Vacation time is sometimes also Netflix time: When it's raining outside and you're stuck in a hotel room, holiday home or caravan, streaming services can bring the necessary variety. However, Netflix and Co. have a major disadvantage: They do not deliver the content based on the user's settings, but based on their location. You can determine this via the IP address, which in turn is country-specific. In other words: If you are stuck in the constant Atlantic rain on a campsite in Brittany, you will most likely only get French Netflix, Prime and Co. A VPN can work around this problem.
Watch German Netflix abroad via FritzBox - that's how it works
There are two types of VPN, if the term is used: One is a so-called VPN provider, the other a VPN that you set up yourself and that runs through your FritzBox at home. Both can help to watch Netflix, Prime and Co. abroad - because all the streaming services need for the correct delivery of the content is a German IP address. This is exactly what VPN delivers, regardless of whether you set up the VPN on your router or use a VPN service provider: However, it is important to connect to a German VPN server. Either the VPN connection to the FritzBox at home can do that, since it works for a German provider anyway. Or a VPN service that also has German servers on offer.
In both cases, the entertainment problem in the holiday home is quickly solved. How to watch German Netflix abroad via FritzBox is explained below:
- Set up a VPN remote access in the FritzBox. You can read how this works in our instructions on setting up a VPN on a FritzBox. Make sure that the box can also be reached from outside, for example via DynDNS or MyFritz account.
- First test the connection at home by tethering the computer to your smartphone and leaving the WLAN.
- First activate the VPN connection to the FritzBox on your computer, tablet or smartphone. If you can call up the FritzBox interface, you can also access the box when you are out and about.
- Connect to your home Internet connection via the VPN connection while on vacation and enjoy German Netflix, Prime and Co. abroad.
Netflix and Prime prevent foreign versions from being viewed
Previously possible, but now problematic is another variant of the Netflix VPN story: watching foreign versions of Netflix and Prime with a German account. Until some time ago this was possible without any problems with any VPN service, but now the streaming providers “hunt” corresponding services and can recognize VPN services. While it was still possible some time ago to access the American version of Netflix via an American VPN server, for example, in order to be able to watch series not listed in Germany or new episodes of the favorite series well before the start of Germany, this strategy is now being prevented. This is done on the one hand by coupling the country IP with the location of the account:In addition to the IP address, the address and language version of the account are now also used to check the content. Which is why it is becoming more and more difficult to find VPN service providers who still run foreign-language versions of the services..
The reason for this is a rights problem: the broadcasting rights are granted on a country-specific basis. This is also the reason why US Netflix often has significantly more seasons of a (US) series than the German version. If users can still access this content, Netflix is violating its license, which is why the service, like its competitors, is now actively preventing VPN services. However, Netflix is currently particularly restrictive here, and overblocking even occurs, for example when German Netflix content is used in public German WLAN networks. Even some providers were affected at the beginning of the year. Incidentally, the use of VPN was no longer allowed since the provider changed the terms and conditions of Netflix in 2015, but it looks like Netflix has only really implemented the block since the beginning of 2019.
Watch American Netflix via VPN
Unfortunately, if your VPN provider has been hit by the Netflix VPN block, there is not much you can do. However, there is a workaround: If you want to watch US content from Netflix in Germany, you can use alternative VPN services that use P2P technology..
- Get a subscription to a VPN service. There are different providers here, but due to the blockade by Netflix you should only use providers with test versions or a money-back guarantee in order to check without risk whether Netflix works here.
- Connect the computer, tablet or smartphone to the VPN service using the service's app. Choose an American server in the VPN tool.
- Open the Netflix website or app: If the VPN provider is not yet recognized, you can now watch US content.