You want to watch the latest Netflix release from the US, or you’ve found a web-stream that shows the film you’ve been dying to see for the past three months, but—disaster strikes—you get a message saying you can’t watch it because you’re in the wrong country.
Just because a particular set of servers decide you’re not where they need you to be, then your fun is cut short, right there and then.
But it doesn’t have to be.
The system of pinpointing where a user is located is called geolocation tracking, and blocking it has a range of names: geo-blocking, geo-blockades, location blocking, and more. The way to get around these blockades is to utilize another system, known as geo-spoofing.
The licensing regulations that govern which services are permitted to broadcast different shows, films and events, vary from country to country. That means that the services that provide the streams have to be sure their viewers are where they need to be to conform to their rules.
Another reason for blocking access to content is down to government censorship. China is incredibly strict, for example, placing all sorts of restrictions on all kinds of services and websites.
Okay, we’re not sure why you might be being watched or what you’ve done, but if you’re being tracked via your mobile IP or when logging into your laptop, then geo-spoofing will prevent the powers-that-be from pinpointing where you are.
Some apps will consider a login from outside your country to be suspicious and temporarily suspend your account. This is quite popular with banking businesses and financial institutions. If you’re travelling overseas and frequently logging into an app or your bank account online, to see the state of your finances, a suspicious or security-conscious bank may lock you out. A geo-spoofed device will let the banks think you’re in your home country—wherever you are.
When you access TV streams or many other different services in other countries, there are times that they’ll only accept a payment method native to their region. Using geo-spoofing, you can create PayPal accounts in different locations to be able to pay for services in those countries.
If you need to know how to change location of an app store to access platforms only available in a particular region, or to pay for a service through their app in that country, then geo-spoofing will, again, come to your rescue.
A virtual private network is one of the most popular methods of geo-spoofing your location. It provides you with a virtual location and IP in whichever region you need to appear to be in.
There are countless services—free and paid for—ready and waiting to help you mask your actual IP address.
Free VPNs tend to be unreliable, slow, or ultimately, designed to capture your data to sell on to other sources. We’d recommend avoiding them for so many reasons, but ultimately, you’ll be let down by their performance.
When you choose a VPN provider, it’s a good idea to make sure they offer a reputable service, with fast speeds, and will get access to the services you require. Not all VPNs are equal, so, a little research can save a lot of frustration further down the line.
Each service provides the software you need to mask your IP, whether that’s on your Mac or PC, via an app on a mobile phone, tablet, console, or Smart TV system. They should also supply settings to apply to your WiFi router, where your router is compatible.
Your app or software package will give you options to choose country, to turn it on and off when required, and also a kill switch that shuts down your Internet connection completely until a secure VPN connection can be made or restored.
The second most popular method of switching locations is to use Smart DNS. The DNS—Domain Name System—translates a URL made of words into a location made of numbers. The numbered location is the IP address your computer finds far easier to manage.
SmartDNS connects you to a server in the country you need to be in to change your location to theirs.
If all you need is a way to spoof the TV streams, so you can watch international programming or location restricted content, then StreamLocator has everything you need. It also offers all sorts of advantages over other methods.
The first main difference is that you don’t have to install any software on your devices as StreamLocator works directly with your WiFi router. That means that any device in your home is automatically included and provided with the location they need. Even better, StreamLocator determines the location you require for you, and it also finds the best method of connection to each service.
Because our smart hub isn’t limited to one specific technology, it chooses which is the best way through the blocks for each service. Always granting you the connection you want, and with no impact on your network speeds that some VPNs create when rerouting through slow or busy servers.
For anyone asking ‘how to change my IP/country location’, it all depends on why you need it.
If you need added security and to keep your data safe, then VPN has the encryption you need to be untraceable.
But if your need is simpler, and what you really want is the fastest and easiest way to access international TV and movie content from home—we’d suggest you choose StreamLocator for its simplicity, efficiency, and value.
