Geo-restrictions on video content have been a fact of life for a long time.
When streaming services first started gaining traction, their licensing deals obliged them to enforce those geo-restrictions, even though the new distribution model made possible by streaming no longer needed them.
Nonetheless, in the early days, it was trivial to sidestep those restrictions. All you had to do was connect to a VPN server located in the region where your desired content was available and you had instant access.
In reaction to that, certain streaming services, like Netflix, began actively blocking VPNs from their platforms.
Since then, we’ve seen a surge in VPN providers claiming to unblock Netflix – and some do, while others do not.
When we first tested ProtonVPN (now called Proton VPN) in 2020, it only claimed to unblock Netflix US, and that's what we got. Today, Proton says its paid plans unblock Netflix in many countries. Read on for the details.
The Netflix VPN Ban
January of 2016 is when Netflix started blocking VPNs from its service.
They did this, as I mentioned above, because they must respect and enforce the geo-restrictions imposed by content creators and distributors.
Many have qualified the move as extreme because there are plenty of other reasons to use a VPN besides bypassing geo-restrictions. Still, that’s the situation to this day: Netflix has never officially allowed VPNs.
What has changed is how Netflix reacts when it detects one. As reported by TorrentFreak in 2020, users on a VPN could often still log in and watch, but geo-restricted titles were hidden. Content Netflix has worldwide rights to, such as most of its own series, remained available.
You may still see the proxy error pictured above, though. And on a detected VPN, you'll only see part of the library, which is rarely what you were after.
How Does the Ban Work?
The techniques used to ban VPNs all come down to traffic analysis in some shape or form.
Let’s look at some of the possible techniques used to enforce the ban.
Ports Used
We’ll start with the weakest detection method: ports.
Most VPN protocols have a default port assignment and that port is typically (and sometimes invariably) used to create the VPN tunnel.
Seeing all traffic flowing from a popular VPN protocol’s default port may well give away the fact that you’re on a VPN.
With the rise of OpenVPN and WireGuard, this is less of a concern, as these protocols can run over arbitrary ports.
Here are the default ports used by three of the most secure VPN protocols:
- IKEv2 – ports 500, 4500
- OpenVPN – port 1194
- WireGuard – port 51820
So, if you don’t want your VPN use to be detected, stick with OpenVPN or WireGuard over an arbitrary port, rather than using IKEv2, which can only run on ports 500 & 4500.
Proton VPN also has its own Stealth protocol, which wraps WireGuard in an ordinary-looking encrypted (TLS) connection, much like regular HTTPS traffic. It was built for countries that block VPNs, but it also makes your VPN use harder to spot.
Fully Encrypted Traffic
This one is a bit ironic. The encryption used to secure your traffic can also give away the fact that you’re using a VPN.
Normally (i.e. without a VPN), when someone connects to a website, most of the connection is encrypted, but some parts, such as some lookups and older elements, may still travel unencrypted.
Not so with a VPN. When connecting over a VPN, every single packet you download is encrypted. And that can be used to deduce VPN use.
Predictable Traffic Patterns
Another way to detect VPNs is by looking at traffic patterns.
When you use a VPN, the act of encrypting your traffic requires certain repetitive operations to be performed at regular intervals.
Further, these operations generate the same number of data packets in exactly the same sequence every time they run.
This predictability can also flag VPN use.
VPN Server IP Lists
This is likely the main way VPNs are detected and blocked.
Connecting to a VPN server changes your public IP address to the IP address of the server. This affords you a bit more privacy, as your real IP is hidden and cannot be used to locate or identify you.
But the IP addresses of VPN servers are public.
Because these addresses are public, it’s possible to compile lists of VPN server IP addresses. I used the word “possible”, but this practice is very real. Here’s an example of such lists.
With such lists in hand, it becomes a trivial matter to detect and block those IP addresses. And this is very likely the main way Netflix’s VPN ban is enforced.
And this would also explain why VPN providers who do unblock Netflix have a simple trick if ever a VPN server over which Netflix was accessible suddenly stops working: switch servers.
This is because the reason why the server stopped working is that its IP likely got blacklisted. Until that server’s IP gets rotated, you’ll need to find a server with an IP address that isn’t blacklisted.
Can The Ban Be Bypassed?
Yes, it can.
Many providers, such as NordVPN, ExpressVPN, and Surfshark, enable Netflix access over their networks.
Proton VPN makes that claim too, and no longer only for Netflix US.
So, Does ProtonVPN Support Netflix?
Yes, Proton VPN is streaming-friendly, and it works with Netflix.
When I first tested it, from Canada in 2020, Proton only supported Netflix US. I was up and streaming within seconds on Netflix US. The UI was fast and responsive; the streaming had no buffering issues.
Since then, Proton has extended its streaming support to many more countries. Its support page on Netflix and its streaming guide list the libraries it supports, including the UK, Canada, Australia, Germany, France and Japan besides the US.
There is one important condition: streaming is only supported on Proton's paid plans, such as VPN Plus and Proton Unlimited. The free plan is great for privacy, but it isn't meant for streaming and gives you little control over the server you connect to, so don't count on it for Netflix.
How to Watch Netflix With Proton VPN
- Sign up for a paid Proton VPN plan and install the app on the device you watch on (Proton has apps for computers, phones and Android TV).
- Connect to a server in the country whose Netflix library you want.
- Open Netflix, or restart the Netflix app if it was already open.
- If you get the proxy error or a strangely small library, switch to another server in the same country, or try the Stealth protocol.
Wrapping Up
So Proton VPN does support Netflix, and these days in far more countries than just the US. You'll need a paid plan, though.
Just remember to switch servers if it unexpectedly stops working. No VPN can guarantee Netflix access for good.
Try ProtonVPN. They’re recommended and they have a 30-day money-back guarantee.
For more information on ProtonVPN, check out our ProtonVPN review.
