How to enable VPN on Mizil. How to Install a VPN Extension in Firefox

Useful tips

Setting up and connecting your existing VPN account in Firefox is extremely easy and quick using browser extensions. This article provides some tips that will make the process a breeze.

If you want to quickly and easily access your VPN, then adding a browser extension is the best solution, especially if you are an active browser user. Fortunately, this can be done in a matter of seconds, and if you already have a VPN application installed, then safe surfing networks are possible almost immediately.

What you will need

In order to create a Firefox VPN connection you need:

Latest Firefox version. It is important; Firefox switched from old system Addons on new library extensions. Older versions may not work as described here.
Application for your personal computer. Many browser extensions require pre-installed application on your PC, otherwise they will not work.
VPN provider account. We recommend registering before we begin. Don't forget to check your email for a confirmation email.

We'll use ExpressVPN to show you how to add an extension. But the process is similar for other providers. If you don't have a paid VPN account, you can try a 7-day trial of ExpressVPN. It is available upon registration through the application.

How to Install a VPN Extension in Firefox

Open Firefox and follow the instructions:

Go to the ExpressVPN website and go to
Click "Quick Install".

At the top of the window you will see a window that will ask for confirmation for installation. Click on the Allow button.

Review the permissions that the extension requires and click Add.

A small ExpressVPN icon will appear in the top right corner of Firefox, next to the burger menu icon.
Click on the icon and then on the big button to connect.

If you see a different interface, then there are two possible options: you downloaded the wrong extension, or you installed the software not entirely correctly.
We will write how to deal with this in the next section.

Solving problems with your VPN connection

If you have problems connecting to your VPN, then you need to test its health through the provider's application. If it doesn’t work there either, then for further actions you should contact your provider's technical support department.

While we can't provide a solution to every single problem, we have highlighted the two main ones you may encounter when working with extensions. And this is worth your consideration even if you don't use ExpressVPN, as these issues apply to other providers as well.

Have you downloaded a fake extension?

Unfortunately, there are “fake” extensions on the Mozilla Store shelves (as well as all over the Internet) that are a potential privacy risk.
If you tried to use ExpressVPN and saw something strange, then you may have accidentally downloaded one of those lame extensions. You will definitely recognize a fake, since its interface will clearly be different; something like that:

Remember: EpxressVPN does not put a space between ‘Express’ and ‘VPN’. If you write the name incorrectly, you may stumble upon a fake.

Download the extension directly from the provider’s website, as we wrote earlier. Do not install unknown extensions from the store.
Make sure that the connection site you are downloading the extension from uses secure connection. The green padlock on top indicates this.
Take a close look at the extension icon. A fake extension will most likely use a different version from the original

Best VPN services with Firefox extension in 2018:

Is your provider's desktop application installed correctly?

Many browser extensions require the presence and installation of a desktop application to work. If you installed the application incorrectly, the icon may appear differently. For example, ExpressVPN displays a cross on the icon if the application cannot be detected.

If you did install the application, but the result remained unchanged, then you probably installed the application in the wrong place. Try reinstalling it again.

Denial of responsibility: This article is written for educational purposes only. The author or publisher did not publish this article for malicious purposes. If readers would like to use the information for personal gain, the author and publisher are not responsible for any harm or damage caused.

Modern state security policy has reached the Internet. In the name of users, certain sites are blocked that are recognized as pirated, extremist, degrading the honor and dignity of a group of people, and so on. However, the list of prohibited sites often includes completely harmless sites, forums and social media. And if the user needs to access these resources, then a VPN service can easily help.

What is VPN

VPN (English: Virtual Private Network) private network) is a generalized name for technologies that allow one or more network connections(logical network) on top of another network (such as the Internet). Despite the fact that communications are carried out over networks with a lower or unknown level of trust (for example, over public networks), the level of trust in the constructed logical network does not depend on the level of trust in core networks through the use of cryptography tools (encryption, authentication, public key infrastructure, means to protect against repetitions and changes in messages transmitted over the logical network).

Wikipedia
https://ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/VPN

At its core, VPN is a technology that allows you to use an entire network of many computers (servers) to gain access to blocked data or hide your identity on the Internet.

VPN encrypts the connection and transmits data packets from the site to the user through itself

Video: what is a VPN and how it works

Is it possible to enable VPN using standard Mozilla Firefox tools?

