Presently, the world has become very smart. We have surrounded ourselves with smart gadgets. Everything is getting smart so why can’t your standard television be smart? If you still wait for the repeat telecast of your favorite show and rely on the mercy of cable operators. Then you need to get yourself out of the stone age. Opt for a smart TV because this is the era of smart devices and stupid people. Apart from the joke, Smart TVs are integrating into the modern standard of life. Although it has not yet dominated the household completely especially in the third world, it seems to be on its way to becoming more common. Furthermore, A VPN For Smart TV can enhance your experience.
What is a Smart TV
A smart tv is also known as connected tv which is a tv set with integrated internet connectivity that allows you to access online web streaming and video streaming websites, social websites and some smart TVs have default web browsers that enable you to access any website on your tv set. A smart tv is equipped with an Ethernet port where you need to plug in the broadband router of your house and get the internet connectivity, or you can directly use a dongle to get connected instantly.
This evolving technology is featured with app stores from where you can download any desired app in just a few clicks. Most of the smart TVs have an Android operating system that is why it has many standard features of smartphones. Furthermore, this innovation has many other eye-catching features like program recording, forwarding, rewinding, show reminder, and much more.
Why You Need a VPN for Smart TV?
Undoubtedly, Smart Tv is a good boom of this era allowing you to connect to the internet around the globe but it can not unblock the geo-restricted websites. The netizens of the US can have access to all their favorite video streaming sites like Netflix, Youtube, Hulu, BBC iPlayer, etc. but what if they travel outside the US? And what about the netizens who live outside the US? Are they supposed to forget these websites? Well, the answer is No. Now they can access all the blocked websites on their smart TV. Imagine sitting in your living room and watching Netflix on the big LCD of your Smart Tv.
Doesn’t it sound amazing? Yes, it does. The fact is that now you can make this possible by using a VPN on your Smart Tv and enjoy all your favorite shows of the famous video streaming websites. Virtual Private Network or VPN is a great innovation that offers accessibility to all the blocked content with anonymity and secure network. So if you want to watch the geo-blocked content on your Smart Tv, all you need to do is to connect your Smart tv with one of the best VPN for Smart Tv we have recommended you.
How to Connect Your Smart TV to a VPN Service?
Unlike computers, setting up a VPN on a Smart Tv is not an easy task to do. It is because the computers are equipped with a VPN client by default. On the contrary, Smart TVs are not featured with VPN clients so you can not connect VPN directly to your Smart Tv. To use a VPN on your smart TV, you need to find some indirect ways of connecting VPN to your Smart Tv.
How to Use a VPN for Smart TV?
There are two methods by which you can use a VPN on your smart tv.
- The first and less complicated option is to share your VPN connection of computer with your Smart Tv by enabling network sharing that will allow you to connect your Smart Tv with the VPN connection of your computer via an Ethernet cable. However, many people find this option a bit slow due to network sharing.
- Another option to set up a VPN on your Smart Tv is to hook up a VPN flash router. This option is comparatively trickier to configure, but you can also get a pre-configured router. Setting up a VPN on your router will enable you to connect all the devices at your home. Whether it is a laptop, mobile, or Smart Tv, it can benefit from the service of a VPN.
This method is more advanced because this approach does not require any cable and you don’t have to place your computer near your Smart Tv, unlike network sharing method that requires a cable to connect.
5 Best VPN for Smart Tv
#1 NordVPN (3.29$/month)
Number of servers: 3500+ | Server locations: 60+ | IP addresses: N/A | Maximum devices supported: 6
NordVPN is a Panama based VPN service provider. Hence, it is free of the U.S and the European countries jurisdictions. Due to it, the users can enjoy anonymous networking with its No Log Policy. Double encryption, a variety of protocol support, excellent customer support makes it one of the best VPN in the market. Most noteworthy, the pricing plans are quiet on the nominal side and worth the services provided.
- Six simultaneous connections
- A variety of platform support
- Double encryption for added security
- Excellent customer support
- Automatic kill switch
- 30-day money-back guarantee
- 3-Day free trial
- Unique selling proposition is that it offers hassle-free installation even for new users
Avail 72% Discount
#2 ExpressVPN (8.32$/month)
Number of servers: 1800+ | Server locations: 148 | IP addresses: 30,000 | Maximum devices supported: 3
ExpressVPN has become the market leader in the VPN industry. With its supreme quality VPN performance during past seven years. Therefore, it attracted and retained millions of users and enhanced customer loyalty. All due to services that are beyond comparison. That is the reason it sits at the top position in our VPN table. ExpressVPN is based in the British Virgin Islands. Which keeps it away from the Data Retention policies enforced by NSA, GCHQ.
- Unlimited Bandwidth with Ultra Speed
- Dedicated VPN Apps for Android & iOS
- Provides all VPN protocols OpenVPN (TCP, UDP), L2TP-IPsec, SSTP, and PPTP
- High-End Security with OpenVPN 256-bits
- Zero log keeping policy of internet activities
- 30-Days Money-Back Guarantee
- 3 Simultaneous-login Option
- Dedicated VPN App for Router
Avail 35% Discount
#3 Surfshark VPN (2.49$/month)
Number of servers: 500+ | Server locations: 50 | IP addresses: N/A | Maximum devices supported: Unlimited
Surfshark VPN is ahead of the curve in technological advancement. Surfshark VPN will ensure online privacy for your whole family – simple and intuitive on the outside with a robust security mechanism inside.
