Just because Netflix is blocked in Europe doesn’t mean you have to be left out. By tricking Netflix into thinking you are actually located in the US you can get access to Netflix as well – even when living in Europe.
The thing is, that Netflix will check your IP-address to find out your location. This means that if you live outside the US you will be blocked out from watching Netflix. Luckily there is an easy way to get an IP located in the US. The answer is connecting to a Virtual Private Network.
By connecting to a server in the US this server will act as a middle man between you and Netflix and you will inherit a US based IP. That is really all there is to it. Don’t worry, the setup is super easy even if you are not a “computer person”.
Since streaming video requires plenty of bandwidth you need a good VPN provider. Not all of them are specialized in high-speed connections and I burned myself a couple of times starting out. I ended up with Hide My Ass VPN and 
the streaming quality is the best I have seen from any of the VPNs I have tried.
The setup itself is quite easy and all you have to do is install the small app for either PC or Mac, and then choose what server in the US you want to connect to – that is it. For iPhones, iPads, Android phones and other devices you will get manual settings you need to input. Once again very easy to get started.
You don’t need an American credit card when signing up for Netflix – just make sure that you use a 5 digit zip code (90210 comes to mind) and you can use any valid card you like.
Since this article was written Netflix has launched in the UK and Scandinavia meaning that these regions now have access to Netflix. However, the content they have access to is nothing compared to the US version of Netflix. Once again the licensing agreements are to blame so the above VPN trick is still very usable even for users living in Europe within the regions that already have a local version of Netflix.
So yes Netflix might have launched in Europe but there still only is one true version of Netflix and that is the American one.
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Written by Thomas Fals