No Dedicated Router App
The main drawback to using NordVPN for Apple TV is that it doesnt offer an app for routers. You can still set the VPN up on your router, but its much more difficult to change server location and change settings.
That said, once set up, all the devices on your network will be protected by the VPN tunnel and you wont have to manually connect on each device. Whats more, you can connect an unlimited number of devices.
On the whole, NordVPN is a superb VPN thats well worth considering for Apple TV. Its Smart DNS feature works with a range of streaming services and its one of the fastest VPNs on the market. You can use NordVPN free for 30 days by taking advantage of its money-back guarantee.
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How To Set Up And Use A VPN On Apple TV
ByAlex McOmielast updated 29 June 21
Want to stream region-locked content on your Apple TV?
VPNs are most commonly used on desktops and laptops. But mobile VPN use has become increasingly popular over the last few years, along with installation on a wide range of other devices – including routers and streaming devices like Apple TV.
In this article, well walk you through the necessary steps to download, set up, and get started with a new Apple TV VPN. With a reliable service, you can secure your internet traffic and stream content thats unavailable in your home country.
- Not yet got one? Check out our Apple TV 4K review
Expressvpn Speed Test Data
Website: www.IPVanish.com
Money-back guarantee: 30 DAYS
IPVanish offers sturdy and fast VPN connections to its owned and operated network of 850 servers spread across more than 60 countries. While its not as adept when it comes to securely accessing the big American streaming channels like Netflix and Hulu, we do give it a resounding endorsement for Kodi users. A favorite among the Kodi community, IPVanish will work with any Kodi add-on you can throw at it. Check out our tutorial on how to install Kodi on Apple TV to get started.
IPVanish allows five simultaneous connections, uses military-grade encryption, and keeps zero logs of users online activity. It uses private DNS servers and has DNS leak protection built in.
If you prefer a router, IPVanish has detailed instructions on how to set up VPNs on common router firmware on its website. If your router isnt compatible or youre just not confident in your networking abilities, IPVanish sells pre-flashed DD-WRT routers that come with everything you need already in place.
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A Customizable Approach To Sharing A VPN
This method allows you to restrict your VPN to your Apple TV and any other streaming devices, rather than re-routing all of your network traffic. It’s more of a temporary solution, especially if your network equipment is in an awkward location .
It’s easy enough to set up though, and switching your VPN on or off, or changing the server you’re connected to is pretty straightforward. You can even install your VPN provider’s own software to make this part easy.
For MacBook users in particular this solution will require an investment in a Thunderbolt to Ethernet adapter, since Apple hasn’t included an Ethernet port on MacBooks for some time now.
Smart Dns Proxy On Apple TV 3rd Gen Or Older

Setting up a smart DNS proxy on older models of Apple TV is slightly different than newer models. First, you may need to change your location settings.
Once thats done, its time to set up the DNS servers.
Note that the smart DNS proxy service you use may require additional steps to register your devices IP address with the service. The exact setup process varies from service to service but is generally not that difficult just follow the instructions on your VPN providers website.
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Is It Legal To Use A VPN
Well, many of you have this question in mind. So VPN is legal for protecting online privacy and getting access to content unavailable to you. Be it Canada, the US, and the UK they have no obligation to use a VPN. Therefore, you can use VPN for Apple TV without any illegality issues, specifically NordVPN, that has some powerful features that make it outperform.
It all boils down to this.
Summary On Using VPN Unlimited On Apple TV
If you want to access your favorite TV shows, movies, and sporting events from anywhere, our VPN for Apple TV is a must for you. Get VPN Unlimited for Apple TV, connect to the needed VPN server, and use AirPlay Mirroring or use the Network Sharing. Thats it. Once configured properly, you are able to watch the desired content on your Apple TV.
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Apple TV VPN On A Physical Router
Some routers support VPN connections, and some dont. You can log into your router dashboard by opening a web browser and typing 192.168.1.1 or 192.168.0.1 and entering your user credentials. If youre not sure what your credentials are, consult your ISP, router manual, or Google the default username and password for your particular router model.
