zero269
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UPDATE: Check out my AnyStream User Guide (Unofficial).
I started using VPN with AnyStream just a month or so after I first started using this amazing product. I've seen others in various threads indicating they are too, and some are interested in knowing more. I will share my experiences here to help those who want to add this option to their arsenal as well.
Contents:
A few things to understand before going down this route.
RedFox obviously supports AnyStream, so do not expect them to support issues you experience when using it over a VPN connection. However, from my experience, if you provide a log file and an honest description of your symptoms - including that you were using vpn - they may be more likely to look at the log file and determine if any action is warranted on their end. You should assume that no support will be provided in these instances due to complexities of the various VPN providers.
Providers (APV, NF, D+):
I first experimented between:
There are a variety of ways to find titles within your own region or another:
My first choice is using JustWatch. Credit goes to @VonB for recommending such as great resource.
Registering for a free account gives you plenty of features to find movies/shows. Whether to stream, rent or buy, they got you covered. You can switch between countries using the Streaming in drop down arrow, and can even report an issue if something is incorrect or unavailable for streaming. Also available on Android and iOS.
Unogs is specifically for NF. When looking for content outside your region, this is my first choice. You can do a Quick Search by title in the upper right. Select the title, and use the Direct Path link. You will likely need to check several countries before finding it. You can narrow your choices by filtering by VPN service.
Use Country Details to browse new videos or expiring videos by country.
Benchmark/Testing:
To gain a better understanding on what VPN connections may yield better results, you can benchmark your VPN connection before testing an AS download. Test with short episodes to get your testing done quicker, versus a long movie. Track your results in Excel for easy reference.
Most VPN services have a split tunneling feature that lets you choose specific programs to run through VPN, instead of your entire system. This feature lets me choose only AnyStream to run through VPN; not my entire system. This is a must for me.
In NordPVN for example, go to Settings > Split tunneling > Enable VPN for selected apps only > Add apps (button)
I run the Speedtest app through the VPN connection as well, for benchmarking my various VPN connections for testing. Connect to Canada and then run Speedtest which will run a speed test based on a Canada location. Bell Mobility in Vancouver, BC in this case.
Usage per Provider:
Note: Login to each provider you intend to use; turn off the ones you will not use. See Provider Settings.
Using AS wth VPN:
Note: I'm in the US, and I've pretty much got my order of precedence for the (NF) provider: Canada, Brazil, Italy, France, Germany then Australia. I will look to Spain, Netherlands, UK, Japan and India if titles were not available in my first order, or if they only offered SD content, and I want to check if HD is available in my second order. Note: My order of precedence was based on my VPN benchmarking and performance results. Yours will be different.
D+: I have not tested this one and personally I don't think you will find any content based on region/country unless it's language specific content. However, if you are currently subscribed to D+, give it a shot and share your findings.
NF: Just use the two steps above for Using AS with VPN and use like normal. Too easy…
APV: This one is a lot trickier. This one requires changing the Region in AS, General Settings. Treat this one as Step 1, and then close AS. Now just follow the original two steps above for Using AS with VPN.
I tried Canada, and had no success which is what prompted me to create this thread: APV Canada Not Accessible in AS using Other Region. Please support that thread by asking for support from the DEV TEAM.
I started using VPN with AnyStream just a month or so after I first started using this amazing product. I've seen others in various threads indicating they are too, and some are interested in knowing more. I will share my experiences here to help those who want to add this option to their arsenal as well.
Contents:
- Prerequisites
- Limited Support
- Providers
- Backstory
- Finding Titles
- Benchmark/Testing
- Usage per Provider
A few things to understand before going down this route.
- Support from RedFox is limited, but plausible in some instances. See Limited Support below.
- Finding titles can be a little challenging which can frustrate and deter you. See Finding Titles below.
- Not all VPN services work, or work as well as others. Recommend using trial versions before committing.
- Performance will be impacted versus a non-vpn connection. Some regions/countries will be slower than others, and some so slow they are not worth it. Experiment with various regions/countries with each trial service you use. See Benchmark/Testing below.
