Question:

I want to use my Samsung Galaxy S22+ phone as a wireless display for my Windows 11 PC, and stream a video from the PC to the phone. However, I also want to use a VPN service (Proton VPN) on my phone for privacy reasons. When I try to connect my phone to my PC using the Phone Screen feature, I get an error message saying that both devices need to be on the same Wi-Fi network, even though they are. The connection works fine when I disable the VPN on my phone. How can I fix this issue and use both the Phone Screen and the VPN features simultaneously? I am not very familiar with the technical aspects of these features, so please explain in simple terms. Thank you.

Answer:

How to use Phone Screen and VPN on your Samsung Galaxy S22+ and Windows 11 PC

If you have a Samsung Galaxy S22+ phone and a Windows 11 PC, you might want to use the Phone Screen feature to mirror your phone’s screen on your PC and stream a video from the PC to the phone. This can be useful for watching videos on a bigger screen, playing games, or multitasking. However, you might also want to use a VPN service on your phone, such as Proton VPN, to protect your online privacy and access geo-restricted content. Unfortunately, you might encounter an error message when you try to use both features at the same time, saying that both devices need to be on the same Wi-Fi network, even though they are. This can be frustrating and confusing, especially if you are not very familiar with the technical aspects of these features. In this article, we will explain why this error occurs and how you can fix it in simple terms.

The Phone Screen feature works by creating a wireless connection between your phone and your PC using the Wi-Fi network that both devices are connected to. This allows your PC to display your phone’s screen and control it with your mouse and keyboard. However, when you use a VPN service on your phone, such as Proton VPN, you are actually creating a virtual network that encrypts and routes your internet traffic through a remote server. This means that your phone is no longer on the same Wi-Fi network as your PC, but on a different network that is created by the VPN service. Therefore, your PC cannot detect your phone and establish a connection with it, resulting in the error message.

How to fix the issue?

There are two possible ways to fix the issue and use both the Phone Screen and the VPN features simultaneously on your Samsung Galaxy S22+ and Windows 11 PC. The first way is to use a VPN service on your PC as well, and make sure that both devices are connected to the same VPN server. This way, both devices will be on the same virtual network and will be able to communicate with each other. The second way is to use a different feature on your phone, called Smart View, instead of the Phone Screen feature. Smart View allows you to cast your phone’s screen to your PC or other devices, such as a smart TV, using a wireless technology called Miracast. Unlike the Phone Screen feature, Smart View does not require both devices to be on the same Wi-Fi network, and works even if you use a VPN service on your phone. However, Smart View has some limitations, such as not allowing you to control your phone from your PC, and having a lower quality and speed than the Phone Screen feature.

How to use a VPN service on your PC?

If you want to use the first method and use a VPN service on your PC as well, you will need to install and configure a VPN client on your PC. There are many VPN services available, such as Proton VPN, NordVPN, ExpressVPN, etc. You can choose the one that suits your needs and preferences, and follow their instructions to set up the VPN client on your PC. Once you have installed and configured the VPN client, you will need to connect to the same VPN server that your phone is connected to. For example, if your phone is connected to a Proton VPN server in Australia, you will need to connect your PC to the same server in Australia. This way, both devices will be on the same virtual network and will be able to use the Phone Screen feature without any error.

How to use Smart View on your phone?

If you want to use the second method and use Smart View on your phone instead of the Phone Screen feature, you will need to enable the Smart View feature on your phone and your PC. To enable Smart View on your phone, you will need to swipe down from the top of the screen to access the quick settings panel, and tap on the Smart View icon. This will open a list of available devices that you can cast your phone’s screen to. To enable Smart View on your PC, you will need to open the Action Center by clicking on the notification icon on the bottom right corner of the screen, and click on the Connect button. This will open a list of available devices that you can receive a cast from. Once you have enabled Smart View on both devices, you will need to select your PC from the list of devices on your phone, and confirm the connection on your PC. This will start casting your phone’s screen to your PC, and you will be able to stream a video from the PC to the phone. However, you will not be able to control your phone from your PC, and you might experience some lag or quality issues depending on your Wi-Fi signal and network speed.

Conclusion

In this article, we have explained why you might get an error message when you try to use the Phone Screen and the VPN features on your Samsung Galaxy S22+ and Windows 11 PC, and how you can fix it in two ways. The first way is to use a VPN service on your PC as well, and connect to the same VPN server as your phone. The second way is to use Smart View on your phone instead of the Phone Screen feature, and cast your phone’s screen to your PC using Miracast. Both methods have their advantages and disadvantages, and you can choose the one that works best for you. We hope that this article has helped you solve your issue and enjoy using both features on your devices. Thank you for reading.