Netflix and Roku

globalwoman wrote:

This may be a ridiculous question but I am trying to understand.  I bought a VPN router (from Sabai) with me to Ecuador so that I would be able to use my Roku.  Yesterday I had my Internet service installed and they put in a router.  How do I (or do I?) install the router VPN that I brought with me? Do I attach it to the Puntonet router, or is it supposed to replace that (in which case I wouldn't take a chance removing it). Just not sure what to do. Meanwhile I got the Hotspot Shield service to use instead while i figure this out, however, I don't think that will cover the Roku, only allow me to watch Netflix and Hulu Plus on my computer.

Can someone please guide me?

Thank you.

If you bought a VPN router, presumably you subcribed to a VPN service at the same time, and the VPN router is already configured with it?

Yes, the VPN router connects to the Puntonet router with a cable. Then you would connect the Roku to the VPN router using either a cable or wirelessly.

P.S.
As mentioned earlier in this thread, using a DNS Proxy Service is generally the better route to go for watching the U.S. Netflix catalog than a VPN. The Latin America catalog of Netflix has a lot of the same content as the U.S. catalog with English audiotracks.. And you don´t need either a DNS Proxy Service or a VPN router to access it.  However, there are certain programs or movies that people have got to see that still aren´t available in the Latin America Catalog.

Regards,

Nards
Roku Jedi Master

One other thing worth mentioning. IF you already subscribed to a VPN service for your VPN router, then probably there is a client version available to you to install on your laptop or PC, making your subscription to Hotspot shield unnecessary.

Ah, thank you noble Roku Jedi Master!  I will look into some of the suggestions you make as well as some others here. They did send instructions to set up (I think it's already configured), but I just didn't understand what I was to do with the two routers!

globalwoman wrote:

Ah, thank you noble Roku Jedi Master!  I will look into some of the suggestions you make as well as some others here. They did send instructions to set up (I think it's already configured), but I just didn't understand what I was to do with the two routers!

Your welcome, Feel free to pm me if you require emergency onsite Roku tech assistance. I am like a doctor. I am always on call.   I even have references.

So, what dns proxy service do you recommend.  My asus router is easy to modify and if I understand correctly once I set it up my entire wifi network will use it.

ProxyDNS is the only one I have used, and picked it because at the time it was the cheapest option. I know 5 people using it and they haven´t had any significant problems.  I think HULU once in a while tries to outsmart the proxy services and goes offline for a day or two, but never lasts.

The disadvantage of ProxyDNS is they only offer a U.S. based proxy.  Some of the others offer proxys in other countries which can be useful. For instance, during the World Cup I signed up for a free trial to Smart DNS Proxy which allowed me to connect to a BBC website that was broadcasting games to U.K. residents only.

Smart DNS Proxy I believe may have better pricing on an annual basis than ProxyDNS. They weren´t around until a couple months ago, so maybe I would recommend them now.  Smart DNS Proxy offers a two week trial, so I would start with them.

P.S.
Remember that you need to monitor the status of your DNS proxy service.  If your IP address changes, as happens with ETAPA anytime you reboot your router or the electricy goes out, there is a good change you will need to reactivate your DNS service by reentering your code.  If you have TVCable, it happens infrequent I have noticed, which indicates to me that they have lengthy lease times for their IP addresses.

Thanks,  I will try them.  My problem is this:  my wife wants to watch foodnetwork.com videos.  I tried norton hotspot privacy vpn which installs on each device.  I could see the videos on my win8 laptop but not her ipad.  I then tried a site called smart dns proxy which involved a router change but the I could't see the videos on either device.  So I will try your recommendation to see what happens.

Thanks for the very quick reply

Howardofocal wrote:

Thanks,  I will try them.  My problem is this:  my wife wants to watch foodnetwork.com videos.  I tried norton hotspot privacy vpn which installs on each device.  I could see the videos on my win8 laptop but not her ipad.  I then tried a site called smart dns proxy which involved a router change but the I could't see the videos on either device.  So I will try your recommendation to see what happens.

