Do you know how to use a VPN? Using a VPN can help you unlock geo-restricted content and hide online data. It has a lot of benefits.
Using a VPN is simple. If you use a VPN on your phone, just go to the App Store or Google Play Store to download it or find the installer on the VPN provider’s website.
Keep reading this post. We’ll walk you through all the information about using a VPN.
How Does a VPN Work?
To better understand VPN usage, you can learn about the brief working principle of a VPN. Here’s how.
Usually, your IP address is geo-location, and when you are surfing online, your IP address will be sent to the website or app’s server so they will know where you are.
In this case, using a VPN can create another private tunnel to let your traffic pass through. Your request will be submitted to the website by this VPN, and it will convey the results of the request back to you.
What’s more, your traffic will not be shown to the ISP so they cannot collect your information and push personalized ads to you.
Tip: This is just a brief introduction to the VPN working principle, you can check this passage to learn more about it: What Does a VPN Do? Understanding the Functionality and Benefits
Benefits of Using a VPN
Here are the benefits a VPN can bring to you.
Hiding Your Online Data: A VPN can protect your online data and privacy from leaking to your ISP, website servers, and other strangers. In this case, you will no longer receive customized ads, and content or encounter DDoS attacks. Also, it’s safe to connect to a public Wi-Fi network or a hotel hotspot while using a VPN.
Accessing Geo-Restricted Content: Using a VPN can help you stream platforms, websites, and content that are not available in your region. Even though you live in a country that restricts foreign websites, you can still use a VPN to bypass those restrictions. You can use a VPN to stream Netflix, Hulu, TikTok, and Telegram in Russia.
Travel: Using a VPN for travel can help you change the geo-location and check the flight ticket prices in different regions. You can also use a VPN to return to your country’s internet while traveling abroad, without CAPTCHAs verifying.
Avoiding Bandwidth Throttling: A VPN encrypts your traffic so your ISP will not know how much traffic you use and doesn’t throttle it.
How to Use a VPN: Step-by-Step Guide
Here is how to use a VPN to change location and stream on phones, computers, consoles, tablets, and Laptops.
Use a VPN on iOS, iPadOS, & tvOS
Here are the simple steps to use a VPN on iOS, iPadOS, and tvOS.
Step 1. Go to the App Store.
Step 2. Search for the VPN service you choose.
Step 3. Get the VPN by tapping “get” next to the app icon.
Step 4. Go to the VPN and sign up for an account.
Step 5. Select a subscription plan and pay the bill.
Step 6. Select a server and start to use the VPN.
Note: If your Android TV and Apple TV don’t support the native VPN app, you can manually setting it up to use a VPN for smart TV.
Use a VPN on Android Devices
You can directly download and install a VPN from the Google Play Store on any Android device such as a phone, tablet, or TV box.
Step 1. Go to the Play Store on your Android device.
Step 2. Search for the right VPN service.
Step 3. Download and install it on your Android device.
Step 4. Go to the VPN app and sign up for an account.
Step 5. Choose a VPN subscription on your need and pay the bill.
Step 6. Select the right server and start using this VPN.
Use a VPN on Windows
To get the VPN on your Windows PC, you can directly search for the VPN provider’s name in the Microsoft Store or on the browser.
Step 1. Go to the VPN provider’s website on your PC, search for the VPN’s name, and download the VPN installer. You can also check the Microsoft Store to see if the VPN can be installed.
Step 2. To find the installer, you can click the three dots on the upper right of the Chrome browser and select Downloads. Then, click the Windows installer and an installation window will pop up. Follow the on-screen instructions to install the VPN. You can also find the installer from Downloads on the PC.
Step 3. Open the VPN, sign up for an account, and get a subscription plan. Then, choose a server and tap “Connect” to start using the VPN.
Use a VPN on MacOS
Step 1. Go to the VPN provider’s website and download the MacOS installer. The file form should be a package, or pkg, file. Also, you can check if the VPN software can be directly installed from the Apple App Store.
Step 2. Go to the directory to find the pkg file. You can also find the downloaded installer on the web browser. For example, you can click the three dots on the upper right of the Chrome browser and select Downloads. Then, click the macOS installer and the installation window will pop up. Follow the on-screen instructions to install the VPN.
Step 3. Launch the VPN, sign up for an account, pay for a wanted subscription plan, pick a server, and start using the VPN.
Use a VPN on the Router
You can check a related post to learn how to use a VPN on the router: 4 Best VPN Routers & How to Set Up (Ultra-Fast, Reliable).
Use a VPN on PS5
To use a VPN on the PS5, you can connect your PS console to a Wi-Fi network from a VPN-equipped router. Also, you can check our article about more information.
Can I Use a VPN for Free?
Yes. There are many free VPNs online. You can directly get them from the web browser. However, we do not recommend using a free VPN. Here’s why.
- A free VPN will not provide you with strong encryption protocols. Instead, it may collect your user information, such as IP address, phone number, and browsing history, and sell this information to strangers. You might find that you receive frequent calls from unknown numbers after using a free VPN.
- A free VPN is typically so slow. We have tested the free VPNs. They cannot help us open a regular website, let alone watch videos.
- There are very few choices of server nodes in a free VPN. You cannot freely switch to the region that contains the dramas or movies you want to watch.
What Is a Good VPN to Use?
A good VPN requires these things:
Rock-solid security: A good VPN must have strong encryption ability. It should have the most powerful encryption protocols like WireGuard and Shadowsocks.
Fast connection speed: To stream and play online games smoothly, use a VPN that has super-fast connection speed. Also, it should not send your traffic usage to the ISP so that your bandwidth will be limited.
Concise page and easy to use: A good VPN should have a simple interface that allows you to connect with one click. It should also enable you to easily switch between server locations.
Multiple server nodes: A good VPN should offer a lot of servers so you can freely change the IP address to them.
Free trial and discount: To be considered a good VPN, price is also an essential factor. A good VPN like LightningX VPN, offers a 7-day free trial and a 30-day money-back guarantee. Also, all subscription plans of LightningX VPN come with more than one month of free service.
In summary, LightningX VPN is the most suitable VPN for you. It features strong encryption, lightning-fast connection speeds, and over two thousand server locations. Meanwhile, the price is very reasonable.
Tips for Using a VPN
Changing to the nearest server nodes: To use a VPN with the fastest speed, you can change your IP address to the nearest server nodes because the internet traffic can pass through the shortest encryption tunnel.
Saving the VPN account information: In case the VPN password and account are lost, you can save them in the memo.
Maintaining the same node: When accessing a website or app, try to keep the same server node. If you change the nodes frequently, the website or app might consider you a robot and then block you.
How to Use a VPN – FAQs
Q: How do you actually use a VPN?
Using a VPN is quite simple. Just download the VPN online, open the VPN, sign up for an account, and select a subscription plan. Then, choose the desired server to use. A nearby server is the fastest. If you want to access a website from a specific country, please select the corresponding node.
Q: How do I set up a VPN?
To set up a VPN on your PC or phone, directly download the VPN from the app store, or go to the VPN provider’s website to find the download. You can also set up a VPN on the router, PS5, and smart TV. The steps are mentioned in this post.
Q: Can I use a VPN for free?
Yes. There are free VPNs available online. However, free VPNs cannot protect your data and privacy. They are also very slow to use.
