You have plenty of reasons for wanting to use a virtual private network (VPN) on your Mac. They include browsing safely on public Wi-Fi, hiding your location, accessing region-locked content, and keeping your file sharing habits to yourself.
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Setting up a VPN on your Mac is easy. macOS has built-in support, and some VPN services provide their own hassle-free software. You can also install third-party tools for using different protocols.
Method 1: Use Your VPN Provider’s Software
Depending on your VPN provider (check out our best VPN servicesThe Best VPN ServicesThe Best VPN ServicesWe've compiled a list of what we consider to be the best Virtual Private Network (VPN) service providers, grouped by premium, free, and torrent-friendly.Read More), they may provide access to software that allows you to use the service. This software is tailored to your provider. Thus, you don’t have to mess around with configuring your connections, inputting IP addresses, or checking which protocols you can use.
Most VPN providers provide this software for Mac and Windows users. Linux users will likely need to set up your VPN on their ownEverything Linux Users Need to Know About Installing a VPNEverything Linux Users Need to Know About Installing a VPNLinux is inherently more secure than Windows. But this doesn't mean that you shouldn't keep an eye on how you access the internet. A firewall is necessary, and increasingly so is a VPN.Read More. Using provider software is a simple case of downloading and installing the client, logging in with your username and password, then connecting to a server of your choice.
Provider software makes it easy to jump around from server to server, since the software keeps a list of available connections. If you’re using your VPN to access region-locked content, this makes it easy to pick a server to connect to. Some providers have specific servers that are compatible with BitTorrent traffic. The software makes it easy to make sure you don’t fall foul of the rules.
When you prefer this solution, you will forget about all those interrupted jumps between different apps with the aim to download one or another file. Best torrent client for mac 2018 reddit.
Method 2: Use Apple’s Networking Tools
macOS has built-in support for creating VPN connections as part of Apple’s own networking tools. You can access these by heading to System Preferences > Network, then clicking on the Plus button.
From here you can specify a VPN connection, pick the VPN type (protocol), and give your new VPN connection a name. It pays to be descriptive when naming your connection if you intend to use more than one VPN server. For example, you might plan to access region-locked content in other countries.
macOS includes support for L2TP (Layer 2 Tunneling Protocol) over IPSec, Cisco IPSec, and the newer IKEv2 (internet Key Exchange version 2) protocol when setting up a VPN. L2TP is considered reasonably secure, though the protocol itself provides no protection. Instead it uses the IPSec secure network protocol, which is still relied upon by millions of VPN users every day.
IKEv2 is a more modern choice of protocol, favored for its ability to quickly reestablish a VPN connection in case of network dropout. Like L2TP, it also uses IPSec for encryption, though it’s still favored by many over L2TP for its speed.
Apple’s desktop OS used to support PPTP (Point-to-Point Tunneling Protocol). This is a much older and more vulnerable protocol that was once favored by corporate networks but has since fallen by the wayside. If you want to create a PPTP connection, you’ll need to use a third-party app (like Shimo) to do so. But you should avoid this unless it’s necessary.
So which protocol should you use? That depends on which protocols your VPNThe 5 Major VPN Protocols ExplainedThe 5 Major VPN Protocols ExplainedOpenVPN, SSTP, L2TP: what do they all mean? We explain the major VPN protocols so you can choose the best one for your privacy needs.Read More provider provides access to. You should always avoid PPTP where possible, with L2TP and IKEv2 providing a passable level of security. But if you want an even more secure VPN connection…
Method 3: Use Third-Party VPN Software
Two other VPN protocols exist that aren’t supported out-of-the-box within macOS: SSTP (Secure Socket Tunneling Protocol) and OpenVPN.
SSTP is a proprietary standard which mostly only works with Windows, since it’s owned by Microsoft. SSTP uses closed-source SSL 3.0 encryption, which is why it’s considered highly secure (even though the code isn’t open to inspection).
OpenVPN, as the name may suggest, is a fully open source technology based on OpenSSL. This means the code is freely available for anyone to inspect. It supports AES (Advanced Encryption Standard). This open approach is often lauded a a proof-of-concept for stress-testing technology against outside attack.
Both of these standards are more secure than any included with macOS. It’s possible for VPN provider software to use either, so you might already use OpenVPN or SSTP and not even realize. But if you want greater control over your VPN setup, try one of the following apps.
We’ve recommended other free and open source macOS VPN clientsThese Are the Best Free Mac VPN ClientsThese Are the Best Free Mac VPN ClientsHow do you know which VPN client to use? Should you use your VPN provider's proprietary ap, or a flexible solution that can connect to several different services?Read More if you need more options.