Once you make it to the dashboard, look around for a way to set up a VPN connection. If none exists, you can potentially replace the firmware with an open-source alternative that does support VPNs. Our two recommendations are DD-WRT and Tomato. Weve got setup instructions for DD-WRT here. But be warned: you must use the correct version of a firmware that is compatible with your specific router. If done improperly or with incompatible firmware, you could permanently damage the router.
If that sounds intimidating or your router isnt compatible with Tomato or DD-WRT, consider purchasing a pre-flashed router from your VPN service provider. Pre-flashed VPN routers come configured with all of your VPN providers servers right out of the box. From our list above NordVPN, ExpressVPN, and IPVanish all sell pre-configured routers, and NordVPN is probably the best.
The Best Method For Using A VPN On Apple TV
The use of a VPN means better security, and more reliable access to region locked content. The cost is speed, since your overall speed will be limited by the speed of the VPN connection. By comparison, DNS services are lightning fast but often fall short since content providers can now easily circumvent them.
For many users, the second method provides the most flexibility. You won’t lose internet speed across your whole network, and the VPN connection is likely to work a lot better for region-locked content than a DNS server would.
If security is your number one priority, the first method is also ideal. Not having to set up a VPN on every device makes it easy to secure everything in one quick step. Provided the server is relatively close to you, your internet speed hopefully won’t take too much of a hit.
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More Security For Apple TV
In addition to extra privacy, a VPN on your Apple TV also enhances online security. Your online data is much more secure when you use a VPN. As described above, a VPN encrypts your internet traffic. When others intercept your internet traffic, theyll only see a jumble of random numbers and letters. They wont be able to cause much harm with that.
The advantage of a VPN is that websites, hackers, governments, and copyright watchdogs cant see what youre doing on the internet. So, you can use your Apple TV securely with a VPN.
Set Up Apple TV VPN On A Virtual Router
While setting up a VPN on your virtual router is easier than the physical one, one requires a completely spare Windows/Mac device for this.
Using the existing hardware of your device, a virtual Wi-Fi router can be created for all the devices around. Once you connect your laptop to a virtual private network and broadcast the Wi-Fi signal, you can connect your Apple TV to the VPN-enabled internet connection.
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Best VPNs Working With Apple TV 2022
A VPN is the best way to get the most out of your Apple TV. With a high-quality service, you can bypass geoblocks and censorship to unlock streaming services from all over the world.
Connecting your Apple TV to a VPN isnt an easy task. It doesnt come with built-in VPN support, so you cant just download an app and get started. Thankfully, we know a few workarounds to fix this!
To get started, youll need a reliable VPN service with outstanding customer support and a clear Apple TV installation guide. The service you choose will also need high-speed servers, top-notch security, and the ability to .
The VPNs we recommend below work flawlessly with Apple TV.
Controld: Cheapest VPN For Apple TV

ControlD is fairly new in this house. Though its no longer a standard VPN, it exploits the DNS characteristic to its maximum.
What I like about ControlD is that you can set customized locations for other services. For instance, you can set the DNS to geo-spoof location as Canada for Netflix and UK for Prime Video.
It saves you the hassle of switching the server location each and every time, and it provides to arrange location by the use of the cellular web site. It helps almost all streaming services and products in the arena.
If youre in the marketplace taking a look for a SmartDNS carrier simplest and also you dont care about VPN over Wi-Fi, ControlD is among the top choices to be had.
You can take a look at the full carrier for loose for a month. During the sign-up, the service doesnt even require your bank card. So check out away!
Pros
- The community turns out slower because the carrier is in beta
Price: Free 1-month trial
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Nordvpn Speed Test Data
Website: www.Surfshark.com
Money-back guarantee: 30 DAYS
Surfshark offers both a VPN and a smart DNS service as part of its standard subscription. You can either configure the VPN on a router or change your Apple TVs default DNS servers to those of Surfshark. Although this doesnt provide the same level of security as the VPN, smart DNS will allow you to safely stream Netflix, BBC iPlayer, and Hulu from abroad.
To use the smart DNS service, you must verify your IP address on the Surfshark website while being connected to the same wifi network as your Apple TV.
Surfshark allows users to connect an unlimited number of devices at once, which makes it a great budget option to share among family or roommates. 24/7 live chat support is available.
