ExpressVPN Netflix Not Working
“ExpressVPN Netflix Not Working” Error Message, Possible Issues, Workarounds and Alternatives
Trying to stream the best of Netflix content but can’t access the geo-restricted services? Well, it happens to the best of us. And not just Netflix, you might also encounter issues while trying to access other popular streaming services, such as Sky Go, BBC iPlayer, Hulu and Amazon Prime. It might just be the case that ExpressVPN is not working in your home country, or the country you are currently in, such as Russia, China, or North Korea. One big reason why people pay for VPN services is that they wish to access geo-restricted content. Streaming services like Netflix are often blocked in a number of countries, primarily because of the licensing agreements between the streaming service providers and the broadcast authorities of the respective countries. But there are definitely some workarounds. Let’s take a look at how you can get past the annoying error messages.
Why Can’t I Access Netflix Using ExpressVPN?
Well, ExpressVPN usually DOES work with the streaming service, but due to some complicated reasons, it might stop working at times. I would pad out on what I mentioned just above – the possible reasons for you not being to access Netflix using ExpressVPN. Netflix uses a pretty simple tactic to block virtual private networks. They have a huge database of all the IP addresses owned by the VPN services such as ExpressVPN. When a user tries to access the streaming service from an IP address matching any one of those pre-stored IP addresses in their database, Netflix gives the brush-off, straight and simple. Their list is updated at regular intervals, allowing Netflix to restrict access to VPN service users around the world. Netflix streaming apps embrace tighter DNS-based IP-blocking approach. And it’s almost impossible for you to access their content using a VPN service like ExpressVPN.
Seeing An Error Message? Here’s What You Should Do
If you are using ExpressVPN and you get the message “Whoops, something went wrong”, it’s not the end of the world. In fact, ExpressVPN is possibly the best VPN service available on the market right now for accessing Netflix from certain territories that are notorious for having crazy censorship and restrictions. The resources available on the website are sufficient for the users to un-block such streaming services from locations where even the popular social media sites are banned. Occasionally, you might end up picking servers that no longer provide access to Netflix. But you can almost always find an alternative server. Besides that, there are several helpful resources on the company’s website itself, including FAQ, tips for enhancing your Netflix streaming experience as well as links to add-on extensions for your browser. Here are a few ways to get it working.
Check The IP Address
Check your PC’s original IP address for location and also the location of the IP address ExpressVPN has provided you. If the IP address location is nearby your actual location, it simply means that you are not properly connected and you should re-try connecting.
Check The Internet Connection
Next, check if your internet connection is working. Turn off the VPN service and try accessing a random website from your browser. If internet connection is working perfectly, move on to the next solution.
Connect To A Different Location
If internet connection is working alright, you should choose a different server location from the list provided. You can either click on a server location or go to the search bar and type in the name of your desired location. When you find your desired location, simply click on it to get connected.
Change The VPN Protocol
The default protocol which your device uses for connecting to Express VPN is UDP protocol, which is blocked in a number of countries. You can try changing the protocol for accessing Netflix from most of the Middle-East countries. For changing the protocol, visit the ExpressVPN window and locate the Hamburger menu (≡) on the top left corner. Click on it and under the protocol tab, choose the protocol you want to use (make sure your VPN connection is disabled).
Turn Off The Security Software
Turn off any antivirus or firewall running on your system as these security software programs might block your VPN. Next, re-configure the security program so that it does not block ExpressVPN and adjust the security level if required. You may have to grant exception to the VPN service manually. If it is possible, uninstall the software program, install ExpressVPN and then reinstall the security program. Now check if you can connect to and access Netflix.
Configure The Proxy Settings
A proxy server acts as an intermediary between the worldwide web and your computer. Make sure that your browser can automatically detect the proxy, and use the instructions laid down on the ExpressVPN website to re-configure the proxy settings. If you are using IE as your browser, click on ‘Tools’, and click on ‘Internet Options’ after that. Next, go to the tab named ‘Connections’ and click on the LAN settings. Unclick the options except for auto-detect and click on ‘OK’. This should fix the issue if your proxy settings are not correctly done.
Do You Have The Latest Version Of ExpressVPN?
Make sure you are using the latest version of ExpressVPN. You can try and uninstall the app you are now running, sign in to your account and set up ExpressVPN. I have fleshed out how to set up ExpressVPN for accessing Netflix. You can find the step-by-step guide toward the end of this article.
What Does ExpressVPN Recommend?
ExpressVPN does recognize that users might face troubles while trying to access certain sites. If you are seeing a message like “You seem to be using an unblocker or proxy” or “You’ll need to disable your anonymizer” while trying to access Netflix, contact ExpressVPN support without further ado. If it’s some other message, check the IP address and re-connect to a server in your desired location.
Chances are there that your system is using saved DNS entries from your service provider, and these saved entries might be wrong depending on which country you are in as the authorities apply this trick to block certain sites. You should try and flush the DNS cache and your system can auto-access the DNS entries set by ExpressVPN right after that. You may have to manually configure the DNS settings and flush the DNS entries again, check this article for step-by-step instructions. Whether you are using Windows PC or Mac, you can get in touch with the support team of ExpressVPN to know about how to configure the DNS settings. ExpressVPN also recommends manually configuring the proxy settings, which I have already fleshed out above.
What Does ExpressVPN Support Team Say?