Thanks for the very quick reply

I should mention that the Proxy Services seem to promote what websites they support with their service.  If they don´t specifically program their service to access a particular website, you may not be able access certain content on that website. In the case of Foodnetwork, I have no idea.

I would think if you had the VPN hotspot active on your wife´s IPAD you should have been able to access those videos, so that surprises me.

I spent an hour with norton tech support.  We could never figure why it worked on my laptop but not the ipad.  I can't see how that could be a network issue.

I do have another question.  My setup is this

I have an ETAPA modem/router/wireless gizmo.  I turned off the ETAPA wireless and plugged my Asus router into a lan port so I could use my wireless definitions for all the devices I brought with me.

So, that means there are two different places where alternate dns server addresses can be specified.  I've tried all combinations but whenever I check to see what my ip address is using various websites I always see the Etapa address, it is as nothing is being proxied.

Any ideas?

Howardofocal wrote:

I spent an hour with norton tech support.  We could never figure why it worked on my laptop but not the ipad.  I can't see how that could be a network issue.

I do have another question.  My setup is this

I have an ETAPA modem/router/wireless gizmo.  I turned off the ETAPA wireless and plugged my Asus router into a lan port so I could use my wireless definitions for all the devices I brought with me.

So, that means there are two different places where alternate dns server addresses can be specified.  I've tried all combinations but whenever I check to see what my ip address is using various websites I always see the Etapa address, it is as nothing is being proxied.

Any ideas?

If you want to use that ASUS router plug the cable from the ETPA router lan port into the internet port of the ASUS router instead of a lan port.  You will be creating a separate network that way and any DNS settings you get assigned from the DHCP server of the ASUS router will be respected.  You can then re-enable the wireless settings on the ETAPA since that doesn´t impact the DNS assignment. Then re-connect to the ASUS router either with a cable or wirelessly and you should be using the DNS Proxy at that point.

If you don´t want to use the ASUS router, then configure the ETAPA router. Go into "Interface Setup", "Lan" and then below in the section "DNS" enter the primary and secondy DNS servers and reconnect to the Wifi.

I mistyped.  I do have it plugged together as you say.  I have tried all combinations of dns server addresses on both the etapa and the asus devices but when I check to see what ip is being recognized (Using whatsmyip.org) I always see etapa ip addresses. It is as if nothing is being proxied.

The only thing I haven't tried is to remove the asus router and fire up the etapa wireless and see if it will work using just the one device.

Interesting though, when testing the norton solution which is installed on the laptop and ipad not the router I do see proxied ip addresses, but the food videos still won't work on the ipad.  They did work back in the states.  This is very puzzling.

Howardofocal wrote:

I mistyped.  I do have it plugged together as you say.  I have tried all combinations of dns server addresses on both the etapa and the asus devices but when I check to see what ip is being recognized (Using whatsmyip.org) I always see etapa ip addresses. It is as if nothing is being proxied.

The only thing I haven't tried is to remove the asus router and fire up the etapa wireless and see if it will work using just the one device.

Interesting though, when testing the norton solution which is installed on the laptop and ipad not the router I do see proxied ip addresses, but the food videos still won't work on the ipad.  They did work back in the states.  This is very puzzling.

You don´t get a different IP address with a Proxy Service.  The DNS service intercepts your proxy requests and resends them using a different IP address.  The only way you know if the DNS service is operation is by making tests. For instance, if somebody is a Netflix user I will have them access Netflix and try and access the show "Damages". If it is not available but the show Vikings is, I know they are still accessing the Latin America catalog of Netflix.

IF you are not a Netflix subscriber, then usually I can tell simply by accessing Hulu and seeing if they squawk about you being outside of a geographical area.

Here is another way to tell if my DNS Proxy Service is active.

