How to Use a VPN with Chromecast

Do you want to know how to use a VPN with Chromecast? When it comes to staying secure online, nothing does a better job than a VPN. Though they aren’t flawless, VPNs help you stay protected by routing your traffic anonymously through servers around the world, in order to make your footprints disappear. Whether you’re just trying to avoid being tracked by advertisers, or you want to change your location in order to stream out-of-region Netflix movies, using a VPN when browsing online is a no-brainer.

Of course, a VPN doesn’t do you any good if you’re leaving behind breadcrumbs that lead right to your door. That’s exactly what could happen if you use a Chromecast without proper VPN coverage. You might have your VPN running on your mobile device, but the minute you cast over to your television for movie night, you’re risking being tracked again. Is there a way to use your VPN with Chromecast, or are you doomed to be caught no matter what?

How to Connect a Chromecast to Your VPN

This section will show how to connect your Chromecast to a VPN. First, it’s important to understand that you’ll need to set up your router or a virtual network on a PC or Mac to do this. We’ll explain how to do that further below.

You will also need to download and set up the Google Home app on an iOS or Android device. Once set up, you need to plug your Chromecast into a wall outlet and the screen you’ll be using it with. Then, you can follow these steps to connect your Chromecast to your VPN.

Note: We are using a virtual network to connect our Chromecast to our VPN.

1. Open the Google Home app and select the Chromecast device you’re working with.
2. Then, under Connect Chromecast to your Wi-Fi, select the VPN network you setup.

Using a VPN with Standard Chromecasts

Obviously, your Chromecast requires an internet connection to work properly, running right over your home network to allow for casting movies, shows, and music from your phone. Unlike devices like Amazon’s Fire Stick or Apple TV, Google’s Chromecast doesn’t run dedicated apps (or at least, it didn’t use to—more on that at the end of this article), so there’s no way to install a VPN app on your device.

Likewise, there’s no way to dive into the settings of your Chromecast to change its network settings as if it were a smartphone, which means you might be out of luck.

Or at least, you would be, if VPNs weren’t flexible. While you can’t install a VPN directly on your device, you can set up your VPN to work natively with your router, moving all traffic on your home network through your VPN. This isn’t quite as simple as installing a VPN on your computer or smartphone, but if you have the time, it can really be worth securing your entire network.

VPN routers

You can configure a virtual router on a Windows or Mac computer but if you have a VPN-enabled router, it is safer and easier to use that. Routing all of your internet traffic through the router by default means no configuration on any computers, phones, or IoT devices in your home. You don’t need to install VPN software and you don’t need to remember to turn it on.

If you don’t have a VPN-enabled router (and you likely do, since setting up a VPN is mostly software-based), you can potentially upgrade the firmware to DD-WRT or Tomato. Either of these work with a range of router makes and models. If you have a compatible router, you could upgrade your firmware to one of these and turn your $100 router into something that would normally cost closer to $1000.

How to Set Up ExpressVPN Using a Virtual Router Using a Mac

ExpressVPN is compatible with a great variety of routers. You can see if yours is on the list on this website. Assuming you have a compatible router, you can follow these steps to use your VPN with your Chromecast:

1. Register your router’s IP Address with ExpressVPN on this website.
2. Sign in and click on DNS Settings on the left.
   
3. Click Register my IP address next to your router’s IP Address.
   
4. Your IP Address is automatically registered when you complete these steps.

Next, we’ll set up your VPN on your Mac. Here’s how:

1. Click on the Apple icon in the upper left corner of your Mac and click on System Preferences. Then, click on Network.
   
2. Click on the ‘+’ symbol in the lower left corner.
   
3. Name your connection (ExpressVPN in this example), select Default next to Configuration.
   
4. Type 12345678 in the Server Address box.
   
5. And finally, paste the username your retrieved from the ExpressVPN website in the instructions above.
   
6. Check the box to Show VPN status in menu bar and click Authentication Settings.
   
7. Input the password we copied in the instructions above. Then, enter 12345678 next to the Share Secret box.
   
8. Click Ok in the pop-up window. Then, from the Network page, click Advanced.
   
9. Check the box to Send all traffic over VPN connection. Then, click Ok.
   
10. Finally, click Apply in the lower right corner.

After you’ve registered your IP Address, it’s time to set up sharing on your Mac. Don’t worry, this process is easy. Here’s what to do:

1. Open the System Preferences just as we did above. Then, click on Sharing.
   
2. Check the box next to Internet Sharing on the left.
   
3. Next to Share your connection from: select the VPN network you’ve set up.
   
4. Finally, check the Wi-Fi box beside To computer using:
   

Now, you can go to the Google Home app on your smartphone and connect it to the Network you’ve just created. When the connection is set, you can stream content to your Chromecast under the guise of a VPN.

