Kodi and virtual private networks go hand-in-hand like few other Internet technologies do – they’re made for each other like Facebook is made for trash. As for how to set up a VPN on Kodi, i.e. for use with the popular media player, there are two main alternatives to consider – adding that extra layer of protection to Kodi itself, or embracing it before Kodi even enters the picture.
Here’s what that means in less dramatic terms:
Set up a Kodi VPN with add-ons
No method of getting Kodi to work with a virtual private network is easier than installing a plugin (or, how the Kodi world calls it, an add-on) to handle everything for you. The downside is that there aren’t that many VPN extensions for Kodi we’d consider reliable.
Assuming you’re already paying for a VPN subscription, chances are, your service provider does not offer explicit, native-level support for Kodi. There are very few true exceptions to that rule of thumb (e.g. PureVPN is all-in on Kodi love), but even fewer reasons to be concerned about that.
You see, this is where add-ons such as Brian Hornsby’s OpenVPN for Kodi and Zomboided’s Service VPN Manager come into play. You can use those to integrate Kodi with most contemporary solutions for encrypted traffic rerouting in a matter of minutes.
Before anyone asks about supposedly “free” Kodi VPN add-ons – they exist, but for the love of everything that’s not region-locked, steer clear of them. In this day and age, any service claiming to offer free anonymity on the Internet should be seen as nothing more than a massive security disaster waiting to happen. Free VPNs are not worth it, and those targeting Kodi users are no different.
Set up a Kodi VPN without add-ons
No add-ons – no problem. Assuming you have something that can run both Kodi and a VPN client, that is. Assuming that something is powered by Windows, go to your provider’s website and download its official client for PCs, install it, and log into the service. Check that the VPN connection is working, enable it, and proceed to use Kodi like you usually would.
Set up a Kodi VPN from a router
Some routers have their own built-in VPN clients and Kodi has no issues with that rerouting technique. But if you’re shrouding the entirety of your household with that cloak of anonymity, you’ll probably get noticeably better Kodi performance by opting for a wired, ethernet connection.
The actual process of setting up a Kodi VPN directly from your router varies greatly by the latter’s make and model. If you’re unsure on how to proceed in your particular circumstances, you have much better chances of getting relevant feedback from your VPN provider’s support staff than that of the router manufacturer.
But the gist of it is always the same; open the router settings, find VPN connectivity option, manually configure a new node using detailed information from your VPN provider, and proceed to stream video content anonymously.
Editor’s Note
“How to set up a VPN on Kodi?” was written by Dominik Bosnjak, a long-time VPN-user-turned-advocate who spends more time scrutinizing VPN Providers on a daily basis than he’d like to admit. When he isn’t writing VPN Guides and covering general Tech News, he’s probably spending time with his dog, video games, or both. Fun fact: the Shih Tzu in question is the only remaining creature in Dominik’s life who hasn’t told him they’re sick of him talking about Best VPN practices and government-sponsored erosion of digital privacy which made using the Internet less convenient over the years. He occasionally dabbles in video editing, Wall Street memes, and demonstrating a remarkable lack of guitar-playing ability.
If you want more tidbit-sized rants about any of those things, you can find him on Twitter @dddominikk.
