Thanks Griff. I am not 88 y.o. - 15 years to go - but I sympathise with your f.i.l. I very quickly run out of understanding about this issue, not least because of teminology/jargon.
I have been with Pure and Nord in the past. I can’t remember which one but one of them was dreadfully unstable. Ages with c/s failed to put things right so I quit. I quit the other one too because it got blocked by BBC, as did Tunnel Bear. Surfshark comes well thought of and I find it OK - can be a bit temperamental.
I know these VPNs are constantly trying to keep one step ahead of the ‘restricted content cops’ so maybe Pure has improved.
‘Dedicated IP’ - is that in addition to a service from a FR provided like Orange? I’m with Sosh a.t.mo. [ADSL - fibre promised last June, still not avaialble] Like many people these days I have no use for a landline.
Incidentally, the Linksys router that has snuck into that lot is what I have. It has WRT firmware on it called ‘Tomato’ [DD-WRT vs Tomato vs OpenWRT | Best Open Soure Firmware 2018] which allows ‘installing’ a VPN, tho’ I don’t know how.
This may seem a reeealy dim question but when you say ‘has a VPN section, turn on pptp client, insert the domain name, user name and password and connect.’ Is the router connected to a PC/laptop to do this? With what connection? USB? Ethernet?
I have a Tenda 4G03, which is a 4G wireless router as 4/5G is the only way for me to get internet.
A dedicated IP is a IP address of your own back in the UK so you are not sharing an IP address with thousands of others which alerts the likes of the BBC or Sky that you are using a VPN and they then block that address.
The router has a VPN section and in the section is a pptp section that has boxes you put in your details of your dedicated IP address that you get from pure, click on save and your IP address shows up to any company as being the same one in the UK all the time.
I have used this for a year without any problems.
I think that’s all right but If I have got anything wrong someone will correct me very shortly
I’m with NordVPN until June this year, but I think I’ll look at purevpn with a dedicated IP address. NordVPN charge an extra £3 per month just for the dedicated IP, whereas purevpn seem to give you the VPN with the dedicated IP for about €3 per month.
I think Tomato is no longer updated, and hasn’t in many years. I think the best replacment firmware id dd-wrt.
It’s not just the VPN that can be an issue if some things don’t work. On tablets, you often need to spoof the GPS location as well and have the time and location set to the UK. If you have an issue over a VPN on a PC, then you should use
It will tell you if you are leaking details of your true location.
I’ve used NordVPN for 5 years now and the only issues I’ve had have been with the IP address used getting onto a blacklist site. This happens because some people use NordVPN to mass mail spam anonymously and so the IP addresses can get blocked.
The popular VPNs are now pretty much idiot proof. Playing with routers and having multiple routers has its uses but the simpple method is…
Make sure you pick a VPN that works on TVs and a Firestick (or Roku). Some are just for computers.
I assume you have the VPN on your computer now? I also assume your TV is connected to the internet/wi fi?
Install the VPN on the TV in the app section (use your remote - probably home or source - there’ll be an apps area if its a modern smart tv. Either use your log in (same as computer) or follow instructions to validate using the computer. Then obviously launch the VPN on the TV - set it to UK and leave it alone once it says its connected etc. They normally stay active unless you disconnect them.
Install the seperate apps (iplayer, itvx etc) on the TV.
You then just open the apps on the TV.
if your TV is too old and wont install the VPN or other apps - Fires stick or Roku plugs into an HDMI port and you then do exactly the same as for a TV {install VPN - install apps). If you can work a DVD you can work a Fire stick. Fire sticks are pretty cheap and on offer a lot - they are easier to use than a lot of older TVs - and have some other advtantages - but they duplicate a modern smart tv in many ways
It’s worthwhile telling Nord vpn you’re not going to renew your subscription and ths reason why. Just renewed mine after telling them I wouldnt as too expensive, they offered me 70 % discount and 3 extra months free
For me, having multiple TV’s, phones, tablets, PC’s in the house and a 88 year old with dementia, it was a proper faf mucking around with a VPN on each device, with a dedicated IP on a router you don’t have to have any VPN app’s at all.
The other option. I assume you use a computer with VPN to watch iplayer etc? It saves you having to comprehend apps …
If your computer and TV are newish they should support mirroring/cast. Basically your computer/phone/tablet can stream to the TV without a cable. Its not as nice as using the remote to just control iplayer etc - but its better tha another HDMI cable to trip over (your tellys on the wall).
Thanks for your help. I think I see light at the end of the tunnel, not an oncoming train …
I rather thought so. Price paid for being entirely ignorant in this field. Things have clearly moved on since I bought the router 5-6 years ago. Never been out of its box.
Yes - Surfshark … Yes - Sosh [Orange]
It’s a Philips 2021 ‘running’ Android . It has Chromecast ‘built in’
I was wondering about doing that. I’ve done that with an old TV and a Firestick. I’d like to get the more neat and tidy way set up
I can appreciate that. I have one TV, one laptop and one phone. I very rarely use the VPN on the phone, wwhich just leaves the TV and the l/top.
Again, thanks for your help. I did Google ‘casting’ but got snarled up in apps that wanted money to do this - and unload all sorts of garbage onto me as well.
It’s the extra for the dedicated IP that pushes the price up. You can always get huge discounts from VPN providers, I do it every time. Usually pay less than £2 per month. I do the same with my anti-virus which sets up an ‘auto renewal’. If you don’t disable it, you pay full whack next time (unless you cancel of course). If you disable it then the emails start a month before renewal offering 25% off. Leave it until a few days before renewal and you’ll get 75% off. Works every time for me.
I made a disappointing discovery. Unless it’s because what I expect of Calvados is only obtained by spending 10-15 year-old malt whisky money, anything below €20 is a bit agricultural, whatever proportion of water you add.
I am reserving the 500ml or so I have left as a sub for the cognac which Mme Renoir [as in wife of Auguste] added to the Renoir family fave roast chicken lunch.
Nothing like the “Aahhh! Amber nectar!” you get with a snifter of Grant’s or J & B.
Answer: Yes, if you know how to set up a VPN server on a computer (or a NAS or similar) in the UK and then you can use this device’s VPN client to connect to the VPN server in the UK. Then iPlayer will see your IP address as the same as the UK VPN server’s and should work. If you don’t know how to do that, there are plenty of paid for services that will give you the option to select one of their VPN servers in the UK to connect to using this devices (same result)
I run aground on shoals of ankle deep knowledge here :-
1] : Yes, if you know how to set up a VPN server on a computer (or a NAS or similar) in the UK.
Does he mean the computer must be in the UK or the VPN connection is to a server in the UK?
2] plenty of paid for services that will give you the option to select one of their VPN servers in the UK to connect to using this device.
Does he mean a subscription/contract with a VPN servce [I’m with Surfshark a.t.mo. and access iPlayer via one of their UK servers]
3] and the just connect to that access point instead. I think two sentences have merged to become something I don’t understand. ‘Just connect’ what? To what access point?
There are times when a diagram, like a photo, tells more/describes better than words. I have a feeling this may apply here. Someone who understands more about this stuff may understand the written instructions with no trouble. I’m trying to visualise the setup and failing.