Unfortunately, the Firefox browser does not have built-in capabilities for connecting to a VPN. Instead, the developers added advanced capabilities to the program for connecting to a proxy server. Difference between VPN services and proxies are that the former use all available computers (servers) on the network, while the proxy uses only one. Accordingly, in the case of a VPN, when access is closed for one server, a request immediately goes through the next one. Proxy does not have this option.

Enable work through a proxy server in Mozilla Firefox can be done as follows:

On the right top corner Click the gear icon.
In the upper right corner, click the gear icon
Go to the “Basic” settings tab, scroll through the settings to the very bottom and in the “Proxy server” column click the “Configure” button.
Go to the “Basic” settings tab, scroll to the bottom of the settings and in the “Proxy server” column click the “Configure” button
Select one of the proxy settings options:
When selecting the last item, you must fill out special fields, data for which can be easily found on the Internet. Then save the changes with the OK button.

Review of popular VPN extensions for Firefox

Extensions are special utilities built into the browser that give the browser special capabilities. VPN is no exception, because the Mozilla store offers many extensions for connecting to virtual networks:

To install the browser utility, go to the Mozilla store. In the upper right corner, enter the name of the extension, then select the best match from the drop-down list of suggestions.
In the search, enter the name of the extension and select the best match
On the extension page, click “Add to Firefox” and then, when the application download is complete and the browser prompts you to add the utility to the workspace, click “Add”.
On the extension page, click “Add to Firefox”, then click “Add” again after installation
The extension will be added to the toolbar, after which you can use it.
Click on the extension icon to open its settings

ZenMate

ZenMate is a popular product for providing users with a VPN connection to the internet. ZenGuard, the company that develops the application, provides it both as an extension for browsers and separate program to create a tunnel when connecting to the Internet.

The extension for Firefox is shareware. With advanced features for the VIP version, the speed limit is eliminated, and there is a choice between servers not only in Germany, Hong Kong, Romania and the USA, but also in other countries.

ZenMate is one of the most popular products for providing users with a VPN connection to the Internet

high-quality connection;
complete security of the browser and personal data;
providing a license for five devices.

there is no perpetual license purchase, there is only a monthly or annual payment for VIP status;

How to use: after installing the extension, registering on the site and paying for services, all features are immediately activated.

Video: installing the ZenMate add-on in the Mozilla Firefox browser

Hola

Hola is a service that is powered by a community of users through a P2P network. The project has more than one hundred and fifty million regular users.

The extension is free for regular users, however legal entities you'll have to pay a little.

The Hola service is supported directly by the user community through a P2P network

the extension is free;
supports streaming media data;
unlocks almost any resource.

P2P network is vulnerable to hacker attacks, therefore it is advisable to have a good firewall in your arsenal;
sometimes connections to sites may be lost due to gateways being turned off;
Hola administration was repeatedly caught selling user traffic in 2015.

How to use: After installing the extension, you need to register on the network. This can be done directly in the browser plugin. After registration occurs automatic connection to the virtual network.

After installing the extension, you need to register in the application

Browsec

Browsec VPN is a popular European service virtual networks. The application is completely free, although it is possible to purchase greater rights and increase speed for a small amount.

Browsec has good opportunities to hide the real IP address, but the free version is very slow in terms of loading files and even pages. In addition, the application can be configured for exceptions: whether to use it or not on certain sites.

Browsec VPN free version works quite slowly

completely free and unlimited;
quite a lot of connection variations, even in the regular version;
ability to manage exceptions.

Cons: due to its great popularity, the download speed leaves much to be desired.

How to use:

FriGate

FriGate is special extension for browsers, which is used to hide surfing on the Internet, as well as improve the loading of sites. The principle of operation of the service is as follows: friGate checks the availability of the page, and if the loading speed is slow (or the site is blocked), it provides its own node (tunnel) for data transfer.

The application supports partial use of proxies for individual sites.

full and partial (for individual sites) use of VPN;
high speed of operation due to the principle of processing downloaded data.

Cons: the list of sites must be supplemented independently.

How to use: after installing the extension, open the “Latest open sites” tab. Check the boxes in the “Add site to list” window, then click “Save” to apply the changes.

Hoxx VPN Proxy offers a choice big list VPN servers

high speed due to the abundance of servers;
high quality encryption;
confident IP masking for greater security and data protection on the Internet;
more than 50 servers in the free edition.

no selective encryption;
in the free version, traffic is limited to a limit of 500 MB/day.

How to use: after installing the extension, open it and register using the “Create account” button. Then we turn on encryption and enjoy all the benefits of an anonymous connection.

