anyone still using a VPN?

littlerock

Until a couple of months ago, I used a VPN (tunnel bear) to access US content. Specifically Netflix. (I would point out I am a fully paid up Netflix UK subscriber just there are a lot more shows available on Netflix US).

anyway of course Netflix blocked all Vpn access earlier this year. Reluctantly, they said, as it was due to oressure from companies like Sky who had bought european viewing rights from the studios (shows to be paid for over here) which were included in Netflix in the US.

The consensus seemed to be that the vpn services would find a workaround but Netflix had to be seen to be doing something. In any case I did not use tunnelbear just to watch Netflix but also other US channels.

I emailed tunnelbear and they said they were working on it. I haven't tried to use it recently until tonight when I signed in to it and then into Google.com I was promptly bounced back to Google UK.

So it appears that besides Netflix Google is now blocking vpns as well. Not sure why they should do this? Is anyone still able to use tunnelbear at all?

RumRat

Google isn't blocking any VPN....The two I use both log into the Google of whichever country I'm using.
Sign up to the petition asking Netflix to reverse their decision...

littlerock

I now think it might be my virgin suoerhub which is doing it?

RumRat

littlerock wrote: »

I now think it might be my virgin suoerhub which is doing it?

Just for info, I have one of those also. Not sure why it would be re-routeing your traffic suddenly.

Double_V

Prison Break is starting. Don't know if they show that on any UK channels. ?
I used hidemyass.

kwikbreaks

Google will almost certainly be using cookies to route you to the "correct" google for you rather than "blocking" VPNs. If a site decides to block some VPN or other it will likely be a simple IP block and you'll either get a page telling you access is blocked or no response at all.

===

I just turned my own tunnelbear on with a couple of different locations and can access any google site I wish to. It's something else redirecting you to google.co.uk. If I just enter a search term into the chrome address bar rather than a url I get google.co.uk regardless of VPN location but as I just proved to myself that is because my chrome default search engine is google.co.uk. I can alter that to the .com site as there are two googles shown in my dropdown of choice but it isn't shown which is which.

littlerock

I reinstalled tunnelbear to the latest version and it connected to the US. and said you are browsing from a secure location in the US. I then tried to log on to netflix, and was immediately disconnected from the internet, - the URL was a lengthy one starting with google.co.uk. (When I then tried to look at another site I got a message saying I had no internet access. ) The diagnostics said it could not find/connect to the DNS server.

A quick check on the internet said this can sometimes happen with Virgin Superhub which by default blocks pass through connections. I had a problem with my internet a couple a weeks ago and had to reset my home network direct from the Superhub so I am wondering if this is it. There are instructions on the web on how to by pass it but I have not used them yet.

JJ_Egan

anyone still using a VPN?


Enormous number of people using VPN .

littlerock

Well I asked because a lot of people were using it to access Netflix and it seemed Netflix had blocked that avenue. Certainly I can no longer sign in to it using Tunnelbear.

littlerock

OK last night I was trying to access US via Tunnel bear from my laptop. Now tried from my desktop. Basically logged onto Tunnelbear and connected to the States and got the message "Congratulations you are now browsing securely from the United States".

I then chose a random search assuming this would be via goggle.com There was quite a long pause, then an error message came up saying something like "unusual activity detected on your site". I closed that and then the following URL appeared on the top toolbar

https://www.google.co.uk/webhp?sourceid=chrome-instant&ion=1&espv=2&ie=UTF-8

Does this make any sense to anyone?

RumRat

What happens if you type google.com into the address bar? Via VPN
What is your browsers default search?