Do you need a VPN for IPTV in Canada?

What does a VPN actually do?

A VPN (virtual private network) sends your internet traffic through an encrypted tunnel to a server run by the VPN company. Your internet provider then sees a connection to that server and how much data you use, while the VPN company sees the traffic your internet provider would otherwise see. In other words, you move your trust from one company to another. VPNs are legal in Canada, and many employers use them for remote work. For what your provider sees without one, read can your internet provider see IPTV.

Can a VPN make IPTV buffer?

Yes, often. Live TV needs a steady connection: about 10 Mbps for each Full HD screen and 25 Mbps for 4K. A VPN adds a detour through its server, extra encryption work for your device, and a server shared with many other users. On a Fire TV Stick or a low-cost Android box, the extra processing alone can cause stutters. If channels buffer while a VPN is on, test the same channel with it off. Our guide to fixing IPTV buffering covers the other usual causes.

When is a VPN a good idea?

When you want privacy or security on a network you do not control:

• Public Wi-Fi in cafés, airports and hotels, where strangers share the network. The Government of Canada's Get Cyber Safe site suggests a VPN if you use public Wi-Fi often.
• Work, when your employer requires one to reach its systems from home.

What a VPN does not do

A VPN changes the route your data takes. It does not change the law or the service:

• It does not make content legal. If a service has no rights to what it streams, watching it through a VPN does not give it those rights. See Is IPTV legal in Canada?
• It is not a way around court orders. Court-ordered blocks target specific services that broadcasters showed were streaming their content without permission. A VPN must not be used to get around them. See whether Canadian ISPs block IPTV.
• It does not make a seller honest. A VPN will not protect your money or your data from a scam or a malicious app.

Which VPN is best for IPTV?

We do not recommend any VPN brand for IPTV, because IPTV does not need one. IPTV Nord works on normal Canadian home internet without a VPN, and we do not give advice on using a VPN or any other tool to get around a blocking order. If you already use a VPN for privacy or work, that is your choice: the free 24-hour trial lets you see how streams play with it on and off.