In this article, we will teach you how to install Hide.me VPN on Fire Stick. A VPN (a virtual private network) is a digital product that safeguards privacy and data security. However, its sphere of influence isn’t limited to a particular field. Since it is a technology that can hide and spoof an IP address and surpass blocks, users have found numerous ways to employ it. Thus, a VPN is multi-faceted.
Today, most users rely on VPNs to supplement their entertainment needs. As a result, they are popular with devices and platforms that stream media. One such device is the Amazon Fire Stick which can turn your Smart TV into a blockbuster distributer. However, most streaming services are regionally restricted. To unlock their potential, one has to employ a VPN, and Hide.me is one such service to use on a Fire Stick.
Why should I use a VPN on Fire Stick?
There are numerous reasons behind employing a VPN, regardless of if it’s this one. Although securing data and privacy concerns aren’t the driving force behind this decision, the safety of IoT (Internet of Things) devices does play a role. However, we arbitrarily agree that the entertainment factor alone plays a huge function. The various benefits one can derive from such an implementation are as follows:
- Bypassing geo-blocks — VPNs can circumvent geo-blocks, thus allowing users to access content that isn’t limited to their region. Streaming platforms create or present region-specific content. However, many users aren’t satisfied with this arrangement hence the use of a VPN.
- Countering fast lane services — ISPs (Internet Service Providers) can prioritize a particular service over another. It does so under the new internet laws and presents fast lane services for such cases. Doing so can throttle the speed of users when browsing competing services. Consequently, to avoid this, a VPN is needed.
- Preventing ISP throttling — Similarly, ISPs throttle data for various reasons. A VPN can hide your traffic and avert such scenarios from playing out.
- Data privacy and security — A VPN is your surefire way to preserve anonymity and data security. Hackers sometimes use IoT devices to launch DDoS (distributed denial of service) attacks. A VPN can thwart such attempts in the cradle itself.
Hide.me doesn’t offer SmartDNS for streaming devices
Hide.me is a VPN service that runs on numerous platforms and caters to a bunch of devices, and it includes a Fire Stick. However, unlike top-tier services that streamline themselves to cater to such IoT devices, the Hide.me VPN is a bit different. How? Well, the service doesn’t come with a Smart DNS feature.
Smart DNS is an attribute that allows devices that aren’t VPN compatible to run VPN-specific servers. Hence, these devices can connect to these servers even without a VPN client. Smart DNS is useful when it comes to streaming devices. But sadly, Hide.me doesn’t offer such a benefit. Thus, users can’t use the Smart DNS to connect to their Fire Stick device.
Moving on; Even without the Smart DNS, there are numerous ways for a Hide.me user to install and use the VPN on Fire Stick. In this segment, we will talk about such solutions. They include the straightforward downloading of the exclusive application, VPN routers, and mobile hotspots, among others.
1. Install the exclusive Hide.me VPN app for Fire Stick
The first thing a Hide.me user can do is try using the native Hide.me app on the Fire Stick device. Although, you have to heed that the older version of these devices doesn’t support .apk files. Hence, the app will only run on the latest generation of Fire Stick devices. Here’s how installation works:
- First, power up your Fire Stick.
- Now, go to the Apps segment/option.
- Then, find the Categories tab and click it.
- After that, locate Utilities and click on it.
- Some versions of Fire Stick have made away with this category. Thus, users can directly search the app.
- Now scroll down and find Hide.me VPN app for Fire Stick.
- Then, click on the app to download it and wait for the process to finish.
- After the app gets loaded on your device, run it.
- Now, you are on the login page.
- Enter your Hide.me VPN credentials. Alternatively, go to the official Hide.me VPN website. Buy a subscription and then use the credentials.
- After a successful login, click the Connect button to initiate the VPN and enjoy streaming.
2. Use a router with pre-flashed Hide.me firmware
The good news is that Hide.me offers a pre-flashed router at a reasonable price. Although users can always buy a VPN-compatible router and manually install Hide.me on it, for this purpose, a pre-flashed router is the most straightforward solution. All the user has to do is plug and play.
Hide.me offers the Vilfo router on its website. Users can also get the same deal on the Hide.me’s section of Vilfo’s website. Once you have it, you simply need to connect it to the network and afterward connect the Amazon streaming gadget to the same network.
Manually configure your router
First, let us clarify that the following firmware can all run a VPN connection. However, the hardware (physical VPN router) also has to be capable enough to do so. The names of router firmware are as follows:
- DD-WRT
- OpenWRT
- ASUSWRT
- Tomato
Users can install and run Hide.me on any router that has the type of firmware on the list above. Consequently, when connected to such a VPN router, this device can run the VPN service. To learn more about the setup and manual installation of these routers, visit the manufacturer-specific guides on Hide.me’s website.
3. Run Hide.me on your Fire Stick using a mobile hotspot
With the advancement of technology nowadays, mobile phones can also function as temporary data providers. All the user has to do is launch the mobile hotspot feature on the device and connect the devices to share data. Hence, users can utilize this VPN service on their Fire Stick with this technology. However, the mobile needs to have an active Hide.me subscription and be capable of sharing the VPN over Wi-Fi. With that done, users must:
- Drag the top bar down and activate the mobile hotspot.
- After that, run the Hide.me app, log in and initiate the VPN connection.
- Once they ensure that the VPN is stable and running without issues, go to the mobile setting and allow the device to share data (VPN) over the network.
- Latest iOS and Android devices do not need to follow this step as they can share the VPN connection automatically as long as they establish a network in this fashion.
- Power up the Fire Stick device and go to Settings.
- After that, go to the network and the Wi-Fi.
- Then, find a Mobile Hotspot SSID and connect to it.
- Once their Amazon device can establish a stable connection to the Hotspot, it can access the VPN. To clarify, the hotspot functions as a virtual router.