Best VPN for Samsung Smart TV: Fast Speed & Cheap Price
The fact that many Smart TVs today are very susceptible to hackers and malicious sites is no longer news. This is simply because these Smart TVs can connect to internet services and also because we carry out some online-based activities on them that may attract some cybercriminals. If you’re reading this, you probably already knew this, and this is why you’re searching for protective measures to keep your Samsung Smart TV from online harm.
To do this, you would need a Virtual Private Network (VPN) that can shut out these online menaces and keep your online presence as safe as possible. There are many VPNs on the market that have been made available to this effect. Apart from the fact that you need one that works, complete with great features and affordable subscription plans, you also need one that is compatible with your Samsung Smart TV.
ExpressVPN
Features
- Number of servers: More than 3,000
- Speeds: Unlimited
- Server locations: 160 in 105 countries
- Maximum devices supported: 5
- 24 live chat: Yes
- 30-day money-back guarantee: Yes
Pros/Cons
- Fastest VPN out there
- Strict no logs policy
- 256-bit AES encryption
- Few discounts
This is the fastest and most reliable VPN service on the market, rating them number one on the list of quality VPNs. The app has a simple user interface that endears it to millions of users. The provider has a very wide coverage area, with about 3,000 servers in over 90 countries all around the globe. It is trustworthy and has been a household name among avid VPN users. Its great features qualify it to be used with Smart TVs, including Samsung Smart TV, no matter the country you are located in.
ExpressVPN’s security features make it very tough to crack, and is rated as one of the VPNs with the most current security features to ward of cyber-attacks. It ensures that all your traffic is kept safe by using strong security protocols such as OpenVPN and the 256-bit AES encryption. Its ‘no-logs’ policy keeps your data from being recorded or saved, so that you don’t have to worry about your data being sold. And the automatic kill-switch feature also ensure that in the case here the connection drops, your data is still safely stored inside the vault.
ExpressVPN provides a multi-device feature that allows users to remain connected to all their other devices and gadgets, even when they’re on the go. It has apps that are compatible with most devices including iOS, Android, Windows, Mac, and lots of others. It also allows up to 5 devices to connect to the VPN simultaneously for all round protection.
The service does not have a free version or trial period, but it has a 30-day money back guarantee that grants you a refund of your subscription fee, if you decide that the service is no longer satisfactory. It has a top-notch customer support service that is always available 24/7, ready to talk to you and assist you with any challenges or difficulty that may arise while using the service.
- Pros: Fastest VPN out there; Strict no logs policy; 256-bit AES encryption;
- Lowest price: $6.67
NordVPN
Features
- Cryptocurrency accepted? Yes
- Simultaneous connections: 6
- Dedicated IP-addresses? Yes
- Servers: 5342 in 58 countries
Pros/Cons
- Lots of pricing options
- Netflix support kept up to date
- 256-bit AES encryption
- Slow app
This Panama-based VPN has top-notch services and unique features that makes their package quite appealing, especially for Smart TV users. NordVPN does not keep logs of its user data; this means that it runs under a ‘no-logs’ policy that compels the company not to record your online activities. The service makes use of a 256-bit AES encryption that keeps your online data, using two layers of locked tight protection, the Double VPN and Onion-Over VPN. With these security measures, your information is safely protected, far away from the clutches of malicious sites and hackers. It is also fitted with the automatic kill-switch for extra protection.
Like ExpressVPN, this VPN also covers a wide area globally, boasting of about 5,200 servers across over 60 different locations. This way users can rest easy knowing that their Samsung Smart TV can now access streaming sites from all over the world no matter where they are. Their access to the sites are now unrestricted, as long as they stay connected. NordVPN’s fast speed also gives users speedy access to these streaming sites at the snap of a finger.
You can additionally connect your other devices including Windows, Mac, Android, and iOS devices to the VPN for protection. As a multi-device VPN, NordVPN allows up to six devices simultaneously connected, they all come with a Quick Connect feature that automatically connects its users to the fastest and most uncluttered server around.
Lastly, NordVPN offers a 30-day money back guarantee, for users who wish to get their money back after paying for a subscription plan. Its outstanding customer service team are always ready to solve your difficulties or challenges in record time.
- Pros: Lots of pricing options; Netflix support kept up to date; 256-bit AES encryption;
- Lowest price: $3.71
Surfshark
Features
- Free trial? Yes
- Simultaneous connections: Unlimited
- Ad blocking? Yes
- Servers: 1000+ in 61 countries
Pros/Cons
- No footprints
- Allows torrenting
- 256-bit AES encryption
- Not the fastest
Despite being fairly new in the game, Surfshark stands out as a great VPN provider for Samsung Smart TVs. It comes with a ‘No Border’ feature together with its camouflage mode that makes it one of the greatest apps for bypassing geo-restrictions. Surfshark has a server coverage of about 1,000 servers in 50 countries, a somewhat smaller size compared to other VPNs. It has however, positioned each of its servers strategically, in locations that can reach many people.
