How to Install VPN on Smart TV using 4 Methods (2024)

Got a Smart TV? Not quite sure how to get access to some of the best streaming or gaming content on it? Are geo-restrictions getting in the way of it? Well, the answer to all your questions is using a VPN on your Smart TV. Some Smart TVs don’t support certain apps, making it very difficult to install them, including VPNs. Not to worry! This guide will show you how to install a VPN on Smart TV using a couple of methods.

4 Ways to Install VPN on Smart TV

As mentioned above, not every Smart TV supports VPN apps. So, technically, you’re going to need a few other ways to install a VPN on Smart TV. There are a couple of ways for you to do that, so we’ll start with the easiest method first:

Install a VPN on Windows PC and connect it to a Smart TV

As mentioned, we won’t exactly be installing a VPN directly on your smart TV as that’s not entirely possible. What we’ll be doing is installing the best VPN on a Windows PC, and extending the connection to your smart TV. Here, your PC will act as a hotspot. However, before beginning, I should mention that you need Windows 10 to begin or at least have it installed on your PC.

Let’s begin:

• Subscribe to iProVPN and create your account if you don’t already have one.
• Download and install the iProVPN Windows app.
• Once that’s out of the way, head on to create a mobile hotspot on your PC.
• Click on the search bar on your PC and type “mobile hotspot settings.”
• If you see a switch under “Mobile hotspot,” click on it to turn it blue.
• Check to see if your Wi-Fi name is displayed and check the box as “WiFi” when you see “share my internet connection over.”
• Now, to connect to your smart TV VPN, you need to connect your Smart TV to your Windows PC’s WiFi or network. To connect, you can use the “Network name” and “password” from the previous screen.

And that’s about it! You now have your Smart TV VPN up and ready to use! Because your PC is the acting hotspot for your Smart TV, you can tweak around with the settings when desired.

For example, if you’re trying to stream some US movies on your Smart TV, take your streaming VPN and connect to the US server on your PC. You get the drill! If ever there is a Smart TV app you’re trying to get a hold of, switch the servers around on the PC VPN.

You can even use the same method on your macOS and extend the VPN connection to your smart TV. Catch the tutorial below this line.

Install a Smart TV VPN using macOS

1. Download and install a VPN app for macOS.
2. Click on the “Apple” icon
3. Click on “System Preferences,” and then “Sharing.”
4. Tick the box that says “Internet Sharing.” You’ll find it on the left-hand side.
5. From the “Share your connection from list” choose your VPN adapter.
6. When you see the “To computers” box, choose “Wi-Fi.’
7. Launch and connect to iProVPN for macOS and then, later on, extend the VPN connection to your Smart TV using the hotspot you’ve just created.

In this way, both your Mac and the Smart TV are connected to the VPN.

Install a Smart TV VPN via Router

If you didn’t already know this, you can at times extend a VPN connection to a device that doesn’t support VPN apps, by using a router. This way, you can protect multiple devices through it. It’s somewhat an extensive process to set up a VPN on a router, but if you follow all the steps precisely, you’ll get there in no time.

However, you must be sure to have the right firmware on your router. If you try to change the firmware on your router, you’ll need to flash it, which is not as simple as it looks. iProVPN offers various setup tutorials for a VPN on various routers.

Once that is out of the way, and you’ve installed your VPN on a router, you can let the smart TV connect to it. Through this, your Smart TV will now be protected by a VPN.

Here’s how you can install a VPN on Smart TV via a router:

1. Make sure your router is pre-flashed or has the appropriate firmware.
2. If not, then change the firmware on your router.
3. Install the VPN on it.
4. Connect your Smart TV to your router, just as you would any device that needs to be connected to a router network.

Install a VPN on Smart TV via creating a virtual router on PC or Mac

It’s pretty alright if your router isn’t flashed or has the appropriate firmware. Either way, if you’re not too keen on going through with the 2nd method on the list, you can create a Wi-Fi hotspot on your PC or Mac.

With that done, you can set it up as a virtual router with a VPN connection. You will be able to connect your Smart TV to that virtual router/hotspot created, extending a VPN connection to it. You can just about do that on both your Windows PC and Mac. Just make sure that the VPN you choose is compatible with both operating systems.

