Netflix is one of the most popular streaming services but also the most expensive. Thus, it is no surprise that people try accessing the streaming service in other ways rather than paying for the platform.
To curb this, the streaming giant has started banning VPN IP addresses. VPNs with fewer IP ranges and low-quality VPNs stand no chance against Netflix.
Premium VPNs keep adding IP addresses, giving you a fair chance of finding a server that provides access to Netflix.
This guide lists down a few fixes that can get you to access Netflix through your VPN.
Why Netflix Bans VPN IP Addresses?
Apart from other entertaining content, Netflix has some great content, including original series and movies. The content is usually contractual and comes with various territorial licensing and distribution agreements.
The agreements allow Netflix to show content in specific regions while geo-blocking it in other areas. Geo-blocking is why every regional Netflix catalog differs from the others.
VPNs, on the other, have helped bypass these geo-restrictions and let you access catalogs of different regions. Netflix bans VPNs to block connections to stop users from circumventing these restrictions.
What if you can’t access Netflix with your VPN?
Despite Netflix’s strict measures to block VPNs, a few ways can help you work your way around and access the streaming service.
- Ensure your VPN is not leaking: If your VPN is not helping you bypass Netflix, it could be because your VPN is ‘leaking.’ To check if the VPN is leaking, disconnect from the VPN, go to IP leak, and note your IP address. Also, note the location of your DNS servers. Netflix will see your IP or DNS address and offer content available in your region. Connect the VPN and do the test again. If you get the same IP address, the VPN is leaking. It would be best to talk to your VPN customer support to resolve the issue.
- Switching off your location service: Turning off location services, including GPS, overrides your VPN server location. Your browser may tap into your site, and Netflix will only provide the content allowed in your region. To avoid this, you might turn your GPS off.
- Clear Netflix browser cookies and cache: Like other websites, Netflix stores cookies on your browser which might reveal your location even while using a VPN.
- To avoid this, you must clear your cache and remove the cookies before using VPN to try and log in on Netflix. You can also use incognito mode to avoid your location being discovered.
- Use a different server: Your VPN server might have its IPs blocked, so there is no harm in trying another VPN to access Netflix.
- Change to another VPN protocol: Some VPNs work better than others in bypassing Netflix block protocols and are better at ignoring Netflix. Like OpenVPN, it might not work with Netflix. In this case, you should ditch security for a bit.
- Talk to your VPN’s customer support: Customer support is the last resort if all the above fixes have failed.
Alternative Solutions
- Premium VPNs: One way to access Netflix is to get a premium VPN like ExpressVPN, NordVPN, or SurfShark that regularly keep changing its IPs to keep up with Netflix bans.
Premium VPNs offer features and functionalities, such as streaming servers dedicated to unblocking and bypassing Netflix restrictions.
- Use Smart DNS: A Smart DNS offers a sure way of streaming Netflix. A Smart DNS is reliable and gives you faster speeds than a VPN.
However, a Smart DNS will not protect your online privacy and security. Unlike a VPN, a Smart DNS doesn’t encrypt your connection or online traffic.
Netflix might have a great system to avoid people accessing VPNs, but using these fixes, you can easily access Netflix from any region.
