How to use Chromecast with a VPN in 2023

Chromecast is one of the best solutions for watching web-based streaming services on your TV. This device from Google lets you stream content from almost any device directly to your TV screen.

However, the streaming services available via Chromecast use geo-blocking, and not all content is available globally. That’s where a VPN helps to bypass these restrictions.

While Chromecast doesn’t support VPNs, you can simply set up a good VPN on your router and access all the content Chromecast can offer.

In this review, we will take you, step by step, through the process of finding and installing the right VPN to use with your Chromecast.

A short guide on how to use a VPN with Chromecast

Because Chromecast doesn't support VPN apps, you’ll need to set a VPN up on your router instead. Here’s how:

1. Identify the type of router that you have – firmware and model
2. Choose a VPN that is compatible with your router - We suggest NordVPN, now 63% OFF!
3. Sign up for your VPN and go to the setup guide
4. Follow the instructions to set up the VPN on your home or virtual router
5. Connect to a server and open the Chromecast app
6. Enjoy the streaming experience!

Reasons for using Chromecast with a VPN

There are many benefits why you should use a VPN with your Chromecast. Here are some of the most important ones:

• Stable connection speeds. Internet Service Providers are known to throttle connections when they detect video streaming or torrenting. A VPN hides your activities and stops the ISP from knowing when to interfere with your connection. You may even find that your connection speed increases when using a VPN.
• Unblocking geo-blocked content. All VPNs offer plenty of servers in different locations that allow you to access different global content libraries. As well, by changing your VPN connection location, you’ll access all your favorite streaming sites like Netflix, HBO Max, Hotstar, and others.
• Security. One of the most vital VPN purposes is encrypting your information and securing you online. So no hackers can access your real IP address and leak your data. As well as preventing malicious threats from targeting you.

Best VPNs for Chromecast in 2023

We’ve curated this list of the best VPNs for Chromecast by testing all our top providers. We required them to meet our criteria of working on a router, unblocking different streaming sites, and having reliable connection speeds for seamless streaming. Here are our top choices:

1. NordVPN – Best VPN for Chromecast overall
2. Surfshark – Cheap VPN with fast connection speeds for streaming
3. PureVPN – Great VPN to secure your Chromecast connection

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1. NordVPN – Best VPN for Chromecast overall

Visit NordVPN

NordVPN is the perfect choice for Chromecast. It’s fast, safe, and easy to use – perfect for beginners and IT professionals alike.

Servers: With more than 5500+ servers in 60 countries, NordVPN is truly a great option for streaming. You get a variety of geographical locations to pick from to unblock different content libraries. So, you’ll never run out of content to consume.

Speed: NordVPN is one of the fastest VPN providers. Due to the proprietary NordLynx protocol, you will constantly get speedy and stable connection speeds. Therefore, your streaming experience will be seamless, lag and buffer-free.

Streaming: This VPN provider is one of the best for streaming. NordVPN unblocks all of the popular streaming sites, like Netflix, Hulu, HBO Max, and others. In addition, the SmartDNS feature works on devices that don’t support a VPN app.

Features: There are two ways to use NordVPN on Chromecast. You can either set up a mobile hotspot from a laptop or a PC (which is connected to the VPN) or install the tool on your router. In addition, this VPN provides threat protection against malware, secures your data with a strict no-logs policy, and supports torrenting.

You can get NordVPN for as little as $3.49/month and get up to 6 simultaneous device connections. And you get the risk-free 30-day money-back guarantee.

Visit our NordVPN review to learn more about the features.

2. Surfshark – One of the fastest and best VPNs for streaming

Visit Surfshark

Surfshark is yet another great VPN for Chromecast. Not only is it cheap, but it also doesn’t have a limit on simultaneous connections.

Servers: Surfshark has a large fleet of servers for you to pick from – more than 3200 servers in 100 countries. So, you won’t need to struggle to find the best server for you to access the global content libraries.

Speed: This VPN is one of the fastest on the market right now. You will get great connection speeds, your browsing experience is going to be seamless, and streaming will be buffer and lag-free.

Streaming: Surfshark is an amazing VPN for streaming. Not only does it easily unblock all of the popular streaming sites, like Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Hulu, and others but also the video quality is HD and you experience no lags. Also, there’s a SmartDNS feature for streaming global content on your smart TVs.

