Advanced security features like Double VPN and Onion over VPN. Utilizes next-generation encryption to ensure data security. Private DNS to reduce the risk of third-party spying. Non-VPN privacy tools like Dark Web Monitoring and Threat Protection
Kill switch, split tunneling, and MediaStreamer DNS for enhanced user security and streaming experiences. Effective unblocking of various streaming services. User-friendly app design across various platforms. Lightway protocol for swift connectivity speeds and reduced power consumption.
Extensive app customization for both beginners and power users. User-friendly settings, detailed advanced settings, and split tunneling. Strong commitment to user privacy with a proven no-log audit.
Table of contents
- Key Takeaways
- Why Use a VPN on Your PS4 or PS5?
- Top VPN Providers for Your PS4 and PS5
- Setting Up a VPN on PS4 or PS5 via Wi-Fi Router
- Connecting Your PS4 or PS5 to a VPN via Windows PC
- Connecting Your PS4 or PS5 to a VPN via Mac
- Smart DNS: An Alternative to VPNs for PS4 and PS5
- Optimizing VPN Settings for Gaming Performance
- Avoiding Common VPN Pitfalls on PlayStation Consoles
- Summary
If you’re searching for a reliable PS4 VPN, you’re in the right place. This article cuts through the jargon to reveal how a VPN can provide security, access to a wider range of games, and potentially better connection speeds. Plus, we’ll cover the top VPN options and straightforward setup tips to get you started.
Key Takeaways
- A VPN can improve PS4 and PS5 gaming by enhancing privacy, reducing lag and ping, protecting from DDoS attacks, and allowing access to geo-restricted games and content.
- Top VPN options for PS4/PS5 include NordVPN and ExpressVPN, known for their speed, security, and unique features, with a setup possible through a VPN-compatible Wi-Fi router, sharing via Windows PC, or a Mac setup.
- While VPNs offer significant gaming benefits, care must be taken to avoid common pitfalls like using free VPNs, poor server selection, and incorrect setups, as these can negatively impact gaming performance and overall experience.
| VPN Service | Best For | Price | Key Features | Pros | Cons | Overall Rating | LEARN MORE |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NordVPN | Security | $3.71/month (2-year plan) | Double VPN, Onion over VPN, Advanced Encryption | Military-grade encryption, robust security | Concerns about transparency, intermittent Kill Switch | 4/5 | |
| ExpressVPN | Overall Performance | $8.32/month (1-year plan) | Kill switch, split tunneling, MediaStreamer DNS | Wide privacy features, strong customer support | Higher price | 4/5 | |
| Surfshark | Budget Shoppers | $2.49/month (24-month subscription) | Multi-hop connections, Kill Switch | Budget-friendly, strong encryption | Inconsistent P2P speeds | 4/5 |
Why Use a VPN on Your PS4 or PS5?
Using a VPN on your PS4 or PS5 can significantly elevate your gaming experience. It offers the following benefits:
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Boosts your online privacy by facilitating private streaming and gaming, thus securing your online presence
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Safeguards your data against potential attacks in the modern cyber threat landscape
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Despite the absence of a dedicated VPN app for PS4 or PS5, these consoles still support VPN services, thus guaranteeing private and secure gaming sessions.
Moreover, a VPN can drastically improve your gaming experience. It might enhance your internet speed by minimizing ping and lag during online gaming, thereby ensuring smoother gameplay. Such a feature becomes particularly beneficial if your internet service provider throttles your connection. Moreover, a VPN safeguards against probable DDoS attacks, guaranteeing continuous gameplay.
The icing on the cake? VPNs unlock access to geo-restricted content on PS4 or PS5 by linking you to a server in a different region. This means you can play games that are not available in your region, opening up a new universe of games for you to explore.
Top VPN Providers for Your PS4 and PS5
Having grasped the benefits of a VPN, your subsequent move should be to pick a suitable VPN provider. Despite the plethora of VPN services available, not all VPN providers meet the same standards. For an optimal gaming experience on your PS4 or PS5, we suggest NordVPN and ExpressVPN. You can set up these services on your console using a compatible VPN router, allowing all devices on your network to leverage the VPN’s functionalities.
