How to enjoy the benefits of VPN on Apple TV?
Apple TV is a great tool for accessing fast, reliable streaming television, apps, and games in your home. When connected to your television, your Apple TV allows you to stream Netflix, Disney+, and every other streaming service available on iOS. With all of this access to the best parts of the internet, however, the power and protection of a VPN can come in handy.
Additionally, many streaming services are region-locked, which means though they might have shows you want to watch, if you’re out of the region, you’re also out of luck. A VPN can help you circumvent streaming restrictions, but there are 2 big questions – how to use a VPN with Apple TV and which one to choose?
Let’s take a look at and demystify these and other questions to get you utilizing a safe, secure VPN with your shiny new Apple TV access.
A virtual private network routes your internet usage through a tunnel, avoiding your internet service provider. This reroute takes your traffic and data to a remote server that can not only protect your activity and information but also make it appear you’re logging on from a different place. If you want to watch British-only Netflix from North Carolina, you’ll probably need a VPN.
VPNs are also fantastic overall for any time you’re using the internet, be it streaming movies, playing games, or paying your bills. This is because your data is protected by the same tunnel that hides your activity. If you regularly use WiFi on your mobile devices (public Wifi, that is), you need a VPN to ensure no one is hijacking your confidential information.
As we stated above, being able to access an entirely different library of Netflix or another streaming service is a huge benefit. With so many original programs that are country-dependent, a VPN can allow you dramatically more shows for your viewing pleasure.
Many ISPs will slow your connection down during peak periods or if they see that you’re streaming quite a bit. A VPN can circumvent that by hiding what it is that you’re actually doing. Additionally, many ISPs will gather your browsing and streaming data and sell it to advertisers, which is something else a VPN will stop.
So Apple TV gets you access to streaming services and iOS apps, but the device itself doesn’t support VPN installation. Fear not, however – you can still use a VPN with your Apple TV to fully enjoy all its benefits. You need only install a VPN on your router, which will still do the job you want, protecting your data, and improving your streaming experience.
Though logging into your router is similar in many cases, you want to consult your owner’s manual, your ISP, or the maker of your router to be certain. In most cases, you’ll log in by putting your IP address directly into a new browser window and it should prompt you to login with your ISP credentials. If that all sounds like gibberish, don’t worry – consulting your user manual or the customer service for your router will clear things up.
Your router’s admin page should have a place to set up a VPN. If you can’t find it, there are ways to get around this but they require some finesse, so you can alternately buy a pre-installed (pre-flashed) router directly from your IP service.
The other route you can take is to install a VPN on your desktop or laptop, and then create a WiFI hotspot from there that your Apple TV connects to. This allows your Apple TV stream to use the same VPN as your computer and thus, reap the same benefits. This virtual router is safe and usually results in little to no loss of speed.
Using a VPN to unblock Netflix is only the first of many huge benefits of running your streaming service through a VPN. By protecting your data, you keep yourself safe from hackers and advertisers who want your information and your ISP who wants to throttle your data (while selling it). Being able to access any region-locked content is another huge plus, naturally.
While using a virtual router is the easiest way to enjoy your Apple TV while utilizing a VPN, if your current physical router supports VPN installation, then you should give that a try. That will allow you to route all of your home’s data through the VPN, protecting not only your streaming data while you use the Apple TV, but all of your banking, browsing, and gaming information as well. A VPN protects you from threats you probably didn’t even know existed.
So whether you live in a country where Netflix is blocked, or you simply want to enjoy a specific show from another region, using a VPN with your Apple TV is a simple solution and a smart choice.