How to setup VPN on Android TV Boxes
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If you just picked a shiny new Android TV Box, your next step should be to set up the VPN. VPNs, or Virtual Private Networks, are software solutions that help you secure your identity while streaming your favorite content through Kodi. Whether you’re using an Amazon Fire Stick, Fire TV, Matricom G-Box Q2, or Nvidia Shield, the good news is that you can set up a VPN on Android TV boxes (with very few exceptions) quickly and easily. In most cases, the process is as simple as downloading the Google Play Store app.
Our guide will help guide you through the process so that you can easily get a VPN on your Android TV Box within minutes.
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reminder:
The new Kodi TV Box will give you access to some of the most popular third-party streaming add-ons. However, some Kodi users who stream through these add-ons have received notifications of copyright infringement from their ISPs. It doesn’t happen to everyone, but it’s impossible to predict when or when it might happen. For this reason, most users choose Kodi VPN. Through testing different VPN services, our top recommendations are IPVanish.
IPVanish offers users several layers of protection that help ensure that they remain anonymous while streaming. The service offers a no-logs policy that won’t log your information, shares IP addresses so that multiple users have the same IP address, and several technologies are in place to help avoid data leaks. Additionally, IPVanish has servers all over the world, allowing you to access geo-locked content.
How to setup VPN on Android TV Boxes
When you really start looking for VPN options for Android TV Box, you will find that there are quite a number of options available. However, not all VPN services you see on the Google Play Store have apps that are easy to use. Furthermore, many VPN services have somewhat shortened apps that don’t give you all the same basic features that you get with the basic Windows or Mac version.
We at AddonHQ tend to prefer and use IPVanish. This recommendation comes from our experience using Kodi as well as testing different VPNs for speed, reliability, and features. As such, our instructions on installing a VPN on an Android TV box will use IPVanish as a template. You are can Use other services, but we recommend avoiding them Free VPN networks. We’ll explain more about that in detail below.
Other potential VPN services include ExpressVPN, VyprVPN, and NordVPN. However, the IPVanish addon is among the closest that you will get the same experience on Android TV as with the desktop app. IPVanish offers a 7-day money-back guarantee, giving you plenty of time to fiddle with the service to see if it’s right for your Android TV.
Step 1: Locate the VPN on Google Play
To get started, you’ll need to load up your Android TV box and head over to the Google Play Store.
- Once in the Google Play Store, type “IPVanish” or “IPV”. The name IPVanish VPN should appear as one of the most popular search terms.
- Click on the search term “IPVanish VPN” that pops up. This will bring up some options, one of them is the IPVanish VPN app. Click on it to go directly to the main page of the application.
Step 2: Create your IPVanish account
Next, you’ll want to create your IPVanish account once you certify that IPVanish works on your device. As mentioned earlier, some Android TV boxes do not work with IPVanish or any other VPN for that matter. If you type in the Google Play Store or App Store for your device and can’t find IPVanish, you probably have one of those devices. (We talk more about that later.)
IPVanish will email you the required account information so that you can log into your account directly. We suggest changing your password once your account has been successfully created. However, it is best to avoid using a password that you use for other services or accounts. Instead, try using a random password generator (like this one) that will generate a strong password for you, and copy the password and username somewhere safe.
Once your account is created, go back to the IPVanish app, which will now take you to the login screen right away. Enter in your account information.
Step 3: Choose a VPN Server
Once you gain access to your account through the IPVanish app, you will likely notice that the interface looks different than on a regular Android mobile device, Windows PC, or Mac. (We also suggest downloading and installing the IPVanish app on other devices to get a good idea of what we mean.) However, you will be able to adjust your settings and choose your locations. All the same features are there, laid out a little differently with a simpler user interface.
Few Notes on Kodi for Android TV Boxes
One of the advantages of using Kodi on your Android TV Box is the fact that Android is one of the most secure platforms. Hacking attacks on Android operating systems are rather uncommon, Android sandboxes every app. This means that your Kodi app will sit in its own sandbox and not interact with any other apps or their files. Even Man in the Middle attacks, which is a known security concern for Kodi users, is more difficult on Android because of this sandbox.
However, we mentioned that you should avoid using free VPNs with your Android TV Box because these apps are proven to carry viruses. A 2016 report found that a large number of free VPNs not only carried malware and adware, but were also tracking user activity in order to sell that information to third parties. It is important to remember that free VPNs are not free. Manufacturers need to make money in some way, and they often do it surreptitiously by collecting and selling user data without consent. Paid VPN services usually have higher standards and are not involved in this practice.
Why should you install a VPN?
The main reason why you would want to install a VPN for Kodi on Android TV is to help avoid snooping from ISPs and bypass geo-blocking. IPVanish provides ready access to that, which is a huge benefit of a VPN. Even the security professionals at Kaspersky Labs recommend a VPN to just about everyone.
You’ll also want to avoid a free VPN pull. Free VPNs are known to have significant bandwidth limitations and security flaws, as well as a lack of privacy features such as no-logs policies. Your best bet will always be a reputable VPN service, in order to avoid frustratingly slow free VPNs and the chance of your data being leaked or even sold by the free VPN provider.
Android TV boxes with VPN installation problems
We previously mentioned that there are quite a few Android TV boxes that don’t work well with VPNs. In particular, Roku and Chromecast are two devices where you will find that the normal process does not work. You will not be able to install the VPN on those devices, instead it requires you to install the VPN directly on your home router. This process can be somewhat complicated, but you can also buy a router with the VPN software already installed.
For Amazon Fire TV or Fire TV Stick, you can still download and play IPVanish. However, you will have to use a slightly different process. For Amazon devices, you will have to sideload the IPVanish app (and Kodi) for it to work.
Below, you can access guides on how to install VPNs on Amazon Fire TV Stick or TV Box, Google Chromecast and Roku Streaming Stick:
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