Before we discuss the best VPN for school wifi, let’s see how this type of wifi works.
Many schools worldwide, even in developing countries, provide access to the Internet to students and teachers. They do this with the help of a school wi-fi network. These networks are usually left unprotected (without a password) because placing a password doesn’t make sense in an environment where you can learn it in a matter of seconds.
This is excellent news for everyone visiting these schools. Still, there are two things that people often forget about school wifi. First, there’s a great chance that whenever you connect to such a network, there’s a great chance that the school administration can monitor the websites you have visited. Second, some of the sites and online services might be blocked.
So, it’s no surprise why so many people search for answers to questions like “how to unblock websites on school Chromebook” or general questions about VPN for school wifi. If you want answers to these questions and more, keep reading this guide dedicated to VPN for school wifi.
How do I install a VPN on a school Chromebook?
We will start this guide by answering the most popular question. The good news is that using a VPN for school Chromebook doesn’t require special skills or deep IT knowledge. In fact, every person with basic knowledge of operating a computer can install a VPN for school computer of any kind. Once you complete our step-by-step guide, you should be able to unblock all websites and ensure that you are not monitored when connected to the school’s wi-fi network.
- For starters, open Google Play Store on your device. You can see it in the bottom-right corner of the main screen, and some users might have to use the launcher on the opposite side to access it.
- Use the search feature to look for the VPN app you are interested in. After loading the page, click the install button.
- After following all on-screen instructions, the installation should be complete. You should launch the application by clicking the open sign and signing in. You must be registered even when using a free VPN for school wifi.
- Next, remember to accept permission requests because otherwise, you won’t be able to unlock the sites and protect yourself.
- Finally, you should let the VPN set up a connection. After that, you are good to go!
We should note that not all Chromebooks let you download and install Android apps from the Google Play Store. In that case, the best idea is to use a browser extension via Google Chrome. The good news is that almost all popular VPN service providers have such extensions.
VPN website unblocker for schools
VPNs can be used for different purposes. In one of the most common scenarios, people use them to unblock websites and streaming services using geo-restrictions. These websites use modern technology to detect visitors’ IP addresses and prevent them from accessing the site automatically. They don’t care why you want to enter the site because they block the country you come from.
This might seem to be unfair, but some websites and online services do this to protect themselves against legal problems. For example, US Netflix doesn’t show the same movies and series as German Netflix due to specific copyrighting issues. They want to be covered legally when they stream content in every country. The same goes for some websites.
When you want to access a blocked website in your school, you can rely on more than one good VPN option. The most famous VPN service providers act like VPN website unblockers promising fast and uninterrupted online sessions on almost any website regardless of its restrictions.
Free VPN for School Wifi
Almost every VPN for school wifi requires a subscription, which can help users bypass the abovementioned restrictions or prevent their school admins from checking their online activity. Of course, you can still find a free VPN for school wifi.
Typically, these free solutions might be available for a specific period. So, we’re talking about trial versions. In addition, we have entirely free VPNs for school wifi. Still, they usually have just a few available servers with slow speeds and questionable policies.
How to unblock websites on school Chromebook?
The best way to unblock websites on school Chromebook is to use a VPN service provider. The procedure you can expect here is similar to the abovementioned process related to installing a VPN on a school Chromebook.
- Even if the school device doesn’t support Android apps, you can always use a VPN extension on Chrome, so head to the three dots, open settings and look for extensions.
- Before installing the desired VPN, opening the VPN’s website and registering there would be the first thing you want to do. If they don’t have a free trial, you will have to purchase one of the subscription plans.
- After installing the extension, restart the Google Chrome browser.
- The final step is to open the extension and choose a server provided by the VPN service. If it’s geo-restricted, look for a server in a country where the website is available. If the school admin has blocked specific sites for other reasons, you can choose any VPN server because any new IP address will do the trick.
Can I unblock everything on a school Chromebook?
Yes. A good VPN can help you unblock everything on a school Chromebook. Keep in mind that some websites using the latest detection technology might figure out that you use a VPN to access the site after a while. But, the best VPN services will provide new servers and IP addresses to solve this problem fast.
Best VPN to bypass school wifi
Now that you know how valuable VPNs can be, it’s time to analyze the best VPN to bypass school wifi. We used several indicators to help us rate the best options, including cost, the number of servers, speed, streaming capabilities, and privacy.
The best solutions should provide flawless online sessions by vouching for the user’s privacy and ability to open all websites.
