TekLan VPN 4.1 for Android, Android TV and Fire TV

TekLan VPN 4.1 for Android is out, on phones, tablets, Android TV, Google TV, Nvidia Shield and Fire TV. Version 4.1.0 is the current download, and 4.1.1 is ready to try as a beta. Here's what each one changes, on your phone and on your TV.

Quick answer

• 4.1.0 (download now): reach your printer, TV and other home devices while connected, more DNS choices, and a tidier settings layout on TV.
• 4.1.1 (beta): clearer connection states, the TekLan DNS name, and a locations list that opens instantly.
• Get it: open teklanvpn.com/latest.apk on the device, or wait for Google Play or the Amazon Appstore to update the app.

What's new in 4.1.0

Local network access

With the VPN on, your phone or TV can still reach devices on your home network, such as a printer, a casting device or a file share. Turn on Local network access in the app's settings when you need it. Leave it off on networks you don't trust, such as hotel or café Wi-Fi.

More DNS choices

DNS is what turns a website's name into an address. 4.1.0 lets you pick from a list of well-known DNS providers, with a short description of each, or enter your own. If a setting only applies from your next connection, the app tells you, so you're not left wondering why nothing changed.

Tidier settings on TV

Settings have been reordered so the ones you use most come first. On Android TV, Google TV, Shield and Fire TV they're laid out in two columns, so there's less scrolling with the remote.

Fixes

We fixed a crash that could happen with OpenVPN on some networks, and made reconnecting more reliable after a dropped connection.

What's coming in 4.1.1

4.1.1 sets the standard the other TekLan VPN apps will follow, starting with the new Windows and Mac apps.

• Three clear states. The app shows Not connected, Connecting or Connected. Tap the round button once to connect, and again to cancel while it's connecting. Connected only appears once the VPN is actually up.
• TekLan DNS. The default DNS setting is now called TekLan DNS: the DNS supplied by the TekLan server you're connected to. Only the name is new. Nothing about how your lookups are routed has changed.
• Locations that open instantly. Each server's ping is measured once and remembered, even after you leave the app or restart your phone. Only new or changed servers are measured again, unless you refresh. A server that doesn't answer a ping isn't treated as offline, because ping replies are often blocked even when the VPN works fine.
• Fewer false alarms. If the first check after connecting doesn't get through, the app quickly tries again before telling you something's wrong.

Getting 4.1.0

Step-by-step guides with screenshots: Android phones, Android TV and Fire TV.

Trying 4.1.1

The 4.1.1 beta is a direct download for Android phones and tablets, Android TV, Google TV, Shield and Fire TV. Uninstall your current TekLan VPN first, then open teklanvpn.com/beta.apk on the device. On Fire TV, enter that address in Downloader. Sign in again once it's installed. The beta page lists every beta that's open.

Found a problem? Open a ticket with your device model, Android version and what happened.

Frequently asked questions

Will updating sign me out?

Updating in place normally keeps you signed in. If you uninstall first, as you do for the beta, you sign in again afterwards.

Does Local network access make the VPN less secure?

Only for devices on the network you're on. Everything else still goes through the VPN. That's why it's best left off on public Wi-Fi.

How do I go back from the beta?

Uninstall the beta, then install the current version from teklanvpn.com/latest.apk or your app store.

Not using TekLan VPN on Android yet? Start with the Android guide.

Since this post: newer Android versions have been released, and the connect button now says Protected in the newest version. See the Android guide for the current version.