How to Install a VPN on Samsung Smart TV (Easy 2024 Guide)

After streaming content on your phone, or even on your laptop, I’m sure that you agree that it is much more gratifying to watch your favorite shows and movies on a big, clear Smart TV.

Unfortunately, once you set up your Smart TV, you will soon realize that many of the streaming services and apps you’ll want to access are geo-restricted. So, if you are in Canada (or anywhere outside the US) trying to use the Hulu app on your new Samsung Smart TV, you will quickly find out that this service is blocked.

Luckily, it is very simple to access geo-restricted app content nowadays with the use of a virtual private network (VPN).

A VPN will conceal your actual location and connect you remotely to a server in a location where access is allowed. This tricks your streaming apps into thinking you are actually in the appropriate location to watch their shows.

Check out the rest of this article to find out everything you need to know about installing a VPN on your Smart TV in no time.

Best VPN for Samsung Smart TV: quick overview

Samsung smart TV VPN compatibility 

While it is easy to download VPN apps onto Android-based Smart TVs, Samsung Smart TVs do not run on this OS – they run on Tizen OS, which is not compatible with VPNs.

To install VPNs on Samsung Smart TVs, you can either set up your VPN on your router, enable your Smart DNS, or use Internet Connection Sharing on Windows.

How to choose the best VPN for Samsung smart TV

In order to choose the most effective VPN to connect to your Smart TV, there are certain important criteria that you should consider:

• Ability to unblock popular streaming sites. Pick a VPN that is known for its reliability at unblocking the most popular streaming sites.
• Speed. Good VPNs for streaming should have fast connection speeds so any drop in speed is barely noticeable; and should allow you to stream anything in HD with no buffering.
• Server size. It is important that any VPN you use have a selection of servers in a range of countries so that you can always find a server that works for unblocking any app you want to use.
• Smart DNS. A VPN with a Smart DNS feature has a big leg-up on its competitors. This feature lets you unblock streaming services without encryption, which leads to faster streaming speeds. ExpressVPN offers its Media Streamer Smart DNS option. You can change the DNS settings so that some activity is sent through the encrypted tunnel, and some is not.
• Customer support. It is important to find a service that offers 24/7 live customer support. This way, if you need help to set up a VPN, you never have to wait.

5 best VPNs to use with Samsung Smart TV

There are dozens of VPN apps on the market today, so how do you know which to choose to use with your Samsung Smart TVs?

To make the process easier for you, we have done the research and have narrowed it down to the 5 top VPNs to use with Samsung Smart TVs:

1. ExpressVPN

ExpressVPN is our top pick for best VPN whenever we want to watch our shows with no buffering and reliable speeds.

ExpressVPN has no trouble accessing a stable IP address in over 94 countries around the globe to unblock a wide range of services, including HBO, Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Hulu, BBC iPlayer, and Disney+.

ExpressVPN’s Media Streamer Smart DNS service lets you stream your previously-blocked content with even faster speeds, without encryption. To use this feature on your Samsung Smart TV, all you have to do is create a Media Streamer account and add the IP in your Smart TV settings.

Setting up this VPN on your router is not as complicated as it may sound with ExpressVPN’s native router firmware specifically designed for Smart TVs. Once you have installed it on your router, you can use your VPN’s features (like Media Streamer or split tunneling) freely via a console.

ExpressVPN has compatible apps from the App Store or Google Play Store for Windows, macOS, Android, iOS, router, Linux, Chromebook, smart TVs, Amazon Fire TV, Apple TV, and games consoles.

Currently, you can sign up for ExpressVPN for $6.67/month for 15 months, which includes 3 months free.

2. NordVPN

You can easily connect to one of NordVPN’s high-speed servers in over 110 countries around the world to give you buffer-free streaming on any streaming apps you choose.

NordVPN’s SmartPlay Smart DNS can help you break through geo-blocks to watch Netflix, Hulu, BBC iPlayer, Amazon Prime Video, and Disney – all in HD.

NordVPN doesn’t offer dedicated firmware for your router, as does ExpressVPN, but you are able to configure it manually to work on your router. NordVPN can be used to share your VPN connection between your PC and your Samsung Smart TV because of its Open VPN.

Another option, which only takes a few minutes to set up, is to create a mobile hotspot on your PC and connect to your Samsung Smart TV. This will unblock your favorite shows, instantly.

You can find a compatible NordVPN app for a range of devices, such as Windows, macOS, Android, iOS, routers, and Linux; and you can use up to 10 devices simultaneously with a single NordVPN subscription.

3. Surfshark

If you are looking for a great VPN for Smart TV, Surfshark is another smart choice. Surfshark has servers in over 95 countries around the world, so you can quickly establish a VPN connection in whichever country will gain you access to the content you are craving.

Though Surfshark’s speed does not compare to ExpressVPN or NordVPN, its servers are still plenty fast if you want to watch your TV apps with hardly any bufferingon HBO GO, Hulu, Amazon Prime Video, BBC iPlayer, Netflix, or Disney+.