Try going to the website:

www.crackle.com

If it redirects you to the following link with the Ecuadorian flavor of Crackle in Spanish, you are not being assigned the IP address for the DNS Proxy.

http://www.crackle.com.ec/

Roku provide good quality content. I also Roku use mobile app and still remember when i used it on Nokia 6600 the early days of symbian mobiles.

This is getting wierd.

1) i browsed to crackle.com and got the Ecuadorian site
2) I modified the dns addresses in my asus router to point to a vpn I am testing
3) i rebooted the asus router
4) i rebooted my ipad
5) i browsed to crackel.com and got the US site as you suggested
6) booted up my laptop
7) browsed to crackle.com and got the  Ecuadorian site?   WTF. Both the ipad and laptop are using same wireless network

Howardofocal wrote:

This is getting wierd.

1) i browsed to crackle.com and got the Ecuadorian site
2) I modified the dns addresses in my asus router to point to a vpn I am testing
3) i rebooted the asus router
4) i rebooted my ipad
5) i browsed to crackel.com and got the US site as you suggested
6) booted up my laptop
7) browsed to crackle.com and got the  Ecuadorian site?   WTF. Both the ipad and laptop are using same wireless network

"I modified the dns addresses in my asus router to point to a vpn I am testing"

I assume you mean to point to a "DNS Proxy " I am testing-

Check to see what DNS address you are being assigned on the laptop. It should correspond to the DNS Proxy service addresses you configured on the router.  You can do this by going into network connections in control panel, right mouse clicking on the applicable connection, and checking its status.

Thanks for the tip.  Tomorrow I'll have time to fool around with this.  Today my wife had a long honey-do list.

When I point to the dns proxy  I'm testing crackle brings up the english site.  But I get an error message from hulu saying something about the proxy.  When I don't point to the proxy I get the spanish site but hulu gives me the "not available in the US" message.  Things don't seem consistent.

Tomorrow I will try some other dns services.  i am also going to pull my asus router from the loop and try using just the etapa modem/router.

I appreciate the time you are taking with me.  I owe you a beer or three when this is done.

Howard

Hulu seems to be recognizing the ip addresses being assigned by norton hotspot privacy (a true vpn with client on my laptop) and by smartdnsproxy.com (a dns proxy) at the exit from the "tunnel".  So how does anyone get hulu down here?

This seems to be the issue I've been running into.  Hulu's days down here may be limited.

Howardofocal wrote:

This seems to be the issue I've been running into.  Hulu's days down here may be limited.

http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2457170,00.asp

Howardofocal wrote:

Howardofocal wrote:

This seems to be the issue I've been running into.  Hulu's days down here may be limited.

http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2457170,00.asp

Cant speak for the VPNs, but the dns proxy services adapted to the efforts made by Hulu a couple monhs ago to prevent overseas viewing within 24 hours,

I tried smartdns.com and hulu caught me.  Same for norton vpn.  I signed up for a month trial of hidenyass and so far so good.  It is working ok on my ipad and laptop.  My wife is happy now that she can watch her cooking shows.  Film at 11.

Howard

Great article. The DNS option is better than using a VPN regarding content streaming because you can achieve direct connection with the media station ex. Netflix and avoid the “middle-man”. Personally, I am using UnoTelly which is similar to Unblock-us (or other DNS service). Perhaps you should check UnoTelly as well if you haven’t done so.

Here is an idea for someone to consider.

If you have an extra router, you can connect it to the primary router, assign the IP adddress of the DNS proxy service to the second router and then you can switch your Roku bewtween the first and second router as needed.

Why woulld you want to do this?

One possible reason is it would allow you switch bewteeen the Latin America catalog and the U.S. catalog of Netflix. There are some programs or movies that aren´t availalbe in the U.S. catalog. For instance,  I watched the first season of the Vikings in the Latin America catalog that was´t available in the U.S. catalog months ago.. Although I watched it in Spanish, there was an English audio track as well. A movie I watched that was available in the Latin America catalog but not the U.S Catalog  was The Bridge over the River Kwai.

Dear Nards Bardly --  you da man!

