Published on November 2nd, 2019
Whether you are taking a vacation abroad or you have relocated abroad from the US, one thing you will miss is being able to watch your favourite TV shows.
If you sit down to relax and chill out and try tuning in to US Netflix for example, you are taken to the local version of the site, if Netflix is available in the country.
If you want to watch NBC, HBO or any other US channel you are out of luck too. This is called geo-restricting but there is a way to get around it, by using a VPN.
1. How Restrictions Are Placed
Each country has a range of IP addresses and when you want to visit a website the ISP you use to connect to the internet knows where you are located.
This means geo-restrictions are put into place on what you can and cannot watch. Any sites banned in the country are blocked, along with access to US channels such as Netflix, HBO, NBC and many others.
If you could mask the IP address and get one from the United States, you could trick the ISP into believing you are connecting from the US. Luckily, a VPN helps you to do this easily.
2. How To Use A VPN To Watch Us TV Shows Abroad
To be able to watch US TV shows abroad you first have to choose a VPN provider. When choosing a provider you need one that offers servers from the US and the more servers the better.
So ensure your choice of provider caters to your needs before signing up by checking they offer servers based in America.
The next choice is the plan. Providers offer various plans ranging from paying month-by-month for the service, yearly or longer. Generally, the plans paid upfront over the longer-term lead to the biggest savings.
Bear in mind that you will not only be using the service to overcome geo-restrictions when abroad. A VPN also provides:
- Safety and security online when browsing;
- Ensures the ISP cannot spy on what you do online;
- You can torrent in safety;
- You can beat censorship;
- Remain anonymous;
- Even make savings on hotel rooms and flights.
3. Once You Have Chosen A Plan You Can Go Ahead And Sign Up.
The next step is to choose apps to install on devices you will use to connect to the internet. The top providers out there will offer apps for various devices, including Windows, Mac, Android and iOS devices.
This is great news when travelling abroad as you can install a Virtual Private Network on a laptop, smartphone or both.
When you have installed the app on your device, you can go ahead, launch the app, and sign in. The first time you launch the app you will have to enter the details given at the time of signing up. This is only required the first time you launch the app.
When the app opens up, you can then choose any US server from the list of servers offered by the VPN provider and connect to the server. You take on an IP address from the United States and fool the ISP into thinking you are located there.
As it looks as though you are located within the United States, you can visit US Netflix, or any other US TV channel, and sign in using your account to stream your favourite programs.
In Summary
You can overcome the geo-restrictions and watch your favourite TV shows outside of the US by signing up for a plan with a VPN provider.
Simply choose a server from the USA using the app you downloaded, connect and visit the streaming website of your choice.
