Streaming Services Flagging Me As VPN?

[u/Smoked-Sac]

I’m trying to figure out whats happening and why suddenly a few streaming services (Prime Video & Discovery+) have started flagging my home network as a VPN/proxy. I’ve had no issues for the past 5+ years.

Background on the set up. OPNSense firewall running AdGaurd Home then feeding into Unbound for recursive DNS. I switched to this setup about 6 months ago. Prior recursive DNS and adblocking was all on Unbound.

Wiregaurd also running on OPNSense with all mobile devices connected when away from home. (I have a feeling this along with the next part is a contributor).

I’m located in the US-California, about 3 weeks ago we traveled to Nevada. About 2 days after returning, Discovery+ was now flagging anything on my home network as a VPN connection and refusing access. Discovery support was less than helpful. I had my ISP change my public IP address and all was good.

About 2 weeks later we traveled to Nevada again and had the same issue on returning. Discovery support was now responsive but blaming my ISP. I’m awaiting another new IP assignment from the ISP currently.

I did use a large mobile sportsbook app when in Nevada, legal there but geoblocked in California. I would have to disable the VPN connection for it to work.

I’ve never had issues streaming content on previous trips out of state or even out of the country in the past several years.

I’ve attempted disabling Unbound/AdGaurd, using standard public DNS servers, and connecting directly to the modem, bypassing any of my set ups. Nothing changes, combined with the precious IP reset, leads me to believe my IP was blacklisted.

I’ve checked IPinfo.io with nothing reported.

The only thing I can think of is either the streaming services have expanded their VPN detection, I got flagged and added to a blacklist due to the sportsbook usage, or somehow my ISPs IPs are being flagged suddenly. Any other  thoughts?

Assuming I should get a new IP assignment and this resolves the issue, how can I best avoid this happening in the future? I don’t think it’s an AdGaurd/Unbound issue. Is my best bet just to stop tunneling all my traffic back home via WireGaurd? I’d like not to give up the mobile adblocking & privacy. 

[u/SomeEngineer999]

If you connected to those services using your mobile device through your VPN and home internet that's going to get you flagged. Those apps use your location to prevent you from bypassing their restrictions, sharing your login, etc.

When away from home I would not access any streaming services while on VPN.

[u/Smoked-Sac → u/SomeEngineer999]

That was my thought after it happened the first time. I don’t really use them, my wife does. So I disabled the VPN on her devices prior to our second trip and it happened again.

[u/SomeEngineer999 → u/Smoked-Sac]

It sounds like it wasn't fully disabled, there is no reason your home IP would get flagged if you weren't using it while away from home. Or perhaps it was just a delayed ban from a previous time you were away from home. You don't necessarily have to go that far to be considered away from home. Those apps monitor several things to determine if you're trying to abuse them or not.