To get started, you need to register in the application

Create an encrypted connection in Mozilla browser Firefox is very simple. It is enough to install the appropriate extension and gain access to blocked sites.

136180 23.06.2016

Plus

Access sites prohibited by Roskomnadzor, watch TV series blocked for users from Russia, and also hide your real location From interesting services for collecting information about network users, you can use an anonymizer plug-in for the browser. Let's take a closer look at what a plugin (add-on) is, how to install it in the browser, and which of the many is the most effective.

What is a plugin (add-on, extension) anonymizer for the browser

A browser plugin (add-on, extension) is a compact application that is installed in the browser and adds new functions to it.

Add-ons for anonymization - maintaining anonymity, hiding information about IP, location, browser type and version, etc. - allow you to easily and safely access any sites. After activating the add-on, your browser connects to one of remote servers. The server loads the Internet page and transmits it to your browser. Due to this, it is the server data, instead of your real ones, that is recorded by tracking services for Internet users. Bypassing the provider's restrictions follows a similar scheme - the program detects the transition to a server that is allowed for access, and therefore does not interrupt the connection.

Where to download anonymizer for browser

It is convenient to search for extensions on the Webstore virtual storefronts:

Mozilla Firefox - https://addons.mozilla.org/ru/firefox/ ;
Chrome and Yandex Browser - https://chrome.google.com/webstore/category/apps.

To install, select the add-on, click “Install”, wait until it downloads and installs, and use it.

You can also download add-ons from file storages and from official developer sites. In this case, to install you need to run the file, confirm your intention to install the extension, and wait for the installation process to complete.

Popular anonymization plugins for browsers

AnonymoX - free plugin from German developers with the ability to manually and automatic settings. There are versions for Chrome and Mozilla Firefox.

Once installed, it fits neatly into the panel. By clicking on the icon, a compact settings window opens, where you can select a country - USA, UK, Netherlands - and server.

AnonymoX succeeded in hiding its browser from surveillance - the location changed to the USA. We were able to calculate the real data only through flash. But the data transfer speed with the plugin enabled leaves much to be desired - an average of 4.35 Mbit/s, which is almost 4 times lower than the usual speed provided by the Internet provider.

FriGate is a domestic product, released in versions for Mozilla Firefox, Opera and Chrome. For the latter there are three options: Lite (for regular user), CDN (for advanced) and Proxy (for geeks). As an everyday browser anonymizer, the Lite version is sufficient.

To enable/disable, just click on the icon in the browser panel. The activated extension creates a small window in the upper right corner, where you can click on the flag to select a server and disable anonymization for individual tabs and sites. Fine tuning hidden in item context menu"Options".

In matters of concealment, he lost to the previous decision on several points at once. But the download speed remained virtually unchanged after turning on friGate. Not a bad option for watching TV series blocked for users from Russia.

Browsec VPN is another anonymization option from European creators. The plugin is free, but it is possible to purchase a paid subscription. A paid subscription expands the channel to increase download speed and opens access to more servers. The add-on is available for Opera, Chrome, Mozilla Firefox.

The Browsec VPN plugin was able to hide the IP of the device under test for most services. We calculated the substitution using several methods, which is not so bad. The speed is much worse; launching the plugin reduced it almost 10 times; changing the server in the settings did not help. You can use it if you are willing to tolerate slow page loading speeds.

ZenMate VPN - free product with the option to purchase a premium subscription. Suitable for Opera, Chrome, Firefox.

Installing it in the browser is a simple matter, but you won’t be able to launch it without registration. To register, you need to fill out the form, wait for the activation email to arrive and follow the link sent. As a bonus for your efforts, the developers are giving 7 days of free Premium.

After successful registration, you need to click on the program icon and launch the anonymizer. A pleasant interface brightens up the negativity left after the hassle of activation. Servers can be configured manually by selecting the appropriate country.

The Romanian server was enabled in the settings, but we determined its location in Turkey. The download speed turned out to be almost half as low as without anonymization, which is quite good compared to competitors. The main drawback is that Premium is given free of charge for only a week, then for speed and manual settings you will have to pay dearly.

None of those tested free extensions for anonymization, it could not hide the device under test and completely replace the data it transmitted. All failed with a single vulnerability - Flash, and in some, the use of anonymization was discovered by other methods. However, with the help of anonymizer add-ons, it was possible to bypass restrictions on access to spicy sites; sites blocked by Roskomnadzor also began to work.

