Looking for Netflix advice

mountainsnow

I am looking for a VPN provider that allows me to access Netflix.  PIA has said they are unwilling to do anything about it.   Turning off the VPN is not a option for me because my ISP is quite malicious.  I also don't considering it safe to turn off a VPN for any reason.   Do you know of any good USA based VPN providers that have as good or better security as PIA, is focused on privacy as much as PIA and will allow me to use Netflix again?

OmniNegro

The problem is that Netflix is blocking VPNs on their side. So even if there was a provider that claimed to unblock them, it is only a matter of time until Netflix blocks them too.

Sorry. I have no good advise for you besides not trusting any provider that claims to unblock Netflix.

moshbeast

Maybe torguard...I think they're the only one I read still works reliably, and that's only because they offer dedicated IPs along with shared...problem with dedicated IPs is it's much easier to identify you as you're the only one using it, so I would only use it for like Netflix and nothing else... that's why PIA doesn't offer them...I've read they offer shared dedicated IPs now also... whether they are good or bad I can't say... I'm also not sure if they offer a free trial or not...most other VPNs I read now either have completely lost access or it's so unreliable anymore it's driving people away or they just gave up..good luck

..

mountainsnow

I was reading smart DNS gets around Netflix block so I started looking for providers.  I found some but they are not a security focused as PIA.

moshbeast

mountainsnow said:

I was reading smart DNS gets around Netflix block so I started looking for providers.  I found some but they are not a security focused as PIA.

yeah but your problem is you want to stay under the vpn while you watch netflix...you can't do that with PIA and smartdns...its one or the other...keep that in mind...some smartdns providers offer a vpn with their service...Im not sure I would trust them with my security and privacy either...do they log, give up info if pressured? do your due diligence and research heavily first

jferguson

Does anyone know what exactly Netflix does to detect VPNs?

tinpin

I've done my homework on this frustration and it turns out that they block IP ranges that are owned by the VPN providers.  If you try to use their service with a blacklisted IP address within the IP ranges associated with a VPN provider, you get the 'VPN detected/you're screwed' message.  While they may not have every single VPN provider's IPs blacklisted yet... they will soon.

 

This is why a VPN with a dedicated static IP through like TorGuard will work to access Netflix.  BUT that also means that it's super easy to be exposed if you try to use p2p/torrenting because of instead sharing 1,000's of IP addresses across a customer base, that one single static IP represents you as much as the IP address given to you by your ISP.

In other words, short of purchasing a new block of IP addresses every X number of days, there really isn't much VPN providers can do about the blacklisted IPs in their possession. This is why lots of the providers have backed off saying they're trying to resolve the issue and/or plainly stated that Netflix just isn't supported through their service... quite simply, they can't afford to do what has to be done to circumvent the issue.

It really sucks, but that's the long and short of it all.  And yes, that means getting angry with/discontinuing the service with a VPN provider won't get you anywhere.

Personally, I wish more people would actually look into this issue before getting furious with their providers because the providers are getting bad press from everybody that doesn't truly understand the situation.  I'm sure the providers (and their poor customer service reps - ever had that job?) would agree with me.

moshbeast

@tinpin well spoken..I could not have said it any better myself...people got really mad at first but I think a lot of them have calmed down now that they see everybody is affected

jferguson

Can you try the vpn service at www.trimium.com? It seems to work for Netflix. It wasn't working last week but it is working again. 

I also found out that IPs are not blacklisted for http/https traffic. It is the DNS service that you get from your VPN provider. Some DNS services are very good and some (like Unotelly) don't even work with Hulu. I do not know if this is an issue with DNS forwarding or masquerading. 

jferguson

I have done analysis with Wireshark and a web proxy (http/https) service and found out that a few domains on Netflix detect where your smart DNS is. I assume they are performing a DNS leak test. I tried a VPN service that was being detected by Netflix as proxy, then switched over to another DNS service with the same VPN service and it worked. (Which tells me Netflix does not block IPs for http/https).

