"SecurityGladiators via the buttons"

Netflix VPN Proxy Error Fix. Which VPNs Still Work With Netflix?

shutterstock_1011705028 (1)
Stop. Don’t give up on Netflix just yet. Use our techniques to unblock US Netflix right now.

As we count down to the closing of the last remaining brick-and-mortar blockbuster video store in the US, more and more people are shifting towards Netflix as their premium source of entertainment.

And perhaps that is also the reason why the service is starting to give so many errors to users who are using a VPN service.

Plenty of people are left frustrated by the fact that they just can’t watch their favorite TV show or movie when they get home from work or otherwise.

The point that we’re trying to make here is that, users should not feel like they are alone when it comes to Netflix proxy errors.

We also want to point out that there is indeed a solution to their problem.

Netflix implemented its VPN ban for overseas users quite some time ago.

The ban made sure that customers could not access its much sought-after content libraries in Canada, UK and the US (and other good ones) from abroad.

This set off a race between VPN service providers as well as individual users to scramble and come up with a way to unblock Netflix VPN ban.

Now, if the user has signed up for a VPN service then he/she receives an error whenever he/she tries to access Netflix via its online portal.

The error also has a code.

And the code goes something like m7111-1331-5059.

There is also some related text.

The text informs the user that something has gone wrong.

Then the error says something along the lines of “streaming error”.

Essentially what the Netflix Proxy error wants to let the user know is that the user may have been using a proxy and/or unblocker.

At the end of the error message, Netflix advises users to simply turn off any service or tool that they might be using to change their location or bypass geo-restrictions.

So far, we have seen no signs of the battle between VPN services, customers and Netflix stopping.

The moment an alternative solution becomes viable, Netflix puts its teams of engineers to come up with another block specifically for that alternative solution.

So the situation is still pretty much in the flux.

VPN service providers are constantly engaging themselves in a cruel game of cat and mouse with streaming services such as Netflix.

If a VPN service is working with Netflix today then there is no guarantee that it will continue to work with Netflix tomorrow as well.

Netflix is banning IPs and servers every day.

VPN service providers as adding news one every day as well.

Now, it should become clear to any and all readers that the situation is pretty unstable.

Therefore, we have developed a huge list of VPN service providers which still have tools to work with Netflix.

In other words, these VPN service providers are able to bypass all the Netflix proxy error messages by employing the latest of obfuscation technologies.

It is true that most of the VPN service providers now require the user to contact one of their customer support staff in order to get a real fix for Netflix Proxy error.

Now, the market offers those VPN service providers that only work if the user is watching Netflix via a web browser.

In other words, such VPN service providers do not work with the native Netflix application.

Without further ado, here is the list of top VPN service providers that we have found to be working with Netflix the last time we researched this subject matter.

NordVPN

Does it unblock US Netflix in web browser?

YES.

Does it unblock US Netflix native app?

YES.

NordVPN has now reached the peak of the mountain we call the VPN industry.

And how has it done that?

Of course, by improving its service.

NordVPN used to offer really slow VPN servers that had a lot of security features.

That isn’t the case anymore.

Now it is fast.

And secure.

The company has also introduced VPN servers that it has specifically optimized for Netflix.

These Netflix VPN servers don’t require the user to have a special configuration.

The user does not have to do anything in order to watch Netflix with NordVPN special Netflix servers.

However, our research tells us that users should expect some of the VPN servers to not unblock Netflix on mobile platforms.

It doesn’t happen all the time.

But some of the times, NordVPN won’t unblock Netflix because Netflix might have blocked the company’s previously working VPN servers.

NordVPN has set up a help page where users can go in order to find out which of the company’s VPN servers actually work with streaming services such as Netflix.

Of course, users can always go to the official website of NordVPN and then contact its customer support.

On the official website, users should have no problems in finding the things they need to do in order to know how to use NordVPN online to watch US Netflix in a web browser on Android and iOS or even via a WiFi router.

Just like all the other elite VPN service providers in the market, NordVPN also comes up with regular discount seasons where users can get up to 75 percent discounts if they sign up with the service for a period of 3 years.

If users do so, then they only have to pay around $2.75 per month for NordVPN, which is more than just a GREAT deal.

Click here to read our full NordVPN review.

And  to sign up for NordVPN right here and right now and that too from the official website.

CyberGhost

Does it work with US Netflix via a web browser?

Yes.

Does it work with the native US Netflix application?

Yes.

Some of you may have a bad impression of CyberGhost.

But we are here to tell you that CyberGhost has undergone a change of ownership.

Because of that, it has put in a lot of effort to ramp up all of its VPN operations.

Now it has a ton of locations and VPN servers.

Among the deluge of new and improved features, there is also the Netflix unblocking feature.

Using this feature, users can stream content via streaming sites such as Netflix.

Users are free to select this feature from the official CyberGhost app via the streaming menu.

In other words, no longer do users need to contact the customer support department of their VPN service provider in order to get Netflix working.

unblock_us_netflix

They don’t have to test several numbers of VPN servers hoping that one of them would work with Netflix.

CyberGhost has labeled its Netflix-blocking feature very clearly.

And the best part is that it simply works out of the box.

Our research shows that whether the user is on mobile and/or desktop, CyberGhost VPN will unblock Netflix without any issues.

Now since CyberGhost’s main selling point is its Netflix feature, the company has invested a lot in its servers.

In other words, CyberGhost VPN is fast.

And it has to be.

Otherwise, the user would not get a smooth Netflix streaming experience and that, in turn, would defeat the whole purpose of CyberGhost VPN.

Moreover, CyberGhost VPN also gives users the opportunity to provide the company with instant feedback.

Users can simply click the thumbs down or the thumbs up button in order to let the CyberGhost VPN staff know that a particular server has stopped working.