ExpressVPN is known for its robust security features such as 256-bit AES encryption, leak protection, and a kill switch. Furthermore, it supports MediaStreamer, a DNS service that enhances the streaming experience for vpn apps, making it a reliable vpn service.
Conversely, NordVPN is highly regarded as the top choice for PS4 and PS5 gaming owing to its speedy and secure performance. It boasts a large number of servers in multiple countries, offering you a wide range of options for connecting to different locations.
CyberGhost VPN is another commendable choice, distinguished by its unique Smart DNS feature that allows internet traffic rerouting sans VPN usage.
Setting Up a VPN on PS4 or PS5 via Wi-Fi Router
Once you’ve chosen a VPN provider, the next step is to set up a VPN on your PS4 or PS5. One of the most effective ways to do this is via a Wi-Fi router. By configuring a VPN on your Wi-Fi router, any device connecting to your Wi-Fi network will benefit from VPN protection. This includes your PS4 or PS5, ensuring that your console is always protected when you’re gaming.
To establish a VPN on your PS4 or PS5 through a Wi-Fi Router, you need to follow these steps:
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Navigate to the Settings menu on your console.
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Select Network, followed by Set Up Internet Connection.
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Choose LAN or Wi-Fi based on your setup.
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Proceed to configure your VPN on the selected connection.
Note: Numerous contemporary routers have the capability to support a VPN connection.
Inputting your VPN account details into your Wi-Fi router’s settings will enable the VPN connection for devices, including the PS4 or PS5.
Pros and Cons of Router Method
Despite the router method’s effectiveness in setting up a VPN on your PS4 or PS5, it’s vital to weigh its advantages and disadvantages. The key advantage of this method lies in its simplicity. If you follow the provided instructions and tutorials, setting up a VPN on your console using a router can be quite straightforward.
Nonetheless, it behooves one to consider potential drawbacks. The use of a VPN on your router may impact your PS4 or PS5 performance as a result of the encryption and routing of traffic. You may encounter potentially reduced internet speeds, particularly when multiple devices are connected.
Additionally, there could be potential compatibility issues with your network settings on the PS4 or PS5 and ensuring that the router can adequately support VPN functionality. Hence, it’s imperative to diligently adhere to the instructions provided by the VPN provider and refer to the router’s manual for thorough setup guidance.
Connecting Your PS4 or PS5 to a VPN via Windows PC
For Windows PC users, you have the option to link your PS4 or PS5 to a VPN via your computer. This can be done using either an Ethernet cable or a Wi-Fi connection. To set up a VPN on your Windows PC for use with your PS4 or PS5, you need to follow these steps:
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Install the VPN software on the PC.
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On the PS4 or PS5, navigate to Settings > Network > Set Up Internet Connection.
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Select the LAN Cable option if you are using an Ethernet cable, or choose the appropriate Wi-Fi network.
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Select the Easy connection method.
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Choose Do Not Use a Proxy Server.
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Test the internet connection.
If you’re using an Ethernet cable, you can connect your PC to the VPN and then to your console with the cable. Here’s how to set up a home networking connection:
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Open the Control Panel on your Windows PC and navigate to Network and Sharing Center.
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Select Change adapter settings.
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Right-click the VPN connection and choose Properties.
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Go to the Sharing tab.
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Check ‘Allow other network users to connect through this computer’s internet connection.’
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Select the Ethernet connection from the drop-down menu.
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Click OK to save the settings.
After completing these steps, your console should be able to use the computer’s internet connection via the VPN.
Pros and Cons of Windows PC Method
The Windows PC method for setting up a VPN on your PS4 or PS5 also has its pros and cons. A significant advantage of this method is its convenience. You can easily share your VPN connection from your PC to your console, allowing you to game securely without the need for a VPN router or additional hardware.
Nonetheless, this method necessitates manual configuration each time you wish to utilize the VPN on your PS4 or PS5. You will need to set up the VPN on your PC and share the connection in order to establish the connection.
Additionally, setting up a VPN through a Windows PC for your PS4/PS5 can potentially introduce additional latency or lag, thus affecting your gaming experience.
