Most of you should already be familiar with VPN (Virtual Private Network) and some of you are even using it on a daily basis. For those who are not aware, VPN allows you to route your web traffic through a third-party server and make your connection more safe and secure.
Some VPN services come with a desktop client that you can install on your Mac and allow you to connect to the VPN easily. Some will require you to configure your system manually to be able to connect to the VPN. For the latter, if you are a Mac user and wish to know how you can set up VPN on your machine, this guide is for you.
Connecting to a VPN in Mac
Click on the Apple logo in the top-left corner on your Mac and select “System Preferences…” It will open the System Settings panel from where you can change various settings for your machine.
On the screen that follows, click on “Network.” It will let you change your network settings, including VPN servers.
Here you can see all of your network connections and settings. Since we are going to add a new server, click on “+” at the bottom left of the window and it will let you add a new connection.
The screen that follows asks you what kind of connection you would like to add. Select “VPN” from the Interface dropdown menu and select the type from the “VPN Type” dropdown menu. Enter the name of the VPN in the “Service Name” box. Once that is done, click on “Create” and it will create a new connection for you.
As soon as the connection is created, you should be able to see it in the left side of the panel. Click on it and it will let you specify the settings.
As for the settings, enter the server URL in the “Server Address” field, enter account name in the “Account Name” field, then click on the “Authentication Settings…” button. It is to specify the password for the connection.
Select your authentication method, usually Password, from the list and enter it in the given box. Then, click on “OK.” Now, click on “Connect” in the main panel, and your Mac will connect to the newly specified VPN server.
When it is connected, your screen should look like the following. It states you are currently connected to a VPN, and you can see that in your status bar as well if you have checked-off the “Show VPN status in menu bar” option.
And that’s all there is to connect your Mac to a VPN.
Conclusion
Data theft has been a common issue for those who often use public WiFi networks, but VPNs help prevent such things from happening. The above guide should help you to have a safer web browsing experience. Happy surfing!
Republished with permission from MakeTechEasier. Read the original.
