Best VPN For Android TV to stream unlimited without Geo-restriction
Overview
Android TV created a revolution in the era of Televisions. I would say it's a transformation from CRT TV -> LCD TV -> LED TV -> Smart TV.
In general, Android is an Operating System from Google built for Smartphones. Almost all the top smartphones you find in the market runs on Android only. Now the android has extended it's support for Smart TVs too. So an Android TV is actually a smart TV that runs on Android OS.
Now let’s understand what is the need of VPN for Android TV?!
VPN is the.Virtual Private Network that tunnels your internet connection through a server with encryption. VPN is basically used by the people to surf anything on the internet without any restrictions and can stay secure from any intervention by hackers.
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There are some websites or applications that are restricted to some region or can run in a particular region. In order to use those applications or stream that content which is restricted, you can use a VPN.
In simple words, it hides the online identity of a device, which means the IP address is untraceable. When no one can track your IP address, you can access anything on the internet and no censorship can stop you.
It is like being invisible on the internet, kind of a superpower, right?
Why Do You Need a VPN for Android TV?
There are instances when the Android TV box might work but the user will not be able to view everything on the streaming platforms. The reason behind this is, most of the content on such applications is Geo-locked, i.e., it can run only in a specific region.
To solve all these problems the VPN can be the best solution. Yes, using a VPN for Android TV will help remove this block and will let the users stream whatever they wish for.
And As I said before this is done by hiding your IP address hence it makes all the boundaries fade away.
Say, if you are from USA and you are connected to UK VPN, then you will be able to watch the UK series and TV shows.
Benefits Of Using Best VPN For Android TV
Ever wanted to watch something that is not streaming in your country like some political documentary or a historic epic drama. There are some Geo-locks that prevent users from watching or surfing some content because of that.
This Geo-lock can be removed and hence, the users will be able to watch everything that has been uploaded on the internet in any country on the streaming websites. The other benefits of using VPN with Android TV are:
Privacy
VPN provides the much-needed privacy from the eyes of advertisers and hackers who roam around the internet. The authorized agencies try to collect the data of what users do when they are online.
A user can avoid all this by using a VPN on their Android TV. People already have given so much data to these agencies through their browser cookies. So enhance your privacy with VPN.
Makes Users Device Anonymous
This is a subset of privacy. This means that no one will ever know anything about the device from which you are streaming. There are no details about the machine or the owner. This keeps you away from all the unknown sources.
It is not important to reveal who you are or what device you are using to log in to a streaming platform. This is an era in which you need to protect your data by yourselves.
Security
The main reason why most people use VPN is security. There are times when you have to connect to the public Wi-Fi or maybe others Wi-Fi. Open and public Wi-Fi’s are the favorite places of hackers and digital data thieves.
Your private information like bank details, important passwords saved in your device can be at risk without a VPN. The VPN can save the device and network from the eyes of these hackers and data thieves.
Geo-Filtering
The media companies have restricted some shows and movies to a particular region. This means that if you are not staying in that region, you can not watch it.
This happens to the people who don’t have a VPN because the VPN gives superpowers. This superpower allows the users to watch anything even if it is Geo-filtered.
5 Best VPN For Android TV
As VPNs are very important for the Android TV, it becomes very important to choose the best VPN for Android TV.
Choosing a wrong VPN can put your personal information and private data at stake. So it is very essential to wisely choose your VPN.
1. ExpressVPN
This is one of the best and most used VPN that is available on the market. This is not available on the play store and so it has to be downloaded from its website.
This VPN application provides a seamless experience for streaming and also provides an extra security layer. This application has servers in more than 90 countries. Having servers in so many countries helps their users to get at least one working server at any point in time.
This is the most used and best VPN for Android TV and it mainly opts for its strong encryption which enhances your security. Customer Support is great and always available.
It has high-speed servers that allow the users to watch shows and movies in high definition. The only demerit is that it is not as cheap as other VPN applications.
