How to Set Up a VPN on a Chromebook

Chromebooks, and all Chrome Bone devices, have a lot going for them in terms of security. Installing malware on them is devilishly tricky, and wiping them to start over from scratch is a snap. But there'southward one fundamental area in which Chrome OS can exist a headache, and that's VPN support. If you ever wanted to secure your connexion with a VPN, merely struggled to brand information technology piece of work on your Chromebook, you're not alone. We'll explicate why it's a problem, too as ways to (maybe) prepare it.

Does Your Chromebook Need a VPN?

A VPN, or virtual private network, creates an encrypted tunnel betwixt your Chromebook and a server operated by a VPN company. By passing your internet traffic through that tunnel, y'all ensure it cannot exist spied on in transit. You lot need a VPN considering when it's active, anyone on the aforementioned network as you, anyone that tin can admission that network's router, your Isp, and sneaky intelligence agents volition all exist kept in the dark. This is about disquisitional on public Wi-Fi networks, just it's important in every context.

Once your information reaches the VPN server, it's no longer encrypted. But because information technology appears to exist coming from the VPN server and not your computer (or smartphone), your IP address is hidden. It's also much harder to correlate online activities directly to you. Plus, if you're connecting to HTTPS sites, your data will be encrypted at every stride of your web browsing.

You lot tin can also use a VPN to spoof your location. Just connect to a VPN server in a far-flung locale and all of a sudden your web traffic appears to exist coming from the other side of the globe. This is useful for tunneling past repressive online censorship or simply tricking a streaming service into letting you lookout man movies from a different part of the earth. That said, using Netflix with a VPN can be difficult, because the company works hard to block VPNs. Note that using a VPN in these means may break terms of services you've agreed to, and even local laws.

What's the Best Way to Prepare a VPN on a Chromebook?

Broadly speaking, in that location are three ways to get your Chromebook protected by a VPN: You lot tin use a Chrome browser extension, utilize an Android app, or manually configure the client in Chrome Os to utilize the VPN of your option. Surprisingly, going the Android road is probably your best selection. Each method, however, has potential drawbacks, ranging from a lack of support to a lack of documentation, as I'll explain.

Chrome VPN Extensions

Using a Chrome browser extension is probably the easiest way to secure your web traffic. Many VPN services (including Editors' Choice winners NordVPN, Private Internet Admission, and TunnelBear) offer browser extensions for Chrome. Just install one from the Chrome Extensions Webstore and it will announced aslope your omnibox wherever y'all're logged into Chrome.

The downside is that Chrome VPN extensions secure only your spider web browser traffic. Spider web traffic from all apps on your Chromebook won't enjoy the security provided past VPNs. Sometimes, that'south a good affair. If you want to secure your web traffic but don't want your VPN to spiral up your video streaming, you lot can protect the browser and use, say, an Android app for viewing Netflix that won't be piped through the VPN. But this can also create confusion about what is and what isn't secure on your device. In full general, nosotros advise people to use a VPN as often, and equally broadly as possible.

Android VPN Apps

The best way to secure your Chromebook'south web traffic is to utilise an Android VPN app on your Chromebook. Running a smartphone app on a laptop may sound a little basics, but more and more Chromebooks are supporting Android apps, giving y'all the total fruits of the Google Play store. Only download the VPN app of your choice, log in, and switch it on. Handily, Android VPN apps announced as connection options in the network settings carte du jour on your Chromebook.

There's a lot of confusion every bit to whether or not Android VPN apps actually secure all of your Chromebook'southward web traffic or just the traffic of other Android apps. However, Google has confirmed to me that Android VPN apps exercise, in fact, secure everything on you Chromebook. That'southward bully news, because information technology is by far the easiest style to set up a VPN on your Chromebook.

Several VPN companies that I have spoken to for this slice, however, are nether the impression that this is not ever the case. This only adds to the defoliation surrounding Chromebooks, and Android apps on Chromebooks. It seem that at one point, Android VPN apps may non have secured all Chrome OS web traffic, and that people may not realize that they do now.

Calculation to that confusion is the fact that not all Chromebooks can, or ever volition, run Android apps. There's a growing listing of Chrome Bone devices that will support the Google Play store, but if yours isn't on at that place, y'all're out of luck. If yours is on the list, y'all'll need to exist running the latest version of Chrome OS and actuate the Google Play shop from the Chrome OS settings carte du jour. Just open up the Settings app, search for Google Play, and toggle it on. If you lot're using a corporate Google account, however, you may not exist able to actuate Google Play without approval from your arrangement administrator.