Thank you oh Jedi Master for much sage advice, and thanks to all the Paduan Learners who asked questions I wanted answered. 

Hi guys. What I'm doing to get Netflix USA (or Hulu or even watching shows on CBS.com, NBC.com or ABC.com) is two things:

1) I have hola.org on my laptop (MacBook Pro) and I also have an Apple TV device. I connect it thru AirPlay and watch it in my TV.

2) With my cellphone (I have an Android and an iPhone) I downloaded the Onavo Protect App and it installs a VPN on the device, so with the Netflix app I can watch movies on my TV. If you don't have an Apple TV I recently found out on Promociones Cuenca Facebook Page they are selling Chromecast devices for $50 (half the price of an Apple TV) and you can stream from your iPhone, iPad, Android device to your TV.

It's faster and easier since the VPN on your phone or tablet is a button away. Have fun!

The DNS proxy service I generally recommend or setup for someone these  days is Smart DNS Proxy because it has been the cheapest option at $20 a year (once the free trial period expires and they offer you a 20% discount from the $34.99 regular price).   

These proxy services are not all created equal however.  While all of them support the most popular websites such as Netflix (u.s catalog) Hulu, Pandora etc..,  there are some vidoe websites that they may not support.   A recent gringo I helped wanted to watch Acorn TV which is geographically restricted to Canada and the United Sates.  With Smart Proxy DNS configured he could NOT watch Acorn TV.  The only DNS proxy service I found that supported Acorn TV was Unlcator.   It is a more expensive option at around $50 a year, but supports more websites.

With ETAPA internet service you are much more likely to a experience a change in your public IP address which requires that you reactivate DNS Proxy service by logging into your account and clicking a button.

If you are using a computer to watch Netflix etc you may experience the situation that after re-activating your public IP you are unable to access the desired website and instead are redirected to the Proxy Service´s website, you may need to clear the DNS cache in web browser.

To clear the DNS cache in Google Chrome browser, sometimes simply closing the browser and then re-opening it works.  Other times it may not, in which case you follow the steps discussed in the following article which takes about a minute to do.

http://www.howtogeek.com/197804/how-to- … n-windows/

Here is a proxy dns service that I hadn´t seen that is free (supported by donations).  It has a limited number of channels it supports but for many people it is enough. I did a quick test with Pandora and it worked.

http://portaller.com/

I am watching the NBA playoffs on my computer which is attached to my TV.  I can't use my Roku because the NBA League Pass channel available on the Roku is only available to U.S. Subscribers of NBA League Pass.  I am currently a international subscriber to NBA League Pass which is not supported on the Roku. 

If I really wanted to watch it on my Roku I could sign up for the NBA League using a VPN and then use a DNS Proxy service that supports the channel such as Unblock-Us.   However certain games with the U.S. subscription are subject to blackouts, meaning you may not be able to watch a game you want.  With the international subscription there are no blackouts.

In comparison, the MLB Baseball channel makes no distinction between the U.S. or international.   Therefore, no problems watching baseball on the Roku. You don't even need a DNS Proxy service since there are no geographical restrictions.

It appears with the latest software updates pushed out in May to the Roku 3 and stick,  the U.S. catalog of Netflix no longer was available to some people.

Here is why:

Some software or devices may force to use a specific DNS itself. For example Chromecast with every application and Roku media players for Netflix Application use Google DNS. In order to bypass Google DNS, you need to SET Static IP Routing on your router.

So when your router receives a DNS request for Google DNS (ie: 8.8.8.8), your router redirects it to Getflix (ie: 23.21.43.50). This happens inside your router lightening fast.

This is the only way not to get effected/blocked by Google DNS on Chromecast and Roku devices.