It has one of the strongest security features with its reliable military-grade encryption that ensures a user remains protected and still has unrestricted access to streaming sites. It comes complete with a kill-switch that protects your data in the event of a connection failure. It also has an ad-blocker feature that gets rid of useless pop-up ads. These strong protective features make sure that every user is protected from snooping sites and malicious spywares. Just to ensure 100% safety and total obscurity online, Surfshark does not keep any logs, it operates under an effective no logs policy. It also uses a Bitcoin payment feature to avoid users inputting any of their card information online.
The network also promises a strong and swift connection speed that can link you with your favourite sites on your Samsung Smart TV. The VPN offers you an unlimited connection that allows for unrestricted browsing, downloading, torrenting and streaming without having to worry about exhausting your data.
Another feature Surfshark offers is its multiple device feature. This allows you to connect an unlimited number of devices to the VPN. That’s right, you can connect all the devices you own to your Surfshark VPN at the same price as one. Compatible devices available to connect include Android, iOS, Mac, Windows, Linux, Smart TVs and many others.
- Pros: No footprints; Allows torrenting; 256-bit AES encryption;
- Lowest Price: $2.49
CyberGhost
Features
- Connected devices at once: 7
- Automatic kill switch? Yes
- One click connect: Yes
- Servers: 5900 worldwide
Pros/Cons
- No logs policy
- 24/7 live chat
- Apps for mobile devices and routers
- No free option
CyberGhost is a German and Romanian-based VPN that has about 4,800 servers in more than 58 countries. It has strong, quality protective features that keep off malicious sites, ads and trackers from gaining access to your data. It makes this list because of user reports of “great services” and “quality features”. Like many VPNs, CyberGhost also has a ‘no-logs’ policy, and a concise privacy policy to back up its claims. It also uses quality features like the superior 256-bit AES encryption and some VPN protocols: OpenVPN, IKEv2, and PPTP.
CyberGhost allows for up to 7 connections of your devices at the same time, which is quite a lot, compared to the usual 5 that many VPN providers offer. And it also has apps available for your various devices regardless of their operating systems, be it Android, iOS, Windows, macOS, etc.
For those who would like to stream heavily on their Samsung Smart TV, the provider automatically connects its users to servers that are reserved for streaming sites, helping to prevent traffic congestion and helping to enable users with great ISP speeds so everyone can stream in HD without interruption.
The VPN also grants users a free 24-hour trial as soon as you create an account on a Windows PC. It doesn’t however give free access to all of the provider’s services and features. However, if you create an account on the Android app, you immediately get a 7-day trial. If you decide to sign up to the provider, you get a lengthy 45-day money back guarantee which is way more than the 30-days that other VPNs offer. Isn’t that sweet?
- Pros: No logs policy; 24/7 live chat; Apps for mobile devices and routers;
- Lowest price: €2
UltraVPN
Features
- One click connect? Yes
- Servers: 100+ superfast servers
- Bandwidth cap? No
- Platforms: Mac, Windows, iOS, Android
Pros/Cons
- Firewall
- Apps for all devices
- 256-bit AES encryption
- Not as many servers as others
UltraVPN is easy to use and loved by the people. The service is very fast, very safe, and very secure. As long as you remain subscribed to the service, you gain unrestricted access to content on your Samsung Smart TV. Its 30-day money back guarantee gives a somewhat free but effective all-access trial period. During this period, you can explore the app and then request your money back before the 30-day period is over if you wish to. If at the end of the 30-day period you are not satisfied, you can always get your money back, without any questions from the provider.
With UltraVPN you don’t have to whether or not there are servers in your location. It has a fairly large coverage with a decent amount of servers in each corner of the world. It also comes with a 256-bit encryption technology that keeps your data secure, so that it would be almost impossible for hackers and trackers to get to it. Asides this, UltraVPN has a free, automatic vault-like protection that gets activated once a user connects to the VPN and it enables them to stream anonymously and privately.
UltraVPN has “Ultra-Speed” connection, a very fast connection that gets you all-round access to the internet as swiftly as possible. It also removes all browsing restrictions with its unlimited bandwidth connection. Even better if you have a quality internet service because the connection becomes more enjoyable. It has apps for different platforms such as Android, iOS, Linux, Windows and Mac, so you’re never stranded or disconnected from the protective service at any time.