Apart from CyberGhost offering good speed, this VPN service provider also offered a strict no-logs policy and top-notch security.

Its customer support is pretty reasonable as well.

Currently, CyberGhost VPN offers applications for platforms such as,

  • Android
  • iOS
  • MacOS
  • Windows

Sometimes CyberGhost VPN also offers a discount on its VPN subscription package and if you are lucky one to catch one of these discount seasons you can look forward to discounts reaching 70 percent.

Click here to read our full CyberGhost VPN review.

ExpressVPN

Does it unblock US Netflix in your browser?

Yes.

Does it unblock US Netflix native app?

Yes.

ExpressVPN has managed to garner a lot of attention in the media for its user-friendliness.

It offers top speed and stability.

Moreover, each of its subscription packages comes with a length 30-day official money-back no-questions-asked guarantee.

In other words, users don’t have to take any risks while signing up for a VPN service provider like ExpressVPN.

Our research shows that ExpressVPN offers users at least a couple of VPN servers and locations which are able to bypass the notorious Netflix VPN ban.

Such VPN servers are bound to change as more time passes since Netflix will band them too.

We can’t really mention the name of the servers because it is better to not draw attention to all such servers.

For now, users should find it sufficient to know that ExpressVPN VPN servers do have the ability to bypass the Netflix ban without much difficulty.

Users should be able to stream HD video from US Netflix even when they are out of the country.

However, for users who run into some issues, there is always the customer support.

ExpressVPN has a 24/7 live chat feature which we recommend users to go to whenever they face any problems with ExpressVPN.

In order to access the live chat support feature, users first have to go to the official ExpressVPN website.

Then they should ask the staff member on the live chat support to let them know the server which would allow them to stream US Netflix content.

Our research shows that sometimes ExpressVPN customer support staff can answer questions inside two minutes.

The best part about signing up with ExpressVPN is that this VPN service provider is just one of the few VPN service providers in the market today that has no problem in working with the native Netflix Android and iOS apps.

To put it in simpler terms, users have the opportunity to watch US Netflix on,

  • Android tablet
  • Android smartphone
  • iPad
  • iPhone

Click here to read out full ExpressVPN review.

PrivateVPN

Does it unblock US Netflix in web browser?

Yes.

Does it unblock US Netflix native app?

Yes.

PrivateVPN, per se, doesn’t have the largest of VPN server network.

But it still manages to unblock US Netflix with the limited number of VPN servers it has.

Not only that, it unblocks US Netflix abroad both on desktop and on mobile platforms.

PrivateVPN also doesn’t have a problem working with native Netflix apps for both iOS and Android.

Now, perhaps we should mention here that users should not expect each and every PrivateVPN VPN server work with US Netflix all the time.

However, PrivateVPN does a decent job of keeping a full list of current operating and working US Netflix servers.

Our research shows that this list of VPN servers is rarely empty, if ever.

As far as speed goes, our research shows that PrivateVPN is pretty fast.

Users should not face any problems when trying to stream Netflix TV shows in HD quality.

Since PrivateVPN is one of the top VPN service providers in the world right now, they also provide a zero-log VPN service with as many as six simultaneous device connections.

And yes, PrivateVPN does offer users a live chat support feature.

As with other VPN service providers on this list, PrivateVPN usually offers these discounts that can reach 70 percent of the total price.

Along with the discounts, PrivateVPN can sometimes give away 5 months of their premium VPN service for free.

PureVPN

Does it unblock US Netflix in web browser?

Yes.

Does it unblock US Netflix native app?

No.

With a desire to not go out of business PureVPN has also started to offer Netflix unblocking capabilities.

Now, all of the company’s desktop applications have the ability to stream content from sites like US Netflix.

Our recommendation is that users should make use of the dedicated IP mode for all their streaming needs.

The IP mode comes with PURPOSE and STREAMING options.

But our research shows these sometimes don’t work with US Netflix.

Therefore, it is very important for the user to make use of PureVPN’s live customer support.

It is available via the official website.

As far as PureVPN service goes, we think contacting their customer support team is the best way to solve any problems that one may encounter.

Our research shows that PureVPN offers good speeds.

But that is pretty much a given for any VPN service that claims to work with Netflix.

Without speed, there is no point in unblocking Netflix or any streaming service.

We don’t think users will experience a lot of buffering when streaming HD videos.

Our research also shows that PureVPN can work with Amazon Prime Video as well as BBC iPlayer.

So good luck with that.

Now, even though PureVPN is a pretty reasonable choice for unblocking US Netflix, the service isn’t that great when it comes to things such as privacy and security.

Of course, we’re comparing PureVPN with the VPN services on this list.

Otherwise, PureVPN is better than 90 percent of the VPN services that you will find on the market today.

So to balance out our recommendation by taking into account everything we have said above, we say that users should sign up with PureVPN if they only want to unblock US Netflix and don’t really care about having the maximum amount of privacy and security.

As far as dedicated apps are concerned, PureVPN offers them for the following platforms,

  • Android
  • iOS
  • MacOS
  • Windows

PureVPN offers discounts on its 1-year subscription plan that can reach up to 50 percent at certain points during the reason.

All of PureVPN packages come with seven-day money-back guarantees.

In other words, users need not take any risk while trying to gauge whether PureVPN works for them or not.

Click here to read our full PureVPN review.

StrongVPN

shutterstock_1152089180

Even though some have started to complain that StrongVPN no longer works with US Netflix, we can’t know for sure unless a large number of StrongVPN users come forward with the same problem.

If and when they do, we will update our opinion on whether or not StrongVPN works with US Netflix.

So,

Does StrongVPN unblock US Netflix in web browser?

Yes.