You can set up Surfshark’s Smart DNS option and connect it to your television really easily. Enable your Smart DNS option in your Surfshark account settings, verify this choice with your email confirmation, enter the DNS IP address in your Smart TV settings, and connect!

You can unblock your streaming service on any device, as Surfshark has apps for Windows PC, MacOS, Android, iOS, routers, and other platforms.

What really sets Surfshark apart is that it allows for unlimited simultaneous device connections on one user account!

4. CyberGhost

If you need to use a VPN for Smart TV, CyberGhost has more than 11,500 servers around the world that can help you get past geo-restrictions to watch your streaming service from anywhere.

CyberGhost has servers dedicated for Smart TV apps like Netflix, YouTube, and Hulu; but even CyberGhost’s normal (non-dedicated) servers are easily able to unblock streaming services, like Amazon Prime Video, with no buffering at all.

If you want to set up your VPN on a PC and share your connection, you can do this because of CyberGhost’s OpenVPN.

You can also customize your VPN’s router connection settings in your web browser.

5. UltraVPN

UltraVPN can help you access blocked sites, like Netflix and Hulu, from anywhere in the world.

You can use UltraVPN on platforms like MacOS, Windows, iOS, Android, as well as your router or Smart TV. If you are using UltraVPN on your router, you can connect any number of devices to one user account. If you are using it on any other devices, you can connect 6 devices simultaneously.

FAQ

How do I use a VPN on my Samsung Smart TV?

If you are using a Smart TV with an Android operating system, all you need to do to install a VPN is to download it from the Google Play Store.

If your TV has a Tizen operating system, you will have to set the VPN up on your router, enable Smart DNS, or use the Windows internet connection sharing.

Keep in mind that while Smart DNS is the most simple way to set up your VPN for content streaming, Smart DNS does not provide encryption. Without the extra step to encrypt your traffic, your streaming will actually be faster, but it will not be secure.

ExpressVPN is our favorite service for Smart TVs because of its great MediaStreamer Smart DNS service.

Installing your VPN on your router is a great option if you want to have the maximum number of devices connected to your VPN at once. With a router, there is no limit to how many people can connect to the VPN. This router option is our favorite because it also encrypts your traffic.

If you are going with the router option, make sure to check the VPN website for instructions on how to configure the VPN on your router, and make sure your router is compatible with VPNs. You can also pay more money, if you choose, and get a pre-configured router.

Can I use a free VPN with Samsung Smart TV?

While you can use a free VPN, we would seriously advise you not to.

Many free services are simply unable to adequately unblock your TV shows and streaming services with decent speeds and buffer-free streaming. These free VPNs typically have a very limited number of servers, usually all in heavily crowded locations, which means that their speeds are often inadequate for your needs.

Most importantly, free services have a reputation for putting users at risk for security and privacy breaches. Because these services have limited resources, and do not make money from your subscription fees, they cut corners with user security, may introduce malware to your devices, and actually are known to sell user data and identity to third parties for a profit.

While a free VPN may sound tempting, the best option for maintaining your privacy and security is to use a reputable, paid VPN provider, like any of those listed above.

What streaming services can I unblock with a VPN installed on my Smart TV? 

Using any of the 5 VPN services above, all you have to do is connect to a VPN server in the appropriate country in order to access a huge array of streaming content.

Here are some of the best streaming services that you can access using a VPN:

• Amazon Prime Video
• Hulu
• Netflix
• BBC iPlayer
• HBO
• Sky Go
• ESPN
• ITV Hub
• Pandora
• Spotify
• and more

How do I watch Netflix on my Smart TV with a VPN?

If you want to watch Netflix with a VPN, check out these quick and easy steps:

1. Stream the best shows and movies on Netflix!
2. Choose a reputable VPN from our list.
3. Install your VPN app using our setup instructions (above).
4. Connect to one of your VPN’s US servers (which will give you access to the biggest library).
5. Download the Netflix app to your Smart TV and sign in.

How to enable VPN on Samsung Smart TV through a router?

In order to enable this VPN through your router, you can set up your VPN on your home router, or get a pre-configured VPN router (which is more expensive).

All of the VPNs listed above have guides on their website that will walk you through the process to set up a VPN connection on your home router.

The biggest benefit to enabling a VPN through your router is that any device on your wi-fi network can connect to your VPN, with no maximum number of devices. This means that all of your devices will be secured by the VPN, and all can connect to a US server, or whichever server you choose.

ExpressVPN also has the option to let you opt out of VPN encryption with its MediaStreamer Smart DNS service. This way, your VPN unblocks your content but does not encrypt your data -ensuring even faster streaming speeds on sites where you are not worried about your security.

If you want, you can use a split-tunnel feature to choose which traffic goes through the encrypted tunnel, and which does not need to go through this process of encryption.

Conclusion

With a VPN, you can ensure that everything you do or stream online is secure and accessible – from whichever device you choose.

Check out the links on our site for the latest VPN deals!