How to Unlock Geo-Restricted Content Using a VPN?

Geo-blocking – Whether it is implemented by the government authorities or by the service provider itself, it can be pretty annoying. That should be more so when you look at the geo-blocking enabled on streaming services such as Netflix. Can you unlock geo-Blocking using VPN? Can you unlock geo-restricted content using a VPN? Let us try figuring it out. 

What is Geo-Blocking? 

Geo-Blocking is a short form for Geographical Blocking. It is also called Geo-Restriction. That means the website or service you are planning to access is blocking access to the content based on your geographical location. The service will monitor your IP address and find where you are accessing the service from. They will then authorize or restrict the access to the service based on your IP address. 

There are several reasons a geo-blocking is implemented by the governments or service providers. A few common reasons can include licensing, copyright, and some issues with the jurisdiction. 

Can you unlock Geo-restricted content using a VPN service? 

Yes, you can use a VPN service for bypassing the Geo-restriction. With the right VPN as your savior, you should be able to unlock geo-restricted content using a VPN service. The VPN simply works by routing your internet connection through another server, which has an IP address of another country. It would thus make the service provider think that you are visiting the site from that particular country. 

Imagine you are looking to watch the content available on Netflix in France. With the Geo-restriction ON, you cannot watch a few shows that are licensed only for French territories. But, with a VPN service in place, you can use a France specific server and watch the content meant for France alone. You are simply tricking Netflix into believing that you are watching the content on it from Frane and not from the US (or any other country where the content is restricted). 

Should you use the dedicated IP address?

One of the best options is to use a dedicated IP service on the VPN. The dedicated IP VPN service comes with a dual advantage. In the case of a regular VPN service, your IP address will keep changing every time you use the service. However, with the dedicated IP VPN access, you will get the protection of a VPN service with a fixed IP address. 

The dedicated IP address VPN comes with several advantages and benefits. Some of the prime benefits that you stand to gain with the dedicated IP address would include 

• It works with all the major connection protocols – It will work on almost all the protocols. You do not need to make choices or compromises.

• It protects all your connected devices – All your devices can share the same IP address. There is no limit on the devices that you can connect to. 

• Handle manual connections – You can use the downloadable configuration file for manual connections. 

• Better privacy options – The dedicated IP address does away with the possibility of your IP being abused by others. 
• Enhance access to IP-sensitive websites – Some websites may be sensitive to changes in the IP address. In such a scenario, a dedicated IP address can prove to be of practical usage. 

Can I unlock geo-restriction with a free VPN or proxy?

Free VPNs may struggle in when they try to unlock the geo-restrictions. They come with a smaller list of servers, and thus the service providers can restrict all of them right away. Even the free proxies come with the similar issues. 

That apart, the free VPN services also suffer from the issues such as privacy. With the free VPNs, you always have several problems, such as malware and leaking personal information. Moreover, since these services have a vast number of users and limited resources, they may suffer from slower speeds. You may come across a lot of buffering and lagging performance. 

Is it legal to unlock geo-restriction? 

What is legal may not be morally right, or conversely, what is moral may not be legal. However, most of countries do not have specific guidelines or laws that govern the use of VPN to access geo-restricted content. 

VPN services themselves are completely legal and are designed to provide an enhanced level of privacy. Considering VPN services illegal just because they let you watch geo-restricted content is not wise, as long as I can think. 

However, it may also be noticed that using a VPN service to watch the streaming content is against the terms of service in most of the service providers. Some services like Netflix have a robust VPN detection algorithm and can find out if you are using a VPN service. However, even when they may detect and restrict your access to the content that you are trying to watch, there are no legal consequences that you may need to be careful about. 

The Closing Thoughts

Bypassing geo-restricted content can be a tough choice. However, investing in a good VPN service can prove to be handy in offering you a higher degree of success in unlocking geo-restricted content. You no longer need to worry about not being able to watch your favorite content anymore; a good VPN service – especially one with a dedicated IP address should help you in achieving better results. 

A Few FAQs

Can you use a VPN to bypass geographic restrictions?

A VPN like SurfShark lets you bypass geo-restriction. VPNs can simply disguise your IP address and may make the website believe that you are coming to the site from another country. 

Is Geo Blocking Legal?

Yes, geo-blocking or geo-restriction is completely legal. The primary reason that websites and other services use geo-restriction is to protect the owners of the copyright and also take care of the licensing of the content to different regions. 

What is the best VPN for unlocking geo-restriction? 

In my opinion, SurfShark is the best VPN for unlocking geo-restriction on your device. The AES 256 encryption is yet another plus point that you would find quite powerful on the VPN service. You also stand to gain truly faster connection speeds.