Issue treaming UK Nflx to US

[st3v3n]

For the past several years, I've run two dedicated OpenVPN tunnels each with it's oen dedicated Roku devices, one for streaming US NF and the other for streaming the UK's NF content, via my Asus RT-AC86 or GT2900 (but not both at the same time). I've used the same VPN provider without any significat problems over the years until recently, when the provider's UK tunnel went dark one weekend. Since that time, the provider assigned 3 different UK streaming IPs for me to test, all of which connect without delay and all testing confirms the IP is n England. However, the former wide selection of UK's version of NF seems limited to a single, very slim 'historic British TV & Flims' category, the rest of that IP's content is exactly the same as the N. American/USA's NF content.

I streamed directly to a dedicated Roku device on each of tunnels and the router has never broken a sweat thanks to Eric for his work over the years). I can't find anyrouting or DNS conflicts and both US and UK client tunnels are set to 'Exclusive' with the kill switch set on. Everything on the network has it's own IP set through LAN>DHCP. and none of our traffic is ever permitted to drop to WAN. Whatever the VPN provider pushes through the tunnel is what the Roku devices have always used at least until now.. The US IP tunnel is residential class but I doubt the same is true for the UK IP., the replacements I've tested connect, and regular tests are OK, but nor for NF, that content is 95% gone compared to before the origiinal IP went down.

This isn't a password sharing issue, ulike all of the folks who let others use their account I've never shared nor received a note from NF. Both my routers check out fine and consistently produce the same results. It's possible the VPN provider could be having a translation issue, but I'm only one customer, and I'm stumped. The VPN provider indicates they can 'see' the UK NF content fine on the UK IP at their location, and I wish I could. They suggested that I dedicate a computer for streaming the UK IP instead of a Roku device. Part of Roku device advertising is that you can take them with you when you travel, when you go to a hotel or a home address, and if they have changed their policy it's likely a computer seeming to be across the pond won't make any difference either. I've tried other VPN providers in the past and it was a mixed bag, given most are run by unknowns..

One item, pparently Roku began hard coding google DNS into all the devices manufactured after they came out with OS v3.0, but neither my legacy Roku devices nor a new unit we received last year makes any difference on the UK NF IP. I completely reset the units I've tried on the UK IP and when placed on the US IP they work great. In the end, if the streaming powers that be won't let you use a Roku if you happen to be 'traveling' in a different area, they can shut down any device they wish. I've work and studied this problem for a good while and even out to some of my old networking collegues; they suggested I just 'get a computer' or go for a PfSense setup, which is more work than I need in my old age. They seem to be as puzzled as I am now. I did find a couple of similar threads on SNB but nothing like this.
I appreciate anyone reading this and hearing from anyone who may have run into a simlar router/device IP streaming snag; I don't believe it's the router, but everyone makes mistakes. Thanks and cheers!

 

[L&LD]

Your post is unreadable to me. Please don't use custom fonts/sizes.

 

[drinkingbird]

For the past several years, I've run two dedicated OpenVPN tunnels each with it's oen dedicated Roku devices, one for streaming US NF and the other for streaming the UK's NF content, via my Asus RT-AC86 or GT2900 (but not both at the same time). I've used the same VPN provider without any significat problems over the years until recently, when the provider's UK tunnel went dark one weekend. Since that time, the provider assigned 3 different UK streaming IPs for me to test, all of which connect without delay and all testing confirms the IP is n England. However, the former wide selection of UK's version of NF seems limited to a single, very slim 'historic British TV & Flims' category, the rest of that IP's content is exactly the same as the N. American/USA's NF content.

I streamed directly to a dedicated Roku device on each of tunnels and the router has never broken a sweat thanks to Eric for his work over the years). I can't find anyrouting or DNS conflicts and both US and UK client tunnels are set to 'Exclusive' with the kill switch set on. Everything on the network has it's own IP set through LAN>DHCP. and none of our traffic is ever permitted to drop to WAN. Whatever the VPN provider pushes through the tunnel is what the Roku devices have always used at least until now.. The US IP tunnel is residential class but I doubt the same is true for the UK IP., the replacements I've tested connect, and regular tests are OK, but nor for NF, that content is 95% gone compared to before the origiinal IP went down.

This isn't a password sharing issue, ulike all of the folks who let others use their account I've never shared nor received a note from NF. Both my routers check out fine and consistently produce the same results. It's possible the VPN provider could be having a translation issue, but I'm only one customer, and I'm stumped. The VPN provider indicates they can 'see' the UK NF content fine on the UK IP at their location, and I wish I could. They suggested that I dedicate a computer for streaming the UK IP instead of a Roku device. Part of Roku device advertising is that you can take them with you when you travel, when you go to a hotel or a home address, and if they have changed their policy it's likely a computer seeming to be across the pond won't make any difference either. I've tried other VPN providers in the past and it was a mixed bag, given most are run by unknowns..

