Hotspot Shield FAQ

How do I install Hotspot Shield on my computer?

For Windows based computers, click on the .exe file and follow the script and the promptings from the Installer application on your computer.

For Mac based computers (OS X and later), click on the .dmg file on your desktop. Then drag the Hotspot Shield application into your Applications folder.

How do I run Hotspot Shield?

After you installed Hotspot Shield on your computer, a small red shield was placed in the bottom right corner of your icon bar (or on the top menu bar for Macs). Click on the red shield and choose 'Connect' from the menu. A browser window will open and begin to connect to the internet securely. Once the shield turns green, it is safe to browse the internet.

How much bandwidth do I get every month?

Each user is allowed 5GB of bandwidth per month.

How do I turn Hotspot Shield off (disconnect)?

Click on the green shield and select 'Quit' from the menu. Once the shield turns red, Hotspot Shield has been disconnected.

Where can I re-download Hotspot Shield?

To download the latest version of Hotspot Shield, visit our downloads page here.

When I attempt to run Hotspot Shield, what does it mean when I get one of the following errors?

1. Disconnected (Auth Failure)
2. Disconnected (Bandwidth Exceeded)

The "Auth-Failure" message occurs when the server denies a connection request. This most often occurs because the user has exceeded bandwidth limits. Any user that has used more than 5 GB will not be able to log in until their prior month of bandwidth usage drops below 5 GB.

How does Hotspot Shield work?

Hotspot Shield is designed to be a complete security package. We send everything over a secure tunnel, encrypting traffic between the users and our VPN server so no one in-between can snoop into what's going on. The most critical issue that Hotspot Shield addresses is securing the data traveling from the client's computer to the Wifi access point.

If you still cannot find the answer to your question here, you may create a ticket via our help desk here.