How to Install a VPN on Multiple Devices (Without Getting Fired)

There’s nothing more frustrating than finding out that your company policy forbids you from using certain applications or tools. One of the applications I find myself in a pickle with is VPNs. While it’s important to protect your personal data and ensure your anonymity when surfing the web, allowing certain applications to be installed on your devices can be useful. For example, if you work remotely a lot, a VPN app might be a lifesaver, allowing you to access your work email accounts from anywhere. Or if you travel frequently for business, you might want to consider using a VPN app while you’re out of country to ensure you can always access your business accounts when needed.

But here’s the rub: companies that make VPN apps usually don’t want you to run them on multiple devices. And if you ask them nicely, they might even remove the app from your phone or laptop if they discover you’re running it without their consent. But what if you want to keep using the app regardless? Can you run a VPN on multiple devices without fear of being fired? Let’s take a look.

Find An App To Meet Your Needs

If your company has a no-VPN-apps policy, then your first step is to find an alternative that meets your needs. But which one should you choose? That depends on what you’re looking for. Are you looking for something easy to use? Does the interface have to be pretty? Does client support have to be outstanding?

The answer to all these questions is probably yes for most users. But if you’re looking for something more robust and want to be sure that you’re not sacrificing security for the sake of simplicity, then read on. You might just find the perfect app for your needs.

Install It On Only One Device

VPNs are not made equally. Most of them suck. Some of them are good. But if you want the best experience on every device you use, then choose Nord VPN.

Here’s why: most VPNs require you to install the app on every device you use. And that’s a lot of work. Especially if you have a device management policy that disallows software installation on removable media such as USB drives. Or if you have a business PC in the office and a personal laptop at home. Or if you travel a lot for work and want to make sure that no matter which device you use, you’ll always have VPN access.

With Nord VPN, you can install the app once on either your Mac or PC. From there, all your devices can automatically connect to the VPN when you open the app. As a result, you don’t have to think about connecting to the VPN every time you use a different device. Which is why I always recommend Nord VPN over the others. Not only does it have the best reviews, but it also has the most versatile feature set. Especially if you’re looking for something simple, Nord VPN might not be the best choice. But if you’re looking for something robust, then I’d recommend it without hesitation.

Use A VPN On A Single Device

VPNs are not meant to be used on one device at a time. Most of them are designed to be used on multiple devices at once. If you need to use one device for work and another for personal reasons, then you should probably choose a different VPN app. Or at least, only use the one for work when you need to access company networks or resources. Otherwise, you might get banned by your IT department. Especially since using a VPN without their knowledge can result in serious consequences including criminal charges. So don’t play with fire, use a VPN on one device at a time.

Disable Your Location Services

Another thing companies hate is when their customers or employees abuse their services. So if you want to keep using a VPN, then you should probably disable your location services on whatever device you’re using it on.

That way your personal data won’t be tracked when you connect to a different country or region. It also means your employer won’t be able to track your activity if they want to monitor employee productivity or review performance. Disabling your location services is actually easier with many VPNs than with some. For example with TunnelBear, all you have to do is click the button that says “change server” and enter your country / region / city / street address. Then you’ll be prompted to input your password. From there, you can either click continue or go back and change your location again. Or you can click cancel to stop the change. Easy!

Use A Proxy Server

You can also use a VPN to gain access to websites that your employer might deem inappropriate for public viewing. For example, if you work for a financial company, you might want to use their proxy server to access your favorite news websites or social media accounts. Or if you work for an education company, you might want to use the VPN to access educational websites that your school district has banned.

That’s the short version. Using a VPN is not necessarily difficult. It just requires a little bit of planning and research. Especially if you need the security it provides.