How to Improve Your PS4 Gaming Experience With a VPN

Djordje Novakov

Having sold over 91.6 million units, the PlayStation 4 is the best selling console in gaming history. While Sony’s sole purpose with the PS4 is to provide an ultimate gaming experience, its users can now use it for a multitude of entertainment purposes.

With increased interconnectedness comes increased cybersecurity risks, making it a near necessity for gaming enthusiasts to protect their online activity. Connecting to a Virtual Private Network, or VPN, is one of the best ways to bolster the security of your PS4, and in some cases, it can even improve your gaming experience.

Why You Should Use a VPN With Your PS4

Although the benefits and security a VPN can provide while gaming online is the primary reason to consider using one, modern consoles have become much more than just a means to game. The more activities you conduct online on your PS4, the more you’re opening yourself up to risk.

Reduce Ping and Lag

When testing your Internet speed, the first thing that’s tested is the ping time. Normally, the higher the ping is, the slower the upload and download speeds, and the higher the lag. When gaming, especially in online shooters, each second counts. You can use a gaming VPN to minimize ping while at the same time combating your ISP’s bandwidth throttling.

Keep in mind that a poor VPN service may actually increase the burden on your Internet connection, increasing lag and latency. The best VPN providers will offer servers optimized for gaming with unlimited bandwidth and crisp connection speeds.

Hide Your Location and Activity

Online anonymity is a key reason why gamers connect to a VPN on their PS4s. ISPs regularly log the activity of their users and sell it to advertisers. While it may not be a direct threat to your security, it is certainly an invasion of privacy.

VPNs allow you to remain anonymous and connect to the Internet from a location of your choosing. This means you can access the PlayStation Store from different regions to buy games before they come out in your area or at lower costs.

Fend Off Attacks From Malicious People

A strongly encrypted VPN will thwart attempts to spam your Internet connection with distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks. These attacks work by overwhelming or your connection with unusually high amounts of data or traffic, raising your ping to unplayable levels.

A VPN will also encrypt your email address, physical address, credit card information, passwords, and all account information associated with your PS4.

How to set up a VPN on your PS4

Unfortunately, a PS4 is not programmed to naturally support VPNs. Fear not, however, for there are three easy ways you can set up your preferred VPN on your console.

Using Your Wi-Fi Router

Once subscribed to a VPN, this is the simplest way to connect your PS4. You can choose to either buy a Wi-Fi router that supports VPN access (you may already have one) or manually feed the details of your VPN to your Wi-Fi settings. While the former option is a little costlier, it is the easiest as the latter requires you to have some technical knowledge.

Once your router is connected to the VPN, every device connected to said router, including your PS4, will be encrypted and secure.

Using Your Windows PC

After buying a subscription from a reputable provider, follow the steps below to set it up on your PS4 console:

• Install the VPN service on your Windows or Mac operating system
• Plug in one end of your Ethernet cable to your personal computer and the other end to your PS4 console
• On your PC, click on the control panel and select the ‘Network and Sharing Center’
• Click on ‘Change Adaptor Settings’ and right-click on the VPN icon
• Select the home Internet connection you would like to share your PS4 with
• Navigate to the settings on your PS4, click on ‘Network Settings’ and then on ‘Set Up Internet Connection’
• Select ‘Use a LAN Cable’
• Select the ‘Easy’ Internet connection option and select ‘Do not use a Proxy Server’
• Game, stream and browse the Internet on your PS4 securely and anonymously

Using Your Mac

• Plug in one end of your Ethernet cable to your Mac and the other end to your PS4 console
• Click on System Preferences and select the ‘Internet Sharing’ option and choose the Wi-Fi option
• In the ‘To Computers Using’ section, click on the Ethernet option
• Check to ensure that the Internet is shared between the PS4 and Mac
• Navigate to the settings on your PS4, click on ‘Network Settings’ and then on ‘Set Up Internet Connection’
• Select ‘Use a LAN Cable’
• Select the ‘Easy’ Internet connection option and select ‘Do not use a Proxy Server’
• Game, stream and browse the Internet on your PS4 securely and anonymously

Conduct Due Diligence

Different VPNs have diverse features and functionalities. Some are more suited for gamers than others. If you are keen on obtaining a VPN for a smooth gaming experience, do comprehensive research to find the right option for your needs.