How to Share a Secure VPN Connection over a Wireless Network
A VPN encrypts and secures all network traffic leaving your device. But what if you want to extend your VPN coverage to your phone, games console, or media streamer?
Sharing your VPN over a wireless network will make all your devices private and secure when browsing the Internet.
Why Should You Share Your VPN Connection over a Wireless Network?
When you share a VPN connection over a wireless network, every device that is connected to the network is automatically protected by the VPN.
This means there is no need to download and install VPN apps for each one of your devices, saving you time that can be used for enjoying the Internet.
Sharing a VPN connection over a wireless network also means your friends and family can benefit from a private and secure Internet experience.
What You Need to Share Your Private VPN Over a Wireless Network
You only need a few items to share your VPN over a wireless network. Make sure you have:
- An active ExpressVPN account
- A Windows or Mac machine, connected to the internet through Wi-Fi or an ethernet cable (ethernet cable required for Mac)
- The device(s) you want to share the VPN to, with Wi-Fi switched on
How to Share Your VPN On Windows
In order to share your VPN with a Windows machine, you’ll first need to check if your computer can support a virtual router.
Check if your Windows PC can support creating a virtual router
Before we begin, let’s find out if your computer can support creating a virtual router. Type Windows + S to launch the search bar, then type cmd to bring up Command Prompt. Right-click Command Prompt and select Run as administrator.
For Windows 8:
For earlier versions of Windows:
In the command prompt, type the following:
netsh wlan show drivers
Hit Enter.
If you see "Hosted network supported : Yes", then your network adapter can create a virtual router.
If you don’t see this message, then you may need to update your network adapter driver.
Next, you need to connect to ExpressVPN and then share your connection.
How to Share Your VPN On Mac
If you’re using a Mac, you’ll need to set up a PPTP VPN on your machine.
Set up a PPTP VPN on your Mac
Click on the Apple logo in the top-left corner of your screen, then select System Preferences...
In the System Preferences menu, click the Network icon.
In the Network window, click on the plus (+) sign at the bottom of the left panel to add a new service. In the pop-up window, select the following options:
Interface: VPN
VPN Type: PPTP
Service Name: [choose a name for your VPN connection]
Then click Create.
After this, configure your PPTP VPN and connect your devices.
You Can Also Share a VPN Connection Over a VPN Router
Besides sharing your VPN connection over a wireless network, you can also achieve the same benefits by using a VPN router.
Instead of having to set up a wireless network every single time, a VPN router only requires a one-time setup. After that, any Wi-Fi-enabled device can connect to the router and enjoy encrypted Internet connections!
What's better, there is no limit on the number of devices that can be simultaneously connected to the router. That means more time saved and more devices protected.
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