Installing VPN on your router vs StreamLocator’s plug and play solution

There are plenty of reasons you might want to set up a VPN on your router. For businesses, the idea of an extra layer of security protecting the data and private information across all of your terminals could provide the peace of mind you need. For personal users, well, take a look at the list below, and you’ll see just how useful a VPN can be.

However, seeing as you’ve ended up on our blog pages, we’re going to guess that it’s because you want to unleash all the extra location blocked media you can’t watch already. Is VPN for you? And how easy is it to apply on your router?

Further into this article, we’re going to explain how to install a VPN on a router, and you’ll see just how much better StreamLocator is as your all-round option.

What does a VPN do?

Here’s a breakdown of the main advantages of using a VPN:

• Hides your online identity
  A VPN hides your real IP address and encrypts your online traffic. This protects your personal information from any hacks, online surveillance, and even the monitoring of your traffic, a popular practice with advertisers.
• Bypasses geo-blocking
  Here’s the one you want to hear about. A VPN provides the location of the server your activity gets routed through, and your virtual IP address can be routed through a choice of different countries. This allows you to access services that are specific to that region—wherever you are.
• Secures your online connection
  Accessing public WiFi means using a shared network, and one that is often unsecured. This makes accessing your private data (think: credit card details and bank accounts) much easier for hackers and cybercriminals. A VPN encrypts your information, providing the protection you need.
• Prevents bandwidth throttling
  Occasionally, ISPs limits bandwidth, to ease network congestion, or, cheekily, to try and sell you faster service. Your VPN prevents your ISP from seeing your activity, so they won’t know how much bandwidth you’re using to throttle it if you’re a heavy user.
• Bypassing Firewalls
  Networks put up firewalls to prevent access to sites they don’t want you to see. VPN hides your IP address and allows you to waltz straight in.
• Secures torrent use
  Torrent software allows you to share files with other users. Your IP address is available for all users to see—unless you’re using a VPN, of course.
• Boosts the online gaming experience
  By hiding their IP address, gamers can play in any location they choose, play games banned in their region, and stay safe from DDoS attacks.

Why install a VPN on your router?

Unless you’re a tech-savvy operator who’s confident digging around in hardware and software settings, profiles and firmware, it’s a pretty complicated process. Just Google ‘How to setup a VPN on my router’ and read through a more complete guide. It’s not easy. And it could also kill your router if it isn’t compatible with new firmware, or you get the installation wrong.

Even when you do have a VPN installed on your router, your settings are often difficult to control, along with a handful of other inconveniences.

To give you the basic idea, here are the steps you’ll have to take to install a VPN on your router:

1. Your router must be ‘VPN client compatible’.

If it isn’t, you need to make it so that it is. That means changing its firmware, which is another complex task in itself:

• Download new firmware. DD-WRT is open source and free. However, you must check your router is on the list of compatible devices.
• Find your router’s IP address.
• Access the router setup using its IP address through a web browser.
• Find the firmware installation section.
• Upload your new DD-WRT bin file.
• Access your new DD-WRT control panel.
• Create a new username and password.
• Connect to the Internet.
• Find the VPN tab in the router services section to add your VPN.

2. Find the VPN client tab in the router settings

3. Each VPN has its specific guidelines, but they’ll be something like this:

• Add a new profile
• Upload your configuration file, supplied by your VPN provider
• Activate the connection

4. If you don’t have a configuration file, a typical router configuration could go something like this:

• Add the DNS and DHCP settings as provided by your VPN provider to the router.
• Disable IPv6 if required.
• Select a VPN server address from those available from your provider.
• Select TCP or UDP as a tunnel protocol.
• Select an encryption method (AES).
• Add your VPN username and password.
• Block Google DNS

Doesn’t look like much fun, does it?

By comparison, here’s how the StreamLocator set up works:

1. Plug it into your WiFi router.
2. Activate your account.
3. On your device, choose STREAMLOCATOR from your WiFi network options.

That’s it. Visit any of the 40+ overseas streaming services that we support, on any device, and you’ll get straight in.

Which one do you feel most confident setting up?

How to use a VPN with Chromecast and devices that don’t support VPN apps

To use Chromecast with your VPN, you’ll have to install it on your router or set up an alternative virtual router, using your Mac or PC.

Setting up VPN on your desktop or laptop computer is a much simpler process. You can then use your computer as a WiFi hotspot to connect your Chromecast to the network.

The big problem is that your computer needs to be turned on and connected whenever you want to run your Chromecast through your VPN. It’s a bit of a nuisance really.

How does Chromecast work with StreamLocator?

StreamLocator is already working with your existing WiFi so your Chromecast integration is seamless. No special settings. No switching servers. It just works.

StreamLocator wins again—hands down!

We wanted to provide the simplest and most efficient way for you to access geo-blocked services, and that’s what we’ve done. We don’t know of any other product quite like ours. It’s always on, scanning servers to find the best access, and providing you with the TV you want, without even thinking about it.