One item, pparently Roku began hard coding google DNS into all the devices manufactured after they came out with OS v3.0, but neither my legacy Roku devices nor a new unit we received last year makes any difference on the UK NF IP. I completely reset the units I've tried on the UK IP and when placed on the US IP they work great. In the end, if the streaming powers that be won't let you use a Roku if you happen to be 'traveling' in a different area, they can shut down any device they wish. I've work and studied this problem for a good while and even out to some of my old networking collegues; they suggested I just 'get a computer' or go for a PfSense setup, which is more work than I need in my old age. They seem to be as puzzled as I am now. I did find a couple of similar threads on SNB but nothing like this.
I appreciate anyone reading this and hearing from anyone who may have run into a simlar router/device IP streaming snag; I don't believe it's the router, but everyone makes mistakes. Thanks and cheers!

My guess is during the outage the Roku or Netflix app was able to get out locally and locked itself down to a region. Just a guess though. Either that or you do have a leak somewhere and it is able to query US DNS or something. Have you tried a factory reset/wipe on that Roku and reinstall the netflix app (all while it is connected via VPN)?

They've been implementing lots of measures to crack down on not only password sharing but also regional violations (since it exposes them to licensing issues) so it could just be coincidence that it went into place during that 3 day period, and they've blocked your VPN providers known ranges etc. Who knows if your VPN provider is being honest about it working from their end. There are several other measures they're rolling out to try and detect and bypass VPN on the client side too. It might be grabbing a second IPv4 IP, or using IPv6, or even just reading that your Roku is a US one, who knows. May be worth researching NF's new methods rather than focusing on the router or VPN.

 

[st3v3n]

LLD, I use the basic, normal size font supplied by the program code, I can't change the font, however it's possible the size may have been enlarged. Due to my advanced 'Arthur-itis' I'm no longer able to even hunt and peck my way on a keyboard, so. I'm grateful to be able to dictate, with the program dumping the output into the text window. I always proofread before posting and all of the posts on the site look the same and seem to be as readable as what I posted, at least on on my end, I have no idea what has transpired to cause the readability issue for you but I regret that you are unable to read it. It's been quite some time since I was able to post on the forum, and I haven't changed anything since. I've never had non-readability gripe until now..

Drinkingbird, I appreciate your response. On my router, the kill switch on any given tunnel has thankfully always clamped down immediately, and so far has never dropped a device on any OpenVPN router client to WAN. It's possible, though I haven't found any evidence to that end, that the Roku units will try to latch on to a different nearby wi-fi address nearby if it is dropped from a wired encrypted tunnel if given a chance, but again, so far this has not happened here, as the nearest Wi-Fi is quite some distance away and also locked down by it's owner. I have performed a factory reset on this Roku unit, in fact each time the provider provisioned a different UK IP, I first turned the router client 'ON' then applied power to the Roku then performed the factory reset and activated it while it was on that particular IP/tunnel; it immediately appeared as it should in the router and in the correct OpenVPN tunnel. The fact that it 'sees' a single 'British' movie/TV show category is evidence that 'something' from the UK NF is coming through that IP and testing the IP itself shows that it appears to be set in London where it is stated to be according to the provider. There are no leaks on my end. The provider hasn't been much help, only to request I try streaming with a PC or Mac, so I fear that at this point it's a take it or leave it situation unless I want to play the VPN roulette game.. I realize it's not a huge company and there are only so many overseas streaming IPs that they have access to much less can place their own servers on. It's always been a 'whack-a-mole' business for the VPN companies. I've tried the big named VPNs in the past and the experience wasn't much better regardless of the cost. I also reset the Roku and placed it on the US IP provided by the company, set it up the same way that I did on the UK IP, and it worked perfectly for US. NF, so I left it there. I then set up a Roku that was new in the factory box that we received as a gift last year, placed that unit on the UK IP, and the UK IP latched on, yet the same, single 'British' Movie/TV category showed up, along with all of the regular US collections.

Once when I was testing on iplocation.net, I saw lon the lower section of that site, that the sompanies UK IP was listed in the 'criminal.io' section as a 'VPN', and I reported my findings to the company. Instead of asking for particulars or saying thanks for testing, heir response was more than a bit irate, and that made little sense. I only told them my findings after all, I didn't cause the IP to display it's location in that way. Our ISP still doesn't utilize IPv6, and the VPN provider doesn't either for the router configs they supply for NF streaming. I reckon after several months of puttering about with this issue, I've done all I can. With US NF and amz prime, they have plenty of time wasting oldie but goodie offerings, and there are always the DVDs and Blurays to watch Cheers and thanks!