Does StrongVPN unblock US Netflix native app?

No.

It does not.

Our research shows that all StrongVPN servers (for now) work with US Netflix and bypass US Netflix proxy error.

The only caveat to the above statement is the company’s VPN servers in places such as Atlanta and Miami.

These two US VPN servers do not work with US Netflix.

Of course, that doesn’t negate the fact that StrongVPN is still a top VPN service for customers living in China.

StrongVPN has made a bit of a name for itself in China and has long become the favorite VPN of expats living in China.

In short, if you are looking to unblock US Netflix in China then there are very few VPN service providers better than StrongVPN at making that possible for you.

With StrongVPN by your side, you can easily watch UK Netflix and Dutch Netflix from outside the UK and Holland respectively.

One other downside of making use of StrongVPN to watch US Netflix abroad is that it doesn’t offer OpenVPN as a VPN protocol option.

If you take this problem to StrongVPN customer support department, they would simply tell you to make use of the PPTP option.

Now, we don’t have a personal grudge against PPTP.

Not anymore at least.

But that does not change the fact that PPTP as a VPN protocol does not provide sufficient security.

Some like to go with SSTP rather than PPTP and that’s okay too since StrongVPN offers that as well.

All StrongVPN packages offer users an official 30-day money-back guarantee.

Sometimes the discounts can go upwards of 40 percent.

In short, StrongVPN is a very attractive option for users who want to access US Netflix in their web browser.

And remember, StrongVPN does not work on mobile devices as far as unblocking US Netflix outside the US is concerned.

Overall, we feel, it is a good choice.

VyprVPN

Does VyprVPN unblock US Netflix in web browser?

Yes.

Does VyprVPN unblock US Netflix native app?

No.

VyprVPN had removed itself from the VPN scene for a brief period recently.

But it is back with new features that allow it to unblock US Netflix for its users.

Our research shows that users should not have to move any roadblocks while logging in and streaming HD content.

All of this should happen without any issues as long as the user has connected to a server that is based in the US.

The process should proceed under normal conditions without requiring the user any type of configuration changes from his/her default OpenVPN protocol setup.

It is true that users will come across VPN servers which will not unblock US Netflix each and every time they are told to do so.

However, over the longer period, VyprVPN represents a VPN company that can unblock US Netflix in the user’s Google Chrome web browser as well as on the official Netflix Android application.

VyprVPN also comes with a 30-day official money-back guarantee for all its users.

Using VyprVPN comes with no risks.

At least for the first 30 days of use.

Needless to say, VyprVPN has no problems in unblocking US Netflix in a web browser but is unable to do the same on the official Netflix Android application with enough consistency.

Users who want to make sure that they are able to view US Netflix on their tablet and/or mobile platform at all times should either go with NordVPN and/or ExpressVPN.

SaferVPN

Does SaferVPN unblock US Netflix in web browser?

Yes.

Does SaferVPN unblock US Netflix native app?

No.

Just like a lot of other VPN services on this list, SaferVPN only added the capability to unblock US Netflix recently.

Now it offers users a special US streaming server.

It has its other “normal” list of VPN server locations as well.

In any case, when the user has connected to a US streaming server, SaferVPN successfully unblocks US Netflix in their web browser.

Our research shows that SaferVPN can only affect the desktop web browsers and does not unblock US Netflix mobile application.

This also seems like a good time to mention that SaferVPN is a viable choice only for those users who want to watch US Netflix in Firefox and/or Chrome.

As far as speed goes, our research shows that SaferVPN has fast servers.

If users sign up for the company’s 2-year plan then they can get discounts up to 60 percent.

Click here to read the full SaferVPN review.

HideMyAss

Does HideMyAss unblock US Netflix in web browser?

Yes.

Does HideMyAss unblock US Netflix native app?

Yes.

It does.

In trying to make sure that others don’t get ahead and it doesn’t get left out, HideMyAss has quickly added special servers to its list of servers that cater to users who want to watch US Netflix outside US.

And it has succeeded in becoming a VPN service that unblocks US Netflix by bypassing US Netflix proxy error.

Our research more or less confirms that HideMyAss not only works on the desktop version of Netflix for web browsers but also for official Netflix iOS and Android mobile apps.

With that said, we also want to let the user’s know that HideMyAss doesn’t offer fast VPN servers.

And that pretty much the whole experience of streaming a bit frustrating.

That is just one of the reasons why we recommend that users should get in touch with HideMyAss customer support as soon as possible whenever they encounter an error because otherwise, they would waste a lot of time in fixing the error thinking that it is their fault when in fact it is HideMyAss’ fault.

shutterstock_1102309295

HideMyAss customer support staff should be able to tell the user which server the user needs to use in order to stream US Netflix and troubleshoot any other streaming issues that the user may have trouble with.

The customer support staff can also help users to connect to US Netflix.

Remember, HideMyAss isn’t as convenient as ExpressVPN and/or NordVPN when it comes to unblocking US Netflix.

To put it in simpler words, the user is expected to make the necessary changes to their streaming device in order to reliably stream Netflix videos.

One other thing that users should keep in mind that if they find a VPN server that allows them to watch US Netflix outside US, then that server will probably work for Hulu and other streaming services as well.

One more point:

HideMyAss, as a VPN company, is based in the UK.

Now, the UK has implemented some really strict (rather unnecessary) data retention laws for all types of service providers.

Moreover, the government in the country has made a name for itself for instructing streaming services as well as internet service providers of logging their customers’ web browsing data.

We have heard reports that such logging led law enforcement authorities to arrest one of HideMyAss’ users.

With that out of the way, the fact remains that HideMyAss has enough about it to unblock Netflix for everyone.

Users who are more conscious of their privacy needs should look someplace else.

