How to Use a VPN with School Wi-Fi

Most K-12 schools and colleges impose limits on what students can access via Wi-Fi. In most cases, the reasoning behind this decision is sound: minors should not have access to potentially inappropriate.

However, the goal is also to ensure that students are not distracted by scrolling through TikTok, Instagram or other social media platforms all day. The problem is that sometimes these restrictions go too far. What if you need to watch an educational video on YouTube, but the platform is on your school's block list?

Luckily, there's a way to bypass these restrictions and get the most out of your school's Wi-Fi network. You will need a reliable virtual private network (VPN). We'll explain exactly how to use it.

Will using a VPN give me unlimited internet access?

How exactly does a VPN work? When you have a reliable VPN on your device, you can access an encrypted tunnel connecting you to a remote server based somewhere other than your current geographic location.

Every move you make online is routed through this tunnel and protects your data. But more importantly, it protects your current location and makes it look like you're using the internet from somewhere else.

If you enable a VPN app on your device and connect to school Wi-Fi, it will help you bypass network filtering. Essentially, VPN serves as a sort of invisibility cloak, and all of your communications through any network become private.

So, if your school or university bans Facebook, Twitter, Buzzfeed, Snapchat, Netflix, or any other app or website, those restrictions may no longer exist with VPN.

How to Use VPN with School Wi-Fi on Windows PC

If you use a Windows laptop to connect to school Wi-Fi like the majority of the world's population, you will need to install a reliable VPN like ExpressVPN. However, before you can use it at school, you will need to create a VPN account and connect to it. This is how it works:

1. Go to ExpressVPN and create an account. Choose your plan and provide payment information.
   
2. Follow the onscreen instructions to download and install ExpressVPN on your Mac.
   

You will be asked to copy an activation code which you will receive in the email. Be sure to save it, as you'll need it to activate ExpressVPN on your other devices as well.

How to Use VPN with School Wi-Fi on a Mac

If you are using an Apple laptop to connect to school Wi-Fi, you will first need to install reliable VPN software on the computer. ExpressVPN is by far one of the most comprehensive VPN providers. They have thousands of servers spread across 160 locations in nearly 100 countries.

However, before you can use it at school, you will need to create a VPN account at home. This is how it works:

1. Go to ExpressVPN and create an account. Choose your plan and provide payment information.
   
2. Follow the onscreen instructions to download and install ExpressVPN on your Mac.
   

You will be asked to copy an activation code which you will receive in the email. Be sure to save it, as you'll need it to activate ExpressVPN on your other devices as well.

How to Use a VPN with School Wi-Fi on a Chromebook

Chromebook is another extremely popular laptop for students that runs on the Android operating system. You can also easily download and install ExpressVPN on your Chromebook.

It's a super-fast service with government-grade encryption that has a no-logs policy. Here's how to get it on your Chromebook:

1. On your Chromebook, launch the Google Play Store app.
   
2. Search ExpressVPN in the search bar.
   
3. Once listed, tap the “Install” button in the top left corner.
   
4. Set up your email account, create a password and choose a subscription plan.
5. You will receive an activation code by email. Once you've copied and pasted it, you can start using ExpressVPN.
6. Tap to connect to the server of your choice and start browsing.

Remember to download ExpressVPN at home and not at school, as the service may be restricted. Additionally, ExpressVPN does not have a free trial but offers a 30-day money-back guarantee.

How to Use VPN with School Wi-Fi on an iPhone

Let's face it: most college students use their phones to access social media apps, watch YouTube, and talk to each other. They also rely on their iPhone to read articles or news.

If you are an iPhone user and want less restricted web access while you are at school, you will need a powerful VPN provider. The ExpressVPN iOS app is easy to install and use. Just follow these steps:

1. Sign up at the ExpressVPN website. After getting the best offer from the website, download the app from the app store.
   
2. Create an account and choose your subscription plan.
   
3. Enter the activation code received in the email.
4. Launch the ExpressVPN app on your iPhone, select your server, and access any website.
   

Again, you will either need to download the VPN app at home using your Wi-Fi, or you can do it at school using the mobile network. Additionally, to use ExpressVPN on your iPhone, your device will need to be running iOS 12.0 or later.

How to Use VPN with School Wi-Fi on an Android

If you're an Android user — Samsung, LG, HTC, or any other — you also have the option of bypassing your school's Wi-Fi restrictions. All you need to do is download the ExpressVPN Android app. Here's how:

1. Sign up at the ExpressVPN website. Once you have received the best deal from the website, download the app from the play store.
   
2. Once you have installed it on your Android device, follow the instructions in the app to sign up for the VPN service. You'll need to provide an email, create a password, choose a plan, and provide a payment method.
   
3. You will also need to activate the service by copying and pasting the activation code that you will receive by email.
4. Once your ExpressVPN is on, press the big power button to connect to another server.
   

Android users should also remember to download the ExpressVPN app over their home Wi-Fi or mobile internet.

Also, if you are unable to access apps and websites using one server, you can always try another. ExpressVPN has thousands of options.

Enjoy greater Wi-Fi freedom

Again, schools have their reasons for restricting certain websites and apps. After all, they don't want you using their Wi-Fi to torrent movies or stream HD videos on YouTube. This would weigh down the network and make it inefficient.

However, some restrictions may be considered unnecessary and students will always try to find a way around them. The VPN app on your laptop or mobile device is the safest and most convenient way to go about it.

Proxy servers are another possibility, especially for school computers, but they are not as secure. If you're using a VPN at school to avoid throttling, make sure it's a reliable service that will protect your data.

Have you ever tried using a VPN at school? How did it work? Let us know in the comments section below.