I also tried finding out a solution using their live support service and talked to this nice guy, Christopher, who advised me to connect to USA – Los Angeles – 3 server. He also added that the speeds may slightly vary depending on my internet connection, server location and encryption. I also asked for a second option and he recommended me USA – Washington DC. Both the servers worked perfectly fine for me.
Here is our correspondence
What Are The Users Saying?
I thought it might be a good idea to listen to what real users think about this issue and how do they fix everything and I checked out a handful of online forums, VPN-related, mostly. One user, who goes by the name of ‘Peterbuttler’, said that Netflix probably acts weird due to the wrong setup of ExpressVPN. He suggested that the Smart DNS feature of ExpressVPN (which comes free with the VPN service) might be extremely useful. Also, some other user put across an important piece of info which I thought I should share with you all. ExpressVPN WON’T work with Singapore Netflix and even if you can access Japan Netflix at times, it’s actually pretty unreliable. So if you are trying to access Singapore Netflix using ExpressVPN, you better stop wasting your money on it and move to some other service like NordVPN.
One thing’s for sure. Since Netflix stepped up their blocking efforts, a number of VPN services have been affected, and it’s not just ExpressVPN. Once you get blocked, you have to rip into the server and rebuild everything. In such scenarios, it’s best to talk to the support in case all of the usual workarounds mentioned above go in vain. At least, that’s what a lot of people on forums like Reddit recommended.
What Are The VPNs That Do Not Work With Netflix?
I was surprised to see that even some of the most popular VPN services DO NOT work with Netflix. In fact, ExpressVPN is one of the best VPNs for Netflix which I tested out (all six of the six servers I tested unblocked Netflix. It comes as no surprise to me at least that some less-known VPNs didn’t unblock Netflix, but you’d be surprised to know that even Tunnelbear could not get me an access to Netflix from their Canada, Netherlands, US and UK servers. Similarly, VPN.ac servers got blocked by Netflix, and so did the Private Tunnel servers. Kaspersky, Avast SecureLine, F-Secure Freedome, and Hoxx VPN servers were no exception. The hide-and-seek game between Netflix and VPN service providers has just got more intense since Netflix’s crackdown on VPN services in early 2016. Though there are quite a few workarounds, (and I personally think that NordVPN is a better option in this regard), the game has just begun.
How To Use Netflix With ExpressVPN (Step-By-Step Guide)
ExpressVPN is undoubtedly one of the best VPN services to access Netflix on any device. Using smartphone app, you can even access the US site on your phone. Here’s how you can typically set ExpressVPN up for watching Netflix movies.
Subscribe To Netflix
First thing first. VPNs won’t help you get a Netflix subscription and you need to pay for it first. The brighter side of the story is that it does not matter where your billing address or where your account is currently located. Netflix is only interested in the IP address you are using for accessing their content, so that they can serve you up with geo-specific content.
1 Month
$12.95 /month- Billed $12.95 every month
- 30-day money-back guarantee
15 Months
$6.67 /month- Includes 3 Free Months with Exclusive 49% Discount
- Billed $99.95 first 15 months and 12 months thereafter
- 30-day money-back guarantee
6 Months
$9.99 /month- Billed $59.95 every 6 months
- 30-day money-back guarante
Open Your Browser
The streaming giant uses two kinds of filters – browser IP blocking filters and app filters that are based on DNS. For best results, always use a laptop or PC and a decent browser.
Set Up ExpressVPN
Next up, create your account with ExpressVPN, and download the application on your device and sign in with your credentials. Let the application run in the background, and do not tweak the configuration settings upon launching the program. Now, open the ExpressVPN window and browse the server locations. Find a location of your choice and try accessing Netflix. If you get the proxy error message, just apply the tricks I have mentioned above. Switching locations would solve the issue in all likeliness.
Is NordVPN A Better Alternative?
NordVPN and ExpressVPN are both excellent VPN services and the former has almost 5000 servers on tap. After firing up the application, you just need to click on any dot on the map of US to access US Netflix content. Streaming Netflix through NordVPN was pretty fast, but it’s actually a bit slower than ExpressVPN. Like ExpressVPN, it also allows you to set up your private network at a router level, which implies that you can stream Netflix content on your TV as well.
However, the best thing about NordVPN is that they offer a dedicated help page for people who want to access Netflix using their VPN service, something which I couldn’t find on the ExpressVPN website. NordVPN Netflix workarounds are almost the same as ExpresVPN. Additionally, you can try logging out from your NordVPN account and also uninstall the program, only to re-install and re-log in.
As I mentioned it earlier, NordVPN is pretty slow, particularly because it is one of the best VPNs for watching Netflix, and lot of people use it every day. The UK servers are quite slow as well, and I recommend you to use the Netherlands servers that work lightning fast. It is at par with ExpressVPN, except for the fact that it offers a wider array of servers.
How To Unblock Netflix Throttling By Your ISP Using ExpressVPN?
Netflix has become a staple for movie buffs and avid TV show watchers over the years, and this has forced some of the ISPs or internet service providers in some areas to inspect data packets and to restrict the bandwidth. ExpressVPN fixes this issue by hiding Netflix traffic via an encrypted tunnel. As a result, ISPs cannot track your activities and cannot restrict the bandwidth based on your usage pattern. You get zero buffering and lightning fast download speeds as a result.
