Is it Possible to Stream in 4K HD With a VPN?

Online streaming has become an intrinsic part of our day-to-day lives thanks to the convenience and accessibility of the Internet. However, there is no escaping the fact that we rarely give a second thought to how secure these online streaming providers are, or whether our data is adequately protected against those ready to intercept it for their own unscrupulous purposes. A Virtual Private Network, or VPN for short, offers protection against the unseen cyber risks of online streaming and safeguards your information against potential attackers.

While these risks grow exponentially when you're connected to a public Wi-Fi hotspot, it's important to realize that streaming 4K HD videos and movies isn't necessarily safer when you're using your own Wi-Fi or broadband. The reality is that, without the right level of protection, your device is easy prey to hackers. In the United States alone, over 16 million identities are stolen each year, with the annual cost to the global economy estimated at $445 billion.

So how can a streaming VPN help you protect your data and still allow you to stream your favorite movies or shows in 4K HD?

First, What's a Streaming VPN?

I always say that privacy is your right — not a privilege; you are rightfully entitled to not have your privacy intruded upon in any way or by anyone. While many businesses, including online streaming services, have understood the exceptional importance of data protection, cybercrime remains a growing concern globally. Studies show that security breaches have increased by 11% since 2018, and as much as 64% from 2014.

Since the average Internet connection is neither fully secure nor encrypted, you need an extra layer of security while you're streaming, whether you're at home or on the go.

A VPN is an Internet security measure that provides end-to-end encryption for your device's Internet connection, thus making it much harder for attackers to steal your personal identity or information. No matter where you connect to the Internet, a VPN will ensure your data stays secure and private from fake Wi-Fi networks, hackers, and other unscrupulous individuals or organizations.

In other words, once a VPN is enabled on your device, you can leisurely stream movies, TV shows, and videos online without thinking twice about it.

More Than Security: Stream Geo-Locked Shows and Movies

While VPNs provide a great level of protection against data breaches, they do have one other benefit that shouldn't be overlooked — they unlock access to geo-locked shows and movies, too.

How? Well, some shows and movies are restricted to certain areas and countries and they can't be accessed by anyone located outside them. However, a streaming VPN enables you to hide your IP address (which indicates the location of your device) behind another IP address that is located in the restricted area or country.

VPN providers give you the option to decide the location you access the Internet from. For example, you may want to stream shows only available in the UK, in which case you'll select a city located within England, Scotland, or Northern Ireland to access and use the service.

Are Streaming VPNs Too Slow to View Content in 4K HD?

VPNs are generally slower than the average Internet connection, which can make your experience less than ideal when streaming videos in 4K HD. By taking a few simple steps, you can enjoy a high-quality viewing experience even when using a streaming VPN.

One of the most important factors that determines the speed of your VPN connection is the distance between your location and your chosen VPN server. The longer the distance, the slower the connection. When you're not trying to access geo-blocked content, choose a VPN server located near to you so that you can stream your 4K HD content without compromising on performance.

Sometimes, you may find that your chosen VPN server, while near to your location, still doesn't deliver the performance necessary for streaming 4K HD content. In that case, try an alternative server with a similar location, preferably one with less users connected to it. It could be in a different city or even a different area of the country — you will need to spend some time testing and figuring out which server works best for you.

Another solution to a slow VPN connection is split tunneling, which allows you to specify which traffic goes over the VPN and which goes unencrypted over your regular Internet connection. In other words, split tunneling can help you ensure that only your 4K HD content gets streamed over the VPN, while other applications, if any, use your regular Internet connection.

However, split tunneling isn't very straightforward to use, which is why you should follow your VPN provider's instructions to make sure you've set it up correctly.

Making the Most of Your Streaming VPN

Although using a VPN is relatively simple, there are a few aspects you should always be aware of.

1. You need to make sure your VPN is connected before you access the streaming service or start streaming, otherwise you'll be exposed to security risks and you will not be able to access geo-blocked content.

2. A VPN won't provide enough protection against hackers if either the streaming service or your Internet connection is unsafe and unsecure, which means your personal identity and information may be intercepted. Avoid websites that are marked as unsafe or unsecure and only connect to Wi-Fi hotspots you trust.

Whether you're surfing the Internet or streaming movies, you should always be wary of the potential security risks you are continually exposed to while connected to the Internet. Using a reliable VPN can not only safeguard your data, but also enable access to geo-blocked content you would otherwise be unable to access. Being proactive in your approach will help you ward off hackers and prevent later inconveniences.