Have you ever thought about setting up a Virtual Private Network (VPN) on your Mac computer? Antivirus software may be a luxury you can do without as a Mac power user, yet there are numerous other threats that may put your privacy and data security at risk when entering the worldwide web. Using a VPN is like getting access to a super-secret private network. You are able to hide your identity by changing your IP address, while also encrypting the data stream of your browsing. This adds an extra layer to your safety, not to mention the extra opportunities to access geo-restricted content. A VPN enhances your video streaming experience by unlocking content on Netflix or YouTube. It also helps you to pretend to be on the other end of the globe, so you can fool the filters of certain sites.
Why Use a VPN on Mac?
The advantages stated above are general benefits related to VPNs. But accessing the internet via private networks is especially important for Mac users. Even though no one likes to talk about it, officially launched operating systems are struggling to prevent unwanted privacy leaks. Take El Capitan as an example. This Mac OSX, launched in 2015, ran into unexpected complications when people started to discover upfront security vulnerabilities. One of these issues can be found within the Keychain application, which is (ironically) designed to safely store all your passwords and important data. By exploiting the weakness, all key information could be stolen. Naturally, a quick patch could mend the problem, but keep in mind that most users are unaware of the threats, posed by a weak application. Instead of restricting yourself from using questionable, but otherwise perfectly useful apps while waiting for a fix, you should rather give a chance to VPN.
Best VPN Services for Mac of 2024
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How to Setup a VPN on Mac
“How hard is to set up a VPN?” you might ask. Easier than you think it is. Commonly, people use the provider’s own desktop client to do the dirty work for them. It not only installs the app, but sets all options to an optimal level. Accessing a well-crafted desktop client offers a unique experience, with every feature laid down to serve your convenience. There are traffic logs and charts displaying the changes in your connection speed, tutorials and hints for the settings menu, not to mention the server list appears in an organized manner. As we said, this is the easier route. But smaller VPN companies often lack the resources to come up with their own client, thus leaving you to get things rolling manually. Most OS’ – Mac included – already have built-in capabilities that allow you to set up a private network with PPTP or L2TP protocols. OpenVPN, however, typically requires a separately installed OpenVPN GUI, though top providers such as IPVanish also support OpenVPN connections through their native desktop client.
Manual Setup
As we said, you are able to make a VPN work on Mac either by using an open-source client for OpenVPN called “Tunnelblick”, the provider’s native app, or by connecting to the servers manually. The steps aren’t that hard, and you can try it again without serious consequences.
Connecting Your Mac to a VPN Server
- Open “System Preferences” , and then go to “Network” . Here, you can add a new connection by clicking on the “+”-sign.
- Choose “VPN” under the interface tab. Specify whether you wish to use PPTP or L2TP.
- Add it as a new configuration, and name it in an easily recognizable way.
- You also need to provide the VPN server’s IP address (found on the company’s website), the account name, then select the level of encryption from the list.
- Add your account’s password by selecting “Authentication Settings” .
- You are finished. Simply click “Apply” . If everything went by the book, you’ll connect to the VPN network. You can disconnect in this place too.
Using Tunnelblick
- Download the Tunnelblick client from your VPN account, and install it to the desired location.
- After launching the application, it will ask you whether you have the configuration files. These are the files representing every individual proxy the VPN has to offer. In case the provider supports the manual way, they feature a zip archive of their config files on their website.
- Choose “I have configuration files” and then “OpenVPN configuration(s)” . This will open a folder. Copy all acquired config files from the VPN site to this folder. Be sure to unzip the archive, before doing so.
- Click on “Open Private Configurations Folder” button. After this, Tunnelblick will start up, and allows you to connect to one of the servers.
- Most VPN providers demand authorization. If this happens, enter your account credentials found on your VPN page.
- The session can be aborted by hitting “Disconnect” in the drop-down menu. Don’t forget to quit from Tunnelblick as well!
Tips for VPN Connections on Mac
VPNs are highly advanced security solutions, thus changing the settings could have a drastic effect on the overall performance of your system. First of all, you need to decide which protocol you wish to rely on. Desktop users prefer OpenVPN as it’s a highly versatile protocol that supports high encryption rates. In case a provider boasts 1024-bit or higher encoding rate, it’s available mostly for OpenVPN. But bear in mind that the higher the encryption level, the slower your connection speed will be. PPTP and L2TP lack the scalable coding, and the highest protection you get for them is 256-bit only. As compensation, you can expect unhindered browsing speed, while still staying protected. After choosing your protocol and encryption level, you better take a glance at the available server locations as well. Any self-respecting VPN service with its own app shows you the current ping of their servers. This is important, as you need to know which one is needed to be chosen to avoid additional speed losses. Unless you need a specific location’s IP, we highly recommend to always pick an unloaded proxy.
Mac VPNs
It’s pretty easy to get lost in the swarm of VPN offers. To help you decide the right one, we’ve chosen three suiting candidates for you. But don’t fret even if you can’t find the right one, there are plenty more when these come from on Best Reviews.
IPVanish
IPVanish is a global service that has been standing on the top of the VPN world for over 15 years. It prides itself in the fact that all VPN features are managed in-house, nothing is outsourced. There are 60+ countries to be chosen from, the server network counts more than 225 units, and the bandwidth is unlimited. It supports all major VPN protocols, and their desktop client makes it easy to switch between virtual locations.
HideMyAss
HideMyAss does exactly what its name suggests: it shrouds your IP and provides complete anonymity. This UK-based service has more than 848 servers in 182 countries, which is an astonishing number. The great choice allows you to pass any kind of regional restriction. They are also known to set the bar high when it comes to hiding your data flow, thanks to their 1024-bit encryption.
VyprVPN
VyprVPN from Golden Frog is regarded as one of the fastest VPN services out there. Other than the speedy connection time, they boast about their handy client program that sums up all features in an understandable way. The service is known to provide extra tools to protect your safety, like the Chameleon protocol that scrambles your metadata in an attempt to bypass geographical restrictions, or the VyprDNS, which is an integrated smart DNS feature.
Best VPN Services of 2024
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