Connecting Your PS4 or PS5 to a VPN via Mac
Mac users, rest assured, you haven’t been overlooked. You can also connect your PS4 or PS5 to a VPN via your Mac. Similar to the Windows PC method, this can be done using either an Ethernet cable or a Wi-Fi connection. To connect a PS4 or PS5 to a VPN through a Mac, you need to:
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Install the VPN software on the Mac.
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Plug one end of an Ethernet cable into the back of the Mac and the other end into the console.
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Within the console, navigate to the network settings and configure an internet connection using the Ethernet cable.
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Initiate the VPN software on the Mac and establish a connection to a VPN server.
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Your console will be connected to the VPN through the Mac.
If you prefer using a Wi-Fi connection, you can share your VPN connection from a Mac to your PS4 or PS5 over Wi-Fi through internet sharing. This process entails:
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Configuring your VPN on either your router or PC
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Creating a Wi-Fi hotspot for your PlayStation to connect to
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This may necessitate additional configuration in your PC’s network settings to enable the shared connection.
Pros and Cons of Mac Method
The Mac method also comes with its own set of pros and cons. Positively, this method boosts security flexibility for your PlayStation gaming by coupling it with your VPN-enabled Mac. Additionally, it enables the sharing of this connection with other devices.
On the flip side, when establishing a VPN on a PS4 or PS5 using a Mac, compatibility of the shared connection between your Mac and PlayStation must be ensured. However, there are generally no compatibility issues to be concerned about, making this a viable method for most Mac users.
Smart DNS: An Alternative to VPNs for PS4 and PS5
Although VPNs are ideal for gaming, another alternative worth considering is Smart DNS. Smart DNS is similar to a VPN in that it allows you to access geo-locked content. However, it does this by leveraging DNS settings to bypass geo-restrictions on sites and services, without the added security layer offered by a VPN.
Establishing Smart DNS on PS4 or PS5 requires adjusting your console’s network settings to accommodate Smart DNS, thus granting you access to a wider range of streaming content on gaming consoles. While a VPN prioritizes security benefits, Smart DNS focuses on bypassing geo-restrictions to access content. Therefore, if your main goal is to access geo-locked games and you’re not too concerned about security, Smart DNS could be a good alternative for you.
Optimizing VPN Settings for Gaming Performance
After setting up your VPN, you can optimize your VPN settings to further enhance your gaming performance. By utilizing server selection, you can significantly reduce latency by connecting to locations closer to the game servers, resulting in lower ping times. Furthermore, a VPN can offer a more direct and optimized route to game servers, further improving gaming performance.
Moreover, the impact of a VPN’s protocol on gaming performance is influenced by server distance and congestion. Although a VPN cannot enhance the original internet connection speed, it can minimize lag and enhance latency by offering a more efficient route to the game servers. Additionally, VPN encryption can protect against potential DDoS attacks and concealing your IP address, helping decrease ping and lag during online gaming without causing a significant slowdown in the connection.
Avoiding Common VPN Pitfalls on PlayStation Consoles
Despite a VPN’s potential to vastly improve your gaming experience, there are certain common pitfalls you should steer clear of. One such pitfall is the use of free VPNs. While they may seem tempting due to their zero cost, free VPNs can lead to a compromised gaming experience due to:
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Ads
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Logging
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Lag
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A sub-par experience
Inadequate server selection is another common misstep. If a server is poorly chosen, it can result in slow speeds and unreliable connections, potentially disrupting the gaming experience. On the other hand, selecting the right server can help reduce lag and improve latency, leading to a smoother and more enjoyable gaming experience.
Lastly, to avoid connection problems, confirm that the VPN is correctly set up on your router, PC, or Mac, and that the connection is accurately shared.
Summary
Now that you’ve learned about the different ways to enhance your gaming experience using a VPN, it’s time to take action. From enhancing privacy, improving gaming experience, to accessing geo-locked content, a VPN can drastically transform your gaming on PS4 or PS5.
Whether you choose to set up a VPN via a Wi-Fi router, Windows PC, or a Mac, the choice is yours. And remember, while VPNs are great, Smart DNS could be a good alternative if your main goal is to bypass geo-restrictions. So, why not take your gaming to the next level? Start using a VPN today and unlock a whole new world of gaming.