 

[RMinNJ]

I know Roku on one of their hidden menus has the roku server or something one is connected to for the OS or updates(sorry I forget which page).. Mine was set to beta or something and I was able to reset it (not change it specifically) and it switched to non-beta servers.. Not sure if that helps or is related.

 

[st3v3n]

RMinNJ,
I appreciate your response and will dig into this aspect further. I don't know that this is related, but if it becomes evident that the automatic Roku OS update checks result in overwriting the firmware, it's a deal breaker for my use in streaming. The Roku unit dedicated to the US IP checked for a Roku OS update only once last year. So far that has had no affect. Until January, the same was true for the dedicated Roku on the UK NF VPN IP. I've never heard of an OS update an a streaming device to be capable or overwriting firmware to cause permanent DNS redirection of the unit. I've monitored the UK IP and tunnel via the router with and without Trend Micro services engaged and haven't seen any calls to google DNS from the Roku through the UK IP and tunnel. The VPN provider hasn't yet responded to my query to filter out google DNS from the UK end, so it's likely it would be too much effort for the cost. I've tested the UK tunnel/IP with/without the UK Roku powered. With only the Roku unit in the tunnel, testing is limited to router logs and/orTrend Micro reveals. When a computer (with Glasswire running) and/or an iPad connected to UK IP, calls to google services and google DNS result.
Since companies and countless people everywhere use google's 'free' services, it's become nigh impossible to filter calls to google services or their DNS. I've done everything possible on my end, and it's personal choice not to use google. he VPN provider may be joking, that I'm the only customer who streams to the US from the UK using a Roku device, which I discount as a couple of other VPN providers indicated this isn't a Roku or Roku firmware/DNS issue on their service. The particular Roku units we used have been in place for years, and have been the most simple, economical, portable and quality streaming solution until now. The 4K quality is great on a small or large screen without the upkeep and security issues resulting from having to stream NF via compute, and the electric costs are much less. A gent I worked with puts great effort into keeping up with NF servers around the earth, that seed content in all regions. He says it's fun for him but when I offered to send him a Roku unit to research this issue for me, he said he doesn't have enough time
If Roku of NF is going to block aVPN servers outside of an account holder's billing address/region, it reminds me first of when Napster began, then quickly ended due to the massive lawsuits. It hurt the easy targets who never intended illegality. It was so simple to go after end users then since there were noy consumer VPN services. A single parent who had no idea that her brilliant 7 year old had downloaded some music was bankrupted. Legal streaming has really paid off massively for the industry ever since. Having collected LPs since the 60s, I never used Napster or downloaded video content; the closest I've come is streaming NF, which began in the US for us 2008, with a bare 4 megabits of bandwidth on a good day.. More recently when UK content finally became available, VPNs were hitting their stride. Now, unless one subscribes to BBC America or BritBox, UK content is best viewed on NF, or just buying the DVDs/blurays online, except the UK DVDs are much more expensive. A good number of US film and TV programming and content, which used to be streamed here in the US, is no longer available except via UK NF. I buy a CD, DVD and bluray now and then, and have a thousand plus LPs dating back to the 60s, when I worked in music, and still record on cassette and reel to reel. Last year, LP sales outstripped CD sales, and though the albums are far too costly, they sound great. Going further back when 8-track and cassettes were first made available for home recording, there was no satellite to relay cable TV and the internet was far into the distant future. The record companies poinced on blank tape sales resulting in a few cents being added to the cost of each blank tape we bought, regardless of the format. Even 2-inch professional reel to reel tapes were affected.
In the beginning, when record albums, then radio and then TV began the lawsuits for user control of content began. When satellites finally brought cable TV access, the industry wasn't unhappy as they controlled the broadcast process. When VHS and Betamax became affordable for home recording and time shifting of content for folks that had to work, the lawsuits threatened to crush that tech, until the supreme court ruled that recording content at home was a good thing, unless it was resold, ie, piracy. Again more fees were added to all VHS/Beta recorders and tapes. The real divide arrived when digital came into being for common folk to use. It was extremely expense at first to record music on CDs and eventually to record video to DVDs on a personal computer at home. More lawyers were employed and more fees were added to computers, digital recorders and media, Each technological advancement which has benefited normal folks to either listen music or view video content at home, finally brought us to the 21st century. Since 2000, millions of people now stream all of their audio and video at home and on mobile devices from one or more companies who charge for every bit of content, with the same added fees going back the the industry. At least now, musicians are able to place their own music online without having to fight for a recording contract. NF was and still is a very unique player for video streaming. Viewing is now region-restricted over the planet and good deal of content that originated in the US can't be streamed via NF in the US. VPNs came into service and the industry has fought it from the begginning. These comments aren't means to be about illegality; we've always paid for a NF account. since 2008. Now that, NF is going after family members who have shared their passwords or who have taken their Roku units with them in luggage when they travel abroad, it makes the prospect of for buying DVDs and blueray discs again either on the used market or online. Feedback from one friend indicated when he took his Roku unit on vacation outside their region, using a vpn travel router, an on-screen query came up asking if he was traveling with his Roku device. That's extremely creepy. I travel, at least I canl lug my trusty old laptop in a bag with a few DVDs.
I didn't intend to yammer or stray off topic and I haven't yet given up resolving the core issue. Again, my thanks to those who have read and responded

