International Usage of Netflix Streaming
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2010
Programs: UA 1K, SPG P, DL vanilla
Posts: 37
International Usage of Netflix Streaming
Is there anyway of circumventing Netflix's blockage of international IPs?
While I realize this is less than legal, watching movies on my computer while abroad is one of the primary reasons I got Netflix.
While I realize this is less than legal, watching movies on my computer while abroad is one of the primary reasons I got Netflix.
#8
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: ABJ
Posts: 755
#9
Join Date: Sep 1999
Location: Silicon Valley
Programs: AA:PLT&3MM, HGP:DIA, SPG:GOLD
Posts: 1,896
Whenever I've tried to learn about VPN, the articles that I found online are a bunch of technical mumbo-jumbo to me no matter how hard I tried to understand it, let alone implement it. So naturally I was intrigued when I saw this thread.
I signed up for a VPNOD account at vpnnod.com. I followed the super-easy instructions on how to set it up on my Mac. And in a matter of minutes I now have the VPN icon on my menu bar and let's me connect. I turn it on while surfing at home and it's working. Yay!
Having said all that, I have no idea what it does, why I need it and when do I use it, especially while traveling (aside from Netflix streaming while overseas).
Maybe somebody here will be kind enough to give me an idiot's guide to VPN.
I signed up for a VPNOD account at vpnnod.com. I followed the super-easy instructions on how to set it up on my Mac. And in a matter of minutes I now have the VPN icon on my menu bar and let's me connect. I turn it on while surfing at home and it's working. Yay!
Having said all that, I have no idea what it does, why I need it and when do I use it, especially while traveling (aside from Netflix streaming while overseas).
Maybe somebody here will be kind enough to give me an idiot's guide to VPN.
#10
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: ABJ
Posts: 755
Whenever I've tried to learn about VPN, the articles that I found online are a bunch of technical mumbo-jumbo to me no matter how hard I tried to understand it, let alone implement it. So naturally I was intrigued when I saw this thread.
I signed up for a VPNOD account at vpnnod.com. I followed the super-easy instructions on how to set it up on my Mac. And in a matter of minutes I now have the VPN icon on my menu bar and let's me connect. I turn it on while surfing at home and it's working. Yay!
Having said all that, I have no idea what it does, why I need it and when do I use it, especially while traveling (aside from Netflix streaming while overseas).
Maybe somebody here will be kind enough to give me an idiot's guide to VPN.
I signed up for a VPNOD account at vpnnod.com. I followed the super-easy instructions on how to set it up on my Mac. And in a matter of minutes I now have the VPN icon on my menu bar and let's me connect. I turn it on while surfing at home and it's working. Yay!
Having said all that, I have no idea what it does, why I need it and when do I use it, especially while traveling (aside from Netflix streaming while overseas).
Maybe somebody here will be kind enough to give me an idiot's guide to VPN.
for example in USA if u want to connect to geo based apps;
BUT businesses use it as well to connect to their company servers when out of the company zone; ie USA cie but u r in Europe;
this redirects data via another server so as to modify your real IP address; or location.
Last edited by aly; Jul 26, 2010 at 1:38 pm
#11
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2002
Location: ORD
Posts: 14,225
A virtual private network (VPN) is a network that uses a public telecommunication infrastructure, such as the Internet, to provide remote offices or individual users with secure access to their organization's network. It aims to avoid an expensive system of owned or leased lines that can only be used by one organization. The goal of a VPN is to provide the organization with the same, secure capabilities, but at a much lower cost.
#12
Join Date: Jul 2010
Posts: 97
With UDP, if a chunk of data doesn't appear, the application just moves on with its life. You might hear a glitch in the audio or see some chunking on the screen.
However, SSH uses TCP, which presents data to the application in sequence. If something goes missing, then it waits... and waits... and waits. This will magnify a sub-second audio glitch into a 20-second dropout. If your connection is at all erratic, the delays will start to cascade and eventually the stream will stop entirely.
VPN is definitely the way to go. OpenVPN is easy to install if you have your own server, and works very well, with free client software available on every significant platform.
#13
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: PHX
Posts: 3,796
The VPN is sort of like the old expatriate standby, the mail forwarding service, which would work for Netflix physical DVDs.
You give Netflix an address in the US. As far as they know, that's where you get your mail. They mail a DVD there. Someone at that location puts it in another envelope and mails it overseas to you. When you're done, you mail it back to your forwarding service. They take it out of the international envelope and put the Netflix envelope in the US mail. Netflix has no way of knowing you're overseas.
Exactly the same thing happens with a VPN. The data from Netflix goes to a network address located in the US. That site forwards the data to your overseas address, and forwards data you send back.
You give Netflix an address in the US. As far as they know, that's where you get your mail. They mail a DVD there. Someone at that location puts it in another envelope and mails it overseas to you. When you're done, you mail it back to your forwarding service. They take it out of the international envelope and put the Netflix envelope in the US mail. Netflix has no way of knowing you're overseas.
Exactly the same thing happens with a VPN. The data from Netflix goes to a network address located in the US. That site forwards the data to your overseas address, and forwards data you send back.
#15
Join Date: Jan 2007
Programs: No single airline or hotel chain is of much use to me anymore.
Posts: 3,278
The speeds actually vary greatly - but I have never had much difficulty with Netflix other than the odd buffering delay.