 So I did another test. I set the DNS back to the non-working DNS and routed all traffic (except for a few Netflix domains) through a known working web proxy (http/https) at work. Netflix would detect proxy. Then I would include those domains through the web proxy and Netflix would play. (Even with the non-working DNS). (The web proxy's server is using 4.2.2.1 as the DNS. The web proxy's IP is in the USA).

findjinn

I've been able to use pia just fine with netflix. I had to ditch the app and go through a clean browser - but hey you should be doing that anyways.

chrisbiller

Netflix has reacted by cutting the cord of almost every VPN provider. However, few VPN service providers still managed to penetrate the blockade of Netflix US. Our best bet goes with ExpressVPN tested to access and stream Netflix outside USA. It provides seamless and stable connectivity coupled with ultra-fast speed required to stream high-definition video.

TimeBomb

Netflix does not work fine in a browser when using PIA. If it does work, you happen to be on a server IP address that the idiots haven't blocked yet. It happened to me once over the past several months. Every other time, IN A BROWSER, PIA was blocked. Why someone would think that it would work in a browser but not the app is a mystery to me.

japzone

At this point it might just be better to roll your own Proxy or VPN server if you just want reliable access to US Streaming services like Netflix, an encrypted connection to protect your activity from your ISP, and not worried about people tracing down the owner of the server you're using.

Rent out a server from some web services provider in the US and then setup a proxy or VPN server on it. You can then tunnel into the US, and it's unlikely you'd have to worry about services like Netflix blocking you.

Of course this might not be the cheapest method, but reliability can often be king.

staylecrate

Is there a way to setup your own VPN on another local networked PC and tell your browser to connect to it?

WeirdScience06

You can setup your own VPN locally but it would only be as secure as your ISP connection unless you used a  client/server model.

I did test using my own VPN which is actually quite simple to do, I used Digitalocean where you can purchase a droplet (virtual machine) running remotely and then you can set it up as a VPN server, generate your client certs and then connect to it via your device.  There are quite a few tutorials available to to this

kylemins

In my opinion, PIA VPN is made for safe internet browsing which creates a secure tunnel for shifting your internet traffic. Also I have read private internet access review http://www.vpnlogics.com/private-internet-access-review/ which confirm that PIA is reliable for security and privacy.

Yes, it was difficult to access Netflix in other regions with complete library but recently VPN providers have added new servers and this information was already disclosed by Lifehacker Australia.

bgxsec

mountainsnow said:

I am looking for a VPN provider that allows me to access Netflix.  PIA has said they are unwilling to do anything about it.   Turning off the VPN is not a option for me because my ISP is quite malicious.  I also don't considering it safe to turn off a VPN for any reason.   Do you know of any good USA based VPN providers that have as good or better security as PIA, is focused on privacy as much as PIA and will allow me to use Netflix again?

What do you mean by "my ISP is quite malicious" ?

I have some news for you folks:

Your ISP already knows you use Netflix on VPN (if you do), and they also know your using a VPN (especially openvpn based VPN). The reason is even though the VPN keeps the ISP from seeing the traffic in the VPN tunnel they can see the rate at which traffic is passed, the amount of data passed, and the timing of the passing data, these form a profile signature that can be tailored to be unique by the streaming service that's specific to that streaming service. Netflix steaming has a unique profile signature that's specific to Netflix. The ISP, when you are on VPN, knows you are using Netflix by the profile signature. This tailored profile signature thing is also starting to be used by other on line movie streaming services now as well. The unique profile signature is detectable by deep packet inspection type systems which as of 1 Jan 2016 were in use at every ISP world wide (at some distribution level in their networks, it varies) except for the very smallest (and still even used on some of those very smallest). This happens on all VPN services, switching to another VPN service will not keep this from happening no matter what they advertise or promise or say. Your ISP knows you are using Netflix anyway when on a VPN and using a VPN does not keep that from being known. So if you are trying to hide your Netflix use from your ISP by use of VPN, guess what, you are not hiding it after all.

diellaadgf

Now almost all VPN service was blocked by Netflix,

1. PureVPN is bloceked by US Netflix
2. Private internet access blocked by Netflix
3. Hidemyass also bloceked by Netflix

Also, The expressvpn also blocked by Netflix, and some of VPN continuous updated their IP address when the IP are banned.
So, i would suggest you find a VPN or Proxy which can offer you dedicated IP, Note IP address not share to other, there are less chance to ban your ip!!