Most high speed data loading demonstrated friGate extension, pages open a little slower when ZenMate VPN is enabled, anonymoX and Browsec VPN were slow, regardless of settings. All options except ZenMate VPN work without registration.

If you plan to watch movies and use complex online services through an anonymizer, then install friGate or buy paid subscription on ZenMate VPN. For everyday surfing, any of the described solutions is suitable.

In the meantime, while the authorities and the RKN are building a fence for us that does not allow us to access blocked sites, the developers software solved all the problems for us. All that remains for ordinary users to do to open blocked sites is to turn on the VPN.

Now VPN is built in almost everywhere, every browser has an add-on. In addition, there are 100,500 applications for smartphones, and thousands of instructions for Windows.

Today I want to close this issue once and for all with this page of my blog. In this post, I will try to mention everything so that everyone can find their instructions and understand how to enable VPN on their device.

Enable VPN in Yandex Browser

If you are from Ukraine, the first problem you will encounter is loading the browser itself. All you need is to download the browser from the Yandex mirror. You can download the browser from this link - https://getyabrowser.com/ru/

Right after VPN installations you will already have it turned on. If suddenly blocked sites do not open for you, you need to do the following:

Open settings. In the upper right corner there are 3 dashes - ≡ and click settings.
Scroll to the "Turbo" section and select "Automatically turn on...".
Press 3 keys at the same time – Ctrl+Shift+Del and delete “files saved in the cache”.
Restart your browser and enjoy free surfing.

Second way:

If the above does not work for you for some reason, do not be upset. Yandex Browser supports all extensions from “Opera” and you can easily install a VPN plugin.

To do this, click on the 3 dashes ≡ in the upper right corner and click “Extensions”. Then scroll to the bottom of the page and click on “Catalog of extensions for Yandex.Browser”. Next, write VPN in the search and install any of the suggested plugins. Restart your browser, you're done!

Enable VPN in Opera

In Opera it’s exactly the same as in Yandex Browser. To be more precise, you can enable VPN in two ways:

Built-in from Opera
Install extension

Let's now look at each method separately.

Method one - built-in VPN

Tap Menu, then Settings.
Select "Security" from the left menu. You need the VPN section (enable it by checking the box).

Ready. Now, next to the address bar you have a corresponding button where you can turn the VPN on/off and change the country in case of outages.

The second way is to install the extension.

I can’t even imagine why the built-in VPN didn’t suit you, but I think, just in case, it’s worth writing an alternative option:

To install the extension, you can open the directory through the “menu” button and write VPN in the search. Or just paste/open this link in address bar— https://addons.opera.com/ru/search/?query=vpn

After installing the extension, restart your browser and you can open any blocked site.

Enable VPN in Google Chrome

Google Chrome does not have a built-in VPN, but it has the most large collection extensions, among which you can quickly find everything and for free.

To enable VPN in Chrome you need to:

Click on the ellipsis in the upper right corner. Next “Additional tools”, then “Extensions”. Or paste in the address bar - chrome://extensions/
In the search, write “VPN”.
Install the selected extension.

I have " Free proxy server VPN Hotspot Shield - unblocking sites." Works flawlessly and has never slowed down. If you also want to install it for yourself, you can immediately follow the link - chrome://extensions/?id=and download.

VPN in Mozilla Firefox

As you understand, it’s exactly the same as in other browsers, but to get the full picture I’ll describe it in detail. To open access to all sites, do the following:

Paste/follow the link - https://addons.mozilla.org/ru/firefox/
On the right side you have the “Search for add-ons”. Type “VPN” into the search and press “Enter”
Then the choice is yours, but I recommend installing “Hoxx VPN Proxy” or “Hotspot Shield is free VPN Proxy".
Install the add-on, activate, restart the browser.

Ready. Now you have access to all resources on the Internet. As you can see, nothing complicated.

Browsers with built-in VPN

If you have no desire to install anything additional, you can use browsers that already have Proxy support built into their product. I certainly recommend using the ones discussed above, but suddenly you need a different one.

List of browsers with built-in Proxy:

Yandex.Browser (about it above).
Opera. See above.
TOR. Old, popular. Download here - https://www.torproject.org/download/download-easy

During downloading, do not forget to select Russian language.

Browser Go! From mail.ru. Download here - https://gobro.mail.ru
Orbitum - it’s unclear what, I’m not leaving a link.
FreeU is a bit dumb. I don't recommend it.

VPN for Android

If you use one of the browsers listed above, then enable VPN in it in the same way as in a regular browser (see above). If you prefer to use another application, then you need to install another one that will give full access.