 

[st3v3n]

It turned out that NF/Roku had begun hardcoding new Rokus devices and via updates to all older Rokus, so as to block streaming from non-US VPN ranges. Some VPNs have better clarity in their support; one we heard was that customers who streamed via PCs never reported NF blocks when streaming from out of country IP ranges; anyone who has used VPN providers for years gets blocked at various times regardless the device used to stream. The more expensive VPNs, Nord, Surfshark (now part of Nord) and Express, have a larger number of IPs and also better translation capability for customers.

After NF blasted their no-notice/same-day price hike across all tiers, we deregistered all of the Roku devices, drove to wally-world and brought a new Apple Gen3-4K-128 GB Ethernet box home. NF/Roku asked why we were leaving; we joined NF prior to when they offered to sell the business to Elon. The no-notice price hike, world-wide blocking fiasco over 'password sharing' and of NF via non-US VPN ranges. The NF hawking of ever-more tasteless garbage programming, when compared to the quality they used to be known for was also a factor. Apple says they aren't selling non-anonamized-customer data unlike NF/Roku so that was nice to hear.The Apple 4K Gen 3 picture is superior and after getting the hang of fine tuning the TVOS setting, responsiveness of the system is much faster, since it can be set not to auto-update. There arel a couple of non-US-based VPNs who claim they have an app which installs in Apple TVOS, and can stream prime/NF from out of US ranges, at least unless/until that feature is blocked. Even with nixing of NF/Roku, going with the Apple 4K Gen 3 was a 'net' gain.

 

[Crimliar]

You do need to be aware that if Netflix catch you using a VPN or similar to watch from another region they actively ban people.

 

[Aiadi]

Don't you just love how the likes of Netflix use globalisation to their advantage when it comes to evading their tax obligations but then prevent their subscribers from using the product globally. the hipocracy is just so astonishing:

Netflix paid just £4m in UK corporation tax on £1.15bn from British subscribers

Streaming company adds 2 million UK subscribers in 2020 and vows to pay more tax

www.theguardian.com

 

[bennor]

Don't you just love how the likes of Netflix use globalisation to their advantage when it comes to evading their tax obligations but then prevent their subscribers from using the product globally. the hipocracy is just so astonishing:

Netflix paid just £4m in UK corporation tax on £1.15bn from British subscribers

Streaming company adds 2 million UK subscribers in 2020 and vows to pay more tax

www.theguardian.com

There are other factors that play into why users in one market/country are restricted or prevented from streaming from a different market/country. There are licensing agreements with the content providers who may dictate what is shown in which market and when. Its one reason why Netflix boots users it discovers who try to circumvent the region locks. Those content provider agreements are also why one market may get a show or movie before another market does and which markets won't get a show at all. Those same content providers also decide which streaming service their content will be streamed on. But those discussions are not really for this subform or topic.

 

[st3v3n]

Random thoughts...If NF is banning folks for streaming via a VPN, well, they've been in bed for a very long time with all ISPs, datacenters and now globally. Perhaps the banned customer’s system wasn’t encrypted, pr their connection/data stream wasn’t encrypted or leaked, or maybe they're just in need of a better VPN provider. Apple and Prime has managed to take up the slack and so far hasn't tried to ding any US users we know of. Going back to the Sony hack, the movie moguls were incompetent, unprepared and rightfully embarrassed; they couldn't be bothered to be sure their networks and storage was secured/encrypted; not even the executive terminals. If only they'd had a secure VPN provider. For more years than most care to admit, every swipe, click or VoIP type of call of internet use has been recorded and vaulted, to be resold or used at a future date and time for whatever purpose deemed necessary against the user. Makes the cae for taking tje time to relearn, and to be better prepared. It makes a case at least for some, to buy a few CD’s DVDs and the media to back them up, the digital tax is still in effect for everyone forever. Films and TV shows which everyone thought was long extinct is being located, remastered and re-released on DVD or Bluray,and at prices we never would've believed back in the 20th century. Whenever the ISP goes down a pawnshop $1.00 Bluray has made a nice evening, unless or until the power blinks out. Then, it's back to reading a book by an oil lamp until bedtime, unless one doesn't have an oil lamp. This has all happened before, and it will happen again, so say we all.