TV Box VPN Setup Guides

VPN Guides

VPN stands for Virtual Private Network. It creates an encrypted tunnel between your device and the VPN service provider. This tunnel shields your online identity and activities from others on the Internet including your ISP (Internet Service Provider).

Why Do I Need a VPN?

Without a VPN, your public Internet address is visible to everyone. Therefore it is easy for others to trace your online activities (such as video streaming) to you. With a VPN tunnel established, your public Internet address is hidden. All your online activities through the VPN tunnel are associated with an Internet address from the VPN provider. In short, VPN protects your privacy when you are online.

When you stream potentially copyrighted movies, TV shows, and live TV channels from free sources available on the Internet, it is highly recommended that you use a VPN to protect your privacy and identity.

In another scenario, you may want to use a VPN to virtually “relocate” to a different part of the world in order to access content that is only available to certain geographic regions. For example, some Netflix shows are only available to viewers in the United States. By using the VPN server’s public Internet address instead of your own, you can get around such regional restrictions and pretend to be an American viewer.

How to Choose a VPN Service?

There are a number of things to consider when choosing a VPN service:

Cost

VPN is a paid service, although the cost is quite reasonable because there are many providers competing for your business. The providers often give deep discounts for long-term plans. Hence, the monthly cost can come down dramatically (no more than a cup of coffee) if you are willing to sign up for 2 years, 3 years, or even 5 years.

Network Performance and Speed

Because all your network traffic is routed through the VPN server, it is important to have a service provider that can match your Internet bandwidth. Otherwise, the slower VPN will become a bottleneck, limiting your online streaming performance. Typically, the VPN overhead can reduce your network bandwidth by about 20-25%. For instance, if you have a 15Mbps Internet service, your maximum bandwidth with a good VPN may be about 11-12Mbps. That is still sufficient for video streaming.

Server Locations

The physical location of the VPN server does matter for several reasons:

  1. The closer the server, the shorter distance your tunneled network traffic has to travel. And that results in better network performance.
  2. Because so many websites and online services tailor their offerings based on visitors’ geographic locations, Canadian users would prefer hiding behind a Canadian server address. That way, when VPN is on, they are still recognized as being in Canada.
  3. At times, users may need to use VPN servers in specific regions (such as the U.S. or China) in order to circumvent regional restrictions.
App Features

Almost all VPN service providers supply an app for accessing their VPN on an Android TV box. Aside from overall quality, usability and robustness, the following features are also considered essential:

  • Server Selection: The app can automatically select a VPN server based on the user’s specific requirement, such as fastest speed, shortest distance, same country, or a specific country.
  • Auto Connect: The app can connect VPN automatically every time the TV box starts.
  • Internet Kill Switch: The app can stop all Internet traffic when VPN is not connected.
  • Local Network Traffic: The app will allow access to local network resources (for example, when you are playing a video off your own computer) while VPN is on.
  • Split Tunnel: The app will limit the VPN tunnel to only specific apps (such as streaming apps). All other apps (such as YouTube and Google Play Store) can access the Internet without going through VPN.

Best VPNs for Canadians

We have tested a number of providers and selected the following top ones for Canadians:

#1. NordVPN
★★★★★ [US$2.47/Month] An all-around reliable, fast and affordable VPN service for Canadian TV box users. Our top pick.
#2. Surfshark
★★★★ [US$1.99/Month] A fast-growing newcomer with a cheap price and good app design. But the relatively slower speeds need improvement.
#3. ExpressVPN
★★★★ [US$6.67/Month] Hands-down the best VPN service among peers, but also the most expensive.
#4. PureVPN
★★★ [US$1.65/Month] Oldest, cheapest and very fast speeds, but with an unreliable app and poor customer support.