- No Logging Policy
- 500 Plus Servers Spread in over 50 Countries
- 24 x 7 Customer Service Support
- P2P Torrenting Support Available
- AES 256-Bit Network Encryption
- Comes with Zero Logging Policy
- Chrome Extension Available
- Kill-Switch functionality
Avail 81% Discount
#4 CyberGhostVPN (2.15$/month)
Number of servers: 6,200+ | Server locations: 87+ | IP addresses: N/A | Maximum devices supported: 7
CyberGhostVPN was established in 2011 and gained popularity. It is due to its dedication towards providing outstanding and unique security and privacy features. CyberGhostVPN defends privacy as a basic human right, being the first in the industry to publish a transparency report while building new user-oriented crypto-technology for the future.
- 6200+ servers in 87 countries
- Uses AES 256 Encryption
- Up to 7 Simultaneous Connections
- Supports OpenVPN, L2TP/IPsec, and PPTP
- DNS & IP Leak Protection
- No Logging Policy.
- Uses 2048 Key & MD5 Authentication
- 45-Days Money Back Guarantee
- Automatic Wi-Fi security
Avail 83% Discount
#5 Private Internet Access (2.19$/month)
Number of servers: 3339+ | Server locations: 36 | IP addresses: N/A | Maximum devices supported: 5
Private Internet Access service provides you unbeatable internet security and privacy. It is due to its sustainable and specialized security barrier based on several layers. Hence, For an end to end protection with its amazing features. That includes; Anonymous IP, high-grade encryption. That is based on cryptographically secure Blowfish CBC algorithm.
- Zero VPN Traffic Logs
- Encrypted Wi-Fi Protection
- Offers all Protocols PPTP, OpenVPN and L2TP/IPSec including SOCKS5 Proxy
- 7-days Money-Back Guarantee
- IPv6 Leak Protection & DNS Leak Protection
- The Internet Kill Switch
- P2P file sharing & VoIP Support
- Support for VPN router including DD-WRT Tomato & PfSense
- Speed Test options for all Servers
Avail 78% Discount
How to Share your VPN with Other Devices?
VPN service is not confined to computers only. In Fact, you can use VPN service on all your other devices by sharing your VPN connection of computers with other devices either by a cable or by setting up a VPN router. Following are the step by step instructions that will help you to share your VPN connection with other devices.
- First of all, you need to get a VPN account and enable it on your computer or laptop.
- Secondly, use an ethernet cable to connect your computer and the device you want to share VPN with.
- Go to System Preference > Network. Now select the VPN connection you set up on your PC or laptop and connect to it.
- Then go to the Network Sharing option and enable internet sharing and set up wifi with a name and password.
- Finally, you can connect any device with that wifi connect you set up and enjoy VPN service on any device.
There is one more way to share your VPN connection with other devices by using a flash router. In this way, you have to configure once, and all your devices can make use of your VPN services simultaneously. This is the reason many people opt for this option rather than network sharing method because by hooking up a VPN router you will be available to avail of its service on any of your devices, not just the Smart Tv.
Benefits of using a VPN for Smart TV
VPN technology gives you the freedom of accessing all your favorite websites, and if this service can be enjoyed while sitting in your lounge and munching snacks, then it will be nothing but a cherry on top. While using a standard tv, we do not need to care about our privacy (read our ultimate privacy guide). But when we start using a Smart Tv and connect to the Internet for watching online videos we must make all the necessary measures to protect ourselves online, and the best way of doing so is to switch to a VPN encrypted connection that gives us the military-grade encryption. There are thousands of virtual IP addresses that you can choose to spoof your IP address and get access to those blocked websites of your desired location. No matter where you are, you can disguise your IP address and watch whatever you want to watch.
Privacy Ensured
Furthermore, Using a VPN on your Smart Tv not only allows you to access all the geo-blocked websites but it also ensures your complete privacy with a secure network that shields you from snooping and hacking. If you are the kind of person who is concerned about his privacy and does not want the ISP (Internet Service Provider) to know how he is using the internet or which website he is accessing, the best VPN for Smart Tv is the right choice for you. VPN allows you to bypass the restriction by hiding your IP address and lets you browse with confidence and freedom. Using VPN for Smart TV is a much more economical option as compared to expensive Tv cable packages that have limited channels and are pricey too. Many viewers across the world find it hard to choose the best package offered by Tv cable companies, the reason behind this, is each package has limited channels option and selecting more than one package cost them more. Thus, to avoid all this hassle, one should consider using a VPN on Smart Tv.
Conclusion -5 Best VPN for Smart TV
We all love to watch Youtube, Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, BBC iPlayer, etc. Whether we are in the US or outside the US, the viewer can manage to watch their favorite videos using a VPN, using a VPN on the Smart Tv would be a worthwhile addition to this pleasure with a comfy environment. There are many VPNs in the market, and it can be a hard job for a non-specialist to pick the best VPN for Smart Tv keeping all the factors in mind and hopefully, this article will be a great help for those who are finding it difficult to select the best VPN for Smart tv.