People love streaming movies on their smart TVs. Nothing beats the feeling of watching your favorite series on Netflix, while sitting on a comfy sofa in your living room. Unfortunately, the carefree movie marathons came to a sudden screech recently, with the arrival of the regional blocks. There is nothing more frustrating when you have already prepared the popcorn, but the system informs you that the chosen content cannot be accessed anymore. In such instances, a VPN is the first thing that comes to mind, as tunneling your connection through a foreign proxy allows the bypassing of such petty restrictions. Unlimited streaming is a good start, but there are other benefits as well, like full anonymity and an extra layer of protection. You never know what kinds of dangers are lurking out there, waiting for a chance to get a hold on your personal information.
Adding a VPN to your Android TV box will only do good for you, but won’t restrict your speed at all. With a broadband connection and a cleverly set VPN protocol you can stay protected, without sacrificing speed or system memory. VPN providers established a widespread presence in a multitude of foreign countries, so you’ll definitely find one that is close enough to you.
The only problem with a VPN is that they don’t come standard with Android TV boxes. This complicates things a bit, but put your worries aside: setting up a VPN on your smart TV doesn’t require a degree in informatics, and homeowners with little to no tech savviness can complete it as well. First of all, you need an existing VPN account with a provider who supports smart TVs. The next part involves the setup of the VPN client on your Android box. We’ll list some of those below, but for now let’s assume that this step is done. Your job is obviously the easiest when the provider come up with a solution that allows the direct download of their client through Google Store (like with VyprVPN). In this case the VPN setup is the same as any other app for your device. Just download and run it, then log in.
The situation is a bit more complicated when the company lacks a smart TV client. Alternatively you can enable a VPN through your router, or use network sharing. Luckily there are far more VPN compatible routers (especially with DD-WRT and Tomato), so you can get over this issue. Not to mention FlashRouters offers router devices that are already linked to a VPN network. As for the network sharing option, you can setup the VPN on your desktop computer, and then connect it to you smart TV with an Ethernet cable. If you turn on the network sharing in the options menu, then two devices will share the same VPN connection. This is extra convenient because a proper VPN service typically always includes clients for PC and Mac.
Recommending VPN providers for Android TV users is a bit harder than usual. This is because of the fact that only a few VPN providers have a solution aimed specifically towards smart TV users. Most of them are satisfied with covering routers, as it solves the problem alternatively. Still, we listed some of them that offer a competent service or an extended setup guide.
VyprVPN is the prime example of great smart TV support, as they are ready to improve your streaming experience with their own Android TV app that can be downloaded from the Google Store. This is a fast and uncomplicated way of delivering a VPN to your box. The company is also known for its fast speed, extended network, integrated smart DNS and innovative features, like the Chameleon protocol.
PureVPN is also popular among users who own a smart TV. Although they didn’t customize their downloadable client to fit this platform, they offer a tutorial guide to help you setup the VPN network. This kind of thought is still commendable. PureVPN is a great choice anyway: they have more than 500 servers in 141 countries, they sport a browser extension and a kill switch, plus they operate a dependable customer support that is ready 24/7.
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