How to Set Up VPN on Mac OS X with L2TP

Laatst bijgewerkt: 14 april 2021

This tutorial will show you how to set up ExpressVPN manually on your Mac OS X using the L2TP/IPsec protocol.

Important: L2TP/IPsec provides weak security benefits and should only be used for anonymization or for changing locations.

Prefer app setup? See the instructions for app setup on Mac OS 10.10 and above.

1. Find your ExpressVPN account credentials

Go to the ExpressVPN setup page. If prompted, enter your ExpressVPN credentials and click Sign In.

Enter the verification code that is sent to your email.

On the right, select PPTP & L2TP/IPsec.

This will show you your username, password, and a list of server addresses around the world.

Keep this browser window open. You will need this information for the setup later.

Click the Apple logo in the top-left corner of your screen. Select System Preferences… > Network.

In the Network window, click the plus (+) sign. In the pop-up window, enter the following details:

Interface: Select VPN.
VPN Type: Select L2TP over IPsec.
Service Name: Enter a name that will help you recognize your VPN connection. It might be helpful to enter the location name (e.g., “ExpressVPN LA”).

Then click Create.

In the Network window, enter the following details:

Configuration: Select Default.
Server Address: Enter one of the server addresses you found earlier (e.g., la-abc-abcd.abcde.com).
Account Name: Enter the username you found earlier.

Check the box next to Show VPN status in menu bar to see your VPN connection status in the menu bar.

Next, click Authentication Settings… Enter the following information: