VPNs (virtual private networks) have been around for ages. Although they were a medium of secure communication between remote workplaces, various circumstances have contributed to evolving the tech over time. It is no longer only a virtual and private network that facilitates communication over a channel. It has now become a service to both corporations and individuals. Hence, there are multiple assertions associated with it as a service. This has led to a boom in the providers and vendors offering VPN services, and we’ll demonstrate ways to use one named IPVanish.
Today, numerous VPN vendors are willing to embrace customers based on their abilities. However, there is a severe difference in quality like any other product. That’s when we try to focus on quality VPN services to help our readers. Thus, this article will be a brief but useful startup guide. It focuses on how to use IPVanish. We will focus on the applicability of the service and how to employ it on multiple platforms. Interested readers can continue scrolling down for further information.
Recap of what IPVanish offers
Before we move forward, we want to remind our readers that we have already covered IPVanish in a detailed review. Hence, those curious about this vendor can always give our older article a look. But to those who are new here, let us give a short introduction to what IPVanish is and why it is a vendor worthy of attention. First, it is unlike those up-and-coming VPN services. It is a reputed vendor that opened shop a decade ago. With only 32 VPN servers and a single Windows VPN client, IPVanish ventured into the VPN market. However, it has since grown into the top-tier service provider we all know and appreciate.
Today it helms over 2000 servers spread across 51 countries. It also holds over 40000 IP addresses. The service is trustworthy, with a fast VPN connection and a robust no-logging policy. Due to these factors, the VPN is successful despite operating in the United States. The service also ensures overall quality and focuses on customer appreciation. It supports multiple functions: including gaming, streaming, and torrenting. It has a SmartDNS and offers port forwarding.
IPVanish also covers the advanced features well. It comes with necessities like a kill switch and the latest security protocols, including WireGuard. The encryption in play is military-grade, and other features include novelties like split tunneling and SOCKS5 proxy. The best thing about the service is its affordability. Although there is no free version or trial, the service does offer the standard money-back guarantee and a price of $4 per month. IPVanish works on Windows, iOS, Android, macOS, Linux, routers, and most IoT (Internet of Things) devices. This article will cover methods to use IPVanish on such platforms.
Although it is a guide, we have only included steps regarding the native app setup. The article doesn’t cover manual installation and the use of IPVanish. As we all know, manual installation can work on any device, and it is far more comprehensible. Hence, we have limited the scope of the guide to provide support for the most popular platforms. It includes a native app setup for Windows, iOS, macOS, and Android. For further information and help, readers are always welcome to visit the official IPVanish website.
How do I use IPVanish VPN on Windows?
IPVanish has a native app for Windows, and to utilize it, you have to download and install it. Follow these steps for a seamless experience:
- First, ensure that your system is running the latest version of Windows. IPVanish supports Windows 7, 8, 10, and 11. Older versions won’t work.
- Now, go to the official IPVanish website.
- On the top bar, you’ll find Apps. Click on it.
- Navigate the cursor to the Windows tab and click on Download Windows App.
- The browser will initiate the download. Now locate the download file and click on it.
- After that, the Windows installation wizard will run.
- It will prompt you for permission. Select “yes”.
- Choose a suitable location for the package to install.
- Click on “install”.
- The system will install the IPVanish Windows client. Now go to the desktop and locate the IPVanish app icon.
- Then double-click on it to run the app. Your VPN will load and take you to the login page.
- You can either enter your IPVanish credentials or sign up for the service.
- If you are a subscriber, you’d have to enter your username and password.
- Otherwise, you’d have to visit the official website and register for a payment plan.
- IPVanish offers multiple subscriptions. Pick one according to your need.
- Once you have successfully logged in, go to the status page. It will show your current VPN status as disconnected. On the same page, you will find a tab to change the VPN server or go with the best suitable location.
- After making your choice, click the Connect button. The VPN will initiate a connection, and you can use IPVanish.
Can you employ IPVanish for macOS?
Yes, and the following instructions allow readers to use IPVanish VPN on a macOS machine:
- First, go to the IPVanish website and download the macOS client.
- The steps are similar to the Windows setup. Just select the “Mac” tab.
- However, the client for version 10.11 or 10.12 isn’t available on the download page. Contact customer support on their help page.
- Now your file would get downloaded to the “Downloads” folder. Then open it and drag the .dmg file to the Application folder for installation.
- After the installation, the app will launch, but there will be a prompt too.
- Enter your macOS account username and password to authenticate the installation of IPVanish.
- Then you will face the login page. Like what we did in the Windows setup: Either enter the VPN credentials or sign up.
- Sign up means to go back to the IPVanish website and purchase a subscription. Afterward, use the username and password provided.
- After successful login, you’d reach the Status page. This page shows the VPN connection status, target server, and so on.
- Here you might be asked to install the IPVanish helper toolkit for first-time installations.
- Enter your macOS credentials to facilitate such installation.
- Now select your desired VPN server and click on Connect. The VPN will initiate the connection.
Utilize the IPVanish Android app
Although you can always use the official website to download the Android client, we prefer Google Play Store since it is easy to use. The following steps will highlight what you have to do:
- Go to Google Play Store on your Android device.
- After that, enter the following into the search box: IPVanish VPN.
- Now click on the app icon and install it.
- After installation, click on Open and launch the app. It will take you to the login page.
- Users with IPVanish credentials can use the provided username and password to log into the app. Otherwise, you’d have to purchase a subscription.
- After a successful login, you can begin a tutorial or skip it and visit the “Status” page.
- Here, the device will prompt you for permission regarding VPN authentication. Select OK.
- You can either change the VPN server to connect to or go with the fastest available.
- Click on Connect, and the VPN will create the connection.
Using the IPVanish VPN iOS application
Go to Apple App Store and search for “IPVanish” for the easiest route. After that, you can follow these steps to employ IPVanish on your iOS.
- Tap the download icon to download and install the VPN service from Apple App Store.
- After that, click on OPEN.
- On a prompt regarding notifications, click on “allow”. Now you will get to the login page.
- Either use your credentials or subscribe to a plan by visiting the official website.
- After a successful login, you can either choose to enable on-demand or not.
- Finish the setup and wait for a prompt to pop up. Choose “yes”. You will reach the IPVanish Dashboard. It will showcase your current network status.
- You may now determine your desired VPN server and click on connect to initiate a VPN connection.