How to Setup a VPN? Windows VPN Setup Guide
A VPN service helps you establish a safe and private connection through a remote server tunnel. The process of setting up one, however, can often be a challenging task for most users. In this week’s piece, we will show you how to set up your VPN service on almost any version of Windows out there. We’ve used ZoogVPN during this VPN setup guide to make this guide as comprehensive as possible, as it supports a number of different protocols, including OpenVPN, IKEv2, L2TP, and PPTP. So, let’s get started.
VPN Setup for Windows 10
Windows 10 uses a completely new and enhanced interface compared to the previous versions. It is the most powerful, but also most complex operating system ever created. Here is a simple step by step VPN setup guide that will make setting up a VPN that much easier:
- Open the Settings tab and go to Network & Internet, and then VPN.
- Once you’ve done so, click Add a VPN connection.
- In the screen that will appear, enter the details and type in ZoogVPN for the connection name.
- Select a VPN server of your choice and choose the type of VPN you want to set up.
- Type in your login details and click Save.
- Once the connection has been established, your IP address will be replaced by the VPN server’s IP address. From that point on, you can enjoy surfing the web in complete privacy and security.
- If you want to further configure connection settings, click on the Change adapter options.
- Click on the ZoogVPN connection and select Properties and then “Advanced”. Once you’ve finished adjusting settings, click OK to save.
VPN Setup for Windows 8
Windows 8 is not so different than any older version of the software, but it does have slightly different interface options, that can be confusing to users who are not tech-savvy. If you want to set up a VPN on Windows 8, you can do so by following these steps:
- Click the right mouse button and choose the Open Network and Sharing Center option.
- Select the Set up a new connection or network.
- Click on Connect to a Workplace and then click on Next.
- Choose the Use my Internet Connection option.
- Type in your internet address and destination name, and click on Create.
- From now on then, your VPN connection is set up! If you want to change the connection protocols, you can do so with a few extra steps.
- Go back to the Network and Sharing Center and choose Change Adapter Settings.
- Click on the VPN network with your right mouse button, and then click on the “Properties” option.
- Click on the Security tab. There you can choose the type of VPN protocol. After you do so, click OK.
- When you’re done customizing your VPN setup, exit all of the settings windows and click on the network icon in the taskbar. If a connection has been established, it will display “Connected”.
VPN Setup for Windows 7
Windows 7 is regarded as the most intuitive and user-friendly operative system ever created. Setting up a VPN connection is extremely easy and can be done with just a few simple steps.
- First, open the Network and Sharing Center in the Control Panel, or simply click on the Start button, type VPN and choose the Set up a virtual private network (VPN) connection.
- Enter the IP address or domain name of the server you want to connect to. If you only want to set up a connection but not connect, tick “Don’t connect now“, otherwise just click on Next.
- In the next step, type in your login details. You can choose to leave them blank but will be asked for the information later when making the actual connection.
- The VPN setup process on Windows 7 is now completed. When you want to connect or disconnect, click on the Windows logo in the lower right part of your screen and connect to VPN you’ve set up previously. Additionally, you can navigate to the “Security” tab and select the specific type of VPN protocol.
Configuring OpenVPN with Windows
Note that so far, the guide was mostly about how to set up IKEv2, L2TP, and PPTP protocols with ZoogVPN on your Windows system. If you plan on setting up the OpenVPN protocol, you would need to download the OpenVPN official app. You can do so by going to the official OpenVPN website. Download the OpenVPN configuration files and complete the installation process. Once the installation process is complete, open the OpenVPN app, click on “Settings”, then “Compatibility” and check the “Run program as the administrator” box. Click OK and run the app. Select your favorite server location and connect with your login details. Once the connection turns green, you can surf, stream and download the web without any second thoughts.
ZoogVPN supports OpenVPN TCP/UDP, IKev2, L2TP/Ipsec and PPTP VPN protocols. Pick one of the ZoogVPN service packages or try the service for free and enjoy the internet knowing you have a reliable VPN to watch your back.
- Yaroslav S.CEO at ZoogVPN. Yaroslav is a versatile manager with extensive customer support experience. His historical background and a deep passion for philosophy perfectly complete a real desire to create meaningful content and tech products.
