VPN

Trotter

Trotter

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Going on from the WiFi/Internet thread.
VPN.
One of the YouTube channels* has a discount code for a VPN provider. Has anyone any experience of using this abroad? From what I understand, it kids your mobile data provider into thinking your using it in the UK when away.
It’s pretty obvious to anyone who reads even half of my rubbish, that I’m a complete ( incomplete even) idiot when it comes to things technical.
While paying a lot of money each month for a telephone/data contract, I get mift at having it restricted to 20gb or 60 days. If I can shove two fingers up to the provider, I’d be a happy chappy.
* Indie Projects
 
With mobile telecom being able to pin down your location to within a very small area I don't think a VPN will fool your provider into believing you are somewhere that you are not.
Once connected to a network and thereby having access to the internet, a VPN will work very well to fool a website your are where you want them to think you are.
I'm certainly no expert on the matter, just the way I see it.
 
If you are using a UK simcard in a smartphone or wi-fi dongle. The Beeb and others think you are in UK even if you are abroad. SO no need for VPN.
Yes the teleconm provider knows yiu are abroad but their connection to the Beeb is in the UK..So all is well. (apart from Data costs)

You need a VPN if you are using a Wi-fi signal abroad then the Beeb (in particular) know you are abroad and so BBC iplayer will not work.
I have tried several VPN and the Beeb seems to catch up with them all in the end.
I focus on the Beeb as that is my big miss when not in UK thus my experience of some success but usually eventual failure relates to them.
I realise that there are other reasons/channels for which a VPN is useful.
I now find that most things I want are on youtube (inc BBC) sso for now I am resting from VPN issues.
You also have to know to switch it off. SOME email clients do not connect via VPN.
 
You are correct in what you say but his original query related to the contract supplier being fooled.
I live in France and have found Pure VPN works for BBC i player and so far the only one that will reliably.
It is unfortunately one you have to pay for though, the freebies never do reliably.
 
eurajohn said:
You are correct in what you say but his original query related to the contract supplier being fooled.
I live in France and have found Pure VPN works for BBC i player and so far the only one that will reliably.
It is unfortunately one you have to pay for though, the freebies never do reliably.
Click to expand...

Thanks will try PureVPN...Pricing OK as you say Freebies are mainly unreliable !
Do not need it just yet
 
Windscribe is a free VPN which is very simple to set up and works fine. Limited amount of data and servers in the free version. Occasionally I get an e mail to upgrade, but otherwise no hassle. Apparently some free VPNs have lots of annoyances with them.
No VPN will convince your sim card provider that you are not where you are.
 
I use a Raspberry Pi for my VPN (PiVPN) and and Duck DNS to track homes IP address, Google it if you're interested. This route is possibly not for everyone but it works for me.

Works very well and other than the initial price of a RPi (~£35) it's free for life!

We can stream BBC plus all the other services and adds some security if using a campsites WiFi for your internet banking.
 
Thanks for all the replies. I think this is another must have until you spend a little longer considering if it’s for you (me?)
I’ve got loads of the must haves in the van, most of them are at the bottom of a draw, or in the garage. 😳
 
Whilst not being the most technical person ever, to answer the op question you can use a VPN to trick your provider into thinking you are connecting to the internet from the UK however whichever service provider you use will still know you are not in the UK when roaming.

Plenty of good deals for internet or use a mifi.

While companies like the BBC black list known VPN addresses the better VPN providers regularily change addresses and use obfuscation.
 
Trotter said:
Going on from the WiFi/Internet thread.
VPN.
One of the YouTube channels* has a discount code for a VPN provider. Has anyone any experience of using this abroad? From what I understand, it kids your mobile data provider into thinking your using it in the UK when away.
It’s pretty obvious to anyone who reads even half of my rubbish, that I’m a complete ( incomplete even) idiot when it comes to things technical.
While paying a lot of money each month for a telephone/data contract, I get mift at having it restricted to 20gb or 60 days. If I can shove two fingers up to the provider, I’d be a happy chappy.
* Indie Projects
Click to expand...
I’ll second what you say Derek lolol
 
VPN is only needed for hiding your location if you are using wi-fi. from say a campsite or Macdonalds etc abroad
If using the above wi-fi THE ISP is in the relevant country. The Beeb know the location of the ISP Hence you need VPN

IMO it does not hide your location if using a mobile phone data/internet connection (or wi-fi dongle)
The phone provider know which Cell you are using and so where you are
BUT you do not need to hide your location from the Beeb if using data as your ISP is the phone company and with a +44 code you are (in the UK)

Different if you buy a foreign SIM card
 
I had two main problems last year. No that’s not true. I had one major problem, having the phone cut off after 63 days. My fault,100%. Didn’t read the small print. That affected my phone from May last year, until the iPhone boffins finally got the gremlins out imported from the French SIM card I bought, last week.
The second one was only an inconvenience, explained away by jagmanx. I could listen to the football via mifi all through France . Reaching Spain, I had to buy an Orange SIM card, for the Huawei . Every time a match came on the radio, I was informed that it was not supported on that system.
Not having to listen to the Arsenal being beaten every week was a small blessing.☺️
 
Sorry to labour this point but I’m getting conflicting messages...is it correct that if I have a uk mobile data contract with Vodaphone using a uk SIM in a mifi that I will be able to receive iPlayer and Netflix in the rest of Europe without needing a VPN???
 
Barge1914 said:
Sorry to labour this point but I’m getting conflicting messages...is it correct that if I have a uk mobile data contract with Vodaphone using a uk SIM in a mifi that I will be able to receive iPlayer and Netflix in the rest of Europe without needing a VPN???
Click to expand...

That has certainly been my experience with three in the USA. They do use about gb per hour though, so be careful not to exceed limits.
 
Barge1914 said:
Sorry to labour this point but I’m getting conflicting messages...is it correct that if I have a uk mobile data contract with Vodaphone using a uk SIM in a mifi that I will be able to receive iPlayer and Netflix in the rest of Europe without needing a VPN???
Click to expand...
Yes..
Because the ISP (Internet Service Provider) is Vodaphone UK based and so BBC thinks you are in UK
No matter that your mobile phone provider knows you are abroad

  • If you were to use wi-fi eg at a French MacDonalds or Continental campsite THEN the BBC know you are abroad so VPN needed
  • Provided you have enough data phone or mi-fi just works so best as No VPN needed
 
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Hellfire said:
I use VPN to access BBC IPlayer while abroad. The only one I have tried that fools the BBC all the time is Express VPN https://www.expressvpn.com/?gclid=C...MFdfLJ80C5udqSSyAaAo_fEALw_wcB&refID=UK_Brand
Click to expand...
Yes
I had reasonable success with Express VPN but then BBC seemed to block it
Their helpdesk is good but I did not like the "tweaks" needed and as above it did not always solve the problem
May try them again when I next want BBC iplayer but at the moment Youtube has the BBC items I want
 
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