Here’s how you can install a VPN on a virtual router:

1. Download and install the VPN on your Windows or Mac.
2. Create a virtual router or Wi-Fi hotspot on your device.
3. Connect your Smart TV to your PC or Mac that is already connected to the VPN.

How to extend a VPN connection to your Smart TV using Ethernet cable

If the above wireless tutorials aren’t something you’re interested in, then maybe try using this last method to install a VPN on Smart TV using an Ethernet cable. It wouldn’t exactly be installing a VPN on your Smart TV, but more like sharing the VPN connection with a cable attached to a device that supports VPN apps.

Here’s how you can use a VPN on Smart TV via Ethernet cable on Windows 10 and macOS:

Via Windows 10

1. Right-click on the network icon. You’ll find it on the bottom-right of your screen.
2. Click on “Open Network & Internet settings.”
3. Click on “Change adapter options.”
4. This window will show you all your connections.
5. Look for the VPN name installed on your PC. For example, if you’ve installed iProVPN, it should be “iProVPN” plus “TAP” along with it.
6. Right-click over the VPN connection and then click on “Properties.”
7. Now on the “Sharing” tab and tick the box that says “Allow other network users to connect through this computer’s Internet connection.”
8. Select “Ethernet” from the dropdown list.
9. Click on “OK.”
10. Now, connect to the VPN.
11. Using an Ethernet cable, you can now connect both your Windows and Smart TV.
12. The VPN connection will have now been added to your Smart TV.

Via macOS

1. Click on the “Apple” icon and then click on “System Preferences.”
2. Select “Sharing.”
3. On the left, tick the box labeled as “Internet Sharing.”
4. Now, depending on whether your macOS device is connected to the internet via Wi-Fi or ethernet cable, select either “Ethernet” or “Wi-Fi” in the “Share your connection” tab.
5. In the “To computers using” box, tick “Ethernet.”
6. Now, connect to the VPN.
7. Using the Ethernet cable, connect your macOS device to the Smart TV.
8. That’s all! You’ve now set up a VPN connection on your Smart TV using an ethernet cable.

The tutorials above are only for those Smart TVs that are without access to the Google Play Store. As most smart TVs have Google Play active, installing a VPN on it comes easier. Check the tutorial below.

How to install VPN on Smart TV through the Google Play Store

There are many Smart TVs that are created on Android OS, which makes it easier to install a VPN directly on it. So, if you’ve got an Android Smart TV, here’s how you can install a VPN on it:

1. Sign up and create your account with the best Smart TV VPN. iProVPN offers apps for Android that you can download from the Play Store.
2. Search for the VPN on the Google Play Store on your Smart TV and install the app.
3. Launch the VPN, sign in, and connect to any server that you’d like. For example, if you wanted to change your Netflix region on your Smart TV, choose a server of the library you’re trying to unblock.
4. Start streaming or get access to the best apps that were previously geo-blocked on your Smart TV.

An alternative method to using a VPN on your Smart TV

Other than the many tutorials above, there is another way for you to get the content you want on your smart TV without installing a VPN on it. It’s called screencasting or mirroring.

Through this method, you will be able to cast any content from one device and screen it on your Smart TV. For instance, if you’ve got a VPN installed on your Android or iOS smartphone and have the Netflix app on it too, using the screencasting option, you can cast it on your Smart TV. In this way you can watch the best shark movies on Netflix or other genres, without having to download the app.

The only downside to this is that only the device with the VPN on it will be secured. It just allows you to enjoy a couple of movies or TV shows on a bigger screen but does not actually allow you to extend the VPN connection to your Smart TV.

Also Read: How to Use Google Chromecast with iPhone

To conclude

You now know how to install a VPN on smart TV using a couple of methods. Most Smart TVs are Android-based, which makes adding a VPN on them much easier in comparison to those devices that aren’t. When that happens, I feel the easiest way to extend a VPN connection to your Smart TV would be through creating a hotspot on your Windows PC. Other than that, you have 3 other methods to consider.