We have plenty of good, affordable SmartDNS providers listed on the site, but not everyone has cash to spare. Fortunately, if you have some decent networking skills, a bit of time to invest into the effort and a burning desire to watch HBO Now, Hulu and other popular streaming sites from outside the US, there is a solution.
It’s Technical, but Accessible
Before we get started, be aware that this does get a bit technical. We skipped the step-by-step instructions, but we included links to everything you’ll need and resources that will help you configure the software involved.
If you’re technically well versed, this should work for you.
Get Set Up in the US
You need a US-based address to set up an account for the US version of any streaming service you’re interested in. Don’t fret; you don’t need to buy a house or rent an apartment to take care of this step.
Head over to Shipito or MyUS.com and you can get a US address to use for your signup. Both of these, and many other, services are used by people who want to order items from US retailers at US prices and have them shipped off to foreign countries. In this case, you’ll basically be doing the same, but with media.
After you have your US address, go ahead and setup an account on whatever service you’re interested in and use that address.
Of course, that still leaves payment and, once you use your credit card from outside the US, they’re going to know where you are, correct?
Not necessarily.
Gift Cards Are Wonderful Things
You can use a US gift card to pay for your service, which eliminates the address problem. Just check to see which giftcards your provider will accept. Some services, such as iTunes, have their own gift cards, allowing you to eliminate this issue very easily.
At this point, you have a US address, a US payment method and are ready to set up an account. Now comes the technical part.
Github to the Rescue
Go over to Github and you can download netflix-proxy. This is a DNS proxy package that uses BIND and SNIProxy. Using this, you can make it appear as if you’re coming from the US when you log into your service, even though you’re physically located somewhere else.
The original builder set up his proxy on DigitalOcean, though you could set this up on any host that provides you with the right tools.
Forward your DNS requests to your SmartDNS server and you’ll be able to watch Hulu, Netflix, HBO Now and other services without being restricted to a limited catalog.
Or, Just Take the Easy Route
We have great SmartDNS providers that charge less than $10 per month for their services, so don’t feel left out if the instructions for setting up your own DNS server are a bit beyond your capabilities. As a benefit, if the streaming services block your SmartDNS service, the service’s technicians will take care of it, which means you don’t have to reconfigure your own.
Either way, there’s no reason you shouldn’t be able to watch the streaming content you want, no matter where you are!
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