Traveling outside the US offers a lot of great opportunities, especially if you’re seeing exotic locations that are not always as well-known to Americans. However, if, like many others, you have favorite shows on Netflix that you don’t want to miss, what can you do? The good news is that you won’t have to wait to return home to watch these shows, thanks to proxy server technology.
Why Would You Be Unable to Watch?
Although Netflix is available in almost 70 countries or regions, a lot of the content is country or region-specific. If you’re watching a show that is only available in the US, the program would be unavailable if you tried to access it from a non-US IP number. Even Netflix customers with US-based accounts would have difficulty accessing their programs if connecting through a foreign connection with a non-US IP.
Examples of programming that would not be available outside the US include:
- Certain documentaries only released to American audiences
- American shows that have not been picked up by international distributors
- Movies and programming unavailable in certain countries because of censorship laws
How Do Proxy Servers Work?
Proxy servers help Internet users access websites that aren’t available in their region by providing a third-party or proxy connection. When you connect using the proxy server, your computer’s IP number is changed to appear as though you’re using a connection based in the US. Because Netflix detects a US IP number, your computer can connect to the American version, regardless of your location.
In short, proxy servers do the following:
- Provide a different IP number for your computer
- Communicate with the US servers, making your computer appear US-based
- Allow you to connect to sites you would otherwise be blocked from accessing
How This Helps in Travel
Depending on where you’ll be traveling, you might or might not have access to a broad range of TV programming. Some hotels in more remote locations have a limited range of cable or satellite stations. Others might charge extra to have access to movies.
When you use a proxy server like Smart DNS access to Netflix US, all of your favorites that you watch regularly are at your fingertips. In most cases, you should be able to access these programs with minimal interruptions. If you have a lot of free time when you’re not out sightseeing, you can binge-watch your favorites or keep your kids busy. Using a proxy server is likely to be one of your wisest choices.