VPNs And Dns Tunnels On Apple TV
There are two methods of using a VPN to access region-locked content, and a third less-reliable method that uses DNS tunneling. Neither is guaranteed to work with every service you try, so your mileage may vary. But if you’re already paying for a VPN, you’ve got nothing to lose by trying.
Here we’ll look at the following methods:
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Severance Season : Episode Guide & Air Dates
1 “Good News About Hell” 18th February 2022
2 “Half Loop” 18th February 2022
3 “In Perpetuity” 25th February 2022
4 “The You You Are” 4th March 2022
5 “The Grim Barbarity Of Optics and Design” 11th March 2022
6 “Hide and Seek” 18th March 2022
7 “Defiant Jazz” 25th March 2022
8 “What’s for Dinner?” 1st April 2022
9 “The We We Are” 8th April 2022
- Fancy an upgrade? Here are the best TVs
What Hi-Fi?, founded in 1976, is the world’s leading independent guide to buying and owning hi-fi and home entertainment products. Our comprehensive tests help you buy the very best for your money, with our advice sections giving you step-by-step information on how to get even more from your music and movies. Everything is tested by our dedicated team of in-house reviewers in our custom-built test rooms in London and Bath. Our coveted five-star rating and Awards are recognised all over the world as the ultimate seal of approval, so you can buy with absolute confidence.
Installing A Beta Watchos App Via Email Or Public Link Invitation
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Vyprvpn Speed Test Data
Website: www.PrivateVPN.com
Money-back guarantee: 30 DAYS
PrivateVPN is looking to make a name for itself in the crowded VPN market by offering a fast service that works well with US Netflix and a wide array of other streaming channels. The server selection is a bit more limited than others on this list, but it more than makes up for that in other ways. Connect up to six devices at the same time on a single account, and enjoy top-of-the-line encryption whenever you connect. PrivateVPN does not log any information about how customers use its service.
PrivateVPNs website posts tutorials on how to configure the service on a Tomato or DD-WRT router. The company recently switched over to using its own private DNS servers instead of public ones, which is a marked improvement, but they cant be used separately from the VPN service.
Connect Apple TV To A Laptop Running VPN & Acting As A Wi
This is very easy to do. All you need is:
A laptop with a LAN/Ethernet internet connection A hide.me VPN account A hide.me software for the Operating System running on your laptop.
Check out, our setup guides for different operating systems HERE!
Check out the video on how to convert your laptop into a Wi-Fi hotspot.
Once you have VPN running on your laptop and your laptop converted into a WiFi hotspot, all that is required is to connect your Apple TV to your WiFi hotspot and youre done!
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Set Up A VPN On A Router For Your Apple TV
Confusing? Its ok! For a more in-depth explanation on how to install a VPN your router:
What Is Smart Dns

Smart DNS is a way of spoofing your location when you either don’t want to, or simply can’t use a VPN connection. The most common reason to do so in this context is to unblock streaming services on Apple TVs.
Rather than how a VPN directs all of your traffic through a different server, Smart DNS only diverts your DNS information. While this does not protect your privacy because your traffic is not encrypted, it’s enough to fool streaming services.
Another bonus is the fact that it slows your connection far less than a VPN. While we’d say most of our picks here are fast VPN services, Smart DNS is even quicker.
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How To Use A Dns Proxy Or Smart Dns To Change Apple TV Region With A VPN
A DNS proxy or smart DNS is another way in which you change the region of your Apple TV. DNS stands for Domain Name System and translates domain names into IP addresses. Opening a website in your browser sends a DNS request to a DNS server, which finds the appropriate IP address. DNS requests are typically sent to the servers of your internet service provider the country where youre located.
Many streaming sites check the origin of DNS requests in order to verify a users location. By having your Apple TV send DNS requests to a server in a different country, you can get past these geo-restrictions and unblock Apple TV content from other locations.
Unlike VPNs, Apple TV comes with built-in support for custom DNS servers.
Heres how to change DNS servers on Apple TV :
If your Apple TV is 3rd generation or older, youll find that the process is a bit different. You may need to change your location. Heres what you need to do: