Is a VPN on your home computer standard for you? Do you even protect your smartphone with a tunnel?
But you forgot your Smart TV, right? This is where considerable dangers lurk – and great advantages for VPN users, even beyond more security.
I explain why your smart TV needs a VPN, what good providers should do, and how to install protection on your TV .
VPN on Smart TV
Virtual private networks (VPNs) have long been used by desktop and many smartphone users. These tunnels encrypt data traffic within public networks and thus offer effective protection against various forms of cybercrime.
In principle, every device connected to the Internet should have a VPN. With Smart TV, many consumers do without this protection, even though the device is regularly connected to the Internet.
In principle, it is possible to install VPN services on a TV set.
Smart TV as a gateway for hackers
The use of a VPN is recommended for two main reasons. On one hand, as with other end devices, it is about security. Since your TV device sends and receives data over the Internet and is also connected to other devices, thus represents a potential gateway for hackers. In the worst case, they can control the TV camera and gain insight into your privacy.
That’s not all: via the TV set, hackers are even able to gain access to other devices such as desktop PCs, tablet PCs or smartphones. Also keep in mind that sometimes users enter their credit card details on the TV – for example, to pay for something in the Playstation Store or a streaming service. Additional protection can’t hurt here either.
VPN to bypass geo-blocking
On the other hand, a VPN for smart TVS offers the possibility to see additional content. The keyword is: geo-blocking. Streaming services such as Netflix , but also numerous other providers, do not make all films and series available in all countries.
There are restrictions due to copyright disputes, license agreements or legal requirements. If you control a streaming service with your Smart TV via your Canadian IP address, it will recognize you as a Canadian customer.
However, a VPN hides your IP address. Streaming services and other services only recognize the address of the remote server that you use to move around the network. If you select a US server for the VPN provider, you are considered a US customer – and can immediately see all the content activated there.
What makes a good Smart TV VPN?
A good VPN offers many server locations, giving you access to content from all over the world. The VPN should also be quick to install and easy to use overall. A no-log policy and a kill switch feature are also advantageous in terms of data protection .
Pro tip: Look for a VPN that you can use on all end devices – i.e. on the smartphone as well as on the desktop PC, tablet PC and smartphone.
This is how the installation works on the TV
You can install your VPN on the Smart TV in just a few steps. The exact installation process depends of course on the end device and the TV operating system.
If you have a Samsung TV with an Android operating system, first open the Google Play Store on your TV. Then search for the app you have chosen.
A VPN app should appear there. If this is not the case, check the spelling and make sure that the app of your choice is actually available for your operating system.
Once you have seen the app on the TV, start the download and install the application on the device. Now you need to log into your VPN account. If you already subscribed and paid for on desktop, you should have login credentials. Enter this login data on the TV.
Now select the desired server – for example a server in the USA. Alternatively, you can directly select the country whose user you want to pretend to be.
Alternative VPN installation on Samsung Smart TV
There is an alternative VPN installation for Samsung Smart TV. This is particularly useful for older TVs that are still based on a different operating system. Samsung used the Orsay operating system from 2012-2015.
With the TV switched on, use the remote control to open the menu and go to the network and here to the network status.
Open the IP settings. Change the DNS settings to manual input. Now look for the DNS server address of your VPN provider and enter it. Confirm the entry and then restart your Smart TV. Then change the region of your device to access content from other countries.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a VPN on my smart TV?
Although, most smart TVs don’t natively support VPNs.
This means you’ll need a VPN that can be configured on your router or that can enable you to create your own protected wifi hotspot through your computer.
Is there a VPN for smart TV?
Many VPN apps are compatible with Android TVs and Fire TVs. Other smart television operating systems like those on Sony, LG and Samsung smart TVs don’t support VPN apps, so you have to use another way to connect, such as via a router or Smart DNS. ExpressVPN is the best smart TV VPN by far.
Is it safe to use VPN on TV?
Yes, you can. Although you can’t install a VPN directly on your Smart TV, you can still secure this device via a (virtual) router. Set up the VPN on your router by following these steps and enjoy more streaming possibilities as well as increased online privacy and security on your Smart TV.
How do I turn on VPN on my smart TV?
Here’s how to set-up a VPN for a Smart TV:
- First of all, sign up for a suitable VPN. …
- Next, search for your VPN in the Google Play Store and install its app.
- Log in and connect to a server in the required country. …
- Finally, open the region-locked app you’d like to use and play a video.
Can I use a VPN on my Samsung smart TV?
Can I put a VPN on a Samsung TV? Yes, you can install a VPN on your Samsung Smart TV easily via the Google Play Store. And if you choose to install the VPN on the router level, that’s available and totally possible as well and is just as easy to set up
Can I use a VPN on my LG Smart TV?
OK, you can’t directly install a VPN app on your LG TVs. But you can use our Smart DNS option for webOS. Just switch to our Smart DNS server address, and you’ll be able to unblock anything. And that’s it!
Resources
https://www.comparitech.com/blog/vpn-privacy/best-vpn-smart-tv/
https://www.cloudwards.net/vpn-for-smart-tv/
https://www.comparitech.com/blog/vpn-privacy/set-up-vpn-smart-tv/
https://www.purevpn.com/blog/setup-vpn-on-samsung-smart-tv/
https://www.cyberghostvpn.com/en_US/vpn-for-lg-smart-tv