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UnblockUS and Chromecast


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Old 20-03-2014, 18:43
Clusterbombed
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I was disappointed to discover today that NetflixUS via UnblockUS won't work on my UK Chromecast. I was hoping that since it was just a website address sent to the chromecast then it would be okay.

Ah well, it's not too much trouble attaching the HDMI cable to my laptop.
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Old 20-03-2014, 19:16
wakey
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I was disappointed to discover today that NetflixUS via UnblockUS won't work on my UK Chromecast. I was hoping that since it was just a website address sent to the chromecast then it would be okay.

Ah well, it's not too much trouble attaching the HDMI cable to my laptop.
It works perfectly fine as long as you have a router which either supports iptables or where a static route can be set
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Old 20-03-2014, 19:55
JasonWatkins
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Saw this, don't know if it's relevant ..

http://ihaveagadget.blogspot.co.uk/2...hromecast.html
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Old 20-03-2014, 22:23
wakey
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Personally I don't see how that would work, the chromecast overrides any DNS settings to use googles own which are location aware. To get around this you need to have your router route traffic to 8.8.8.8 and 8.8.4.4 to a different ip. This can either be done with iptables to send it directly to the unblocking ip or by settings a static route so that these IP's goto the router which will then make it use the DNS servers you assigned in the router
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Old 21-03-2014, 09:05
ovbg
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I seem to have the world's weirdest Chromecast

In Germany with a German model, and OverPlay Smart DNS and I get Netflix (including region changing) as well as Hulu Plus.

No rooting, no IP tables or NAT. Just direct through OverPlay.

I have no idea why yet, but looking into it when I get time (just so busy right now). So I don't know if this is a fluke or something tripped it when I fired it up for the first time.

edit: Oh, I also had BBC iPlayer working the first time as well, but since that occasion I no longer see the CC button - which is weird in its own right, as I was under the impression that if I was out of region, I would still see the Chromecast button, but get a failure when trying to play.

Netflix and Hulu Plus still working great...
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Old 09-04-2014, 12:26
Stiggles
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Bugger.

My Chromecast was working fine with the US netflix using unblockus till today. Just coming up This title isn't available for instant streaming now

Works fine on the phone app and laptop though
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Old 10-04-2014, 06:59
ovbg
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Works fine with Chromecast on OverPlay.

Netflix probably just moved something around, what with the influx of a whole pile of new Chromecast users across Europe. Streaming services do this all the time, and naturally, they don't inform the DNS services of the changes - it is up to them to update their own links.
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Old 11-04-2014, 18:37
Stiggles
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Works fine with Chromecast on OverPlay.

Netflix probably just moved something around, what with the influx of a whole pile of new Chromecast users across Europe. Streaming services do this all the time, and naturally, they don't inform the DNS services of the changes - it is up to them to update their own links.
Apparently it was the new codedrop for the chromecast. They did something with the DNS. I'll try overplay, but they dont seem to have a free trial
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Old 11-04-2014, 19:12
Stiggles
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Just tried overplay and it's the same.

Just reading up, seems like loads of people are having the same issue after the codedrop from google the other day

Oh well
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Old 12-04-2014, 15:23
ovbg
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^^ Actually, you're right, I was testing the UK's Netflix and that worked fine (I'm not in the UK, so it is still going through Smart DNS). When I went back to the US one, I got blocked. odd. I'll get in touch with OverPlay and see if they can sort it out.

You should be able to get a full refund from OverPlay as they offer that within a 48hour period.
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Old 18-04-2014, 19:42
Stiggles
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^^ Actually, you're right, I was testing the UK's Netflix and that worked fine (I'm not in the UK, so it is still going through Smart DNS). When I went back to the US one, I got blocked. odd. I'll get in touch with OverPlay and see if they can sort it out.

You should be able to get a full refund from OverPlay as they offer that within a 48hour period.
Just reading the XDA forums and found away around it now if you use DD WRT on your router.

I have a D-Link DIR 615 i got from Virgin and hacked it to run on Sky's fibre network. I still have an account with UnblockUS and this is what you do:-

Do the following in DD-WRT:

1. Under Services -> Services select:
- DNSMasq -> Enable
- Local DNS -> Enable

2. Under Services -> Services add the following in Additional DNSMasq Options (example for Unblock-Us - for Unlocator, substitute their DNS addresses):
server=/unblock-us.com/208.122.23.22
server=/unblock-us.com/208.122.23.23
server=/netflix.com/208.122.23.22
server=/netflix.com/208.122.23.23

3. Under Administration -> Commands add the following and press "Save firewall" (example for Unblock-Us - for Unlocator, substitute their DNS addresses)
iptables -t nat -A PREROUTING -d 8.8.8.8 -j DNAT --to-destination 208.122.23.22
iptables -t nat -A PREROUTING -d 8.8.4.4 -j DNAT --to-destination 208.122.23.23

In step 2 you can add any addresses you wish to route through Unblock-US's or Unlocator's DNS.

Hope this helps in some way
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Old 19-04-2014, 08:42
ovbg
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Stiggles, that is a pretty good tip thanks!

Actually, it's been worked out what is happening here. Basically, the Chromecast will act upon which DNS servers it hits first, so if you have your own unblocking DNS servers configured in your router (as normal), and it reaches those first, then it will work with them on foreign content.

However, even if they are configured in your router, and Google's own DNS servers are quicker to reach, it will ignore your manual servers and choose Google's.

Another trick (for those with routers that don't have the same level of configurations as yours has), is simply to redirect Google's DNS server range. It doesn't have to go anywhere (some routers can only redirect to an internal address), so you can send them on a wild goose chase within your home network. All that is important is that they are either blocked, or slowed down.

Works a treat!
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