Whether you’re an avid Netflix user or not, you’ll be surprised by what we’ve uncovered. It’ll definitely change how you view the site.
Is Netflix Blocked in Australia?
Before you panic, the streaming service is not blocked in the country. If you’re from Australia, you’ll easily be able to create a Netflix account. You’ll also be able to sign-up for other streaming services.
When we say Netflix is “blocked” in Australia, we’re talking about the US’ library. You probably don’t know this, but every country has a different content line-up. If you go to America, you’d notice that their Netflix is more diverse than ours.
Our library is known to be lack-luster. We can access other country’s libraries. However, this is the result of some extra work. To understand this, we need to take a look at why Netflix differs around the world.
Why Are Netflix’s Libraries Different?
The streaming platform contains content from all over the world. When it includes shows into its line-up, it signs licensing agreements with them. The content may not be licensed in specific regions, which is why they’re not available there. An example of this is the FX anthology series, American Horror Story. Although available in the US’ library, it is not available in Australia.
With this in mind, you might’ve guessed that a VPN would help. It’ll connect you to a server in a foreign region. This would make Netflix think you’re from that location, letting you access its library. The server you connect to is all up to you. You need to make sure you use one that Netflix is available in, and has a library that’s better than Australia’s.
Of course, VPNs aren’t the only things that help. Smart DNS networks exist. They work similarly to virtual private networks. They route you to a proxy server in a foreign location. You can choose a proxy in a country that has a good content line-up. Smart DNS networks are specifically used to by-pass geo-blocks. They don’t hide or encrypt your connection. To be honest, they’re also not that common.
Also read:
Can All VPNs By-Pass Netflix’s Block?
Netflix knows what you’re up to. They regularly black-list servers. These servers are usually from free VPNs. Free VPNs have a limited number of servers, which are shared amongst them.
Virtual private networks you’d pay for have thousands of servers. Some of the best have 5000+. This makes it impossible for Netflix to black-list all of them. They’re not shared too, which makes them safe.
This doesn’t mean that all paid VPNs work, though. Our personal favourites are ExpressVPN, CyberGhost, NordVPN, and PrivateVPN.
In terms of Smart DNS networks, the same rules apply. Netflix has been cracking down on them. Since there are fewer DNS proxies than VPNs, the choices to access the US’ library are limited.
What Should You Look for In A VPN?
You’ll probably go crazy trying to choose a VPN. Below are some things that make up a good one.
Large Range of Servers
You’re trying to access the Netflix libraries abroad. This means that the more servers available, the more content libraries you’ll have access to. If you only want to access the US’ library, a VPN with a good number of American servers is a must.
Kill-Switches
Kill-switches prevent your data from being sent back to your ISP. If your VPN ever goes offline, data is stopped from entering and leaving your device. If not for this, you’d get a proxy error. The streaming service would know what you’re up to.
Kill-switches are considered a luxury feature. You don’t usually see them in free VPNs. Cheaper paid ones that offer them may not make the stopping of data immediate.
Speed
Even paid VPNs struggle with speed. It’d be shame if you spend on one just to have Netflix buffer. To know which network is the fastest, check user reviews.
Encryption
This doesn’t really help with Netflix, but you’re probably going to use the VPN for all sorts of things. It needs to have a military lock. When your data is tunneled to the server, it’s sent in code. How hard the code is to crack depends on the encryption used. If it’s very secure, you’ll never have to worry about hackers again.
Price
When it comes to VPNs, price matters. You’ll see that the best ones cost a pretty penny. This doesn’t mean that you should spend a lot.
Over $12 for a monthly plan is regarded as expensive. A couple of VPNs that cost as much are ExpressVPN and CyberGhost. Thankfully, these two regularly offer sales.
How Do You Use A VPN?
With the above out of the way, you know how helpful a VPN can be. You’re probably interested in downloading one but are wondering how to use it for Netflix. Let’s talk about this.
Pick Your Poison
The first step is to decide on a VPN to download. Most (see below) can be downloaded on a range of devices, so compatibility is not an issue.
Download It
You can download it from its site. It’ll load like a normal file. Be sure to accept everything that pops up.
On a handset, you’ll have to download it from your Play Store. Depending on the OS your phone uses, you might not be able to download it. Some VPNs are only available on Android devices.
Create Your Account
Whatever VPN you download, you’ll be asked to create an account. You’ll get a verification code to activate it. When you sign devices in, they’ll have access to its servers.
Adjust the Protocol
How you connect to a server is decided by the protocol used. Virtual private networks use many, so you can change them if you want. But you might not want to do this. The best one is automatically chosen.
Activate the Kill-Switch
Hopefully, it’s already activated. Just in case, check the settings and set it to automatic.
Choose the Server
If you want to access American Netflix, you’ll have to choose a server in the country. The network should recommend the fastest server in the country. Connect to it, and voila! You now have unblocked access.
How Do You Use A Smart DNS Network?
If you thought using a VPN was complicated, wait till you hear how to use a Smart DNS proxy.
Choose Your Poison
Just like a VPN, you’ll have to choose which one you want to work with. There are fewer Smart DNS proxies than virtual private networks.
Create Your Account
With the program downloaded, you’ll have to create an account. Depending on the DNS network installed, the type of devices it can be used for will defer.
Go to User Settings
This is where things get complicated. This step defers per operating system, so let’s touch on how it works for Windows 10.
- You’ll need to head to your Control Panel. Then, Network and Internet, which would lead you to the Network and Sharing Center. You’ll see a Change Adapter Settings.
- Click on your Wi-Fi/Ethernet and then Properties. Choose Internet Protocol Version 4, and then Properties again.
- Input the IP of a proxy server from your DNS. The closer the server is to you, the faster it’ll be. There should be a range of IPs from America – input one.
Conclusion
To sum things up, Netflix is not blocked in Australia. When people ask this question, they are talking about the US’ library. Netflix – like other streaming services, has content libraries for specific regions. They are present due to licensing agreements. To prevent people from these areas from accessing the content, they are geo-blocked.
This is unfortunate as American Netflix is known to be very diverse. Thankfully, there are ways to get around this. You’ll have to change your IP. All you’ll have to do is connect to a VPN. It’ll conceal your IP while sending your data to a server abroad. Since you want to access American Netflix, you’ll have to use an American server.
Be mindful of the VPN you use. Not all of them can by-pass Netflix’s blocks. This is especially true for free ones.
You should also keep in mind the services it offers. Your best bet would be to work with a network that has a lot of servers. It should also have fast connection speeds and a price that isn’t too bad. Our personal favourites are Express, Nord, CyberGhost, and PrivateVPN.
Instead of using a virtual private network, you could also use a Smart DNS proxy. It also changes your IP. It connects you to a proxy server of your choice. However, it doesn’t encrypt your data. It doesn’t promise anonymity either.
Proxy networks are primarily used to overcome geo-blocks. This isn’t a surprise as they’re faster than their counterpart. Not only are Smart DNS proxies not as common, but they’re more difficult to use.
Hopefully, you enjoyed everything we said. Which of the above points do you find the most useful?