The provider offers very cheap and affordable plans in comparison to most VPNs, but despite its cheap plans, subscribers still get great services and subscription deals. For example, the longer you subscribe for, the cheaper a deal becomes. The cheapest plan they have available is the year-long plan. Using UltraVPN offers great services and helps you stay protected for as long as you remain connected.
- Pros: Firewall; Apps for all devices; 256-bit AES encryption;
- Lowest price: €2.99
Is it possible to Directly Install These VPNs on Your Samsung Smart TV?
First of all, VPNs are usually designed to be fit for Windows, Mac, iOS and Android devices. If your Smart TV is Android-based, it would be very easy to install a VPN on it. The snag, however, is that Samsung Smart TV does not operate on an Android operating system. The manufacturers of Samsung Smart TV first made use of the Orsay operating system on the Smart TV from 2012 to 2015, and then switched to the Tizen OS afterwards.
Whichever of the two operating systems that comes with your Samsung Smart TV doesn’t matter because neither of them is natively compatible to have a VPN directly installed on them. Nevertheless, there are a couple of ways that have been fashioned out to work around this hitch. For example, you can configure your TV’s DNS server addresses using Smart DNS proxies, you can set up a VPN connection through your PC or set up a VPN connection on your router.
How to Set Up Smart DNS on Your Samsung Smart TV
Just like a VPN, a Smart DNS proxy can be used to bypass geographical restrictions (geo-restrictions) that are blocked because of copyright issues that differ from country to country. It also helps to unblock different streaming sites like Spotify, Netflix, Amazon, etc. that have been blocked using those geoblockers or restrictions.
It might interest you, therefore, to know what exactly differentiates a VPN from a Smart DNS proxy since they both seem to do the same job. One of the major differences between a VPN and a Smart DNS proxy is that the latter does not encrypt your data. This is both good and bad. It is bad because with your data unencrypted, your data is easily accessible by those trying to lay hold of it such as cybercriminals. The good news is, you no longer have to worry about your internet speed dropping, which is one of the snags of using a VPN. With Smart DNS you get less security but more speed.
Just so that you can have the Smart DNS proxy available to set up on your TV, we made sure that the list of VPNS above contains only VPNs that allow for such connections. Here is how you can set up Smart DNS on your Samsung Smart TV:
- Press the MENU button on your Samsung Smart TV’s remote control.
- Navigate through till you get to Network.
- Choose Network Status then IP Settings.
- Open DNS Settings and select ‘ENTER MANUALLY’
- Input the DNS Server Address given to you by your Smart DNS, then press OK.
- Restart your TV as soon as the connection test is done.
How to Set Up VPN Connection on Your Samsung Smart TV through PC
This method of setting up a VPN connection is done via a personal computer. You would need a Windows PC for this.
- First, open your computer and select Start> Control Panel> Network and Sharing Centre> Change Adapter Settings.
- Once this is done, you will see an option called “TAP-Win32 Adaptor V9 here if your VPN is using OpenVPN.”
- Next, right click on it and then select Properties > Sharing Tab.
- Tick the “Allow other network users to connect through this computer’s Internet connection” box.
- Select the Ethernet connection which you have configured these settings for.
- You can now restart your PC and then start to use internet services on your Samsung Smart TV.
How to Set Up VPN Connection on Your Router for Samsung Smart TV
This is one of the easiest methods of using a VPN on your Samsung Smart TV. As soon as you configure the service, any device you connect to your router will be automatically connected to the VPN, including your Samsung Smart TV.
Note: VPN setups vary from router to router. The setup below is suitable for DD-WRT routers only:
- First, go to Setup, then Basic Setup.
- Then select PPTP from the Connection Type drop-down menu.
- Input the VPN server address in the Gateway PPTP Server field and then your Username and Password.
- Enable Use DHCP.
- Go to Optional Settings and check if your VPN provider requires MTU settings.
- Then scroll down to Network Address Server Settings (DHCP).
- In the DHCP Type option, select DHCP Server and enable it.
- Enter in the DNS addresses provided by your VPN provider.
- Ensure you disable Use DNSMasq for DHCP and DNS
- Next, save and apply the settings to connect the VPN service.
In Conclusion
Many VPN apps are on the market for almost the same purposes, but not all of them would be useful for keeping your Samsung Smart TV safe. The important features you need to look out for are security, geoblock unblockers, speed, and multi-device connectivity. All of these are prominent in the above VPNs for your Samsung Smart TV. However, you must be ready to go through the processes of remotely setting up a VPN connection either from your router or PC, since it is not possible to do so directly on your Samsung Smart TV.