Transmission Configuration

While the Android VPN app state of affairs is the best selection, transmission configuration is second-best—and may be your only pick, if your Chromebook doesn't support Android apps. Doing and then requires a bit of legwork, much of which would be handled by a VPN app if you lot were on macOS or Windows. Information technology's almost equivalent to manually setting upward a VPN on Windows, if you've ever tried that.

Unfortunately, it's not but the legwork that'southward the problem with manually configuring your Chromebook. It turns out that several VPN services but won't work with Chrome OS. And those that do require you to use a less secure method of connexion, as I'll show.

Yous have two options for manually setting upward a VPN connection on a Chromebook: OpenVPN and L2TP/IPSec. These are both VPN protocols, which are different styles of creating a VPN connexion. OpenVPN is my preferred protocol. Because it's open-source, it's been picked over for any potential vulnerabilities. Plus, it has a reputation for being fast and reliable.

Unfortunately, you probably won't be able to successfully create an OpenVPN connection on your Chromebook. When manually configuring an OpenVPN connectedness, I found that my connexion would time out, or that Chrome OS would only not accept my credentials. A representative from TorGuard suggested that Chrome Os requires OpenVPN to operate with compression disabled, which isn't an option with VPN services. In the case of TorGuard, I was somewhen able to successfully connect via OpenVPN, but information technology required a lot more than configuration than about people might wait.

What about L2TP/IPSec? That protocol is nearly two decades old, and several VPN companies take told me that they don't consider it secure. In fact, I found several pages of documentation from different VPN services warning confronting using this protocol, even while they provided instructions on how to configure your Chromebook to utilise information technology. When I asked TorGuard about information technology, a representative said that the company is already planning to phase out its use. That'south in line with about other VPN companies, many of which include L2TP and PPTP only for legacy support. These protocols work, but I don't recommend using them unless you absolutely must.

For a step-by-pace guide to the process, see the "Manually Configuring Your Chromebook's VPN" section below.

Chrome OS VPN Apps

In that location is some other option for getting your Chromebook online with a VPN, and that's with Chrome Os apps. Chrome Apps used to alive alongside Chrome Extensions and were accessible anywhere the Chrome browser lived, but were retired in 2022 due to lack of interest. Most Chrome apps yous encounter today are really progressive web apps, but Chrome OS nevertheless supports dedicated apps fifty-fifty if they've died out on other platforms.

The issue is that you download an app that configures your Chromebook to connect via VPN. Equally with the manual selection, you switch the VPN on and off from the network card congenital into Chrome Os, not from the app. The app is but there to set things up for you, merely every bit you fix your VPN connexion using a VPN app on Windows or macOS.

The catch is that most consumer VPN companies don't provide Chrome Bone apps. Instead, information technology's enterprise grade software solutions like Cisco AnyConnect and PulseSecure. If yous have a Chromebook from work, or have ever needed to connect to a work network on your Chromebook, this is probably what you've used.

TorGuard offers a handful of servers that work with the same Cisco AnyConnect environment. Just download the free Cisco AnyConnect Chrome Os app, enter the name of a TorGuard AnyConnect server into the app, and yous're ready to get online. Click your user icon in the lower right corner, select the AnyConnect configuration, and enter your credentials in the windows that appear.

Note that the AnyConnect servers are all the way at the bottom of TorGuard's server list, and all end with "anyconnect.host." For example, I used la.united states of america.anyconnect.host to create a domestic connection. The limited number of AnyConnect servers means that you lot'll have fewer options for location spoofing, and will likely experience degraded speeds when using the VPN connection. That's because your bandwidth will be shared with everyone else on this handful of servers.

Will Your VPN Work on a Chromebook?

If you decide non to utilise an Android VPN app on your Chromebook, you might be wondering if you can manually configure your Chromebook to work with the VPN of your choice. Fear non, gentle reader, as I have already trod the ground alee of you and am here to share the fruits of my labor.

There are many VPNs that may work on Chrome OS; I researched the Chrome compatibility of 10 of my favorites. For each, I sought out documentation on how the company recommends Chromebook owners get online. I then tried to get online using that data.

NordVPN provides instructions, besides equally warnings, on using L2TP. I was able to use these to successfully get online. Notably, NordVPN has an first-class tool on its website for finding a server that volition see your needs. NordVPN likewise offers a Chrome extension and an Android app.

Private Internet Access places a special emphasis on security, and using L2TP on a Chromebook requires you to generate a special username and password. Thankfully, the company provides a guide on this process, which I was able to use to get online. Private Internet Access also offers an Android app and a Chrome extension.

I wasn't able to find the data necessary for getting TunnelBear connected via L2TP. Specifically, I couldn't find the URLs for the VPN servers to complete the transmission configuration. A visitor representative said that despite its limitations, they recommend that Chromebook users install TunnelBear's Chrome extension instead. The visitor also offers an Android app.

