one remote SQL Server 2005 which I manage and query using SQL Server Management Studio. I connect to the server through a VPN tunnel (provided by an ISP, about 8 MBit/s up and down).

When I open a new query window (first connection) the result is quickly transferred to the client. Let's say &lt; 1 sec. When I repeat the query a few times, the results transfers are getting slower, up to 5 sec and more. It has nothing to do with the query execution time, it's just the transfer time to the client (SSMS).

Now, even stranger: I opened a second query window to the same server/database, the query result transfer is always fast even if I run them at the same time. Even after two hours the results are always transfered very quickly in that other window, while it takes much longer in the first query tab.

I'm using this testing query in order to avoid some potential caching issues:

select top 2000 newid() from &lt;SOMETABLE&gt;


I tried to change the server registration's connection packet size, but it didn't change much.

What could cause the problem?

Update: as suggested in the comments I cross posted on Serverfault.com.
In your VPN properties, click options, PPP Settings.
Do you have "enable software compression" ticked?
SQL data compresses quite nicely, and if the remote site is heavily used bandwidth wise, it may simply be struggling to send you the data.