Using a VPN with Your Android TV Box

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.

Setting up a VPN on an Android TV box

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.

Best VPNs for Android TV boxes

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.