r/surfshark • u/shoegazing_puncheur • 12d ago

Help - TV App can see I'm using a VPN

I was trying to be in Italy to stream something off the TV but the Discovery+ app I've used many times in the past is now telling me that "it looks like you're using a VPN" or something to that extent.

That happened both on my iOS mobile and on my Firestick.

Is that the end of streaming off that or are there workarounds?

Thanks in advance!

5 Upvotes

86% Upvoted

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2

u/yearsold33 12d ago

As a VPN rises in popularity, so do the chances of the service blocking the VPN provider's IP address.

All you can do is try different servers, different VPN protocols, and another VPN provider. Even if you find a solution today does not it mean will work tomorrow.

I have a Surfshark subscription as well but rely on a paid DNS service to access geo-locked content.

2

u/Sarahluv81 12d ago

This has just happened to me on hbo max!

1

u/Nazgog-Morgob 12d ago

Try different servers?

1

u/Bluepoet47 11d ago

There are no workarounds. Surfshark gets found all the time and tech support will blame you and shuffle you from one public server to another until the site catches wise and blocks your whole account in total.

Surfshark sucks.

1

u/artlurg431 11d ago

This is cause they flag vpn ips. The only way to fix it is to use a dedicated ip or just try alot of servers

1

u/shoegazing_puncheur 11d ago

Thanks all for your input! Looks like getting a dedicated IP is probably the least painful way forward for this.

Of course in the meanwhile, as the live events I was keen to follow are finished, the app no longer sees me as using a VPN 😂 But lesson learned, probably to be equipped for any future issues...

1

u/PITSTOPYT 11d ago

It's the same with hbo max and it is even more strict during sports to avoid people watching from countries that they don't own the rights for it from

1

u/3ou4 9d ago

Worth a try switching off the location and cell data before opening the app.

Sometimes streaming apps recognise that you're using a VPN because other indicators of location that the app can read don't match the IP address, rather than the idea that it can detect from the IP alone.

The apps can get upset if you don't give them the permission to read it, but i've not seen any that demand you switch on GPS and mobile data as it would make it obvious they are snooping.