Unsurprisingly, the privacy-focused CyberGhost provides extensive documentation on how to utilise L2TP to get your Chromebook online. Yet, I wasn't able to get it to work. A CyberGhost representative told me the result is under investigation, and recommends users await to its Android app or its Chrome browser extension.

I was able to become my Chromebook online using the server information I found on IPVanish's user pages, merely the company does not provide specific documentation for Chrome OS users. That's disappointing. The company does, however, provide an Android app and a Chrome extension.

KeepSolid VPN Unlimited has a useful generator tool that you'll need to go online using L2TP, which I was able to practise after following the company'southward documentation. As with any VPN, if you lot're already at the device limit you may have to remove an existing device. With VPN Unlimited, you can simply bandy i device license per calendar week, and so think ahead and brand certain you have available slots before you fix your Chromebook. Or you could simply buy more from KeepSolid. Equally expected, KeepSolid as well offers an Android app and a Chrome extension for VPN Unlimited users.

In addition to its Android app, PureVPN also includes instructions on how to get your Chromebook online using L2TP. I had no problem using it to secure my connectedness. It does non, however, offering a browser extension for Chrome.

ProtonVPN, and its sister endeavor ProtonMail, have excellent reputations for privacy and security. Unfortunately, the company does non have any documentation indicating how Chromebook users should go online and does not provide the data necessary to connect via L2TP. That'south probable because, as I plant out when I asked what protocols the company supported, my contacts told me it only supports OpenVPN and IKEv2. The visitor does, yet, have an Android app.

Hibernate My Donkey not only provides excellent (and accurate) documentation on connecting via L2TP, the company likewise has instructions on how to configure an OpenVPN connexion on your Chromebook. It's surprising, because the visitor'due south consumer-friendly image, that company offers such wonky instructions here. The trick is that the OpenVPN instructions involve delving into the Linux guts of your Chrome OS machine, which may be beyond you, and was certainly across me. However, it's a very respectable effort. Hide My Ass as well has an Android app.

TorGuard VPN non only includes working instructions on how to use L2TP on a Chromebook, but as well offers thorough instructions on how to go your Chrome OS machine online using OpenVPN (that didn't require using the control line) and even AnyConnect. All iii worked in my testing, and it'due south the most comprehensive and successful experience I had during my time working on this project. Be sure to browse all of TorGuard'due south articles on the subject field. The visitor also provides an Android app.

How to Manually Configure Your Chromebook's VPN

By changing the settings on your Chromebook, you tin configure it to connect to a VPN, no client required. If you skipped all the text above, know that L2TP isn't regarded by many VPN companies equally a secure protocol. OpenVPN is my preferred option, merely information technology frequently doesn't work on Chrome OS because of conflicts with servers managed by VPN companies.

If you determine to go this route in securing your Chromebook, you'll need to practise a little homework first. I highly recommend contacting the customer support for your preferred VPN company or looking through the company's documentation to aid guide yous. I as well highly recommend reading through Google's official documentation for using VPNs with Chrome OS.

In general, you need to find a list of the service's VPN servers, the protocols supported by those servers, and the actual names of those servers. These should look similar URLs. For instance, one NordVPN server in the Ukraine is known every bit "ua5.nordvpn.com." You should look for servers that back up L2TP, if you've decided to go that direction. NordVPN, for example, lets y'all sort servers by the protocol they support in the advanced section of its online server selector.

Depending on the VPN service y'all use, you may have to re-create or create new login credentials to use L2TP. You likewise accept to track down a special passcode called a pre-shared key or shared cloak-and-dagger. On height of that, you besides need the username and password y'all use to admission the VPN service.

As I noted to a higher place, I was simply able to connect via OpenVPN through TorGuard, and only afterward first downloading an OpenVPN server document file. Once again, you can detect those instructions in TorGuard's documentation. I'll include those steps below.

