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Log inAccess Netflix Abroad with a Netflix Proxy
Netflix is a powerhouse. In the beginning, a bright red envelope was placed in your mailbox, ready to be watched at your convenience and able to kept longer than any video rental store ever allowed. Even Netflix’s origins seem outdated due to the rate of the online streaming service’s rapid expansion. The thought of waiting to view the next episode of your favorite show feels as antiquated as the ever-humble tape player. In a little over 20 years, Netflix has become synonymous with binge-watching culture. From smash hit shows like Friends to wildly popular original television like Stranger Things, Netflix’s calculations were correct. Consumers hate waiting for content in a uber-fast-paced digital landscape. Want to see if Ross really did say the wrong name during his wedding ceremony? Click to the next episode in seconds.
But we’ve been spoiled by this structure. When an entire series is ready to be devoured in the span of a week (or let’s be honest, less), the desire for new content grows stronger after each show you finish. But what do you do when content isn’t available in your country? Enter the Netflix proxy.
If you’re hungry for more shows and movies than ever explored, a proxy is just the ticket. In this blog, I’ll take you through just what Netflix proxies are, reasons to use one, and discuss the formula for the best possible proxy. When you love something, you never let it go. When you love Netflix, the “are you still watching” pop up alert appears to you not as a nuisance, but as an old friend.
Table of Contents
What Is a Netflix Proxy?
A proxy is a way to enter the internet anonymously. Every time you open up a new tab and type Netflix into the search bar, a signal is sent communicating where you’d like your IP address to be taken. The activity made by your IP address, the unique address given to each computer, can be seen and tracked because of this communication. An IP address is dependent on your physical location. A proxy stops you from packing up and living abroad or dedicating your life to inventing a teleportation device. Star Trek makes it look oh so easy. In essence, a proxy replaces your original IP address with a new one. One that can be located in whatever country you choose. So, not only do you have access to content once blocked by location restrictions, but your identity is shielded from prying eyes.
For our purposes, a Netflix proxy unlocks a whole world of shows and movies, yet unseen in your location. That means less time searching the site for something to watch, and more time getting hooked on a British mini-series. Buying a proxy for Netflix removes limitations, encourages the exploration of different cultures, and keeps you entertained for longer than you ever thought possible.
How to Use a Proxy With Netflix
You hunker down into the deep seats of your couch, popcorn resting in lap, smells wafting up to your nostrils, remote control aimed and ready to click. There’s just one small hitch, your country of origin removed your favorite movie from its selection of romantic comedies. Before all your buttery popcorn ends up on the floor in a fit of anger, you do a quick Google search, one that informs you of a way to watch that same movie using Canadian Netflix. But you’re not sure how to use Canadian Netflix. Does Canada even have Netflix? It’s so cold there.
The answer is yes. It is cold in Canada and they do, in fact, have an expansive list of films available to stream on their version of Netflix.
Before you dive in blind and watch Netflix with a proxy you aren’t sure how to use, it’s important to remember the few key components of proxies. First, use a proxy provider that offers IP addresses in other countries. That way, you can get a proxy in the country that you want. For instance, if you want a proxy for Canadian Netflix, sign up with a company that offers IP addresses in Canada. If you want one from the U.S., make sure the company has IP addresses in the U.S., and so on and so forth. Many companies offer multiple addresses so you can test addresses from around the globe and find out what you’ve been missing when logging into Netflix.
Second, consider the kind of proxy you buy. The 3 main types of proxies are shared, semi-dedicated, and dedicated. Shared proxies are just that, shared. I don’t recommend this option for your Netflix proxy. Sharing proxies opens you up to potential theft and crowds the servers with higher volumes of traffic. A semi-dedicated proxy will give up to 3 people access to the same IP address. This option, while cost-efficient, means you’re still sharing your unique address. Dedicated proxies are private proxies, entirely allocated to you and you alone. While dedicated proxies are the more expensive of the 3, they offer a private connection between your device and the shows you love.
If you’re eager to watch Netflix with a proxy, consider the above before diving in and do your research before purchasing from a proxy provider.
Reasons to Have Netflix Proxies
We’ve established that Netflix in the United States isn’t the same as Netflix in other countries. The shows and movies you have access to are dependent on your location. If you hop on a plane and travel to a new place, you have an entirely new set of TV shows and movies at your disposal. Fly out of Hong Kong and you’ll finally be introduced to the amazing world of House of Cards. A world of political debauchery opens right before your eyes. On the flip side, flying into Chinas means House of Cards disappears from Netflix. A cruel joke, but true none the less. The number 1 reason to use a Netflix proxy is to access Netflix from other countries.
