How to Install and Setup Surfshark on LG Smart TV?

SurfShark is a powerful VPN compatible with several devices, including Roku, Amazon FireStick, Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Android TV, gaming consoles, routers, smart TVs, and many more.

If you own an LG Smart TV, you may be interested in knowing how to install the SurfShark VPN on your device. The good news is that you have come to the right place, as we will show you easy steps to install SurfShark on your LG Smart TV.

It is easy to install SurfShark on your router. But you can use your PC as a virtual router if you don’t have a router. You can also configure the Surfshark SmartDNS feature to unblock channels and TV content on your LG Smart TV.

You have nothing to worry about. This comprehensive and easy guide will teach you everything you need to know about setting SurfShark VPN service on your smart TV. Even if you haven’t done this before, you will learn how to do it correctly after reading this guide.

Let us get started, shall we?

 How To Install SurfShark on LG TV  

There are three ways to set up SurfShark on any LG Smart TV. They are:

1. Via Physical Router.
2. Via Virtual Router.
3. Via Smart DNS Proxy.

I will be sharing easy steps to set up any of the aforementioned methods.

 Method 1: How To Install and Set up SurfShark Via Physical Router  

Although LG’s WebOS operating system doesn’t provide dedicated support for VPN applications, you can connect your TV to a router with Surfshark installed.

However, before following this method, verifying if your router supports VPN installation is impertinent. If it is compatible with VPNs, you can go on with the steps below:

For this tutorial, I will use the AsusWRT router, which supports VPN installation.

• Step 1: Get a SurfShark subscription (Click Here To See The Best SurfShark Deals and Offers Today).

• Step 2: Enter your router login details.
• Step 3: Click on the ‘Credentials’ option and take note of the credentials provided.

• Step 4: Click on the ‘Locations’ tab to see all Surfshark servers.

• Step 5: Find the OpenVPN configuration file of your chosen server location.

• Step 6: Download the configuration files. For instance, if you use a US server to unblock Hulu and US Netflix content, download the US server configuration files.
• Step 7: Open your router’s configuration panel. You can find it by typing the router’s IP address in your internet browser.

For Windows users, here is how to find your router’s IP address.

• First, open the Start menu, type, and search for Command Prompt. When you click on Command Prompt, a console window will pop up.

• Type igconfig and hit the Enter key.

• Your router’s IP address will be displayed on the ‘Default Gateway’ line.

For Mac users, open the Apple menu, click on System Preferences, select Network, click on Wi-Fi, select Advanced…, and click on TCP/IP. Your router’s IP address will be shown next to Router.

• Step 8: After obtaining your router’s IP address, type it into your internet browser.
• Step 9: The login interface will open. If you haven’t changed the login details, the login details should be “admin/admin” or “admin” the same as the password. In case you have changed the login details, enter the right credentials and log in.

• Step 10: Click the VPN tab in the left sidebar.

• Step 11: Select VPN Client.

• Step 12: Click on Add profile.

• Step 13: Click on Open VPN.

• Step 14: Enter the following details:

Description: Enter your preferred name.

Username: Enter your Surfshark username.

Password: Enter the Surfshark password.

• Step 15: A prompt will appear, requesting you select the configuration file you want to use.
• Step 16: When you see this prompt, click on ‘Choose File’.

• Step 17: Locate the folder where you saved the downloaded configuration files. If you can find a .ovpn file, select it and upload it.

• Step 18: After uploading it, you will receive a notification of success.
• Step 19: Leave the ‘Import the CA file or edit the .ovpn file manually’ option unchecked and click on OK.

• Step 20: Now that a new connection has been established, click ‘Activate’ to connect your physical router to the Surfshark server.
• Step 21: As a rule of thumb, you want to ensure your connection is secure by performing a DNS leak test.
• Step 22: Press the SMART button on your LG smart TV remote if the connection is secure.
• Step 23: Scroll to the Home menu.
• Step 24: Select the ‘Start Connection’ option and connect to the router
• Step 25: Your TV will be connected.

