ANSWERED Geoblocking from Spain despite VPN?

[CultureVulture 30]

Hello community.

This morning I tried to watch a football match on the Spanish public TV RTVE. Normally, this would be geoblocked, but since I became a member of AirVPN, I have been able to overcome the geoblocking just fine by connecting to Sador, the (only) Spain-based server.

 

This morning, though, I couldn't get the match to run. The webpage comes up fine, but the actual video remained resolutely black, and the explanation on the webpage given was that if the video screen was black, this was due to issues of screening rights. I have to interpret this as geoblocking, but surely, if I am accessing via the Spanish server, I should have overcome this? I repeat I have had no issues with this up until now, I have been able to access other stuff that would normally be geoblocked without the VPN.I tried with three different computers, all running on OSX.

 

Any thoughts? It was frustrating to miss the match! Ugh!

Thanks.

[NaDre 154]

It is possible that they have learned about the existence of the Spanish server and now treat it as foreign.

 

First though, make sure that your DNS is set up so that DNS queries also come from the Spanish server, not your ISP, as they could also be checking this. You can use AirVPN's IP leak test for this:

 

http://ipleak.net/

 

UPDATE:

 

Just realized that you said OSX. So the following won't be any help. Sorry.

 

===

 

If IP leak shows an issue, then see for example:

 

/topic/9289-dns-leaks-and-how-to-fix-them/?p=11603

 

or

 

/topic/9787-the-pros-and-the-cons/?do=findComment&comment=11501

[CultureVulture 30]

No, that's right. I am running three computers via AirVPN, one on Snow Leopard, one on Mountain Lion, one on Mavericks, and OpenVPN on all of them. I actually ran the IP leak test on two of these computers, and there were no DNS leaks. I could try the third, but am anticipating the same result.

 

Does this mean therefore that the Spanish server is now identified by RTVE as foreign and I am effectively blocked with nothing I can do, or are there other possible explanations? I joined AirVPN mostly for privacy reasons, but the existence of the Spanish server was also pretty compelling, as there is geoblocked content on Spanish websites that I really value access to.

 

I have been reading through these forums just for my own learning, and I thought that DNS leaks only affected Windows, so I was a bit confused by your initial feedback, but then again, my knowledge of computers is limited to switching them on. I am to the geek community what a turnip is to a tiger. It's pretty embarrassing sticking my head up at all.

 

 I should perhaps add that it's not the entire website that's geoblocked. There is always a large amount of content always available, such as their 24 news service. It's always been a few bits of the site that always get blocked, such as the football.

 

Anyhow, grateful for any ideas and feedback.

[6501166996442015 35]

DNS leaks are not operating system specific. They are usually the outcome of incorrect setup or clashing DNS information, i.e someone has set a specific DNS in their computer, but their modem is forcing them to use the ISP's DNS.

 

I have been reading through these forums just for my own learning, and I thought that DNS leaks only affected Windows, so I was a bit confused by your initial feedback, but then again, my knowledge of computers is limited to switching them on. I am to the geek community what a turnip is to a tiger. It's pretty embarrassing sticking my head up at all.

[CultureVulture 30]

I see. Thanks for that clarification.

[Staff 9751]

DNS leaks are not operating system specific. They are usually the outcome of incorrect setup or clashing DNS information, i.e someone has set a specific DNS in their computer, but their modem is forcing them to use the ISP's DNS.

 

Hello,

 

it depends on the definition. We define a "DNS leak" a DNS query sent unencrypted outside the tunnel against the correct system configuration. If a system is explicitly configured to send out an unencrypted DNS query, that's not a DNS leak: the system just does what it is ordered to do.

 

With this definition DNS leaks are possible only in Windows, because it's the only OS that lacks a proper DNS implementation: it lacks the concept of global DNS, every network card must have its own DNS servers. This flaw may cause a chain of events which bring to real DNS leaks through svchost.exe.

 

Kind regards

[CultureVulture 30]

I'm glad I didn't totally misinterpret what I was reading in forums. However, just to be sure, I ran the IP leak test across all devices -in my case, the iPad, and two computers (run separately, as I don't run AirVPN through the router), and my partner has got his own AirVPN account also. Not one of the devices showed any DNS leak, and none of them allowed us to watch that match.

 

We last used Sador to avoid geoblocking on New Year's Eve to watch a show that has always been blocked to us before. We were as happy as pigs in mud. Our joy was shortlived.

 

If I can find a proxy that uses a Spanish server, is that one way around this problem?

