DNS Filtering blocking Netflix when using OpenDNS Family

[PaddyPDX]

Hi, I have been using this successfully for at least a year where I set my daughter's devices to use OpenDNS Family in the DNS Based Filtering. However, the past few days she can suddenly not play any Netflix titles. Amazon and other streaming seems ok but Netflix just times out. As soon as I took the DNS filtering off a device, it had no problem connecting. I have the current stable release 380.64 firmware and running RT-AC66U.
Has anyone else seen this as an issue? Is it a firmware bug?

Thanks.

 

[thelonelycoder]

Enable openDNS again.
Then ping netflix.com on your daughters device. If it times out, the problem is with openDNS.
It's very unlikely a firmware bug.

 

[martinr]

I should think that your troubleshooting - taking the DNS filtering away from OpenDNS Family - has proved that it can't be a firmware bug.

Does OpenDNS allow you to set exclusions in your OpenDNS Family account so that Netflix will not be blocked?

If OpenDNS Family now excludes Netflix, there will no doubt be many other users disappointed - any comments on the Internet? Maybe OpenDNS, by blocking Netflix, is indeed acting in families' best interests?

 

[john9527]

It's likely not OpenDNS that's causing the problem. Netflix in its zeal to enforce geo restrictions, embeds DNS lookups to various hardcoded public DNS server ip's in some of its apps (I know Roku Netflix is one, I think Netflix for android devices is another). Since DNSFilter intercepts these and redirects them, they now 'fail'. If you can, try and access Netflix through a browser. If that works, then blame Netflix.

 

[PaddyPDX]

I have now re-enabled DNS Filtering and this time I tried setting a device to Norton Family and Norton Safe and Comodo Secure DNS but get the same results. The wheel spins trying to load a video (kid's cartoon) and eventually comes back with "Error: Cannot Play this title. Please try again later." I am able to browse to Netflix in Safari. I can also connect to my account by signing in in the Netflix app. It just won't stream. If I turn DNS Filtering off it works fine.

 

[thelonelycoder]

I have now re-enabled DNS Filtering and this time I tried setting a device to Norton Family and Norton Safe and Comodo Secure DNS but get the same results. The wheel spins trying to load a video (kid's cartoon) and eventually comes back with "Error: Cannot Play this title. Please try again later." I am able to browse to Netflix in Safari. I can also connect to my account by signing in in the Netflix app. It just won't stream. If I turn DNS Filtering off it works fine.

As @john9527 writes, the Geo-location restriction that Netflix likely HAD to implement last year is likely to blame.
Or rather, the organization that enforces it...

 

[PaddyPDX]

As @john9527 writes, the Geo-location restriction that Netflix likely HAD to implement last year is likely to blame.
Or rather, the organization that enforces it...

But my location and IP are US based and it appears that none of the DNS Filtering options (tried them all now) are allowed by Netflix? E.g. OpenDNS, Yandex, Comodo, Norton. But I take your point that it is Netflix specific. I can access their site, log in but can't stream any material - occasionally it will get through, but rarely.

 

[thelonelycoder]

But my location and IP are US based and it appears that none of the DNS Filtering options (tried them all now) are allowed by Netflix? E.g. OpenDNS, Yandex, Comodo, Norton. But I take your point that it is Netflix specific. I can access their site, log in but can't stream any material - occasionally it will get through, but rarely.

That is a question best answered by Netflix, the have a Chat-System in the Help Center.

 

[john9527]

But my location and IP are US based and it appears that none of the DNS Filtering options (tried them all now) are allowed by Netflix? E.g. OpenDNS, Yandex, Comodo, Norton. But I take your point that it is Netflix specific. I can access their site, log in but can't stream any material - occasionally it will get through, but rarely.

Yes...that's the symptom. There's a hardcoded DNS ip that Netflix is checking. DNSFilter redirects that to your specified DNS, so it fails. I ran into it when I was working on a VPN bypass for Netflix. At the time, going through the browser would work, but the 'apps' like on Roku would fail. It sounds like they may have now also tweaked their browser interface as well.

 

[PaddyPDX]

Ah... Netflix...
"We are currently experiencing an issue with our chat system."

And on iOS once you log in with a web browser, it forces you to stream through their app or download it if you don't have it.

 

[TheManFromUncle]

I use OpenDNS and I have never come across such a problem. Perhaps try with a different router? I've not used that router with that firmware though. I would be surprised if it's Netflix or OpenDNS doing. Somehow I think it's within the router firmware.

 

[john9527]

I use OpenDNS and I have never come across such a problem. Perhaps try with a different router? I've not used that router with that firmware though. I would be surprised if it's Netflix or OpenDNS doing. Somehow I think it's within the router firmware.

You can use OpenDNS servers fine when configured as your primary DNS. It's only when you use the DNSFilter option that a problem can arise.

 

[Xentrk]

Ah, Netfluckus.....If they are going to restrict, perhaps billing address is better than geo location. Can't access home Netflix library when traveling overseas? That is not fair. Anyway, forgive me for the brief off topic Netfluckus rant. Thanks to them, I have greatly increased my knowledge of networking so it all worked out in the end.

I like to tinker. If it was me, I would try changing OpenDNS from Family to custom content filtering. Then add the web content filters back one by one to see which one causes the hiccup. Good point by thelonelycoder, Netflix needs to know their service is not working with the OpenDNS family subscription.

 

[PaddyPDX]

I since found another two year old thread about this same issue but on Android devices. John9527 above seems to have the reason that it is happening (There's a hardcoded DNS ip that Netflix is checking. DNSFilter redirects that to your specified DNS, so it fails) but now I am left with having to disable DNS Filtering so my daughter can watch Netflix but then she can also access all other nasty parts of the web by accident since it is no longer blocked. Someone posted a workaround on the other thread but that is painful as I have 50 plus devices.

 

[TheManFromUncle]

Just get yourself an account on OpenDNS and filter whatever you want.

 

[PaddyPDX]

Just get yourself an account on OpenDNS and filter whatever you want.

That doesn't achieve what I am doing. I only want to use their services to block adult content on a handful of devices, not my whole network. DNS Filtering achieves this but Netflix are not playing nice so it renders DNS Filtering unusable in my environment.

 

[PaddyPDX]

You can use OpenDNS servers fine when configured as your primary DNS. It's only when you use the DNSFilter option that a problem can arise.

I wonder if what Netflix are doing is completely legal? Is there a class action opportunity here? If their app won't allow me to DNS filter my devices, in the way that the router allow me, they are effectively bypassing a parental control feature on my network.

By the way, I am still unable to use DNS filtering to protect my daughter's devices and using DNS filtering in reverse, as someone has suggested, is not an option that is easy to implement for me as I have many devices.

 

[ColinTaylor]

Did you speak to Netflix? What did they say?

 

[Zirescu]

Tested this here today in Canada, iPadPro running iOS 10.2.1 and Netflix 9.3.0 app, DNS Filtering settings configured for OpenDNS Family on the router (AC87U 380.64_2) set for just the iPadPro. Verified that the OpenDNS servers were being used via https://ipleak.net. Had no issues being able to stream movies from Netflix on the iPadPro.

What ISP are you using?

 

[PaddyPDX]

Ah ha! Netflix app Version 9.3.0 was released 3 days ago and appears to have 'fixed' this issue. I can again protect my daughter's devices without Netflix becoming inoperable. Thanks for the ipleak.net link.