1. Click on your user icon in the lower-right-hand corner.
2. In the pop-up that appears, click on the gear icon to open the Settings window.
3. Virtually the height of the Settings window is the Network section. If you don't encounter it, use the search box at the very superlative of the window. Click the caret next to the words Add connection.
4. In the section that appears, click Add OpenVPN/L2TP. In older versions of Chrome OS, the resulting window will close if you click away from it. Thankfully, information technology stays open in newer versions for easy cutting-and-pasting.
5. In the server hostname section, enter either the IP address or the full URL of the VPN server y'all want to utilize.
6. In the service hostname section, you can enter annihilation y'all similar. I detect it useful to accept the name of the VPN service equally well equally some information about the specific server. For example, NordVPN Ukraine.
7. The Provider Type box has a dropdown containing three options. Here's where y'all have to make a choice: You tin either select L2TP/IPSec + pre-shared key, L2TP/IPSec+user certificate, or OpenVPN.
8. If you use the L2TP/IPSec + pre-shared key option, enter the key in the next text field labeled "pre-shared key." This is typically found in the documentation and is something very elementary. Ane service even used "12345678" as its key. I didn't attempt setting up an L2TP/IPSEC user certificate option, simply do note that if yous select it, a alert will appear in carmine at the bottom of the screen instructing you lot to install a user certificate.
9. In society to connect to TorGuard's OpenVPN server, I selected OpenVPN as the provider blazon. Using TorGuard's documentation, I had already downloaded and imported a Server CA certificate using the tool institute at chrome://settings/certificates. In the VPN setup page, I entered all the above information, and then selected the certificate from the Server CA pulldown menu. I left the User Certificate as None installed.
10. Regardless of the protocol you lot chose, the last step is to enter your username and password in the appropriate fields. Note that depending on the VPN service you utilise, these might be dissimilar than the username and password for accessing your billing information. In fan communities, OTP stands for "one truthful pair." In this context, withal, information technology means "ane time password." You may have a token or other device that generates an OTP for access, but these are rare. Odds are yous'll be leaving information technology blank. You tin can go out the Group Name field blank, also.
11. Cheque the toggle next to "save identity and password" if you lot program on using this VPN connection once again the future. And then click Connect. You should connect very quickly. If not, an mistake message will swiftly inform y'all that something is wrong. If that'due south the instance, double-cheque that y'all have the correct login data, and that the service y'all have called supports Chrome Bone.

You've now configured your Chromebook to connect to a TorGuard VPN server! Every bit bonus, annotation that, while I oasis't benchmarked TorGuard on Chrome Bone, information technology's the fastest VPN on Windows.

But what if y'all want to modify servers, or desire a choice in which servers you apply? You lot'll need to follow the above instructions for each and every server you want to access with your Chromebook. Thankfully, switching betwixt VPN servers is but a few clicks from the Chrome OS pop-up settings bill of fare in the lower right corner.

Start Using a VPN on a Chromebook

One time you have a functioning VPN configuration, you lot can easily access information technology again. Just click your user icon in the lower right, and and so click the VPN Disconnected pick. All of the connections you've manually configured (over again, yous demand ane for every VPN server you lot plan to use) will appear under the OpenVPN/L2TP section. If you accept VPN Android apps or Chrome OS apps, they'll announced in their respective sections. To create a new configuration, just click the blue plus sign in the section you want.

To switch on the VPN, just select it from the list. That goes for Android VPN apps and Chrome Bone apps, also. You can click on it a second time to configure that specific connection. Or you tin open the Settings menu, navigate to the Network section, and click the caret next to the connection yous desire to configure.

Each connection has its own host of options. Toggles allow you prefer a particular network, or always connect to the network when your Chromebook is in utilize. These are swell options, and I recommend yous apply them.

You lot can also update the server information for a given connection, simply by overwriting the server hostname. That's handy, in case the server you were using is deactivated by your VPN company. You tin alter the username and password for the connection by clicking the Configure push button. Annotation that you tin't change the provider blazon (that is, the VPN protocol). To do that, you lot'll accept to create a new connection.

If one of your configurations doesn't work or simply doesn't suit you anymore, only click the Forget push button.

VPNs: Confusing on Chrome

The sheer book of people searching our site for advice on using VPNs with Chromebooks prompted me to write this commodity. After several days, several headaches, and several disruptive emails, I can see why so many people are searching for help. Information technology'due south damned confusing.

It'southward clear to me that using an Android VPN app on your Chromebook is the best selection for securing your traffic—if your system supports Android apps. Arriving at that conclusion wasn't easy. As I researched it, I found that even most VPN companies didn't have the correct data near how VPNs worked on Chromebooks. Google's own documentation, while thorough, is short on details and communication.

Worse withal, using mobile apps on a computer might not exist the first thing a consumer thinks to practice. Especially when some Chromebooks still do not (or perchance, never will) support Android apps.

A major selling bespeak of Chromebooks is their security. With little opportunity to store or run malware, Chromebooks are a blessing to the low-cost figurer market place. Only restart to solve almost problems and powerwash your worries abroad. Google needs to simplify the VPN experience on Chrome OS, since surveillance and online threats are the greatest potential pitfall for Chromebook owners. For at present, Android VPN apps are your best pick for protecting your Chromebook online.

Source: https://sea.pcmag.com/torguard-vpn/26878/how-to-set-up-a-vpn-on-a-chromebook

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