Problems with using NordVPN

Posted: Fri Jan 15, 2021 8:23pm

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MichaelLaSiesta

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Location: Torrevieja

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I've been resisting signing up to a VPN service for some time, my thinking being do I really need it? I appreciate the safe browsing and privacy issues that can be addressed by subscribing to a good VPN but I thought I'll just take my chances. However, once the 1st of January dawned, my previous unhindered access to Sky Sports and Amazon Prime Videos disappeared due to "geo-location" problems (ie my accounts are UK based and I am in Spain for a few months).

I've had lots of advice, all offering different companies that they recommended and I finally plumped for NordVPN. It's not cheap - I took the 12 month subscription for around 60 euros. I considered that to be fair value if I could watch England battering teams at cricket while I am here, plus the odd live football match. Despite being a Netflix user, and this still working, I also wanted my access to Prime reinstating for a few films that I fancy watching plus the final series of Vikings which has been hijacked by Amazon when the previous 70-odd episodes are on Netflix!

Well....despite assurances that once you fool the system into thinking you are UK-based, by selecting a UK server, I only have half of it. Prime seems to work, at least it does when played through my computer, but I was infuriated when I logged into my Sky account to watch today's test match highlights to find that I cannot access this service because of my location!!

A conversation with their help desk - quite quick to connect online in fact - revealed that they are aware of the Sky problem and are working on it. For how long is anybody's guess, so I have two choices. Wait and see if they fix it before I go home at the end of March OR cancel and try another VPN.

Anybody got any good advice? Anyone using a VPN that successfully connects you to Sky Sports from Spain? All advice will be much appreciated.

Michael

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Posted: Fri Jan 15, 2021 10:19pm

MichaelLaSiesta

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Posted: Fri Jan 15, 2021 10:19pm

This post that was quoted has been deleted.

Yes, that's a helpful reply - thanks. I might just give that a try. I wouldn't risk trying to access things illegally - I do have perfectly legitimate accounts with Sky Sports and Amazon Prime so it's annoying that they have been blocked to me since the start of the month. I'm going to assume that NordVPN will NOT fix the Sky Sports problem any time soon so am going in now to cancel my subscription - I have 30 days to do so.

I will try what you suggest above but don't have much confidence in it working, but of course it might! If it doesn't I'll forget the idea as I am only here for a couple more months then, travel restrictions permitting, back home for at least six months, not wishing to endure the July/August heat!

Thanks again.

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Posted: Fri Jan 15, 2021 10:50pm

MichaelLaSiesta

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Location: Torrevieja

Joined: 21 Jan 2019

Posted: Fri Jan 15, 2021 10:50pm

This post that was quoted has been deleted.

Update to my last message to Trotter. I had a brief chat with the SmartDNS help desk explaining that I wanted access to Sky Sports and Amazon Prime. Here are the last few lines:

Ian C. | L1 Supporthttps://www.smartdnsproxy.com/MyAccount/sdp/regionconfiguration
Channel Group D, change it to UK for Sky sports accessif you already have an account you can not make another oneit will detect your IP addressMichaelAh, so I cannot fool the system into thinking I am in the UK then?Ian C. | L1 SupportYes, and there is a tendency that your IP address will be bannedMichaelOk, I think I had better forget this!Thanks for your helpIan C. | L1 SupportYou're welcome.Looks like I am not going to be able to get what I had before the dreaded turn of the year. Oh well...

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Posted: Sat Jan 16, 2021 8:22am

kptbck

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Location: Torrevieja

Joined: 26 Aug 2020

Posted: Sat Jan 16, 2021 8:22am

MichaelLaSiesta wrote on Fri Jan 15, 2021 10:50pm:
Update to my last message to Trotter. I had a brief chat with the SmartDNS help desk explaining that I wanted access to Sky Sports and Amazon Prime. Here are the last few lines:
Ian C. | L1 Supporthttps://www.smartdnsproxy.com/MyAccount/sdp/regionconfiguration
Channel Group D, change it to UK for Sky sports accessif you already have an account you can not make ...

Read more...

...another oneit will detect your IP addressMichaelAh, so I cannot fool the system into thinking I am in the UK then?Ian C. | L1 SupportYes, and there is a tendency that your IP address will be bannedMichaelOk, I think I had better forget this!Thanks for your helpIan C. | L1 SupportYou're welcome.Looks like I am not going to be able to get what I had before the dreaded turn of the year. Oh well...

I use PrivateVPN and can access all UK channels like BBC iPlayer, ITV catch up and also Sky Go. There is a 30 day money back guarantee and a 3 month subscription costs around £11.

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Posted: Sat Jan 16, 2021 9:50am

MichaelLaSiesta

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Posts: 302

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Posted: Sat Jan 16, 2021 9:50am

kptbck wrote on Sat Jan 16, 2021 8:22am:
I use PrivateVPN and can access all UK channels like BBC iPlayer, ITV catch up and also Sky Go. There is a 30 day money back guarantee and a 3 month subscription costs around £11.

I have a good tv service through Connect Fibra so the usual channels are all covered there. My only motivation for getting a VPN was to access my Sky Sport and Prime Video accounts. I’m starting to think that no one can guarantee that access without causing me a problem further down the line.

I’d love to hear someone tell me that their VPN does all that!

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Posted: Sat Jan 16, 2021 10:01am

kptbck

Posts: 105

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Location: Torrevieja

Joined: 26 Aug 2020

Posted: Sat Jan 16, 2021 10:01am

MichaelLaSiesta wrote on Sat Jan 16, 2021 9:50am:
I have a good tv service through Connect Fibra so the usual channels are all covered there. My only motivation for getting a VPN was to access my Sky Sport and Prime Video accounts. I’m starting to think that no one can guarantee that access without causing me a problem further down...

Read more...

... the line.
I’d love to hear someone tell me that their VPN does all that!

See my previous post although I don’t use Prime Video so can’t comment on that.