How to Use a VPN on PS4 with Your Phone in 5 Easy Steps

Have you ever wanted to access geo-restricted content or ramp up your security while gaming on your PS4? Using a virtual private network (VPN) is a great way to achieve both of those goals.

With a VPN, you can make it seem like your PS4 traffic is coming from another country. This allows you to bypass content restrictions and access games or streaming media that are blocked in your region. A VPN also encrypts all network data coming to and from your PS4, helping keep your information secure and anonymous.

But how exactly do you go about setting up a VPN on your PS4 console?

But How to Use a VPN on PS4 with Your Phone?

The PS4 doesn’t directly support VPN connections like you can do on a PC. However, there is a handy workaround – you can use your smartphone as a VPN hotspot to tunnel your PS4 traffic through a VPN server.

In this beginner-friendly guide, I’ll explain step-by-step how to configure a VPN on your PS4 using your phone in just a few minutes. You don’t need any advanced technical skills. Just have your PS4, smartphone, and VPN app ready to go.

Let’s get started!

Let me know if you would like me to expand or change anything in this intro. I can move on to writing the next section when you’re ready.

Things You’ll Need to Use a VPN on Your PS4

To connect your PS4 to a VPN using your phone, you need a few essential pieces of equipment:

• VPN service subscription – A paid VPN service will provide the best speeds for gaming and streaming. Some top options are ExpressVPN, NordVPN, Surfshark, or IPVanish.
• PS4 game console – This method will work on any PS4 model. You’ll need your console, controllers, and TV or display to access content.
• Smartphone – An iPhone or Android phone is required to set up the mobile hotspot. Make sure your phone plan supports hotspot/tethering.

That’s it! Pretty simple. Many PS4 owners already have these three things handy at home.

As long as you have a compatible smartphone that can run a VPN app, you can route your PS4’s traffic through that VPN connection by linking the devices together wirelessly.

Now, let’s move on to the steps for setting everything up.

Let me know if you would like me to expand or modify this section at all before moving on.

Download and Install the VPN App on Your Phone

The first step is to download and install a VPN app on your mobile device. 

This will allow you to connect to a VPN server and create an encrypted tunnel for your PS4 traffic to pass through.

Here are some top VPNs with easy-to-use apps for iPhone and Android:

For iPhone:

• ExpressVPN – offers lightning-fast speeds and an easy-to-use interface.
• NordVPN – Great selection of server locations and robust privacy features.
• Surf Shark – Affordable pricing and allows unlimited device connections.

For Android:

• NordVPN – Recommended for Android users with lots of configuration options.
• CyberGhost – User-friendly app good for streaming and gaming.
• Private Internet Access – Reliable connections and allows port forwarding.

The installation process will be slightly different depending on which VPN service you choose. But in most cases, it simply involves:

1. Going to the App Store (iPhone) or Google Play Store (Android).
2. Searching for the VPN app and hitting install.
3. Tapping open the app once installed and log in with your VPN credentials.

That’s all there is to it! The VPN app icon will now be available on your home screen for quick access whenever you need it.

Let’s move on to connecting your devices.

Connect Your Phone to the Same Wi-Fi Network as Your PS4

Once you have your VPN app installed, the next important step is to get your smartphone and PS4 connected to the same Wi-Fi network.

Think of this Wi-Fi network as the bridge that will allow traffic to pass between your phone and gaming console.

To get your devices on the same network:

1. First, locate the Wi-Fi settings menu on your PS4 and connect it to your regular home Wi-Fi.
2. Next, take your smartphone and connect it to that same Wi-Fi network.
3. Double-check that they are both successfully connected to the same network by checking the connected network names on each device.
   

Now, your phone and PS4 can communicate with each other wirelessly.

Having both devices on the same network means your PS4 will be able to utilize your smartphone’s mobile hotspot feature in the next step to link up with the VPN.

Let’s enable that mobile hotspot now.

Enable the Mobile Hotspot Feature on Your Phone

Most modern smartphones have a mobile hotspot or tethering feature that allows other devices to route their traffic through your phone’s internet connection.

We’re going to take advantage of this capability to get your PS4 connected to the VPN app on your phone.

Enabling the mobile hotspot is easy:

On iPhone:

1. Go to Settings > Personal Hotspot.
2. Toggle on the Personal Hotspot switch.
3. Set a password and the network name.

On Android:

1. Open Settings and go to Tethering & Mobile Hotspot.
2. Tap on Mobile Hotspot and toggle it on.
3. Customize the network name and security if desired.

That’s all it takes to get your mobile hotspot up and running!

Keep in mind that using the hotspot uses your phone’s data plan, so you may incur charges from your carrier, especially if gaming or streaming for long periods.

Now let’s connect the PS4…

Connect Your PS4 to Your Phone’s Mobile Hotspot

With your phone’s mobile hotspot enabled, it’s time to connect your PS4 to that network.

The process of connecting your PS4 to your phone’s hotspot is the same as connecting to any regular Wi-Fi network:

1. On your PS4, go to Settings > Network > Set Up Internet Connection.
2. Select the Wi-Fi option. The hotspot network name from your phone should now show up in the list of available networks.
3. Select your phone’s hotspot network. Enter the hotspot password if prompted.

It may take a few seconds to connect, but then your PS4 should show as connected to your phone’s mobile hotspot!

Now comes the final step – connecting to the VPN app running on your phone.

Almost there.

Connect to a VPN Server Through Your Phone

You have your PS4 connected to your smartphone’s Wi-Fi hotspot. The last step is running the VPN app to route your traffic through an encrypted tunnel.

Follow these steps:

1. On your phone, open up the VPN app you installed earlier (e.g., NordVPN, ExpressVPN, etc.).
2. Tap to connect to the server location you want. This allows you to choose a virtual location.
3. Once connected through the VPN app, your phone’s entire internet connection is now encrypted and anonymous.
4. With your PS4 linked to that hotspot, any gaming or streaming done on your console will pass through the VPN tunnel.

That’s all there is to it! To confirm everything is working, check your public IP address on a site like Google.com before and after connecting to the VPN. It should change to match your selected virtual location.

Now, you can enjoy secure, geo-unrestricted gaming and streaming on your PS4 through your phone’s VPN connection.

Enjoy! Let me know in the comments if you need any help getting set up.

Wrapping Up

And there you have it! With just a few simple steps, you can route your PS4 gaming and streaming through a VPN by leveraging your phone’s mobile hotspot feature.

Here’s a quick recap of the process:

1. Download and install a VPN app on your smartphone.
2. Connect your phone and PS4 to the same Wi-Fi network.
3. Enable your phone’s mobile hotspot feature.
4. Link your PS4 to your phone’s hotspot network.
5. Connect to a VPN server through the app on your phone.

Using your phone as an intermediary between your PS4 and VPN is an easy workaround that doesn’t require any advanced technical know-how.

For the best performance, go with a paid VPN service rather than a free option. Paid VPNs have faster speeds for HD gaming and streaming. They also offer more robust privacy and security features.

This guide has shown you how quick and easy it is to set up a VPN on your PS4 using your mobile device. Now, you can enjoy enhanced online security and content access when gaming on the go or at home.

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