Installing VPN on your Smart TV allows you to protect your privacy as well as unblock geo restrictions from the various streaming apps on your TV. Not all devices support VPN applications but Unlocator provides an unblocking solution regardless. Read on to find out how.
Option 1: Install VPN App Directly on your Smart TV
If you have a Smart TV using the Android operating system you can use our app directly on your TV. Go to the Play Store on your TV and search for Unlocator. Install the app on the TV. If you already have an Unlocator account you can go ahead and log in, otherwise you will first need to create a Unlocator account with VPN access by signing up here.
Once the application has been installed on your device you can connect to the country in which you wish to appear. Please note that Unlocator has a feature called Hybrid mode. Essentially this means that all the channels we support via our Smart DNS (read below) will automatically work regardless of which location you connect to.
Let’s pretend you are located in Denmark and want to unblock a UK streaming service that is on our list of supported Smart DNS channels. It would be the obvious choice to connect to one of the UK servers in the Unlocator app. However, you will see better performance by connecting to the Copenhagen server, as it’s closer to your location (if you are in Denmark). The VPN server will automatically make sure that all requests are directed to the UK. If you prefer you could also just connect to a UK server – the choice is yours.
If the service you are trying to unblock is not on the list of supported services from our Smart DNS, then you will need to connect to a VPN server in a country in which the streaming service is supported.
So in short: If the streaming service you want to unblock is on our list of supported channels for Smart DNS, then you can connect to any VPN server. Best performance from a server located closest to you.
If the streaming service is not on our list of supported channels then you need to connect to a VPN server in the country of the streaming service you want to unblock.
What if I don’t have a Smart TV with the Android operating system? Read on below.
Option 2: Use Smart DNS on your Smart TV to Unblock Streaming Services
Obviously not all Smart TVs are based on Android TV. If you have a Smart TV from LG, Hisense VIDAA, Toashiba, Sony or any other of our supported brands then you can instead use Smart DNS to unblock the streaming services you want.
Our Smart DNS works a bit different from the VPN in the sense that you don’t get the added privacy of using a VPN. With Smart DNS there is no additional encryption added. Instead the main benefit of using Smart DNS is the low overhead and the great speed.
Unlocator Smart DNS works with 200+ different streaming services and can be used on all major Smart TVs. Please find a list of supported channels and devices here.
In order to configure your device you will first need to have an active Unlocator account, which you can create here.
Once the account is active you will need to navigate to the setup guides for Smart TVs. Select your brand and follow the setup guide. In most cases it takes 1-2 minutes to complete. Once configured you can now open the streaming application that was previously geo blocked and use it as if you were in the origin country.
If you insist on using VPN on your Smart TV then there is one more option.
Option 3: Install VPN on Your Router if Your Smart TV Does not Support VPN
If you have a Smart TV that isn’t based on Android and you prefer not to use the Smart DNS option, use this last option. In that case you can configure your router to connect to our VPN server. Once connected then any device in your household that is connected to your WiFi router will be protected by VPN.
Please visit the support and search for your router and VPN. Here you will find setup guides for most mainstream routers that support VPN connection directly from the router.
VPN and Smart DNS Options for TVs Without Smart TV Functionality
If you have a TV without Smart TV functionality, you can instead use a Chromecast, Apple TV, Roku Box, Google TV, or many of the other supported devices.
Just like before you will need an active Unlocator account first, then head on over to the setup guides and find your device. Many devices support VPN and all of them support Smart DNS.
If you are looking to unblock streaming services then you are in good hands on all devices. If your focus is on privacy with the need for a VPN, ensure that your device supports VPN or utilize the solution outlined in option 3.
Regardless of which option you choose, our support team is here to help you 24/7 so feel free to reach out if you need help with any type of configuration.
How do I change the Region on my Smart TV?
Smart TVS are often region locked. This means that depending on the country selected in the settings you only have access to certain apps. The lock can sometimes prevent you from changing regions to specific countries. As an example, some Smart TVs bought in the EU will prevent you from changing regions to the US, which in turn would prevent you from getting US specific apps on your TV.
That said, you can change countries on many Smart TVS. Our support section has guides for most major TVs. Some are easier to change than others. For instance you can change store location directly from the region settings in your Unlocator account for Sony, Roku and Nexus player.
For other Smart TVs please see our support section for guides.