How to Install VPN on Android TV Box / Kodi Box to Protect Your Privacy
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If you are looking to set up a home media center, two main options are Android TV and Kodi. However, while the software is relatively easy to set up, it does not automatically keep your viewing habits private. Today we are going to show you how to install a Virtual Private Network (VPN) on your Android TV or Kodi box so you can stream your favorite shows safely.
Due to the negative press interest in Kodi, and indeed most non-traditional streaming devices have received it lately, many people assume that the software is illegal to use. The truth is that although Kodi and Android TV boxes are completely legal, some third-party plugins provide unrestricted access to the licensed content. We encourage our readers to study their country’s laws regarding streaming before attempting to use Kodi or Android TV Box.
Comparitech does not condone or encourage any violation of copyright restrictions, including illegal streaming via Kodi. Kodi can be used for many excellent and legal online streaming purposes. Please consider the law, victims, and risks of piracy before downloading or streaming copyrighted material without permission.
Which VPN Should You Use?
Not all VPNs are created equal. Some use stronger encryption than others, some keep no logs of your Internet traffic history, and some boast high network speeds.
We do not recommend using a free VPN. Some have been known to use shady ways to make money, from selling your data to third parties or worse, selling your bandwidth and possibly implicating you in cyberattacks. In the past, many popular free VPNs on the Google Play Store were found to contain malware, so we recommend that you do a thorough search for a VPN before installing it.
There are quite a few Kodi addons that allow you to install a VPN directly. However, these come with many of their own problems. Firstly, they only protect you inside Kodi and will not anonymize your traffic from any other apps. Second, it requires you to install additional software that may not be readily available on Android. Finally, you’ll be at the developer’s mercy: an add-on can contain malware or simply be abandoned, both of which make you vulnerable.
We recommend IPVanish. It’s an inexpensive VPN that works with every Kodi addon we tested, plus it comes with its own Android app. It also has an app dedicated to Amazon Firestick and Fire TV devices, so it’s one of the easiest apps to install on Android devices.
Unlike most VPN services, IPVanish fully owns their servers. This allows it to provide consistently high speeds that you will need to enjoy streaming on Kodi or Android TV. IPVanish also greatly values the privacy of its customers and does not keep logs of your browsing history.
Fast and Secure Streaming: IPVanish is a fast and secure VPN with over 1,600 servers in over 60 countries. It keeps no logs, has a good unblocking ability, and allows any number of simultaneous connections. There is also a 30-day money-back guarantee so you can try it out risk-free.
How to install VPN on Android TV or Kodi box
There is currently no simple and effective way to install a VPN directly from within Kodi. However, it is very easy to keep your device protected. We have covered some of the best VPNs for Kodi in 2021 and we are pretty sure that one of them will satisfy your needs.
Not sure where to start with Kodi? Check out our guides to install Kodi on USB flash drive, iPhone, Roku, Apple TV, Nvidia Shield and Amazon Firestick.
Once you sign up for a VPN service, installing it is simple. Start by going to the App Store on your Android TV or Kodi box. Most of the major providers are located in the Google Play and Amazon stores. If it’s not your app, you may have to use an app like Downloader to download the .APK file from your provider’s website. Find your VPN, make sure any results are correct, then install it.
Next, you will be asked for the email address and password for your VPN user account. Enter these, and you will be taken to a page where you can choose the server you want to use.
From here you can select the country or city in which you want to connect to a server. You can also connect to a specific server, or whichever is better at the moment. Once you locate, click on the button that says Connection. That’s it – all your internet traffic on this device is now encrypted and cannot be read by third parties.
You don’t have to sacrifice your privacy just because you have chosen to use a preconfigured Kodi or Android TV Box. Now that you know how, you can connect your device to a VPN and browse media safely without the threat of ISP snooping and throttling. Most importantly, you can stream without worrying about people trying to use your data for personal gain.
What is a VPN?
Basically, a VPN passes all of your network traffic through an encrypted tunnel to a server somewhere else in the world. Once connected, there is no way for anyone but you and your VPN provider to know what websites you visit, files you download, or the contents of your messages. Since Internet Service Providers (ISPs) do not encrypt their customers’ traffic, your traffic is more secure when using a VPN.
Your IP address can reveal an astonishing amount of personal information such as which city you live in and who your ISP is. However, VPNs keep you safe by assigning you another temporary IP address. Once connected, snoopers can only see the IP address of the server you’re using, which tells them quite a bit about you.
Why use a VPN?
To increase your security on the Internet
There is a technique used by hackers called the Man in the Middle (MitM) attack. This allows them to intercept all incoming and outgoing traffic from your device. This includes information such as your search history and login credentials. It is possible that they could install malware on your device that could infect other computers on your home network.
A good VPN prevents this type of attack from happening in the first place. Even if your Kodi box is hacked, the attacker will not be able to read the encrypted traffic reports. Even with a very powerful system, it would take several thousand years to crack this type of encryption.
To avoid ISP throttling
However, hackers are not the only people who are concerned with your internet traffic. Some of the world’s largest ISPs have been caught limiting internet speeds for their fee-paying customers in an effort to discourage them from streaming video online. This is a big part of what fuels the net neutrality debate – there is no reason why ISPs should be able to decide how you spend your time.
Your ISP will know that you are connected to the VPN. However, they can’t tell what you’re doing on a particular site, which makes it hard to justify reducing your speeds. Since your speeds are unlimited, the video is less likely to stutter or be buffered for long periods of time. In this regard, a VPN can actually improve your Kodi watching experience.
To bypass web filtering
Many countries restrict access to specific websites. This can be done to restrict access to certain types of harmful material, but in countries like Egypt, it is also used to prevent citizens from reading news that portrays the government in a bad light. As a VPN allows its users to connect to servers in a different country, it can be used to bypass all government website bans in the user’s location.
VPNs can also be used to access geo-restricted content without actually being in the desired location. To access only UK content, you just have to connect to one of your VPN servers in the UK.
Are VPNs legal?
In most countries, VPNs are perfectly legal. After all, it’s just a privacy tool. However, in some parts of the world, its use is severely restricted, monitored, or banned altogether. Fortunately, we have a definitive guide for each country on legal VPNs that should answer any questions you might have.
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