Netflix users love the streaming service but hate how there are some options not available in their country yet available in others. While the reality of rights is something that customers have no control over, there are solutions to getting around the Netflix rights issues via a VPN. Unfortunately, Netflix has an effective VPN ban that prevents many users from getting around the country of origin issue. The good news is this can be solved.
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The Reason For Geoblocks
Users need VPN for Netflix because rights issues prevent many shows from streaming that are broadcasting in a specific country. For example, if you’re looking to watch It’s Always Sunny in Philadephia in the UK, there are fewer restrictions than watching it in the US because the program is distributed in America with a specific airing schedule.
The way fans could theoretically get around these blocks is with a VPN because the tunneling function of a VPN can get you an IP address that Netflix would recognize from a different country of origin.
Netflix vs VPNs
It is in Netflix’s best interest to block VPNs because they present a business problem for Netflix’s partners. The streaming service pays a lot of money to secure rights to shows, and if all that’s needed to get around geographic rights is a VPN, then Netflix is not a valuable partner for other content creators because it helps circumvent distribution schedules. For Netflix, blocking VPNs is a smart business move that may annoy individual users, but at the end of the day protects its bottom line.
How Do You Know If Your VPN Isn’t Getting Around Netflix?
The answer is very simple – you won’t be able to watch content. What will happen is you’ll access Netflix but once you go to stream the different shows, what happens is you get an error message that usually references the proxy.
The black screen is sometimes found not just with VPNs but if you are trying to access Netflix via a corporate network as well. Some people may try to reset the browser, but this rarely works. The reason why is Netflix basically checks the origin of the IP address attempting to access the site.
Though the VPN is providing a different IP address, Netflix is tuned into what IP addresses belong to VPNs and knows to block them. If you’ve had success in the past with VPNs but now your VPN isn’t working, then Netflix has successfully figured out that the IP address is for a VPN.
Getting Around The VPN Block
So now you understand why the VPN is blocked and how to know when your VPN is blocked, you need to know how to get around the block. The key to doing this is selecting the right VPN. There’s more that goes into selecting the right VPN than plunking down your hard-earned cash though.
You need to be sure the VPN has all the tools needed to not just get around the block but ensure that your Netflix experience is quality. After all, what’s the point of getting around a Netflix block if the stream is going to be inconsistent? Here are some important features found in a VPN that can get around the Netflix block.
Variety Of Servers
The servers are the key to getting around the Netflix block. The reason why is the server is where the IP address is derived from. Once the VPN tunneling begins, it brings your connection to a server and this server provides the IP address for your VPN to access Netflix.
A VPN that only has one server will be blocked fairly quickly if it isn’t already. Therefore, what you need to do is find a VPN with a variety of servers and the ability to add to its server count as needed. This will ensure that the VPN is continually getting around the Netflix block.
Streaming Speed
The biggest problem many folks have after getting around the Netflix block is that the streaming is not as fast. This is because essentially you are connecting to a third party before connecting to Netflix. The speed may be normal from the VPN to Netflix but slow from the VPN to you.
Make sure that when you select a VPN that the streaming speed is fast. You want Netflix to arrive at your computer streaming in the same quality that it would if you weren’t using a VPN. Some VPNs don’t have impressive connections, so check the streaming speed. This is an area where you tend to get what you pay for.
Using Your VPN And Netflix
Once you have selected your VPN, you’ll have to use the software provided to connect to the VPN. At this point your VPN will give you a list of countries. Select the country that you want your IP address to be derived from. At that point, the VPN will allow you to browse the web.
To check that your IP address is being recognized via the VPN, a great tool is whatismyipaddress.com. This will show you if your IP address has been successfully masked and replaced with the VPN country of choice. After that, go check out Netflix, and see about the different shows you were not able to view in your original country of origin.
Conclusion
Everyone should have the chance to enjoy Netflix shows that are not available in their country. That you are restricted to certain forms of entertainment just because you are located somewhere should not stop you from seeing great content. Getting a great VPN is the key to getting around the Netflix block.
Though it is in Netflix’s best interest to block VPNs, the reality is they can’t block all of them and that’s why you need to choose a VPN that combines great speed along with a large server network. Once you have the right VPN, watching your favorite shows on Netflix will never be easier. Now that you know what to look for, go out there and get enjoy unrestricted Netflix!
If you are interested in even more technology-related articles and information from us here at Bit Rebels, then we have a lot to choose from.
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