Features: To use Surfshark on Chromecast, you’ll need to set it up on your router. I like that the VPN offers lots of useful guides on how to do that on its official website. In addition, Surfshark packs a ton of features like split tunneling, a Camouflage Mode, and an antivirus.

Surfshark is truly a budget-friendly VPN tool. You can purchase your subscription starting from $2.30/month, and there’s also a risk-free 30-day money-back guarantee.

Check our Surfshark review for detailed information.

3. PureVPN – Great and secure VPN for Chromecast

Visit PureVPN

PureVPN is truly one of the best VPNs to use with your Chromecast because it can be easily manually set up on your router.

Servers: The vast list of 6500+ servers in 78 locations will surely provide enough connection options to unblock any country's global content library. So, you’re certain to never run out of content to consume.

Speed: With the market-standard WireGuard protocol, the connection speeds will be fast and you shouldn’t notice any long lags. However, not all features work with this tunneling protocol, and other protocols may not provide the same great speed results.

Streaming: With PureVPN you can very reliably unblock plenty of streaming sites. For example, Netflix, Hulu, BBC iPlayer, and others. The stream quality will be consistent and you won’t have to deal with buffering or bad video quality.

Features: While not as feature-rich as other VPN providers, PureVPN still covers all the needed bases. You’ll get a reliable kill switch, split tunneling, and port forwarding features, as well as support for P2P connections.

PureVPN supports unlimited simultaneous connections and you can purchase the subscription starting from $2.08/month. This VPN also offers a 31-day money-back guarantee and a 7-day free trial.

For more information head over to our PureVPN review.

How to install VPN with Chromecast on your device

To install a VPN with Chromecast on your device, you can either set up a reputable VPN directly on your physical router or create a virtual router using your PC or Mac.

The best method for you will depend on the type of router you have, your level of experience, and the VPN you are using.

Installing Chromecast with VPN on a physical router

Installing Chromecast with a VPN on a physical router is simple. All you need is a VPN client-compatible router and a VPN subscription.

Here are the quick steps on how to set everything up:

1. Find out what type of router you have. Not all routers are VPN-ready, and different routers support different VPNs.
2. Pick a VPN that is compatible with your router, we recommend NordVPN.
3. Sign up for your VPN and head to the setup guides. Find the guide for your router.
4. Follow the instructions to set up the VPN on the router.
5. Once setup is complete, all devices connected to that router will be secure and any data sent from them will be encrypted.
6. Connect to a server and open the Chromecast app.
7. Follow the on-screen instructions and you are all set!

Installing Chromecast with VPN on a virtual router

If your router is not compatible with your preferred VPN, or the setup is too tricky, you can use your mac or PC to set up a virtual router VPN connection instead.

To do this, you need to sign up for a VPN and download the software onto your device. From here, you can launch the VPN and connect to your chosen server.

Set up a virtual router on the PC for Chromecast

1. Type Windows + S to launch the search bar on your PC
2. Type cmd to open Command Prompt
3. Right-click on Command Prompt and select Run as administrator
4. Type the following: netsh wlan set hostednetwork mode=allow ssid=NETWORKNAME key=PASSWORD
5. But don’t press enter
6. Replace NETWORK with the name of your network; replace PASSWORD with a password for your network
7. Press Enter
8. Type Windows + R
9. Type in ncpa.cpl and press OK
10. Find the connection with your network name
11. Remember the title of this connection
12. Find your VPN connection
13. Right-click on that connection and select “Properties”
14. Go to the “Sharing Tab”, check the box to “Allow other network users to connect through this computer’s internet connection” and chose the hotspot with the title you noted in step #11 in the drop-down menu
15. Click OK and your virtual router is ready to use!

Set up a virtual router on Mac for Chromecast

1. Head to System Preferences and click on Sharing
2. In the Sharing menu, select Internet Sharing on the left panel. The internet sharing options will appear on the right side of the screen.
3. Input the following settings:
   1. Share your connection from: [the L2TP VPN connection you just created]
   2. To computers using: check the box for Wi-Fi

1. Select Wi-Fi options and enter these details:
   1. Network name [choose network name]
   2. Channel [leave as default]
   3. Security: WPA2 Personal
   4. Password [choose a password]
   5. Verify [re-enter your password]

1. Click OK
2. On the Sharing menu, check the box next to Internet Sharing. You will now see a prompt asking you to turn on internet sharing
3. Click Start
4. Once internet sharing is activated, a green light will appear next to the text: Internet sharing: on
5. Turn on the Chromecast app and follow the on-screen instructions for set up
6. When you get to the screen that reads Connect Chromecast to your Wi-Fi, select the virtual router that you have set up
7. Enter the password for your virtual router
8. Click Set Network
9. You are now connected!

