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How To Make Remote CAD Connections Fast & Secure

Do Gamers Have The Secret Sauce For Fast, Secure Internet?

Remote work is a new perk for a lot of professionals, but there are some industries where it’s been tough to figure out how to allow the team to work remotely. Engineering and Architectural firms are two industries that have struggled with enabling remote work, primarily due to the challenges that can arise when trying to use CAD applications from home. CAD is notorious for needing top-end computers with big processors and graphic cards, and when working with a remote application, you also need a very fast internet connection. 

It turns out that this is more or less the same set of requirements that top-tier gamers need to drive virtual racecars, fly virtual airplanes, and engage in pretend battles. So, what can we learn from gamers to make it easier to use CAD applications from a home office?

I’d love to tell you that a good gaming computer is all you need to run demanding business applications like AutoCAD and Revit, but the answer is a little more nuanced. Both groups of people typically need a high-end computer processor and graphics card along with a power supply and cooling system that can keep those components powered and properly cooled, but there are subtle differences in the specifications required for gamers vs. designers. There are also some important differences in how the high-speed internet connection is configured to keep everything running.

Still, there are things to learn from gamers.

What Gamers Know That Can Help

  1. Know where the application resides. When working with a remote CAD application, the work being done to render the design on the home office screen is typically split between the home computer and the primary CAD server, which is likely running either in the cloud or at the company’s office. Just like with gaming applications, it’s important to know how much is being done by the local computer so that you can get a machine powerful enough to do the work.
  2. Get the right CPU, graphics card, and memory for the job.
    1. CPU – CAD software puts a lot of demand on the CPU, so you will need a higher-end processor like an Intel Core i7/i9 or AMD Ryzen 7/9 to keep things running smoothly.
    2. Graphics Card – If you use your home computer for occasional CAD use and it already has a high-end gaming graphics card, you may not need to run out and upgrade that card. Just know that there are some important design differences that make CAD-specific graphic cards more stable and precise in some situations.
    3. Memory – Most home computers have 16GB of RAM or less. A much better starting point for CAD is 32GB. A good hard drive is also worth the investment. The best choice is to install an SSD connecting directly to the motherboard, guaranteeing maximum speed.
  3. Keep your machine clear of clutter. Even the newest, most powerful computer will begin to slow down if enough applications are running simultaneously. Closing unused browser tabs and other software applications before firing up the CAD software can make the difference between a good user experience and a frustrating one. Be sure to take a look at the applications that are running in the background, as they can slow everything down just as badly as the ones you can readily see from the desktop.

How The Fast Internet Setup Differs For Professionals

While the internet requirements for gamers and remote CAD users share some requirements, there are some important additional requirements CAD users have to get right to be productive. For example, both applications require an internet connection that sends large chunks of data quickly with no pauses in the transfer (“low-latency”), but CAD applications also need to be very secure — something gamers typically don’t worry about. 

This is a crucial difference, because picking the wrong VPN to secure your data can make a CAD application unusable in a remote environment.

The Crucial Element: The Right VPN

Designers and Engineers must have a highly secure VPN, and that extra layer of security can dramatically slow down your internet connection if you are on the wrong VPN. The details that make one VPN setup better than another will quickly drag you into the technical weeds, but the combo of your network hardware, internet provider, and the VPN solution must all work well together to keep the connection speeds running at a level that makes remote CAD possible. 

If you want to take a shot at DIYing a fast, secure VPN solution that works well with remote CAD, I’d recommend looking at ExpressVPN or NordVPN as a starting point. Both companies have a solid reputation in the industry for offering robust solutions that are well-suited for professional CAD environments — as long as all of the other components are also in place.

And, as always, if you would prefer to have a little help in setting up a remote connection solution that serves the needs of your business, feel free to schedule a free consultation with me. I’ll be happy to see what I can do to help.