Connecting a VPN to our SmartTV is practically having the key to any audiovisual content platform we would like to see, no matter where in the world the server is.
That is, when we configure a private virtual network on our smart TV , our public IP is encrypted so our device loses its geolocation by becoming invisible. In this way We can access audiovisual content as if our SmartTV were in that geographical area.
In this article we will show what a VPN is for SmartTV, we will show you the advantages of creating a virtual private network for this type of devices. We will also choose the best applications so you can download and enjoy our TV to the fullest.
Index:
What are the benefits of using a VPN with my SmartTV?
VPN for SmartTV is a technological tool that we use for our televisions with which we can connect directly to the server of the website we want to see, avoiding the public IP that is usually assigned by our Internet operator.
In this way, by using private virtual network for SmartTV we start to get benefits. They are:
By connecting directly to the server, we can prevent the geolocation of our device , therefore, we are able to view audiovisual content from other countries directly as if our SmartTV were in that area geographic.
That is, if we needed to watch for example Netflix from the United States, we could access this platform without any problem and see all the special programs that exist in that country. The same would not happen if we did not have an activated private virtual network, since when entering the platform through our Smart we enter Netflix by default by Spain.
When we look at secure channels we can maximize our Internet quality since they could coordinate the encoding of the data (as well as the decoding), the security check of the same and the private virtual network .
If we need to watch unsafe channels we can do it without any problem , since the VPN network will keep us hidden and not show our IP. We can do this without changing the configuration because there are tools in the private virtual network with DNS tools of hybrid methods.
When we are abroad we can calmly watch channels in Spain as if we were in our national territory.
By installing a VPN router on our SmartTV we can have a gain for all devices that can be connected to it thus avoiding a virtual router.
Configure a VPN, it depends on which path we take, it is relatively simple and it has to be done only once, every time we go out or turn off the virtual network it will not be necessary to reconfigure the network .
This network, by keeping us hidden with our IP, will allow us to have our security protected, as well as our audiovisual device of possible hacker attacks .
Steps to set up a VPN on my smart TV fast and easy
There is a way to configure a virtual network privately through advanced technical knowledge, but since we do not want to become experts on these issues, we will not focus on this path.
To configure a private virtual network on our smart TV we can use a third-party application called “Shellfire Box VPN Router”.
To install this application we will perform these steps:
- We connect the device called «Shellfire Box» with power cable
- Then, this equipment is connected to our router through a power cable network
- At this moment a VPN network will be created
- Then we connect our smart TV to this new Shellfire network wirelessly
This way our TV will always be with a VPN connection . When we need to leave this secure virtual network we return to the previous home network.
List of the best private virtual networks to use on a SmartTV
According to everything we’ve talked about, especially the benefits of creating a private virtual network on our SmartTV, we are able to recommend the best virtual networks for our device.
These are:
ExpressVPN.com
This private virtual network has encryption protocols and offers speeds that are extremely striking, in addition to a worldwide network that has more than 1500 servers that are distributed in more than 95 countries.
Use the 256-bit Open VPN protocol . The only records that these servers keep are the dates on which we connect. Thanks to this tool we can navigate hidden and see platforms as if we were in other countries.
NordVPN.com
It has a traffic encryption that works through the 2,048-bit DH and 256-bit AES keys. It offers us a DNS protection, which is done automatically. It has more than 1190 servers that are in more than 61 countries. It works perfectly with Netflix, BBC and iPlayer.
We can also see HBO, which we will talk in the following paragraphs to see what is the minimum required speed for these platforms to work. It allows us to be in incognito mode for those pages that are not secure and permanently controlling the encryption of the data packets.
IPVanish.com
It has a very interesting security and privacy record, in addition to not keeping the data of its users on the servers. They use a protocol with 256-bit encryption and has SHA512 authentication and the DHE-RSA key exchange is 2048 bits.
It offers us a switch that allows the VPN network to be turned off in the event that it disconnects unexpectedly. It has more than 840 servers that are distributed in more than 50 countries.
Thanks to the number of servers our device can connect without any problems in different countries.
VyprVPN.com
Many say they offer the best encryption protocols around the world. It offers us a free 3-day trial, it has more than 700 servers that are distributed worldwide. The only thing they store from user data is the source IP and the IP network used by the VPN.
They use the Open VPN protocol with an AES encryption, which is 256 bits and the keys are RSA d2058 bits and the authentication part of SHA256. We can navigate safely and offers us a VPN network for our other devices that can connect to the wireless network.
BulletVPN.com
This is a private virtual network that just arrived on the market and surprised many people. It has guides that explain how to use this tool to maximize its potential.
Thanks to the good comments of the users we can trust our security and privacy in this tool. It has a simple configuration, which allows having a dual alternative for those sites that present danger or we do not know its origin.
Can you lower my Internet speed if I use a VPN on TV?
As mentioned earlier Internet speed can be maximized if we can synchronize the encryption of data with encryption and in turn with the private virtual network. This happens only for them to secure platforms or websites.
When we try to navigate sites that do not have the confidence of the VPN router the Internet speed decreases between 20% and 25% because the encryption and verification process has an additional burden on resources available.
If we would have to talk about ideal speed to be able to watch streaming content on Netflix platforms, for example, we will need between 3 Mbps and 4 Mbps.
If our audiovisual content is live, such as the box shows that the HBO network transmits on a Sunday morning, our minimum Internet speed will have to be 3 Mbps for an SD transmission > or 5 Mbps if we want to watch in HD quality .
To watch a sports show of any kind live and in ultra HD quality, we will need 25 Mbps , according to the estimates of the companies providing the Internet service.