Click here to read the full HideMyAss review.

Ivacy

Does Ivacy unblock US Netflix in web browser?

Yes.

Does Ivacy unblock US Netflix native app?

Yes.

Ivacy is just one of the handful of VPN service providers left which are able to unblock US Netflix on both the native Netflix app and the web browser.

Again, the first problem with Ivacy is that not all of its VPN servers work with US Netflix.

Just like before, we suggest that if users get into trouble while trying to watch US Netflix with Ivacy then they should immediately contact Ivacy’s live customer support department.

All VPN service providers offer customer support through their official website.

And Ivacy is no different.

When in contact with the support staff the user should ask them the server they should connect to if they want to watch US Netflix.

Don’t forget to ask the staff about the settings to use with that server as well.

Most of the time, the customer support staff will require the user to add a very specific VPN server address directly into the VPN app’s VPN connection settings.

Ivacy supports dedicated apps for platforms such as,

  • Android
  • iOS
  • macOS
  • Windows

But that’s not all.

Ivacy has also developed a VPN app for platforms such as Kodi.

Users can run these Ivacy VPN apps on operating systems such as OpenELEC which are Linux-based operating systems.

Ivacy is unlike the majority of the VPN service providers available in the market today because users don’t have to leave Kodi in order to activate it.

The only unfortunate part about the Ivacy Kodi add-on is that it doesn’t unblock US Netflix.

Our research shows that it will not unlock any streaming service that makes use of geo-restrictions.

The company does offer close to 80 percent discount on its 2-year plan and also provides it a huge 30-day official money-back guarantee.

Click here to read our new, full and comprehensive Ivacy review.

Hotspot Shield

Does Hotspot Shield unblock US Netflix in web browser?

Yes.

It does.

Does Hotspot Shield unblock US Netflix native app?

Yes.

Here at Security Gladiators, we have recently started to recommend users to stay away from the likes of HotSpot Shield if they valued their privacy and security.

But hey.

This is a list about getting rid of the Netflix proxy error.

And Hotspot Shield is a capable VPN service at that.

Of course, the lingering issues are not going to go away even if Hotspot Shield offering full Netflix compatibility.

So instead of denying the fact HotSpot Shield unblocks US Netflix, we’re just going to let users know what they can use and not use, Hotspot Shield for.

The first thing users should know here is that the free Hotspot Shield isn’t going to cut it.

In order to use Hotspot Shield to watch US Netflix users will have to sign up for the company’s Elite VPN subscription package.

After that, the user will have to connect to a server that is located in the US in order to get that vital virtual US location.

As far as speeds go, Hotspot Shield has plenty.

Users should not have any problem with streaming HD content from US Netflix.

Our research shows that sometimes users will come across dud VPN servers.

So be prepared for that mentally.

Let’s come to the privacy policy part.

Hotspot Shield mentions on its official website that the company does not keep any type of logs.

However, we know that the company does inject those irritating tracking cookies directly into its customers’ web browsers.

This is a practice that Security Gladiators cannot endorse as it causes huge privacy concerns for the user.

HotSpot Shield has dedicated applications for platforms such as,

  • Android
  • iOS
  • macOS
  • Windows

Users can save big if they catch a discount offer.

All Hotspot Shield packages come with a mammoth 45-day official money-back guarantee.

Click here to read our Hotspot Shield review.

Smart DNS and VPN services that users should stay away from if they want to unblock US Netflix.

We have already listed the VPN services that users should stick to if they want to unblock US Netflix.

Now, let’s list out some VPN services and Smart DNS proxy providers that we think users should stay clear of if they don’t want to waste their money trying to watch US Netflix outside US.

IronSocket

shutterstock_684153718

Our research shows that IronSocket has started to struggle in its fight against Netflix bans.

Of course, IronSocket is not the only Smart DNS service that has this problem.

Users should expect IronSocket to work only on specific devices as far as Netflix is concerned.

This is the reason why we tell people to stay from IronSocket and stick to one of the listed VPN services.

Unblock-US

This service also has a problem with working on all devices.

And if a device doesn’t work on one device, practically speaking, it doesn’t work on any device because you can never know which device the user is going to use for US Netflix.

So again, our recommendation is that users should stick with the VPN services that we have listed above.

Our research shows that the VPN services we have recommended consistently work with US Netflix.

Recent developments mean that Unblock-US has started to work with US Netflix.

In other words, it can bypass the Netflix ban.

However, it still does not work with the official Netflix apps on various mobile platforms.

Unlocator

At the time of writing this guide, we haven’t seen Unlocator unblocking US Netflix.

Our research shows that is the official position, as well as the company, is itself aware that it can’t unblock US Netflix anymore.

Our understanding is that, Unlocator will start to work with US Netflix very soon.

But until that feature becomes available, we simply cannot recommend this service to anyone who wants to unblock US Netflix.

Opera VPN

This VPN service comes as a proxy that is actually a built-in Opera web browser feature.

It does not unblock US Netflix.

Cactusvpn

This VPN service has also stopped working with US Netflix for a good part of the past two years now.

Our research shows that the company has shown the white flag to Netflix VPN ban.

When it comes to war with Netflix VPN ban, very few VPN services have the resources to keep fighting.

Cactus VPN is not one of them.

The company has said that it does not have the resources to match Netflix and hence have no other option but to admit that their VPN service would no longer unblock US Netflix either via its VPN service or Smart DNS service.

Blockless

This service does not work with Netflix.

Overplay

Just like a lot of other names on this list, Overplay USED to work with US Netflix.

Then Netflix came out with the Netflix VPN ban.

And it stopped working.

Neither Overplay’s VPN services nor Smart DNS proxy services work with Netflix now.

That has been the case since 2016.

