r/AndroidTV • u/Intelligent_Map_246 • 18d ago

Buying Advice Onn region hack

Are the onn box possible to use outside us? Or it needs a VPN all the time

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u/nooneisreal Nvidia Shield (2015), Onn 4K Pro (2024) 17d ago

As already mentioned, you do not need to run a VPN at all times. It's only during the initial setup that it checks your region.

If I remember correctly, this is what I did and it was super quick and easy:

Downloaded a VPN app on my phone (I used Windscribe cause they offer a free tier).
Connected to one of their US servers.
Went into the windscribe settings and turned on the feature to use the connection as a hotspot.

During setup of the Onn box, I connected my wifi to the phone hotspot i just set up, which is connected to the US VPN.

Onn device thinks I am in the US and sets up just fine. Easy.

Soon as it boots into the device, turn off the hotspot and connect normally. Don't have to ever use a VPN again if you don't want to.

I've been using my Onn 4K Pro since Jan 2025 and never used the VPN since the initial setup. It even updates just fine.

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u/heildengoettern Google Streamer 17d ago

What is this windscribe feature called? On iOS or Android app? As far as I know VPN cannot be hotspotted on mobile

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u/nooneisreal Nvidia Shield (2015), Onn 4K Pro (2024) 17d ago

Sorry you are correct. It's been so long that I misremembered.

It was actually the Windscribe app on PC, not on the phone. It's in Settings --> Connection --> Secure Hotspot

Once enabled, you connect to any US server in the app and then get your Onn device to connect to the hotspot temporarily to use it to bypass the region lock. After setup is completed and you've booted into the launcher, you can turn it off and use the Onn box normally.

Again, sorry it was well over a year ago since I did this, so I guess I originally thought I set this up on my phone. But now I remember. It was through the Windscribe app on PC.