How to Use a VPN With School Wi-Fi [September 2021]

Most K-12 schools and colleges put limits on what students can access via Wi-Fi. In most cases, the reasoning behind this decision is sound: minors shouldn’t have access to possibly inappropriate content.

However, the goal is also to ensure students are not distracted by scrolling through TikTok, Instagram, or other social media platforms all day. The problem is that sometimes these restrictions go too far. What if you need to watch an educational video on YouTube, but the platform is on the no-access list of your school?

Fortunately, there is a way of bypassing these restrictions and making the most of your school’s Wi-Fi network. What you’ll need is a reliable Virtual Private Network (VPN). We’ll explain exactly how to use it.

Will Using a VPN Let Me Have Unrestricted Access to the Internet?

How does a VPN work exactly? When you have a reliable VPN on your device, you can access an encrypted tunnel connecting you to a remote server based somewhere other than your current geographical location.

Every move you make online is routed via this tunnel and protects your data. But more importantly, it shields your current location and makes it appear as if you’re using the internet from somewhere else.

If you turn on a VPN app on your device and connect to the school’s Wi-Fi, it will help you get around the network’s filtering. Essentially, VPN serves as a sort of invisibility cloak, and all your communication via any network becomes private.

So, if your school or university bans Facebook, Twitter, Buzzfeed, Snapchat, Netflix, or any other app or website, those restrictions may no longer exist with VPN.

How to Use VPN With School Wi-Fi on a Windows PC

If you use a Windows laptop to connect to the school’s Wi-Fi like the majority of the World’s population, you will need to install a reliable VPN like ExpressVPN. However, before you can use it at school, you’ll have to create a VPN account and connect to it. Here’s how it works:

1. Go to ExpressVPN and create an account. Choose your plan and provide payment information.
   
2. Follow the on-screen instructions to download and install ExpressVPN on your Mac.
   

You will be asked to copy an activation code you’ll receive in the email. Make sure to save it, as you’ll need it to activate ExpressVPN on your other devices too.

How to Use VPN With School Wi-Fi on a Mac

If you use an Apple laptop to connect to the school’s Wi-Fi, you will need to install reliable VPN software on the computer first. By far, one of the most comprehensive VPN providers is ExpressVPN. They have thousands of servers across 160 locations in nearly 100 countries.

However, before you can use it at school, you’ll have to create a VPN account at home. Here’s how it works:

1. Go to ExpressVPN and create an account. Choose your plan and provide payment information.
   
2. Follow the on-screen instructions to download and install ExpressVPN on your Mac.
   

You will be asked to copy an activation code you’ll receive in the email. Make sure to save it, as you’ll need it to activate ExpressVPN on your other devices too.

How to Use a VPN With School Wi-Fi on a Chromebook

Chromebook is another immensely popular laptop for students which runs on the Android operating system. You can easily download and install ExpressVPN on your Chromebook too.

It’s a super-fast service with government-grade encryption that has a no-logging policy. Here’s how you can get it on your Chromebook:

1. On your Chromebook, launch the Google Play store app.
   
2. Search for ExpressVPN in the search bar.
   
3. Once listed, tap the “Install” button at the top left corner.
   
4. Set up your account using email, create a password, and choose a subscription plan.
5. You will receive an activation code via email. Once you copy and paste it, you can start using ExpressVPN.
6. Tap to connect to the server of your choice and start browsing.

Remember to download ExpressVPN at home and not in school, as the service could be restricted. Also, ExpressVPN doesn’t have a free trial but does offer a 30-day money-back guarantee.

How to Use VPN With School Wi-Fi on an iPhone

Let’s face it – most students use their phones to access social media apps, watch YouTube and talk to each other. They also rely on their iPhones to read articles or news.

If you’re an iPhone user and want less restricted web access while you’re in school, you’ll need a powerful VPN provider. The ExpressVPN iOS app is easy to install and use. Just follow these steps:

1. Sign up at the ExpressVPN website. After you have received the best deal from the website, download the app from the App Store.
   
2. Create an account and choose your subscription plan.
   
3. Enter the activation code received in the email.
4. Launch the ExpressVPN app on your iPhone, select your server, and access any website.
   

Again, you’ll either need to download the VPN app at home using your Wi-Fi, or you can do so in school using the mobile network. Also, to use ExpressVPN on your iPhone, your device will need to run on iOS 12.0 or later.

How to Use VPN With School Wi-Fi on an Android

If you’re an Android user – Samsung, LG, HTC, or any other – you too have the chance to bypass your school’s Wi-Fi restrictions. All you need to do is download the ExpressVPN Android app. Here’s how:

1. Sign up at the ExpressVPN website. After you have received the best deal from the website, download the app in the Play store.
   
2. Once you install it on your Android device, follow the in-app instruction to register for the VPN service. You’ll need to provide an email, create a password, choose a plan, and provide a payment method.
   
3. You will also have to activate the service by copying and pasting the activation code you’ll receive via email.
4. Once your ExpressVPN is activated, tap on the big power button to connect to a different server.
   

Android users also need to remember to download the ExpressVPN app via their home Wi-Fi or mobile internet.

Furthermore, if you’re unable to access apps and websites using one server, you can always try another. ExpressVPN has thousands of options.

Enjoying Greater Wi-Fi Freedom

Again, schools have their reasons why they restrict certain websites and apps. After all, they don’t want you to use their Wi-Fi for torrenting movies or streaming HD videos on YouTube. That would burden the network and make it inefficient.

However, some restrictions may be considered unnecessary, and students will always try to find a way around them. The VPN app on your laptop or mobile device is the most secure and most convenient way to go about it.

Proxy servers are another possibility, especially for school computers, but they aren’t as secure. If you use a VPN at school to avoid restrictions, make sure it’s a reliable service that will protect your data.

Have you ever tried to use a VPN at school? How did it work? Let us know in the comments section below.