Moreover, the company is now very close to going out of business.

HidelPVPN

HidelPVPN came onto the scene a couple of years ago in 2016.

We would not call it a VPN service.

It is not a smart DNS proxy service either.

However, in the beginning, it did unblock US Netflix.

Now it doesn’t.

Officially, the company has stated in the past that according to their terms of service document they could not guarantee the user to have access to specific services and/or websites.

According to the company, Netflix is one of those services.

GetFlix

On debut, GetFlix tried to convince the audience that it represented the one Smart DNS proxy service which would provide speed and reliability to users who wanted to watch US Netflix.

It also promised speed.

Needless to say, the smart DNS service did not find success in fulfilling its promises.

Now, there is little that the company can do in order to distance itself from a really embarrassing name since it cannot unblock US Netflix anymore.

Users who signed up for the long term with this company must be cursing themselves since GetFlix started to malfunction only a few months into its operational phase.

Tunnelbear

The thing about Tunnelbear VPN is that the company makes absolutely no mention of its Netflix unblocking capability.

It doesn’t do that on social media.

And it doesn’t do that on its official website.

Even if one spends hours searching Tunnelbear’s knowledge base section, there is still no mention.

The troubleshooting guides also do not mention Netflix.

They do guide people on how to bypass various geo restrictions though.

Our research shows that regardless of the amount of troubleshooting that a user does, Tunnelbear will simply not unblock US Netflix.

Again, this may change in the future.

Hola

shutterstock_111039002

Firstly, Hola isn’t a VPN service anymore.

All signs indicate that it is actually a DDoS botnet.

You should stay away from it even if it unblocks Netflix.

And it doesn’t unblock US Netflix.

Hola has a managed to earn itself a sordid past when it comes to abusing all members of the VPN and P2P network community.

It has allowed users to distribute disturbing material on the internet.

And as mentioned just now, it has also launched DDoS or Distributed Denial of Service attacks on various websites around the world.

Hola, is a definite NO-NO.

Unotelly

This service is very interesting for the very simple reason that when it initially came onto the scene it announced to the world that its staff had great confidence in the service and that it would unblock Netflix for all its supporters and loyal customers.

That claim has not materialized because our latest research shows that it no longer works with US Netflix.

Of course, that could change in the future.

But at Security Gladiators, we are mostly for the NOW.

Buffered

We have rated Buffered VPN fairly highly in the past.

But it too had started to NOT work with US Netflix.

Especially on platforms such as Windows and macOS.

That has not changed till now.

If you put this question forward to their customer support staff, they would tell you that the company currently has no way of bypassing US Netflix VPN ban with any of their VPN servers.

That is just sad.

Because Buffered VPN is really one of those VPN service providers that have excited us in the last couple of years.

The company does say however that its engineers are working to come up with a solution and the service will once again start working with US Netflix in the very near future.

As of now, we have not received any update on this Netflix unblocking feature.

IPVanish

Perhaps the most high profile VPN service of all time IPVanish has astonishingly given up its fight against the oppression that is the Netflix VPN ban.

Official sources say that IPVanish is no longer able to bypass the Netflix VPN ban.

Now, we have to make it clear here that even though IPVanish does not work with Netflix anymore, it is still a fantastic VPN service.

It is very popular among people who like to torrent a lot of their stuff.

And the reason for that is simple.

IPVanish is fast.

It is economical.

And it has a strict zero log policy.

But the problem is, there is a giant section of the online community that is just sick and tired of the Netflix VPN ban.

IPvanish doesn’t do anything to counter that.

However, as they say, good and evil exist in equal measure in this world, the lack of Netflix access has pushed people towards torrenting.

And that, in turn, has lead to IPVanish becoming more of a household name than anything else.

Private Internet Access

According to official sources, Private Internet Access does not have any support for features which enable users to bypass geoblocks.

If it can’t get rid of geo-blocks, then there is no way it can work with US Netflix.

How to use a VPN to unblock US Netflix

shutterstock_125840639

As long as the user can ensure that the VPN service he/she is using is able to provide access to US Netflix then the act of using a VPN service is fairly easy.

All that the user has to do is to sign up for a good VPN service.

We have already listed all the recommended VPN services for you in our list above.

After signing up for one of them, users have to go through a four-step process.

The four-step process looks something like this,

  1. Go to the official website of the VPN service provider and download the VPN app for your platform.
    Then install that VPN app.
    For Android and iOS users, they need to make sure that they go to their relevant app marketplace to find the VPN app.
  2. Open up the VPN app and then choose a VPN server that is located in the US.
    This server should unblock US Netflix.
    Users who are not sure about which VPN server is likely to work with US Netflix, should contact their VPN service provider’s customer service or read the Knowledgebase section on the official website of their VPN service provider.
  3. After that, the user has to connect to the server in order to start the VPN connection.
    Once the VPN app has established the VPN connection, the user needs to open US Netflix via the streaming site’s VPN app or web browser and then start streaming.
  4. Users who face problems in any of the steps mentioned above should contact their VPN’s customer service.
    Sometimes, all it takes is a little bit of tweaking before the VPN app is able to unblock US Netflix.
    The customer support staff will probably recommend a couple of changes to the user’s device settings.
    These settings usually have to deal with DNS and/or IPv6 settings.

Why do some VPN services unblock US Netflix while others don’t?

The thing about Netflix is that, it has the speed, the intelligence, and the guts to block VPN users via their online IP addresses.

No one is in a position to explain the exact process that Netflix makes use of.

But it is safe to assume that Netflix blacklists all the IP addresses of all the major VPN servers that VPN services use to provide access to US Netflix.

We have even heard that Netflix currently has the ability to block a whole range of different IP addresses.

To do that, it gathers up information from the data center it knows is hosting those “problematic” VPN servers.

