How to set up a VPN on a PS4?

The Sony PlayStation 4 is quite capable of working over a virtual private network. In fact, setting up a VPN connection on a PS4 usually takes less than ten minutes and can be done with the help of a Windows PC, Mac, or just your wireless router. We’re covering all three of those methods below.

Set up a PS4 VPN on a Windows PC via an ethernet cable

In most cases, connecting a PS4 to a VPN will be easiest to do by using a Windows PC as a mediator of sorts. That’s because the vast majority of VPNs out there offer dedicated Windows clients, so you should start by downloading one of those after you’ve subscribed to your provider of choice. In case you don’t have one, we would recommend to take a look at our Best VPN for PS4 list.

Then, open the Windows Control Panel, go to the Network and Internet section, click on the Network and Sharing Center, and select the Change adapter settings option in the left sidebar of the following interface.

Locate your VPN connection on the following screen, right-click it, and select Properties from the dropdown menu. If you can’t find the option in question, make sure you have installed the required VPN client, have an active subscription, and are able to establish a VPN connection on Windows.

Navigate to Sharing and mark the checkbox that says “Allow other network users to connect through this computer’s Internet connection”. Immediately below that setting, you’ll see a dropdown menu that says Home networking connection. Click on it and select your recently established VPN, then hit the OK button on the bottom.

This is the part where you should switch to your PS4; skip to the bottom of this guide for details on how to finish setting up a VPN connection on the console itself or continue reading for a macOS alternative to these initial steps.

Set up a PS4 VPN on a Mac via an ethernet cable

If you’re a Mac user, subscribe to a VPN that offers a macOS client. If you don’t have one, we would recommend a visit to our Best VPN for Mac article. After that, download and install it, and then launch your System Preferences in order to select the Sharing subsection where you’ll find the Internet Sharing option you need.

Open the Share Your Connection From dropdown menu and select the type of connection you want to extend to your PS4. Immediately below that is another such selector saying To Computer Using. Your only option here is to go with Ethernet.

Finally, enable the Internet Sharing functionality by ticking its checkbox and watch the Internet Sharing icon light up. If it doesn’t, ensure your VPN itself is working, i.e. that you are able to establish a VPN connection on your Mac before attempting to add the PS4 to the mix.

Finally, launch your macOS VPN app, enable it, and move on to your PS4.

Finish setting up a VPN connection on your PS4 (via ethernet)

Now it’s time to power up your PS4, go to Settings, navigate to the Network Settings section and select the Set Up Internet Connection option.

After initiating the console setup, you’ll be asked about the connection method you want to leverage – select Use a LAN Cable. Moving forward, your next choice will refer to proxy rerouting, so make sure you pick the Do Not Use a Proxy Server option. Accept relevant terms of use and finish the setup with the Test Connection command.

Set up a wireless PS4 VPN with a Wi-Fi router

Establishing a wireless VPN connection on your PS4 is obviously much more convenient than fiddling with an ethernet cable setup, though you’ll first have to make sure your VPN provider actually supports Wi-Fi routers and your router in particular, which usually means getting one that plays nicely with the OpenVPN protocol.

Assuming you meet all of those criteria and have your VPN client already set up (the instructions on how to do so vary greatly depending on the provider of choice, so refer to applicable FAQ pages for those), all you have to do is open Settings on your PS4, go to Network Settings, and pick the same Set Up Internet Connection option mentioned above. The only difference being that you’ll obviously go with the Use Wi-Fi item when prompted.

Other than that, you’ll still want to select the Do Not Use a Proxy Server command and finish the setup with a Test Connection prompt.

Editor’s Note

“How to set up a VPN on a PS4” 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.