- Not all providers within AnyStream (3 to date) will benefit from using VPN.
RedFox obviously supports AnyStream, so do not expect them to support issues you experience when using it over a VPN connection. However, from my experience, if you provide a log file and an honest description of your symptoms - including that you were using vpn - they may be more likely to look at the log file and determine if any action is warranted on their end. You should assume that no support will be provided in these instances due to complexities of the various VPN providers.
Providers (APV, NF, D+):
- APV: This one is limited to certain regions/countries and requires trial and error.
- NF: Easy to use. Only challenge is locating titles of interest. You may find some have a title in 1080 vs 480 elsewhere, but rare.
- D+: Never tested. Considering it's a proprietary provider, chances are you'll see little difference in selection.
I first experimented between:
- ExpressVPN: This one worked more for mobile devices and not so much for Windows.
- NordVPN: This one worked great for Windows, but not so much for mobile devices.
There are a variety of ways to find titles within your own region or another:
My first choice is using JustWatch. Credit goes to @VonB for recommending such as great resource.
Registering for a free account gives you plenty of features to find movies/shows. Whether to stream, rent or buy, they got you covered. You can switch between countries using the Streaming in drop down arrow, and can even report an issue if something is incorrect or unavailable for streaming. Also available on Android and iOS.
Code:
https://www.justwatch.com/us
Use Country Details to browse new videos or expiring videos by country.
Code:
https://unogs.com
Some other options are:
https://www.whats-on-netflix.com/whats-new
https://www.amazon.com/primeinsider
To gain a better understanding on what VPN connections may yield better results, you can benchmark your VPN connection before testing an AS download. Test with short episodes to get your testing done quicker, versus a long movie. Track your results in Excel for easy reference.
Most VPN services have a split tunneling feature that lets you choose specific programs to run through VPN, instead of your entire system. This feature lets me choose only AnyStream to run through VPN; not my entire system. This is a must for me.
In NordPVN for example, go to Settings > Split tunneling > Enable VPN for selected apps only > Add apps (button)
- AnyStream
- Speedtest available in the Microsoft Store for free
I run the Speedtest app through the VPN connection as well, for benchmarking my various VPN connections for testing. Connect to Canada and then run Speedtest which will run a speed test based on a Canada location. Bell Mobility in Vancouver, BC in this case.
Usage per Provider:
Note: Login to each provider you intend to use; turn off the ones you will not use. See Provider Settings.
Using AS wth VPN:
- Establish a VPN connection and wait for your VPN IP Address to be assigned before proceeding.
- Open AnyStream and browse content like usual.
Note: If you need to change the Region in AS, you must change it first, close AS and then perform the two steps above. This only applies to APV for now; see below.
Note: I'm in the US, and I've pretty much got my order of precedence for the (NF) provider: Canada, Brazil, Italy, France, Germany then Australia. I will look to Spain, Netherlands, UK, Japan and India if titles were not available in my first order, or if they only offered SD content, and I want to check if HD is available in my second order. Note: My order of precedence was based on my VPN benchmarking and performance results. Yours will be different.
D+: I have not tested this one and personally I don't think you will find any content based on region/country unless it's language specific content. However, if you are currently subscribed to D+, give it a shot and share your findings.
NF: Just use the two steps above for Using AS with VPN and use like normal. Too easy…
APV: This one is a lot trickier. This one requires changing the Region in AS, General Settings. Treat this one as Step 1, and then close AS. Now just follow the original two steps above for Using AS with VPN.
- You can switch your display language using the flag icon to the right of the search bar.
- Your login may require additional confirmation using a CAPTCHA by typing in some characters.
- You may need to authorize the login via a text message.
- I had to look up Genehmigen (authorize) and Ablehnen (reject) in German, so I didn't choose the wrong option.
I tried Canada, and had no success which is what prompted me to create this thread: APV Canada Not Accessible in AS using Other Region. Please support that thread by asking for support from the DEV TEAM.
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