Some serious streamers purchase Netflix proxies because they know exactly what is available to them in other countries. For example, a hugely successful catalog of films from Studio Ghibli has never before been released on US Netflix. The Japanese animated films are beloved around the world but are inaccessible depending on location. Dedicated users will figure out how to watch Netflix from other countries like Japan, all to get a glimpse of revered movies that would otherwise go unwatched in their location.
Using Netflix Abroad
The time you spend traveling for work is extensive and often exhausting. Meetings and mixers wear you down and have you longing for a relaxing evening in your hotel room. But once you settle in for the night, laptop in hand, you find that your favorite streaming service, Netflix, isn’t functioning the same. In fact, because of the WiFi you’re connected to, you don’t recognize a single show. Regardless of where you sign-up for Netflix or the billing address associated with your account, the content available to you is based on where the WiFi signal is coming from and the origin or your IP address. So, if Netflix traces the WiFi I’m using to a hotel in Krakow, Poland, it’s going to make the assumption that I’m in Poland. Therefore, I’m not on US Netflix like I’m used to, but Poland’s.
Setting up a US Netflix proxy is the solution here. No matter where you are in the world, a proxy will make Netflix think you are back home, snuggled up in your pajamas.
Since Netflix offers a free trial upon signing up, you might also consider creating a new account that is solely dedicated to your proxy use. This gives you the opportunity to try out proxies from different countries, without compromising the Netflix account you use while at home. Adding this extra layer of protection is another way to keep your identity safe and get a free trial of another country’s Netflix without chaining yourself to an expensive commitment.
How to Change Netflix Region Without a VPN
I also want you to make note of VPNs. If you’ve done some preliminary research about how to use a proxy with Netflix, you might have run into a myriad of VPN services. But there is a difference between proxies and VPNs and that distinction could be the difference between a joyful day watching Netflix and watching the buffering sign spin on a loop.
A Netflix VPN is more common than a Netflix proxy but that doesn’t mean it doesn’t have drawbacks. The biggest problem has to do with its popularity. A large number of people using public VPNs can translate into poor connections. Because of that, it’s easy for Netflix to trace them. All Netflix has to do is look for an IP address that has heavy traffic. Then, it can shut it down. That means a VPN you use today might not work tomorrow. In fact, it might not even work in a few minutes.
For example, let’s say that a popular VPN goes live. Thousands of people use it to stream movies out of Canada. Netflix notices that a single IP address is streaming thousands of movies. It knows that a single home wouldn’t be streaming thousands of movies, so it blocks the IP address. Suddenly, thousands of people are kicked off Netflix and have to find a new VPN. Luckily, if you watch Netflix with a dedicated proxy instead, you’re more likely to have success while streaming and save yourself the headache of getting a block from your favorite streaming site. For an even closer look at VPNs and proxies, check out our blog here.
The Best Proxy for Netflix
Alright. It’s decided. You are ready to buy a Netflix proxy and can’t wait to watch Netflix from other countries. Before you go grabbing the first proxy you see, consider what makes up the best proxy available on the market and what might get you banned from Netflix altogether. I bet you could gleam this from the paragraphs above, but I encourage you to buy your proxy rather than download a free one. I know free stuff is always enticing but getting a paid proxy is the safest, most reliable option. Plus, paid proxies will offer a variety of different countries to stream from. When it comes to proxies for Netflix, finding the right location is the difference between watching your favorite foreign films and casually viewing the same movie for the thousandth time.
You’ll also want to consider how many proxies you’re interested in buying at a time and for how long. Some proxy providers bundle their proxies. This means that you’ll be purchasing 5 proxies at a time, at a fantastic rate. Even better, the longer you keep your proxies, the cheaper the technology becomes. Trust me, once you use a proxy to watch Netflix, you’ll be hooked for life. 12 months seems like a long time to pay for something but in the world of streaming, that’s a year’s worth of different shows and movies added to the site every month. Reputable proxy sites will also make set up simple and have customer service teams ready and available 24/7.
Wrapping Up Proxies for Netflix
A day filled with brave cowboys, mobsters, and magical lands, is a day done right. Netflix knows how to keep its audience interested. The very thought of commercials once again clogging my ears and distracting me from my show is unthinkable. Netflix has spoiled the general population. And with the help of a Netflix proxy, an already extensive world of streaming is transformed into a boundless escape.