2. NordVPN
This is also one of the most used and best VPN apps and it is also multipurpose. This application has some features that are directly related to Android TV, that means this is a special product.
This best VPN for Android TV offers security like no other. They have ironclad security that is better than most other VPN servers. People who are looking for high-level security for their data and privacy need to check this one.
This application has smart play features that help it to pass through all the Geo-filters and access all the content available on the web.
It has No Log policy that means that they will not collect any information about what the users are surfing or watching. Double Encryption (Double VPN) feature again increases data protection and privacy services.
NordVPN has servers in more than 50 counties that ensure the availability of servers at all times. Customer support is available all the time and solves problems most of the time.
3. Surfshark
This VPN is one of the best options for Android TV users. They offer high-speed servers that allow the users to watch their favourite shows and movies in the highest quality.
This VPN application can also unblock most of the streaming applications like Netflix, Amazon Prime and BBC iPlayer. Unblocking will remove all the geo-filters and will give access to all the shows and movies uploaded irrespective of the region.
This might be new in the market but the performance and support services have already got them in the most and best VPNs list for Android TV. It has a simple and attractive user interface.
The no-log policy is strictly followed for improved privacy. It offers better encryption and removes Geo-Filter on most streaming apps. So you can opt for this best VPN for Android TV for the amazing features it offers.
4. PureVPN
This VPN application is also popular among Android TV users. They have more than 750 server locations that are spread over 141 countries. This is a big network so it ensures that no users will ever have to sit without a VPN server.
Also, all the networks are owned by PureVPN so there is no interference from any third-party company. There are many features that make it a good choice for Android TVs.
They also provide the fastest possible performance so that the users don’t have to compromise with the video quality.
No Log policy keeps the privacy of the users safe and it can bypass the ISP throttling and supports the unlimited transfer of data. It provides great speed that allows the users to surf anything and watch shows and movies in HD.
So this VPN for Android TV has the best features for the users. But the only demerit is that there is no option of free trial and the refund policies are also very strict.
5. IPVanish
People have trust issues these days, and having trust issues with VPN applications is not a bad thing. IPVanish is still the one that can be trusted because of its track record.
The application is there in the market for some time and has provided great services to its users. They use No Log policy that ensures that they are not going to record any activity of their users.
This VPN is also faster than other VPN applications. It has more than 1000 Servers in over 60 countries so it gives unlimited bandwidth which allows unlimited data usage.
It can support 10 devices while using one account simultaneously. If you are not happy with this service, then you can simply return it as they offer 7 days money-back guarantee.
Setup Guides For Android TV VPN
Following are the ways to set up a VPN with Android TV. It is not hard, just read the points carefully. You already know about the top 5 VPN to use with Android TV, now choose any one of them and start setting it up.
There are two methods of installing a VPN on the Android TV.
1)Setting Up a VPN on the Android TV directly.
2)Manual Setup of VPN on the Android TV.
Method 1: Setting Up a VPN on the Android TV directly
It is important that the users have valid and proper credentials that will provide access to a server before setting up the VPN on their Android Television
- 1Open the application of the VPN provider that you choose.
- 2Choose the option to log in to a server.
- 3The next screen will contain the boxes that will ask for email and password for authentication.
- 4Enter the correct email and password to get access.
- 5Click on next or the button that completes the login process.
- 6After getting logged in, there will be a dialogue box that will ask the user Whether you want to share the analytics report about their VPN connections before you decide to connect to a VPN server location. It is optional, select “OK” only when you are sure.
- 7There are three options that are available in most of the VPNs. Users have to choose one of them and then they will see a list of servers according to locations.
Three categories are “Recommended”, “Favorites” and “All”.
Recommended has a list of the servers that are most used in that particular location, mostly top three.
Favorites is a list that is based on the user’s choices.
All contains all the available server locations. The server locations are sorted according to regions. - 8Choose any one server location and double click on it to connect to it.
