I don’t know about you, but I do pretty much everything online these days – from streaming shows to shopping to planning vacations. The internet makes life so much easier!
But here’s the thing: our online activity isn’t always as private as we might think. There are tons of ways that companies, hackers, and even government agencies can spy on what we’re doing. Not cool!
That’s where a VPN (virtual private network) comes in handy. A VPN encrypts your internet connection to keep your online activity private. It basically creates a secure tunnel between your device and the internet so that nothing can sneak a peek at your data. Pretty nifty if you ask me!
And the best part is that you can set up a VPN on your Roku device with just a few easy steps. Then you can stream to your heart’s content without worrying about who might be watching over your shoulder. High five for privacy!
Let me walk you through how to get your Roku connected to a VPN. I’ll be using ExpressVPN in my examples since it’s one of the most popular and reliable options out there. But you can pick whichever VPN service you like. The setup process will be fairly similar.
Step 1: Configure Your VPN Router
You’ll first need to connect your router to your VPN service. This “VPN router” acts as the tunnel between your Roku and the internet.
There are a couple ways you can make your router VPN-ready:
- Manual configuration: ExpressVPN has guides to help you manually set up all sorts of router models. Just find yours on their website.
- VPN router app: If you have a Linksys, Asus, or Netgear router, you can just download the ExpressVPN app right in your router settings to connect it. Super simple!
Once your router is connected to the VPN, all the devices in your home that use that router will also be covered by the VPN. Pretty cool right?
Step 2: Connect Roku to Your VPN Router
Now you just need to make sure your Roku is set up to use your VPN router:
- Turn on your Roku and connect it to the VPN router (not your regular router!) This might require entering a new WiFi network name and password if you set that up.
- Create or sign into your Roku account.
- Follow the setup prompts on your TV screen to finish. Make sure the location for your Roku account matches the server location you’re connected to with your VPN. For example, if you’re routing through a U.S. VPN server, set your Roku location to the United States.
And that’s it, friends! Your Roku traffic is now encrypted and secured with your VPN. You can stream to your heart’s content without worrying about spies. Woo hoo!
If you need any help getting your VPN up and running, don’t hesitate to reach out. Privacy is awesome and everyone deserves easy access to it. Now get out there and stream away!