Remember that the physical router we used for this procedure is the AsusWRT router. If you are using an incompatible router, you can flash the firmware to make it compatible with Surfshark but be careful with the process, or you may damage your router.

 Method 2: How To Setup SurfShark Via Virtual Router  

Unlike the first method, installing Surfshark VPN on a virtual router is easy-peasy. However, the only disadvantage of this method is that it can’t be automated, so you have to do it each time you want to set up SurfShark on your smart TV.

Thankfully, this method can be completed in seven easy steps, which won’t be stressful for you.

Ensure that you have installed the SurfShark app on your PC. If you have done that, you can proceed with the following steps:

• Step 1: Launch your PC and go to the mobile hotspot settings.
• Step 2: Enable the mobile hotspot feature
• Step 3: Scroll down till you get to ‘Related settings‘, and click on it.
• Step 4: Click on Change adapter options.
• Step 5: Right-click your VPN’s internet connection. Select SurfShark WireGuard and click on Properties.
• Step 6: You will be taken to a new window. When you get there, click on the ‘Sharing‘ tab and enable the “Allow other network users to connect through this computer’s Internet connection” option by ticking the box.
• Step 7: Now, you can connect your LG Smart TV to the Wi-Fi hotspot network you just created.

 Method 3: How To Set up Via Smart DNS Proxy  

The quickest and easier way to set up SurfShark VPN on your LG Smart TV is by using the Smart DNS Proxy feature. Keep in mind that this method lacks encryption, so it won’t be a good idea to use it to unblock or bypass geo-restrictions on streaming sites.

That said, follow these steps to set up a smart DNS proxy:

• Step 1: Keep in mind that your SurfShark plan comes with the SmartDNS feature. If you are yet to subscribe to a plan, you can do that here.
• Step 2: Log in to your Surfshark account using your credentials.
• Step 3: Head over to my.surfshark.com/vpn/smart-dns.
• Step 4: Locate your smartSNS addresses. If you can’t find the smart DNS addresses there, it’s likely you haven’t activated the smart DNS feature. To do this, click the Activate SmartDNS button in the account interface.

• Step 5: Navigate to ‘Network Settings’ on your smart TV.

• Step 6: If your TV supports Wi-Fi connections, click the Wi-Fi Connection tab. If it is connected to the internet via an Ethernet cable, select the Wired Connection/Ethernet instead. Since my TV is connected to the internet via Wi-Fi, I will use the Wi-Fi Connection tab.

• Step 7: Go to the Advanced Wi-Fi Settings tab.

• Step 8: When you reach the next window, click the red EDIT button.

Note: If you are observant, you will notice that the IP address displayed on your TV screen isn’t the same as the one you’ve enabled smart DNS for. The reason is that you’ve enabled the smart DNS feature for your external (public) IP address, but your smart TV shows only the internal (private) IP.

An internal or private UP is used for internal communication between various devices on your network. Since it is not publicly visible, it don’t affect the usage of smart DNS in any way. Therefore, you can ignore it and continue with the smart DNS configuration.

• Step 9: Uncheck the ‘Set Automatically’ feature.

• Step 10: Enter one of the four DNS addresses you got in Step 4 above. You can enter any smart DNS server regardless of how many you receive. Whichever you enter will work. Click Enter.

• Step 11: Click on Connect.

• Step 12: Allow your smart TV to connect to the internet via the smart DNS servers.

If you completed these 12 steps, you’ve successfully set up the SurfShark SmartDNS service on your LG TV. Now, you can enjoy unlimited streaming content from your favorite streaming platforms.

 How To Fix SurfShark Not Working With Smart TV?  

If you can’t stream anything on your LG Smart TV or are experiencing any issues watching content, it could be due to network or connectivity problems. Regardless of where the problem is coming from, there are various methods you can apply to fix it.