This is just one of the reasons why the majority of VPN service providers around the world are unable to find a way to fight Netflix VPN ban.

Of course, the VPN services that we have mentioned on our list have the ability to bypass Netflix VPN ban on at least one of their VPN servers and/or location.

We’re not saying that the VPN services that we have mentioned here will continue to work with Netflix forever.

But what we are saying is that these VPN services have prepared themselves with the necessary manpower as well as resources to quickly substitute any given servers that Netflix blacklists.

They also have made preparations to replace IP addresses that manage to reach Netflix’s ban list.

Of course, such a process will require a lot of determination and resources on part of these VPN services.

But this is the reason why most VPN service providers are unable to unblock US Netflix.

They don’t have the time.

They don’t have the money.

And they don’t have the expertise.

All of this makes 90 percent of the VPN services available on the market unreliable.

However, the VPN services that we have mentioned on our list regularly make concerted efforts in order to keep up with Netflix and come up with newer ways of combating Netflix when the streaming service blocks their VPN servers.

Why use a VPN to unblock Netflix?

The first thing we want users to understand here is that a VPN stands for Virtual Private Network.

In other words, it is not a simple proxy tool.

Yes, it can fool websites and apps.

But changing the location of the user is not the main objective of any given VPN service.

VPN services do a lot more.

And most of their functions are for the general good of the online society.

What we mean to say is that VPN services represent wonderful software applications that provide users with online privacy.

At Security Gladiators, we feel no hesitancy in saying that every online user should make use of a VPN service.

And if someone is not using a VPN service (at least for some of his/her activities) then that someone is living in a fool’s paradise.

Netflix has about 125 million paying subscribers worldwide.

We think all of them needs a VPN service.

There is no doubt about the fact that the Netflix VPN ban represents the bluntest of internet tools.

The streaming service has put this tool in place in order to appease all the copyright holders.

That is it.

There is no other reason.

Or maybe there is but we are too lazy to go into that right now.

We believe that a lot of readers should find it interesting if not disturbing that Netflix, as a streaming service, bans each and every VPN user regardless of their location.

In short, if the Netflix system detects a user making use of a proxy or a VPN service then the service blocks the user.

We are inclined to believe that this policy is not fair to paying customers.

Why?

Because no one should have the power to force someone to disable his/her VPN service online.

Turning off a VPN service can mean serious consequences for some users.

Without proper VPN protection, all sorts of issues related to security and privacy can come up.

Especially if an online Netflix user is trying to connect to the service to watch something at the airport and/cafe on unsecured public hotspot WiFi networks.

People who have to deal with heavy surveillance in some countries while traveling abroad also cannot carry out their daily work without a VPN service.

What we really want to get through here is that using a VPN service is anyone’s and everyone’s right.

There is no reason why Netflix should not respect that.

It simply cannot force online users to pick one from entertainment and privacy.

Which smart DNS proxy unblocks US Netflix?

There are some Smart DNS proxies that have made quite a name for themselves in the last couple of years.

Some of them include,

  • Unlocator
  • Overplay
  • Unotelly
  • Unblock-US

None of them work with US Netflix now.

Netflix slaughtered these pretty early on in its war against smart DNS proxies.

Initially though, some people switched to these smart proxy services from VPN servers because Netflix started to hunt down VPN servers first.

Of course, there are some stark differences between smart DNS services and VPNs which make smart DNS services more vulnerable to Netflix bans.

A Smart DNS proxy service is actually a server which has the ability to monitor any and all DNS requests that go out from a given user’s device.

What are DNS requests used for?

They are used to look up which servers are associated with which domain names such as Netflix.com.

For any smart DNS service, if it detects that the user’s device has requested a DNS request for a site like Netflix.com, then the smart DNS proxy service sends each and every packet of data (internet traffic) associated with that DNS request via its server directly to the US Netflix server.

In the process of doing so, a smart DNS proxy service is able to change both the user’s DNS server as well as IP address.

As you can probably tell, this approach is pretty simple.

And that’s why it only worked for a couple of months before Netflix caught it.

After catching it, Netflix banned it and began its wide-scale crackdown to block any and all smart DNS proxy online users.

Now we have come to a point where very few smart DNS proxy services are able to unblock US Netflix consistently.

Our research shows that the only smart DNS service that consistently unblocks US Netflix for users goes by the name of ExpressVPN MediaStreamer proxy service.

As mentioned just now, MediaStreamer is nothing but a smart DNS proxy service.

ExpressVPN offers MediaStreamer for free with all its VPN subscriptions.

Whenever a user connects to ExpressVPN, the VPN app automatically employs the technology to unblock US Netflix.

Of course, users have the option of setting MediaStreamer up separately and using that smart DNS proxy service on its own.

For people who are traveling abroad and want to access US Netflix with a VPN service.

The obvious question that we need to answer now is that, in which countries do these VPN services work?

The answer is fairly simple if you understand the mechanics behind how VPN services work.

We’re not going to do that here.

What we are going to do is to reiterate that the VPN services that we have mentioned on our list are perfectly capable of unblocking US Netflix in any given country that the user may be present in or traveling too.

The only countries where these VPN services are unlikely to work are the ones where the government has censored the media and actively blocked VPN services.

Yes.

We are talking about the Great Firewall of China.

Of course, even then, there are some VPN service providers that work in China.

Click here to see a list of VPN services that work in China.

Apart from China, our recommended VPN services will work in each and every country on the planet.

We are confident that our recommendation, NordVPN, will work flawlessly for people from as varied places as,

  • Italy
  • South Africa
  • Ireland
  • Spain
  • Israel
  • France
  • Belgium
  • Denmark
  • Netherlands
  • Sweden
  • Norway
  • Finland
  • Switzerland
  • New Zealand
  • Australia
  • Germany
  • The United Kingdom
  • Canada

Users should have no problems in unblocking US Netflix in these regions.