Top 5 VPNs to bypass school wifi
After reviewing over a dozen popular options, we created a list of the top 5 VPNs to bypass school wifi. These brands provided excellent results, primarily when VPN servers are used for masking IP addresses offered by school wifi networks.
1. CyberGhost
With a history of over 10 years and hundreds of satisfied customers, including many using it for school wifi, it would be wrong to leave CyberGhost out of our list. It has hundreds of servers in more than 90 countries, and its number keeps growing.
One of the things users like is the specially designed mobile, desktop, browser, console, TV, and router apps. They are user-friendly and help you pick the best server in seconds. Even though there’s no free version, you can get a free trial and a 45-day money-back guarantee deal. It opens the vast majority of websites and allows up to 7 simultaneous connections. This is good for VPN for school wifi because you can share it with other visitors. Of course, consult the customer support agents to check whether something like this is allowed. In our opinion, a school can be treated as a household if you use the service only when in school.
2. NordVPN
NordVPN’s number of servers has grown to over 5,300. This is an impressive number of servers located in dozens of countries around the globe. Many people today use NordVPN to use streaming services like Disney+, BBC iPlayer, Hulu, Amazon Prime, and Netflix. This makes sense because the average speed provided by NordVPN is above 100 Mbps.
Of course, using a VPN for school wifi is not only about streaming video content. In many cases, you want to unblock a website. This is another reason we recommend this provider; it unblocks over 95% of popular websites without problems. Also, you can activate up to 6 simultaneous connections.
3. Surfshark
Surfshark is not among the oldest VPN service providers (introduced in 2018), but it’s among the best on the market. Those opting for this solution should expect access to more than 3,200 servers on almost every continent and dozens of cities. With Surfshark, you don’t have to worry about your online activity being stored because this provider has a strict no activity logs policy.
Like NordVPN, you can use it to access various streaming services, but what’s even more important is that you can unblock 9 out of 10 popular sites. Even if there’s one site causing problems now, we are pretty sure the guys from Surfshark will resolve that issue quickly. Another great thing is that this is one of the cheapest options, especially if you use one of its deals.
4. ExpressVPN
Next on the list of best VPNs for school wifi, we have ExpressVPN. This is yet another big name on our list with multiple attractive features. In this case, we’re discussing an option with servers in almost 100 countries. It also doesn’t keep activity or connection logs. Readers should know that it offers secure torrenting, which is excellent for those using the school network for such activities.
As one of the leading VPN service providers, ExpressVPN works great on all major platforms and devices, including Chromebook and ChromeOS. Those worried about their privacy and covering their online activities should know that ExpressVPN relies on 256-bit AES encryption. It also has split tunneling, which is great because you can unblock websites in your browser but keep your original IP address in other apps.
5. PureVPN
Last but not least, there’s PureVPN, a VPN service provider featuring an extensive network of servers with more than 60 countries to choose from.
What many readers who are looking for a good VPN for school wifi will find attractive about PureVPN is the custom ad blocker. So, you will not only unblock websites but also prevent annoying ads from popping up on your school Chromebook.
Furthermore, we have a custom app for split tunneling, making it easier to use the Internet with two separate IP addresses simultaneously. This is one of the rare options with a free service of up to 10 GB of data per month. Lastly, you can create a custom plan that promises reasonable monthly prices.
Why should I use VPN for school Chromebook?
We can think of several reasons why someone should use a VPN for school Chromebook, but two of them are much more important than the others.
To start with, you can use it to unblock websites. For obvious reasons, many schools will prevent students and teachers from opening specific sites like social media platforms. However, with the help of a good VPN for school Chromebook, users can mask their original IP address making almost every website accessible through Google Chrome on that device. Also, some websites might be blocked due to geo-restrictions, but VPNs will bypass them.
The second reason is to protect your online privacy and anonymity. Without a VPN, the school admin can check which websites you have visited through the school Chromebook. In addition, they can see which specific pages you have opened and how long you have stayed on each page (if there’s no HTTPS protocol on the site). Even if the school administration is not interested in your activities, this doesn’t mean that this will prevent the government or some hackers from spying on you. Using a good VPN service provider will help you avoid these problems.
Conclusion
As we said, there are valid reasons why you should use VPN for school Chromebook. Today, using VPNs in schools, at work, at home, or on your mobile devices has become necessary for those valuing their privacy. Additionally, it’s an excellent option for unblocking restricted websites (be it locally or nationally).
With the help of the top VPNs for school wifi, you can rest assured that your online activities are protected. Also, you can access every site or streaming service you want.