Playstation 4 and a VPN account – How to guide.

THE PS4 AND VPN-A QUICK HOW-TO

The PS4 launch in November of 2013 exceeded all expectations for the newest generation of Sony Playstation consoles, and the integration of VPN support provides an added dimension of security for gamers who use their consoles to play online against other PS4 owners or for Internet browsing.

There is a small learning curve attached to using your VPN on the PS4, but this quick how-to guide will show you the basics of getting the VPN configured and the purposes it serves on your gaming console.

Ghosting your gaming data

Most PS4 owners will be using their consoles to play across a network at some point against others. That’s the whole point of gaming consoles these days. The problem is that many gamers don’t necessarily consider security concerns when it comes to their gaming data. They should, as evidenced by Sony’s TOS for the PS4. In fact, the TOS was amended on release day as Sony tried to slip new conditions in under the radar.

Word for word, here is the update to the TOC that Sony released a few hours after the PS4 launch:

“Your use of PSN and our community features may be recorded and collected by us or sent to us by other users. Any information collected in this way, for example, you UGM (User Generated Media), the content of your voice and text communications, video of your gameplay, the time and location of your activities, and your name, your PS Online ID and IP address, may be used by us or our affiliated companies.”

What? We bet you never realized just how much data you expose when playing PS4 games or using the console for browsing, sending messages, or watching Netflix. This is Sony’s sly way of saying that you willingly surrender the privacy of your gaming data when you use the console, and they can sell that data to whoever they please. Uh, no thank you!

The good news is that you can protect yourself and ghost your gaming data by simply using a VPN. It is very simple to ghost your traffic and keep personal data from falling into the wrong hands.

Setting up the PS4 VPN

The specifics of setting up your VPN on the PS4 is not that much different from the PS3. It all starts with having a VPN configured on your home computer.

Once you have purchased a VPN from VPN-accounts.com, check your email for the configuration instructions. You’ll simply need to enter a few fields of data to set up a new VPN connection on your device. There is no software to download and we provide excellent tutorials on the process. Once your VPN is configured on your computer, it is a simple matter to use it with your PS3 or PS4.

You’ll need a crossover cable that connects your gaming console to your computer. Once you have the console connected, just connect to your VPN and away you go.

The PS4 has made this process somewhat easier through the use of the ethernet controller and your router. This method requires that you connect to your VPN server from your Wi-Fi router and then just connect your console to the router. This solution is preferred, but not all routers are VPN compatible. You’ll need to make sure yours is before using this method. Beyond that, the process is pretty much the same. You’ll configure your router with the provided instructions to connect to the VPN and then just connect your PS4 to the router.

Benefits of a VPN on the PS4

First and foremost, using a VPN account to secure the connection of your PS4 is the best way to avoid Sony’s pesky TOS that gives them massive control over your private data. Beyond that, using a VPN is very helpful in using your PS4 to stream content from services like Netflix which are restricted in certain countries. There are even many game restrictions in specific geographical areas.

The key thing to understand here is that gaming consoles like the PS4 aren’t just used for gaming. They are basically a big media server that facilitates not only the playing of games but also watching movies and streaming music. Because this media is streamed online, it is subject to the same restrictions levied on media content accessed with standard Internet-ready devices. If you live outside of the US, that means your digital media options can be sorely limited.

The PS4 is an expensive console. If you are fortunate enough to own one, there is no reason why you shouldn’t tap all of its available features. Doing that will require the use of a VPN if you happen to live in an area where some media is blocked. In addition, you shouldn’t have to forfeit your personal security to enjoy the features of your gaming console.