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These Devices Make It Easy to Stream TV With a VPN

Using a virtual private network to stream videos on your standard or smart TV sounds complicated and burdened by technical know-how. Never fear — there are a few devices that make using a VPN on your TV as easy as using your favorite phone app.

There are a few reasons why you might want to use a VPN to stream shows and movies on your TV. It will help keep your viewing habits private, and it will give you access to more streaming content from different parts of the world.

If either of those reasons sound enticing to you, then we have three devices that easily let you stream your favorite shows while using a VPN. And if you aren’t sure which VPN is right for you, check out our picks for the best VPNs.

Amazon/CNET

Amazon Fire TV Sticks can be as cheap as $30, are easy to set up on your TV, and are one of the simplest ways to stream TV with a third-party VPN app.

Once you’ve plugged your Fire Stick into your TV and followed the on-screen setup, you can download apps for some of CNET’s best VPNs for Fire Sticks, like Surfshark, NordVPN and ExpressVPN. If you don’t subscribe to any of those VPN services, no worries. Each offers a 30-day money-back guarantee, so you can try each one risk-free until you find the right one for you.

Here’s how to download a VPN app onto your Fire Stick.

1. Open your Fire Stick on your TV.
2. Open the app.
3. Open Search.
4. Type in the name of the VPN you want to download.
5. Click Get.

After you’ve downloaded a VPN app onto your Fire Stick, go back to your home screen to open the app and log into your account. Then, you can connect to a VPN server in the country or region where you want to unlock specific content, or you can connect to a local VPN server for better private streaming speeds. After connecting to a VPN server, you’re all set to securely watch shows and movies in privacy.

You’re receiving price alerts for Amazon Fire TV Sticks

Amazon

Amazon Fire TVs come built-in with all the same capabilities of a Fire Stick, meaning you get all the same features without having to use a precious HDMI slot. Even the Fire TV’s interface is the same as the Fire Stick. To use a VPN through a Fire TV, follow the same steps as above to download a third-party VPN app, log into your account, connect to the VPN server you want to use and start streaming TV.

However, Fire TVs can cost between $370 and $1,100. So buying a Fire TV to stream shows and movies through a VPN is like buying a new car because you want a new paint job. If your TV works and it can use a Fire Stick, save yourself the money and buy a Fire Stick. But if you’re in the market for a new TV, and you want to use a VPN to stream content, consider a Fire TV to upgrade your streaming experience.

You’re receiving price alerts for Amazon Fire TVs

ExpressVPN

ExpressVPN’s Aircove router costs less than $200, and it allows you to run all your internet traffic through a VPN, not just your TV. The router has built-in VPN protection, a range of 1,600 square feet, and it allows unlimited simultaneous connections. These unlimited connections can be organized in up to five different groups, too, so if you live with four other people, each person in your house can be connected to a different server location at the same time.

However, you need an ExpressVPN account to use the router’s VPN capabilities. That means you’ll have to switch to ExpressVPN if you have an account with another VPN service. You’ll also need to use your laptop or smartphone in order to set up your router. That makes setup on the Aircove slightly more complicated than Fire Stick and Fire TV, which you can simply plug in and follow the on-screen instructions.

But once you’ve finished the Aircove’s initial setup, you’ve thrown a blanket of protection over all the internet traffic that runs through the router, which makes it a good option for people looking to run other devices at home through a VPN.

Coming Soon: Apple TV

Apple also announced in the follow-up to its WWDC keynote that TVOS 17 will support third-party VPN apps, like Surfshark, NordVPN and ExpressVPN, when it comes out this fall. That means you’ll be able to download VPN apps onto your Apple TV, and you should be able to use them in the same way you’d use them on your Fire Stick.

For more on VPNs, check out CNET’s best overall VPN services of 2023, the best VPN for your smart TV and how to set up a VPN on your smart TV.

Watch this: Top 5 Reasons to Use a VPN

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