So how do I access other Netflix versions apart from US Netflix?

shutterstock_620201690

Now, the thing you need to realize is that even if a VPN is able to unblock US Netflix in any country, it doesn’t mean it also unblocks every other version of Netflix on the market.

Netflix has lots of catalogs of content related to specific countries.

We think users should not worry about other catalogs because the US Netflix has the largest, most varied and in-demand catalog.

Best way to unblock the official Netflix app on a VPN router

If the user sticks to mainstream browsers such as Firefox and/or Chrome for the majority of the time, we have no doubt that the VPN services which we have mentioned in this article at the top would allow the user to watch US Netflix without facing any streaming issues.

With a VPN in place, all user’s device sends all its DNS requests as well as traffic via the VPN service’s VPN server.

This prevents streaming services such as Netflix from finding success in determining the user’s original location.

With that said, it is true that using the official Netflix native application can make things more complex.

The problem with this app is that it has the ability to override the existing DNS routing settings that a VPN app uses.

Moreover, it sends requests directly to the user’s closest public Domain Name System (DNS) server.

In other words, Netflix doesn’t have to do too much in order to determine a given user’s original location.

And once Netflix knows the original location of the user, it can proceed to block them based on whether they fall into a particular category of location or not.

It doesn’t matter if the user is making use of a VPN app or not.

Netflix would block the user’s connection.

Simple as that.

Now, this is where elite VPN service providers such as NordVPN and ExpressVPN come in.

These VPN service providers have figured out ways which allow them to overcome all of Netflix’s behaviors.

Using such ways, they are able to unblock US Netflix on both the Android and iOS platform.

They also don’t have a problem in handling the native Netflix app.

Users who sign up for NordVPN or ExpressVPN will have the highest chance of unblocking US Netflix without facing many problems.

NordVPN and ExpressVPN are perhaps the only two VPN service providers that have consistently unblock US Netflix on platforms such as Windows, macOS, Android, and iOS.

Needless to say, these two VPN services also work with tablets and smartphone devices.

Now, one important thing that we want to mention here is that some of the lesser known devices and platforms such as,

  • Amazon Fire TV
  • Video game consoles
  • Smart TVs
  • Chromecast
  • Roku

still, do not have the ability to support VPN services.

This is the reason why VPN services such as NordVPN and ExpressVPN do not have apps for such devices.

Users who want to run a VPN service on such devices will have to configure their WiFi router with a VPN app.

Or, they can go to the market and then purchase a WiFi router that comes pre-configured with a VPN service.

For all VPN services that can unblock US Netflix but not on platforms such as Android (and iOS) tablets (and smartphones), the best alternative is to configure one’s router.

Now, it is the responsibility of the user to make sure that they are able to set up a VPN on their WiFi routers.

Not only that, users also have to ensure that they connect their device to the internet via that WiFi router with the VPN.

The process of enabling the router to use a VPN service if variable.

In other words, it depends on the make and the model of the VPN router.

It also depends on the router’s firmware.

Some users may well have to go through the process of flashing a brand new firmware onto their VPN router.

These firmwares usually come in the form of DD-WRT and/or Tomato.

shutterstock_130775690

The good news in all of this is that, we are now living in an era where users can easily find all the information regarding router install and setup instructions on the official websites of routers as well as VPN services.

Each router’s official website provides all the configuration details that the user will need in order to get a VPN working on a given WiFi router.

OF course, we are aware of the fact that a lot of online users would not want to go through all this manual configuration.

VPN services know that.

And that’s why VPN services such as ExpressVPN and others have started to sell pre-configured WiFi routers.

These VPN service providers also offer users a free router firmware which the user can have these VPN services install on some of their WiFi routers.

Users have the option of simply purchasing a new router or they can flash a compatible router with the free firmware in order to save money and the hassle of going through a complicated setup procedure.

Our research shows that such a procedure should unblock US Netflix anywhere and on any device.

Once the user has managed to set up the VPN service, the user will also have to configure the device’s firewall in order to forward DNS queries to the VPN’s DNS servers.

Perhaps we should also mention here that each VPN may use different DNS servers in order to bypass the notorious Netflix ban.

Again, we suggest that users should first go to their VPN service provider’s official website and look for instructions on how to complete all tasks related to what we have mentioned above.

Netflix in web browser vs Netflix native app

Which is better?

More specifically which one is better for you?

Let’s answer that question.

The thing here is that there is no guarantee that a VPN service that is able to unblock US Netflix in a given web browser will also unblock US Netflix native app on a smart TV, set-top box and/or mobile device.

Why is that?

It is because any given web browser has no option but to use the operating system’s specified DNS servers.

The majority of the VPN apps that we have come across take care of all this “nonsense” for the user and then successfully route all of the user’s DNS request to one of their own DNS servers (more specifically their in-house DNS servers).

This ensures that the user’s VPN server location and the location to which all DNS requests go to, are the same.

Users who make use of the Netflix native app usually run into problems.

Why?
Because the Netflix native app comes with the capability of overriding a given device’s existing DNS settings.

The Netflix native app can thus force the user’s device to send all its DNS requests via a public Domain Name System, DNS, nameserver and/or the default internet service provider’s nameserver.

As a consequence of that, there comes into existence a mismatch between where the device’s DNS requests originate from and the user’s current IP address (the user’s location).

Netflix considers this as a red flag.

This indicates to Netflix that the user is making use of a VPN service and/or any other type of anonymizing service such as a proxy.

Once Netflix determines that the user is using these services, it slaps the user with the dreaded Netflix VPN ban or proxy error notification.

