Well, it was that time of the year when the world’s most famous sporting event, the Super Bowl, was about to be telecasted live. Judging by the anticipation that it managed to arouse across the globe, I, too, tried jumping to this hype mill, but unfortunately, it hasn’t been broadcasted live here in India.
Brushing it aside as a one-off incident, I switched to Netflix and thought of binge-watching a popular sitcom. It turned out that it is only available for users residing in the US. I may not be the only one facing these issues, and you might have occasionally encountered such scenarios.
So what could be done in these situations? Well, this is where VPN comes into the picture. Disguising your location to the server of your choice allows you to browse contents that aren’t available locally in your region.
But how is all this possible, and more importantly, how could you use it on your device? This guide will answer all these queries, but first, let’s understand what a VPN is and how it functions. After that, we will also make you aware of its usage instructions. So without further ado, let’s get started.
What is a VPN?
Known as a Virtual Private Network, VPN creates an encrypted tunnel for the data transfer between the source (your device) and the server you have ultimately selected. Once the data packets reach the VPN, it decrypts them and sends them to the final destination.
However, since the connection is now being established from the foreign server, your IP address will correspond to that server. As a result, your original IP remains hidden from the ISP. This automatically translates to a plethora of benefits.
To begin with, it gives you a much more secure environment as the data exchanges are happening anonymously and in an encrypted manner.
Another pretty nifty benefit is that you can now access geo-restricted content. So be it any live sporting event or an intriguing TV series on Hulu that you couldn’t access earlier, all are now just a click away.
Browse from Different Region
So this now brings us to the crux of this article — how to carry out this anonymous and encrypted browsing? First, you will need to get ahold of a VPN service.
There are quite a few notable names in this domain, including CyberGhost, Nord, Tunnel Bear, and Express VPN. Most of them are paid but offer an initial free trial phase.
On the other hand, some completely free-to-use VPNs have primarily unreliable and restricted bandwidth, and hence even the basic streamings buffer quite a lot. So decide and make your purchasing decision accordingly.
Once you have settled for your preferred VPN, it’s time to set it up on your device. We have listed the steps for both the smartphone and PC; refer to the one that meets your requirements.
Setting up a VPN on a PC
Many VPN service providers offer a software package that can automatically connect you with the VPN service without having to configure it on your computer. However, you can always set up your VPN connection without using this software.
Here are the steps to set up and add a VPN connection on Windows PC:
- Head over to the Start Menu and search VPN Settings.
- Click on Add a VPN Connection command.
- Under the VPN provider section, select Windows (built-in) from the drop-down menu.
- Now type in your VPN Account name as well as the server address.
The latter could be found from the VPN you purchased/downloaded, say CyberGhost VPN.
- After this, select your VPN Type from the drop-down.
It depends on the VPN you purchased.
- Then choose the Type of sign-in info.
This will again depend on the VPN service you opted for.
- You may also give this connection a username and password if you want.
- Once everything is done, hit the button at the bottom right.
Your profile will now be created, and you should be taken to the VPN Settings page. - Select the VPN connection and hit .
Launch any browser, and you may easily access the geo-restricted content. You can use any browser of your choice to access the VPN service since this setup is activated on the system.
Setting up VPN on Mobile
Now that we have configured the PC let’s head over to the mobile or hand-held devices. Most VPN service providers, including CyberGhost VPN, have an app. All you need is to sign in with your account and get started.
Note: There are also free VPN apps, but they aren’t reliable and provide minimal locations and bandwidth. Even the speed is inferior compared to premium services.
- To begin with, download a VPN app from the Play Store.
As for this guide, we are using the Turbo VPN. - Launch the app and tap on the Globe icon at the top right.
- Select the server of your choice, and the connection will soon be established.
Launch the browser, and you may bypass the earlier constraints preventing you from accessing the sites.
Bottom Line: Browse from Different Country
So this was all from this guide on how to browse from a different country or region using a VPN service. We have listed the instructions for both the mobile and PC.
While these services are quite helpful in accessing geo-restricted content, you might also witness a few ups and downs when it comes to downloading files.
With that said, there’s no best VPN service; you might have to settle with the one that manages to checkmark all your requirements.
On that note, we round off this tutorial. Please let us know in the comments section below if you have any queries concerning the instructions above.