[wer 14]

I'm glad I didn't totally misinterpret what I was reading in forums. However, just to be sure, I ran the IP leak test across all devices -in my case, the iPad, and two computers (run separately, as I don't run AirVPN through the router), and my partner has got his own AirVPN account also. Not one of the devices showed any DNS leak, and none of them allowed us to watch that match.

 

We last used Sador to avoid geoblocking on New Year's Eve to watch a show that has always been blocked to us before. We were as happy as pigs in mud. Our joy was shortlived.

 

If I can find a proxy that uses a Spanish server, is that one way around this problem?

Hello ocelot,

 

I just wanted to tell you that I don't experience any problems watching TVE via Sador. I have geolocation disabled in firefox. I don't think the server is blacklisted otherwise I wouldn't have been able to watch the programme. Maybe you need to check your browser settings again.

 

Cheers!

[CultureVulture 30]

Really???? Wow. I haven't changed any browser settings recently (at least, that I can remember), so it seems weird that previously I could watch stuff on this channel, and now I can't. But I will definitely check my browser settings and see.

 

Bear in mind also that most of the content on RTVE is never geoblocked anyway. It's only certain programs that they lock down. I am wondering whether you were watching programs that are always "open"? Thanks for the comment, though. I will definitely follow up. Thanks, wer!

[wer 14]

Really???? Wow. I haven't changed any browser settings recently (at least, that I can remember), so it seems weird that previously I could watch stuff on this channel, and now I can't. But I will definitely check my browser settings and see.

 

Bear in mind also that most of the content on RTVE is never geoblocked anyway. It's only certain programs that they lock down. I am wondering whether you were watching programs that are always "open"? Thanks for the comment, though. I will definitely follow up. Thanks, wer!

You are welcome! Like you I was watching a football match (Champions League) which is definitely not open. There are several notes on the page saying so.

 

Maybe it wasn't your fault then and it was just bad luck. Sometimes streams don't work. It happens. Just try again!

[CultureVulture 30]

wer- you were right, the server is not blacklisted. I have tried again via Sador, and it is working fine now. I tried what you suggested about disabling geolocation in Firefox, but it isn't even necessary. Sador is fine even with geolocation enabled. It must have been a bum stream.

 

Just one super dumb question (can't resist asking, as I am puzzled, and you seem like a friendly person) - if the receiving server (say, RTVE) is not seeing my original IP address (it is only seeing Sador's IP address), why is it relevant to disable geolocation in the browser? I am assuming that the site must be able to detect the use of a VPN, is it therefore assuming that the originating request comes from outside Spain?

 

I am cringing asking this question here, but I guess, nothing ventured, nothing gained.

[wer 14]

Just one super dumb question (can't resist asking, as I am puzzled, and you seem like a friendly person) - if the receiving server (say, RTVE) is not seeing my original IP address (it is only seeing Sador's IP address), why is it relevant to disable geolocation in the browser? I am assuming that the site must be able to detect the use of a VPN, is it therefore assuming that the originating request comes from outside Spain?

 

 

Glad that it works now!

As to your question: Not a dumb question. I've been asking this myself several times. To be honest, I really don't know. I read a lot about geolocation and how it works but it was months ago and I forgot most of it. What I (think I) do remember is the following: It has something to do with your wireless network and signal strength (I don't use wireless very often).

 

Of course, there are differences depending on how you access the internet and what services you use. Using an app on a phone, there might be GPS, Wifi signal and other stuff involved trying to triangulate your exact location. There are a lot of apps making use of this. A lot of people like it and even want their friends to know where they are. I find this to be a little scary and I don't want people to know where I go. I don't use any Google services or the likes. But then, I don't even have a smartphone. 

 

Another thing is Javascript. Use NoScript while surfing the net and you should be okay. Ipv6 is said to reveal your location somehow as well. Disable it.

 

I think that the majority of web pages still tries to identify the user via IP-geolocation. In our case, you have a spanish IP and that's enough. If you don't experience any problems there is no need to turn it off. But you are using a VPN to not be identified easily so I think it's a good thing to always disable geolocation.

 

There's also a nice tutorial on how to access Youtube videos without Flash and with free software only. Works nicely:

http://gluglug.org.uk/tutorials/accessing-youtube/

 

[Staff 9751]

Just one super dumb question (can't resist asking, as I am puzzled, and you seem like a friendly person) - if the receiving server (say, RTVE) is not seeing my original IP address (it is only seeing Sador's IP address), why is it relevant to disable geolocation in the browser?

 

Hello!

 

Because the service could use different methods than your IP address to detect which country you're in. For example the service can (in HTML5) just ask your browser which country you're in and your browser (if authorized) will tell it.

 

Kind regards

[CultureVulture 30]

OK, got it. Thanks to you both.