OpenVPN: Tunnelblick
If you want to use OpenVPN on your Mac, Tunnelblick is the best tool for the job. It’s free, open source, and provides an easy-to-manage GUI for connecting your Mac via OpenVPN. You can add a long list of connections using downloadable configuration files, then select different servers using the main client or menu bar icon.
Download:Tunnelblick (Free)
SSTP: sstp-client
While SSTP is a Windows technology, it’s possible to connect to an SSTP server using macOS or Linux with sstp-client. The macOS version of this client depends on the Macports project; the easiest way to install it is using Mac command line package manager Homebrew.
Download:sstp-client (Free)
Which VPN Solution Should You Use?
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Your VPN provider will likely recommend you use their own client, which makes connecting and managing your VPN connections easy. If you want to use your own client, you’ll need to make sure the connection you make is compatible with your chosen VPN protocol.
When given the choice, OpenVPN provides better security than L2TP or IKEv2. You should always endeavor to keep your VPN client updated, since security issues can and do arise (and often receive patches quickly).
Another option is to install a VPN connection on your routerHow to Set Up a VPN on Your RouterHow to Set Up a VPN on Your RouterVPNs are great for online privacy but running a VPN on every device is a pain. Save time and install a VPN on your router instead.Read More. This allows you to manage your connection for the entire network, ideal if you’re connecting to a local VPN strictly for security purposes.
Explore more about: Mac Tips, Online Security, VPN.
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I just downloaded NordVPN app on Mac, joined to network with my logins and turned the VPN on.
Cisco AnyConnect is the recommended VPN client for Mac. The built-in VPN client for Mac is another option but is more likely to suffer from disconnects.
Overview
Stanford's VPN allows you to connect to Stanford's network as if you were on campus, making access to restricted services possible. To connect to the VPN from your Mac you need to install the Cisco AnyConnect VPN client.
Dispatch is about actions. The app acts like more of a hub than an email client, connecting to dozens of popular apps ready to do your bidding. Email client for mac mini. Many of the apps here will let you schedule events and reminders, even set to-dos, but if you have serious work to do in your inbox, ($7 in the ) is the only one you can count on to make sure every last thing gets done. Dispatch will help you clean your inbox with a purpose. The usual ones are here via swipes and buttons, but it goes much further than simple replies.
Two types of VPN are available:
- Default Stanford (split-tunnel). When using Stanford's VPN from home, we generally recommend using the Default Stanford split-tunnel VPN. This routes and encrypts all traffic going to Stanford sites and systems through the Stanford network as if you were on campus. All non-Stanford traffic proceeds to its destination directly.
- Full Traffic (non-split-tunnel). This encrypts all internet traffic from your computer but may inadvertently block you from using resources on your local network, such as a networked printer at home. If you are traveling or using wi-fi in an untrusted location like a coffee shop or hotel, you may wish to encrypt all of your internet traffic through the Full Traffic non-split-tunnel VPN to provide an additional layer of security.
You can select the type of VPN you want to use each time you connect.
Install the VPN client
- Download the Cisco AnyConnect installer for Mac.
- Double-click the InstallAnyConnect.pkg file to start the Cisco AnyConnect Installer wizard.
- When the Welcome window displays, click Continue.
- Select your hard drive as the destination where you want to install Cisco AnyConnect and then click Continue.
- Click Install to perform a standard installation of the software.
- At the prompt, enter your administrator account password for the Mac and click Install Software.
- When the software has finished installing, click Close.
Connect to the Stanford VPN
- To launch the VPN client, open your Applications folder and navigate to Cisco > Cisco AnyConnect Secure Mobility Client.app.
- When prompted for a VPN, enter su-vpn.stanford.edu and then click Connect.
- Enter the following information and then click OK:
- Group: select Default Stanford split- tunnel (non-Stanford traffic flows normally on an unencrypted internet connection) or Full Traffic non-split-tunnel (all internet traffic flows through the VPN connection)
- Username: your SUNet ID
- Password: your SUNet ID password
- Next, the prompt for two-step authentication displays.
- Enter a passcode or enter the number that corresponds to another option(in this example, enter 1 to authenticate using Duo Push on an iPad). You may have to scroll down the list to see all of your options. Then click Continue.
- If your only registered authentication method is printed list, hardware token, or Google Authenticator, the menu does not display. Enter a passcode in the Answer field and click Continue.
- Click Accept to connect to the Stanford Public VPN service.
- Once the VPN connection is established, the Cisco AnyConnect icon with a small lock appears in the dock.
Disconnect from the Stanford VPN
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- Click the Cisco AnyConnect icon with a small lock.
- At the prompt, click Disconnect.