VPN service providers such as NordVPN and/or ExpressVPN both have put in their resources to figure out the best way to bypass such obstacles.

Users who want to unblock US Netflix not just through the web browser but also through the official Netflix native app, should go with one of these two options.

How to unblock US Netflix on Apple TV

As some would already know, currently Apple TV does not support any VPN services.

It doesn’t have any built-in feature either.

All of that means that the user will have to employ other third-party methods in order to route the traffic directly through a VPN service.

Now, as far as the number of options go, users have around three.

Let’s discuss each of them turn by turn.

  1. The first method is simple enough.
    Users have to form a connection to a VPN service on their iPad or iPhone.
    Then they have to stream content on Netflix via their smartphone.
    After that, they have to use Airplay and cast that content on Apple TV.
    Users should keep in mind that this process is not really similar to when you want to watch Netflix on your new Apple TV.
    However, this process will work as long as the user has made sure to sign up for a VPN service that is either named NordVPN or ExpressVPN.
    Why?
    Because these two are the only VPNs that we know of that work with Netflix native app all the time.
  2. The second method is to first take a laptop.
    And then use it to configure a virtual WiFi router.
    Then the user has to connect to his/her favorite VPN app via his/her laptop.
    After that the user has to connect his/her Apple TV device to his/her laptop’s WiFi hotspot.
    Our research shows that this method should work all the modern Mac and Windows laptops.
    Users should be able to find a lot more detailed instructions on how to turn their mac into a dedicated VPN-secured WiFi router and other tutorials online.
    Remember, that if you have a laptop with Windows then you will have to follow a different tutorial.
  3. The third method is to simply flash one’s WiFi router.
    With what?
    With a firmware that has no compatibility issues with VPN service.
    Then the user has to configure the VPN service on it.
    We feel that this option is for the technically-abled and advanced users.
    Hence, users need to make sure what they are doing before going ahead.
    The exact process will depend on the user’s WiFi router.
    We have already mentioned the fact that not all WiFi internet routers have the ability to provide support to Tomato and/or DD-WRT firmware.
    Users who are not comfortable with the thought of replacing their WiFi router’s firmware should probably go with the option of purchasing one of those above-mentioned pre-configured VPN routers.
    They aren’t that hard to find.

VPN services respond to the Netflix VPN ban.

We have talked a lot about what the Netflix VPN ban is and how to bypass the Netflix VPN ban.

All the while we have kept on ignoring the people who have been affected by the ban the most:

VPN services.

So let’s give them some space as well.

Obviously, we’re not going to cover every VPN service here.

We’re only going to cover those that have a good reputation regardless if they unblock US Netflix or not.

Recently Emanuel Morgan, the CIO of NordVPN, told the media that the company had received an unprecedented number of user inquiries talking about how to have access to Netflix.

This suggested to NordVPN that the VPN industry had a dearth of VPN services that provided services to unblock Netflix.

Emanuel Morgan agrees that in order to keep up in the race to offer solutions to the Netflix VPN app, a VPN service has to expend a ton of resources.

So it had become understandable to Morgan as to why a lot of VPN services had forgone advocating the Netflix VPN ban issue.

These VPN services instead chose to concentrate their efforts and resources on the primary features of their VPN services such as offering security and privacy solutions.

Morgan agrees that Netflix is not purposefully targeting individual and isolated VPN service providers.

Furthermore, he said, Netflix used a combination of different techniques in order to keep out VPN users.

According to Dave Cox, the CEO of LiquidVPN, one of such techniques had Netflix checking and identifying connections that came from various data centers rather than residences.

Dave further explained that the current version of Netflix native app disabled smart DNS services by forcing them to go through and use a public DNS server.

Netflix also had started to change the related URLs to their content to mix up the geolocation effect.

Such measures have made it impossible for a lot of services to provide support to their thousands of paying customers who connect to streaming services at a single time.

Before VPN services used to only forward the streaming service’s geolocation packets through their own VPN servers.

Now they can’t do that.

Jordan Fried, the CEO of BUffered VPN, recently said that he suspected that Netflix had the ability to put the final nail in the coffin.

It simply had to find the will to actually do so.

The only reason why Netflix has not done that is that the streaming service does not want to lose too many customers.

One of the end-all solutions to VPN users is for Netflix to make use of a filtering scheme that takes into account the bill address information.

shutterstock_433465399

However, Netflix may rightly argue that the various copyright licensing contracts and restrictions it has to adhere to only applied to the location where the user was present at the time of watching the content and not necessarily the location from where the subscriber’s money came from.

Some of our readers might already know that it is not just Netflix that has implemented the VPN ban.

Plenty of other services have done the same to varying degrees.

As the time of writing this report, the following streaming services had implemented VPN bans in one form or another.

This trend is likely to continue.

And if it really does, then users will have to give up their privacy in order to watch licensed premium content legally on the internet from a given streaming site.

As mentioned time and time again, a VPN service has to use up a lot of resources in maintaining a constant and consistent Netflix workaround.

With that said, we see a lot of optimism in the VPN industry.

However, readers should not mistake that for certainty.

The premium VPN service providers will continue to provide solutions to Netflix VPN ban for at least the next six months.

Conclusion

Have you found our solutions useful?

Are there any solutions that aren’t working out for you?

Did we miss any VPN service that unblocks US Netflix but is not on our list?

If so, then use the comments section below to drop some knowledge on us.

We’re all ears now.

Zohair A. Zohair is currently a content crafter at Security Gladiators and has been involved in the technology industry for more than a decade. He is an engineer by training and, naturally, likes to help people solve their tech related problems. When he is not writing, he can usually be found practicing his free-kicks in the ground beside his house.
Leave a Comment