For this, you may visit this page and follow the step needed : http://support.smartdnsproxy.com/custom … uter-modem

Here are the generic instructions from that link above that resolved it for me:

Generic Instructions

If your router is not listed above, here are some generic instructions. Look for a section on your router to add static routes, there should be room for a network address, subnet mask and gateway. You need to setup the static routes like this:

Network Address: 8.8.8.8
Subnet Mask: 255.255.255.255
Gateway: (use the IP address of your router - this is the IP that's in the browser URL)

Network Address: 8.8.4.4
Subnet Mask: 255.255.255.255
Gateway: (use the IP address of your router)

Network Address: 208.67.222.222
Subnet Mask: 255.255.255.255
Gateway: (use the IP address of your router)

Network Address: 209.244.0.3
Subnet Mask: 255.255.255.255
Gateway: (use the IP address of your router)

Notes:

The "gateway" should be the internal IP address of your router, it will usually start with "192.168." or "10." - make sure you use the internal address, not the public or external address.
If there is room for a "metric", use the number 2.
If there is room for an "interface", select either "LAN" or "BRIDGE".
So that's 4 entries in total. What this does is force your router to route requests to public DNS servers to itself, which will never get routed, so they will never work, and your device will fall back to using the DNS servers you have configured.

Here is a comment I left on a tech blogaddressing the issue of whether I would buy an Amazon Fire stick or a Roku stick assuming cost was about the same.

I own the Roku stick, but think I would buy the Amazon Fire Stick if price is the same or less. With Kodi installed on the Amazon Fire, you can watch the free version of USTVnow (8 channels) while with the Roku you can watch the free version for the trial period of a month. There are other things like the international vesion of NBA league pass can't be watched on the Roku, but with the fire I can get it through Kodi.

ZenSPIKE wrote:

Scott,
I am also in Cuenca, and never had an issue with receiving the full services of Netflix. Hmmmm? Another conundrum. I watch the series with no problem. I also recently got a VPN, but was watching Breaking Bad before I set up the VPN. Go figger.

LOL. You can't fight against Breaking Bad right?

I think US Proxy is the best and easiest option if you want to watch movies on Netflix as it is easy to use like no registration, and no configuration of IP. Just one simple change to US Proxy and you can enjoy watching movies on Netflix.

Hello!  My husband and I are moving to Cuenca in January and I just bought a Roku 2 in hopes of accessing a Netflix account down there.  I am technology challenged and am wondering if Roku 2 is adequate for this?

I love the bullet points.  Thank you for your help!  My husband and I are moving to Cuenca in January and are trying to figure out how what to bring.

junemtaylor wrote:

Hello!  My husband and I are moving to Cuenca in January and I just bought a Roku 2 in hopes of accessing a Netflix account down there.  I am technology challenged and am wondering if Roku 2 is adequate for this?

Yes, a Roku 2 will work fine.

Nards Barley wrote:

Here is a comment I left on a tech blogaddressing the issue of whether I would buy an Amazon Fire stick or a Roku stick assuming cost was about the same.

I own the Roku stick, but think I would buy the Amazon Fire Stick if price is the same or less. With Kodi installed on the Amazon Fire, you can watch the free version of USTVnow (8 channels) while with the Roku you can watch the free version for the trial period of a month. There are other things like the international vesion of NBA league pass can't be watched on the Roku, but with the fire I can get it through Kodi.

Good call Nards about Kodi. Recently got both the amazon fire stick, and roku streaming stick. While I think the roku stick is overall better than the fire stick, have found myself primarily now only using kodi, as that has pretty much everything you need.

The issue posted by Nards Barley back in 2013 must be an old issue because I had someone bring me a Roku 3 from the US last year (2015) and I was able to install Netflix without any problems and without using a DNS proxy or a VPN service. It works well for TV series and movies that are available both in English and Spanish. There are some movies that are only in Spanish though. Incidentally, the Netflix service was purchased for Canada.

Kodi is pretty good. I use it sometimes as well. But there could be some limitations coming down the pipe. One of the services that is very good is Gemini. But I have heard the developers are going to stop development for it. Other services either work poorly or don't connect even when using a VPN. It is not an easy thing to setup unless you have some experience with technology.