Here are some troubleshooting fixes you can try if you experience this error:

• Check Your Subscription Status: Your Surfshark subscription may be canceled due to billing issues, so it’s crucial to start by checking your account status.
• Switch Servers: You may have issues streaming content if your selected server is slow or overloaded. A good way to fix this issue is to swap or switch to a different server. Surfshark’s servers are fast and reliable, but if many users are connected to the same server you are connected to, using a different server can fix the problem.
• Activate Kill Switch: I previously advised you to ensure your VPN connection is secure by doing a DNS leak test. Your IP is probably leaking if you see proxy error messages while streaming geo-blocked content. So each time the VPN connection drops, your original IP is unmasked. SurfShark provides the kill switch feature, which will come in handy in this situation. So, enabling this feature will get the issue fixed quickly.
• Reinstall SurfShark: Another thing that you can do if Surfshark isn’t working with your smart TV is to uninstall Surfshark. A slight error or mistake could likely have altered the connection process. So, try resetting your router and installing Surfshark on it again.
• Contact SurfShark: The last resort is to contact the Surfshark customer team for help. Surfshark provides 24/7 customer support on live chat and email; they will assist you when you reach out to them.

 What are the Best Surfshark Alternatives?  

You can try other VPN providers if Surfshark doesn’t work or give you what you need. They include:

 1. ExpressVPN 

ExpressVPN is touted as the ‘king of VPNs’. It is not just the best VPN but a viable Surfshark alternative. ExpressVPN offers a SmartDNS feature, MediaStreamer, which is easy to set up. MediaStreamer works on various smart TVs, including your LG Smart TV.

Furthermore, MediaStreamers makes it easy to use ExpressVPN on gaming consoles and other devices without native VPN support.  ExpressVPN has a user-friendly interface, and it remains the best option for anyone looking for a high-quality VPN.

 2. NordVPN 

NordVPN provides all the features and functionalities a premium VPN should have. It offers fast streaming speeds, top-notch encryption and security, and geo-unblocking. NordVPN can unblock any streaming platform, including Amazon Prime, DAZN, HBO Max, Hulu, BBC iPlayer, Netflix, Disney Plus, etc.

NordVPN has more than 5,000 servers in its network. Their VPN plan comes with the kill switch feature, which deactivates your connection automatically when the VPN server suffers downtime. Also, NordVPN is based in Panama, which is away from the control of any of the alliances, including the Five Eyes, Nine Eyes, and 14 Eyes societies.

 3. IPVanish 

One of the benefits of IPVanish is that it is compatible with different routers, including the TP-link models. It also supports L2TP/IPsec, which allows you to set up a VPN connection on your smart TV via your Mac computer. Furthermore, IPVanish is capable of unblocking several streaming sites and services.

 4. CyberGhost 

CyberGhost is a reliable VPN service with thousands of servers in different locations. They have a network of more than 9,700 servers in over 91+ countries.

CyberGhost is one of the go-to options for unblocking the likes of HBO Max, Hulu, Amazon Prime, Netflix, BBC iPlayer, and other streaming sites. They also offer military-grade security and privacy features.

 5. PureVPN 

PureVPN is completely versatile and can be used on several devices. With thousands of servers in their network, you have a wide array of options to select from. Most importantly, they are based in Hong Kong, which is away from the control of the Five Eyes alliance.

 6. AtlasVPN 

Atlas VPN is one of the most affordable VPN providers on the market. It uses top security features, including industry-standard AES 256-bit encryption, WireGuard protocols, IPv6 leak protection, and more. Moreover, it offers fast servers to improve your streaming quality and experience.

 Conclusion  

Like every internet-connected device, your smart TV is vulnerable to cyber attacks, data theft, and fraud, so you must ensure you use the best security features you can get to protect it.

Fortunately, SurfShark avails you with numerous privacy and security tools that protect your LG Smart TV and other devices you own in your household. It helps you get the best out of your TV by giving you access to multiple streaming options.

With Surfshark, you won’t experience any geographic restrictions or limitations trying to stream popular blockbuster movies or watch TV content outside your region. Get a SurfShark subscription plan today and enjoy unlimited TV content today.