How to Set Up ExpressVPN Using a Virtual Router Using a PC

A PC isn’t much different than a Mac as it too can act as a virtual router for your VPN. There is some information you’ll need to get directly from your VPN provider. Once you’ve collected the data, follow these steps:

1. Install your VPN on your PC. Then, sign into your account and get your VPN up and running.
2. Now, open Settings and click on Network & Internet.
   
3. Next, click on Mobile Hotspot, it’s in the menu on the left-side of the screen.
4. Then, click on the the Share my internet connection with other devices toggle button to turn it on.
5. From here, click on Change adapter options in the menu on the right-side of the screen.
6. Now, right-click on the adapter for your VPN and select Properties.
7. Next, click on the Sharing tab at the top of the new window.
8. Then, click the checkbox for Allow other network users to connect through this computer’s internet connection and then select your newly created hotspot from the list of connections.
9. Select OK when you’re done.

You’ve now setup a virtual router on Windows 10.

Setting up a VPN on Your Router

Setting up a VPN on your router will require you to know the VPN settings from your provider. You will need the URL or IP address of the VPN server, your username, password, and any security settings the provider uses. This will all usually be in the account section of the provider’s website.

Most good providers will offer guides and walkthroughs to set up their services on your router. It makes sense to follow them if they have them. Some router providers provide their own firmware you can install on your router but I would suggest using configuration instead as it retains control over what your router does.

Typical router configuration should go something like this:

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

You’ll want to look at your VPN of choice to see specific instructions for setting up your router. Our top pick for VPNs, ExpressVPN, has their instructions right here.

Block Google DNS

Next, you need to block Google DNS in order for the Chromecast to work properly over a VPN. This is more router configuration but is very straightforward. You essentially create a static route that bypasses Google DNS. This won’t work if you already use Google DNS on your router. If you want to use a Chromecast over VPN, you will have to change your DNS first.

Again, it is difficult to be specific as router configuration differs between manufacturers, but on my Linksys router I had to do this:

1. Log into the router and select Connectivity and then Advanced Routing.
2. Select Add Static Route and give it a name.
3. Add Destination IP as 8.8.8.8 (Google DNS address).
4. Add the subnet mask as 255.255.255.255.
5. Add the gateway address as your router’s IP address.
6. Select Save.
7. Repeat for Google’s other DNS address 8.8.4.4

After you save this configuration, you should be able to stream using your Chromecast without a problem. You will also benefit from enhanced security with all your internet traffic. Your ISP, government, and anyone else who is interested in what you do online will no longer be able to see what you’re doing and you have taken a huge stride in improving your online privacy.

Chromecast with Google TV

It’s been a while since we got a new Chromecast, but we finally saw the launch of Google’s new streaming stick last fall. Although it’s still called a Chromecast and retains the classic puck shape we’ve come to know and love, this is a new device through and through. In fact, it’s the biggest change to the Chromecast we’ve seen yet, combining the utility of Google Cast with a remote and a brand-new interface called “Google TV,” based on Android TV.

If you’re unfamiliar with Android TV, that’s okay—here’s what matters to you. Owners of this new Chromecast (which runs $49 and supports 4K and HDR out of the box, marking a price drop from the older Chromecast Ultra) can gain access to the Play Store, which makes it possible to download a number of VPNs for Google TV, including but not limited to:

• ExpressVPN
• NordVPN
• Surfshark
• CyberGhost
• IPVanish

This means that, instead of being forced to set up your VPN through external means, you can rely on basic apps through Android as you would on most other smart devices. It’s a notable addition and makes upgrading to Google’s new Chromecast a much more tempting proposition.

Things to Keep in Mind When using a VPN

The downside of VPNs is that all of your traffic will route through the VPN unless you disable the VPN at the router level. For the most part, this shouldn’t cause any issues, but if you select a VPN endpoint in a different country or somewhere not close to you, any location-aware website will get confused and require manual intervention. Again, this may not be an issue for you, but it’s worth being aware of the consequences. For example, if you shop online, you may receive different listings and pricing than you would in your home country. It’s a small issue—and if you set your VPN to route in your home country, one that won’t matter to you at all—but something to bear in mind depending on how you use the internet.

The other main downside of VPNs comes from your endpoint locations. VPN endpoints are where your secure tunnel ends and reverts back to a standard internet connection. Most VPN providers spread hundreds of endpoints across the country, but it’s still a good idea to make sure you’re on a stable connection. Look for a VPN provider that has endpoints in your city or region, in addition to other states and countries. That way, you get maximum spread and can choose your locations depending on your needs.

Speed used to be an issue with VPN thanks to its traffic overhead. This is the extra data generated by the security of a VPN and the fact traffic has to travel further. This is less of an issue now, especially if you use a good-quality VPN provider like ExpressVPN. TechJunkie has a bunch of articles on choosing a VPN provider to help with that.