Use VPN on Mac: This is how you set up the virtual network


HOW CAN I SURF ANONYMOUSLY AND SECURELY?

If you want to use a VPN on the Mac, you have to consider a few things regarding the provider and setup. With our tips you can quickly set up the network.

Mac is undoubtedly a modern and secure operating system, after all, Apple attaches great importance to data protection. However, this protection only applies to the device itself, but ends as soon as you connect to the Internet. Without a VPN, it quickly becomes difficult in terms of security.

After all, Apple is only responsible for security on its own operating system, but not for security on the Internet. A VPN (Virtual Private Network) also protects you when surfing and data traffic on the Internet and can be installed on the Mac in just a few steps.

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There are some solid reasons for using a VPN service on macOS. All VPN services for macOS work in the same way: Instead of going directly via the Internet provider, requests are forwarded to the Internet via a VPN service provider.

Reasons to use a VPN on Mac

This replaces the IP address of the Internet connection with one of the numerous IP addresses of the VPN provider. This new IP address is then visible to websites and online services. And that has some tangible advantages:

Surf anonymously with the Mac

Probably the most important argument for using a VPN on the Mac is the possibility of surfing completely anonymously: Since the IP addresses are exchanged by the VPN provider, there is no way for websites or services such as Bittorrent to trace the user back. Of course, this only works if you don’t spread personal data like name and email address everywhere. But even then, the IP address is disguised as currently the only legally valid proof of your activity and you are largely anonymous – and therefore safe – on the net.

Bypass geo-blocking

A second major advantage of a VPN service for Mac is the ability to bypass geo-restrictions. A geo-blockade picks up the IP address and thus knows in which country you are at the moment. VPN providers usually have large networks: they contain servers all over the world whose IP addresses you can use. So you can change the country for a website with just one click – and disguise yourself as a user from the USA, for example. Netflix and Co. will then deliver the American content to you, even if you have a German account. You can also bypass geoblocks, such as those used on YouTube, because music can be delivered in one country and not in that. Of course, this also works with other countries, provided the VPN provider supports them.

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circumvent censorship

Points 1 and 2 work together and form point 3: if you are anonymous on the one hand and can bypass geoblocking on the other, this means that you can also bypass internet censorship with a VPN service for the Mac. This becomes relevant if you live in countries that block certain websites via their Internet provider: If you are on holiday or temporarily live in a country with strong censorship, you can bypass it quite easily with a VPN. However, there is a catch here: the states know this too, of course – and may block VPN use.

Additional security through special functions

Last but not least, many VPN services offer special features that increase your internet security. With many providers, the network also acts as a firewall, and there are also ad blockers or so-called kill switches that you can use to disconnect with one click if you have the feeling that your computer is being attacked.

VPN can also sometimes get in the way

In short: It always makes sense to have a VPN service on hand in order to surf anonymously and to protect Internet traffic as much as possible. However, a VPN can also have (minor) disadvantages: Some online services such as Amazon, Facebook or Microsoft notice that a login was made via an exotic (VPN) IP address – and may complain.

Not because you use a VPN, but because your VPN connection seems strange to the algorithms of the services: If you have just logged in in Germany, you cannot log in from the USA an hour later. The services could then report strange access by email or even block the account because they suspect hacker attacks or data theft – which is correct.

Install VPN on Mac

Most VPN providers have Mac clients, plus apps for all other relevant operating systems. Therefore, you can usually choose the provider that performs best in VPN tests or that you like best. The installation is similar for all providers.

In the following we show the setup using Proton-VPN: This Swiss VPN service is comparatively expensive, but it has one big advantage: the basic version can be used free of charge, albeit only to a limited extent: This is how the free version protects from ProtonVPN does not allow BitTorrent connections and only allows two servers in the US and the Netherlands. If you want more, you have to pay for a subscription, but the provider is the right choice for a first VPN test for macOS.