Can I use a free Chromecast VPN?

In theory, you can use a free VPN, but we strongly advise against that. Free VPNs are slow, they have very few server options and they are usually overcrowded. In addition, the free VPNs aren’t safe since the provider can’t make a profit from your subscription, they are more inclined to sell your data to third parties, or allow malicious ads.

On the other hand, freemium VPNs are a safer option since they are the limited tool version of a paid provider. So your information is secured and you get better connection speed results.

Our tested Windscribe and ProtonVPN can both be set up on a router, and therefore can unblock the geo-locked Chromecast content. In addition, all VPNs can be set up on Windows computers that then can act as virtual routers.

However, if you wish to have the best Chromecast VPN, then we suggest investing in premium VPN providers for the best streaming capabilities, connection speeds, and security.

1. NordVPN – with more than 5500 servers in 60 countries and blazing-fast connection speeds you’ll be able to access plenty of different global content libraries and stream in high quality. Try NordVPN with a 7-day free trial.
2. Surfshark – one of the fastest VPNs on the market with 3200+ servers in 100 countries ensures a great streaming experience with no lags or buffering. Check out Surfshark risk-free with the free trial.
3. PureVPN – a secure and reliable option to unblock plenty of different streaming libraries, thanks to 6500+ servers in 78 countries, and enjoy a lag-free streaming experience. Try PureVPN risk-free with a 31-day money-back guarantee.

Chromecast not working with VPN?

If you encounter issues with your Chromecast, there can be a few reasons for that. Luckily they can be solved pretty easily.

One of the most common issues can be that Chromecast is connected to a router and a phone or computer, which acts as a virtual router and is connected to a VPN. This means that these two devices are on two different networks.

To fix Chromecast network issues you need to either set up a VPN connection on the router or connect Chromecast to a computer or phone with a hotspot. So either the computer or phone acts as a virtual router.

Other, less common issues are that you may be using the wrong VPN configuration on the router, or your devices are outdated. If the issue is the configuration, then you’ll have to do the whole configuration process all over. This is why it’s recommended to follow the precise instructions provided.

However, if you’ve not encountered any of these issues, or the solutions don’t work for you. Then it’s time to upgrade your VPN subscription to a more reliable provider.

Use Chromecast with NordVPN

With NordVPN you'll easily access the geo-restricted content on Chromecast. The blazing-fast speeds and large server fleet will ensure the highest quality streaming experience with no lags or buffering.

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Using Chromecast with Netflix

If you don’t have a smart TV, using Chromecast is a great way to enjoy vast Netflix content libraries on your big screen. All you need is the Netflix app on your mobile device, which can be downloaded for free from the app store.

You can also run Netflix in the Chrome web browser on your Mac, Windows, or Chromebook laptop, and cast it to your TV using Chromecast.

To begin, make sure your Chromecast device is connected to your TV and Wi-Fi network. Next, you simply need to open the Netflix app on your mobile device, or head to the Netflix website in your laptop’s Google Chrome browser.

A cast icon should show in the upper corner of your screen. Click this, and a list of available devices should appear. Select your Chromecast from the list of devices, and Netflix will launch on your TV. You should now be set to play any TV shows or movies you want from the app!

Conclusion

It’s totally possible to enjoy your favorite shows and movies through Chromecast by using a VPN. Alongside unlocking streaming libraries from all around the world, a VPN will also let you stream in privacy, as your ISP won’t be able to record your internet browsing data.

Our top pick for the best Chromecast VPN is NordVPN. With a large fleet of servers, great speed results, and the ability to unblock all of the most popular streaming sites, this is the best and safest VPN for you.

We believe that setting up a VPN to work with Chromecast is well worth the effort. While Chromecast gives you the freedom to turn any TV into a smart TV, a VPN gives you the ability to tap into any network and streaming service. No longer held back by geo-blocking, you’ll be free to cast whatever you want wherever you are.

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