To install a VPN on Android, you need:

Open « Google play” and write “VPN” in the search.
Select one of the applications and install.
Launch the application and minimize it. Now you can open your browser and view any sites.

Personally, I would recommend you the application “Turbo VPN – Unlimited Free VPN" It is fast, light, and works more or less stably. Available at the link - https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=free.vpn.unblock.proxy.turbovpn

That's all. Nothing complicated!

16.02.2017

Every year VPN technologies are gaining more and more popularity and becoming more accessible to ordinary users. Most common way using a secure connection outside the corporate segment - gaining access to resources operating in a clearly defined number of countries. Most users work with VPN within their browser.

Some web browsers like Opera support the corresponding tool out of the box. Others allow you to use VPN using third-party extensions. We will consider the second option for working with secure networks using the example of the well-known browser from Mozilla. Below you will learn how to install a VPN in Firefox and use it successfully.

How to use VPN in Firefox

Mozilla product does not have native support VPN technologies, however, the catalog of add-ons for the second most popular web browser contains many relevant solutions. But we will only tell you about the best of them.

Method 1: Hola VPN

Hola is the simplest and most popular solution for gaining access to certain resources. However, being a weakly protected botnet rather than a full-fledged VPN service, the product from Israeli developers in no way provides you with security or any anonymity on the Internet. Many are sure that the situation is completely opposite.

The good news is that you don't have to pay for it. Just install and use. There is, of course, a premium subscription, but first things first.

To install the extension, go to the main page of the service and click the big button "Install". Fortunately, it is simply impossible not to notice it.
And we are offered to choose whether to use a VPN for free or with a subscription. In the second case, your traffic will not be distributed among other users, which significantly increases the degree of security.
It's up to you to decide, of course, but for now we'll choose free option by checking the checkbox next to the inscription "Free". Click on the button "Install".
Now we are asked to confirm saving the Hola installer to the computer's memory. Choose "Save file".
Then in the download menu, click on the downloaded file to install.
In the window that appears, click on the button "Agree and Install".
After successful installation, the browser will open on Chromium-based with services from Hola, including VPN.

But we want to work with Hola in Firefox. Therefore, we can safely close it and return to installing the extension itself.
Now on the Hola installation page, click "Next".
We confirm the installation request.
And after downloading the add-on, click "Install".
At the end of this process, the following notification will appear in the browser.
All. The extension is installed and can be used. We go to the resource we need and click on the Hola icon in the Firefox extensions panel.
Next, select the country we need and enjoy free access to any foreign sites.
For example, use something that is not available in CIS Spotify you can by selecting one of the countries supported by the music service from the list: USA, UK, Netherlands, etc.

Method 2: Hoxx VPN Proxy

Another addition that fulfills its duties even better. Hoxx not only allows you to use services that are unavailable or blocked in your country, but also ensures maximum protection of personal data online.

It is very easy to work with him.

Add an extension to the browser using official catalog of "addons" Mozilla. To start installation, click on the button "Add to Firefox".
After downloading the add-on, confirm its installation.
All. The Hoxx VPN Proxy extension is installed and you can start setting it up.
Now click on the Hoxx VPN icon in the Firefox extensions panel.
Select the desired language. In our case - Russian.
And the authorization window appears before our eyes. Well, you will have to register, without this there is no way here. To do this, click on the button that says "Create an account"(yes, “create” =D).
We indicate the required data, namely first name, last name and address Email(once again!). Then click on all three checkboxes below, thereby agreeing to the rules, policy for using the service and license agreement. And finally we press "Register".
We are informed that an automatically generated password has been sent to us by email. Well, let's return to the entrance.
Let's go to our Mailbox and copy the password to the clipboard.
Then on the authorization page, enter our email, password and click "To come in".
Now we can easily hide our real location.

There are three lists of servers to choose from: free, premium and public. Lists with free and paid servers differ only in the list of available countries and, probably, throughput. The third category allows you to use public servers in Asian countries and has a lower Internet connection speed.

Note that for the needs of most users free list fits perfectly.

Method 3: ZenMate Security & Privacy VPN

Well, why not talk about the most popular VPN extension for Firefox - ZenMate. Its developers guarantee us the most full protection and the highest possible Internet connection speed.

Whether you care about the safety of private data or simply want to bypass the blocking of a certain resource, VPN - perfect solution for these purposes. Just choose a well-proven product that suits you specifically and enjoy safe work online.