Install Proton VPN on Mac

  1. 01 step 1 01 step 1
    1

    With all VPN providers, you have to register before downloading: This may initially be contradictory in terms of anonymity: However, the providers want to ensure that Hinz and Kunz do not use their service. In addition, the vast majority of providers have a so-called no-log policy: They do not remember which pages you have accessed via the VPN service. In addition, there are also services where you can pay anonymously with Bitcoin, which means you don’t have to leave any personal data.

  2. 02 step 2 02 step 2
    2

    After registering and selecting a tariff, you can load the VPN software from your VPN provider’s account. Some providers also allow you to download before registering, but you have to register anyway. By downloading from the VPN provider’s website, you ensure that you are getting the original and not a compromised version that might contain malware.

  3. 03 Step 3 03 Step 3
    3

    After downloading, you can install the provider’s VPN software on your Mac, as is usual with macOS, using drag & drop or the PKG installer.

  4. 04 Step 4 04 Step 4
    4

    You can now start the VPN client. To do this, you must first log in with the user account that you created in step 1.

  5. 05 Step 5 05 Step 5
    5

    That’s it, Proton VPN now lets you protect your connection via the free VPN service by clicking on “Quick Connect”. The operation is similar for all VPN services. The connection to the VPN server is established in seconds. You can now switch countries as you wish and surf anonymously. Important: You should set the VPN client so that it starts up directly when you start your Mac: You can then quickly connect to the VPN if necessary. If you want complete security, some VPN clients also offer the option of connecting the computer to the VPN as soon as it starts.

Recommended VPN services for Mac

Of course, there are well-suited and less well-suited VPN services for the Mac. Since Mac users usually also have at least one other Apple device – such as an iPhone or an iPad – it makes sense that the VPN provider not only allows multiple devices per tariff, but also has the right apps ready. The good news: This is the case with most providers, even if the access programs for the VPN services under macOS sometimes have minor restrictions compared to the Windows version. Nevertheless, there are some VPN services that are particularly recommended for macOS:

cyberghost

Cyberghost is also the test winner in the Netzwelt VPN provider comparison. And not without reason: the Romania-based company allows seven parallel devices per account and is very reasonably priced. There is also a large number of available servers. There are a number of security features, such as an automatic kill switch. In addition to clients for macOS, iOS and iPadOS, Cyberghost also offers apps for most other systems, such as Windows, Linux or Android.

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NordVPN

NordVPN is probably the most well-known VPN service and that is not only due to the provider’s often very aggressive advertising: NordVPN is simply good – and therefore also the second test winner in the VPN comparison by Netzwelt. The client for MacOS is largely identical to the Windows version, up to six devices can be protected per account. NordVPN is also particularly easy to use. The iOS and iPadOS apps are very sophisticated and resource-saving and of course there are also apps for all other systems.

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Zenmate

The third winner in the VPN comparison is the German provider Zenmate. Here, too, there are powerful VPN clients for the three Apple operating systems macOS, iOS and iPadOS. Zenmate scores with very high speed, the location in Germany is even an advantage in this case because it can be ensured that German data protection standards apply.

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Free VPN: Good Alternative or Not?

If you do a bit of searching on the internet, or even ours on Netzwelt, you’ll quickly come across a range of free VPN services, including free VPNs for Mac. You can usually use these programs completely free of charge.

However, many of these services turned out to be solid at best in the test, because important security functions are often missing or data protection is not guaranteed to the same extent as with paid services. For complete protection on your Mac, you should therefore always prefer paid services.

Secure your home network with VPN under macOS

Incidentally, in addition to commercial providers, there is another option for using VPN under macOS: connecting to a company or home network. Of course, this is not an anonymization, but the possibility of using the respective network from a remote Internet connection. MacOS conveniently offers all the necessary tools for this, additional software is not necessary. Setting up such a “work VPN” is a breeze:

Use VPN on other operating systems and devices

Do you not only have a Mac at home, but also other technical devices? Then you can either equip all devices with a VPN connection via your router or you can install individual clients on your devices. In any case, the following instructions will help you with the setup.

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