It’s all about trust in the end and that is why always check the box that asks if you trust the application. Check the box to show the trust and then click on OK to complete this setup.
Done.Enjoy unlimited access to content from all over the world without worries of getting tracked. Above mentioned steps will help the user to use a VPN with their Android TVs.
Method 2: Manual Setup of VPN on the Android TV.
There are some Android TV Boxes that do not allow downloading VPN applications from play store. This might sound odd but it is true. So, in those moments it is impossible to follow the steps that are mentioned above.
When the other method is not possible the users need to do the setup manually.
The other method is not as easy as loading an application on the phone though. Below are the steps to ‘sideload’ a VPN with an APK file.
I will take the ExpressVPN as an example and the same steps are applicable to most of the VPNs listed in this article,
This process will need a computer, so turn on your computer device and connect a drive with it.
- 1Open the browser and open the website for ExpressVPN and sign in. After you get access to the account, click on set up more device > Android > Download APK.
- 2Copy or move the saved APK to the flash drive.
- 3Remove the flash drive from the computer.
- 4Turn the TV and The Box On.
- 5Go into the applications setting and allow the installation of apps from an unknown source.
- 6Go to the play store and download a file explorer, for example, download ES File Explorer.
- 7Connect the flash drive to the Android TV.
- 8Open the flash drive with the help of the file explorer.
- 9Find the APK of the VPN application and install it on Android TV.
- 10Once it is installed, open the application and use it to access the VPN to protect your Android TV.
- 11If you are unable to sign in or connect to a server location, follow the steps that are given in the previous sub-topic.
These were the steps that will help the users install the VPN application if the Android TV Box or Android TV does not support downloading VPN applications from play store.
Android TV VPN FAQ's
1. What Can I Do with An Android TV Box?
There are so many things that can be done with an Android TV Box. That is not a box but a modern marvel that converts a normal television into a smart television.
You can use this Android TV to
- Use Streaming Applications like Netflix, Amazon Prime, Hulu and more to watch movies and shows.
- Play the world’s most popular android games on the television screen.
- Use Social Media application’s like Facebook, Twitter and Instagram and do video calls directly from the TV Screen.
- Browse any website using Chrome on TV.
2. Can I use a free VPN with an Android TV box?
Yes, you can use a free VPN with an Android TV Box but it is not recommended. Free VPNs will provide you access to some blocked websites or might remove Geo-filtering from the streaming apps but they are not safe.
There is a risk of giving out your data or being caught up in a wrong server. It is better to choose a VPN service that provides you with all the secure servers in the world.
3. Can You Watch Live TV on an Android box?
It is possible but there are some modifications that need to be done. There are some Android TV boxes that might support live TV connection too but if now, the users have to buy a TV tuner and connect it with the Android TV box to allow switching between them. The users can also install live TV applications on the Android TV Box.
4. How Do I Connect a Phone to an Android Box?
It is possible to connect a phone with the Android TV Box and that too without any cables. There is a technology called DLNA, it can be used to connect the phone with Android TV and stream photos and videos from your phone.
5. Do You Need Internet For An Android TV Box?
It is not compulsory, though it is needed when the users want to install something new or stream something online. Still, there is a lot of content and applications that are available to be used offline. The Internet will surely make the experience better but Android TVs can be used without it.
Conclusion
There are a lot of factors that a person has to keep in mind before deciding which VPN they want to use with their Android TV box. I hope that this article would have made all your doubts vanish away, and would have made you choose the best VPN.
Surfing the internet, watching the shows that Geo-filters block, or protecting your right to privacy is not wrong. This is something that everyone should do. There are many problems that might come up while using Android TV if you don’t use a VPN with it.
It is better to choose any one of the 5 best VPN For Android TV that listed in this article and enjoy seamless services and streaming of your favorite shows and movies.
We are a group of Technical experts who are very much concerned about Online Privacy. Every review that we write is the result of multiple testing on various devices. We verify the locations and the server that provides the IP and check whether it is safe to work with or not.
