When going abroad there are often many things you miss from back home. Especially the easy access to Netflix tv shows and movies. See the thing is that Netflix is a US only service, and if you want to watch Netflix abroad you need to use the following trick to unblock it.
Just like many other online services Netflix will take a look at your IP-address when you connect and determine your location. Don’t worry if you don’t know what an IP-address is. It really isn’t complicated.An IP-address is a number that every device connected to the Internet needs. No matter if you are using the Netflix App on your iPad or streaming Netflix to TV from your computer, then you are connected to the Internet with an IP-address.
What we need to do is obtain an American IP-address in order to be able to watch Netflix abroad. Actually many expats and Americans stationed outside the USA already do this.
Oh and forget about finding a Netflix proxy as it will not work – if I had a dollar for every time someone has asked why they could not stream Netflix via a proxy…well you know the story.
By connecting to what is known as a Virtual Private Network or VPN for short, we will have a server in the US act as a “middleman” between Netflix and us. Netflix will know think we are in the US and allow us to stream. It is really that simple.
It is worth mentioning that using a VPN connection will not only allow you to use US services abroad, but it will also encrypt your data traffic and make sure you are better protected against hackers. A VPN connecting is of course not free, but the 6 or 12 months package from Hide My Ass VPN have some great discounts. When writing this article I tried a few different providers, and I think I got the best quality streaming when using Hide My Ass (don’t mind the name). Besides the install is really easy as you just have to install a small app for either PC or Mac and you are ready to go.
So basically if you are going abroad and you have been wondering “should I get Netflix”, then the answer is yes. All you need to do is go to Hide My Ass VPN and start a subscription, then head on over to the Netflix website and start a free Netflix trial if you haven’t already. Make sure you are connected to VPN before you start or the signup will fail if you are abroad.
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Written by Thomas Fals