What is a user friendly proxy that can very easily switch between the USA and UK?

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BaronGrivet

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Master Geek

#143242 8-Apr-2014 08:18

I've built up a HTPC using a Windows 7 and Chrome apps for the various online services we want to access. Control is via a wireless keyboard with built in trackball.

Initially I set it up with the Hola(free) extension on Chrome - which does a fantastic job automatically switching between countries depending on the website being accessed.

However Hola hasn't got great performance for some content and it seems to slow down Chrome on sites where we don't need it (i.e. Youtube).

I'm considering a Hola Premium subscription, but before I take the plunge I wanted to hear about alternatives.

The biggest issue for me is usability - whatever I install has to be so easy other (non-technical) family members can use it.

Anything that requires changing navigating through loads of menus or manually changing settings isn't going to work.

Automatic switching (like Hola) would be preferred, but even an easy to use icon/gadget on the desktop would be fine. At the moment we only need to switch between NZ(off), USA and UK proxies.

Any advice would be appreciated.

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BDFL - Memuneh
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#1020366 8-Apr-2014 08:48

Witopia.

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BaronGrivet

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#1020375 8-Apr-2014 09:00

freitasm: Witopia.

Thank you Mauricio. I've had a look at their website and the pricing/ service looks top notch.

How does it switch between countries/ cities? Does it happen manually through an app or can it be setup to happen automatically?

freitasm

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#1020376 8-Apr-2014 09:03

It is a manual change via the GUI application.

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BaronGrivet

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#1020383 8-Apr-2014 09:07

freitasm: It is a manual change via the GUI application.

Great, I check it out.

davidcole

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#1020391 8-Apr-2014 09:15

You could switch to a DNS based solution like unblockus (use my affiliate code down below - thx!!), overplay, unotelly etc. If you want this for media streaming. Basically you don't have to do anything it's all handled by their service - apart from if you want to actively switch netflix regions.

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BaronGrivet

66 posts

Master Geek

#1020392 8-Apr-2014 09:19

davidcole: You could switch to a DNS based solution like unblockus (use my affiliate code down below - thx!!), overplay, unotelly etc. If you want this for media streaming. Basically you don't have to do anything it's all handled by their service - apart from if you want to actively switch netflix regions.

Unfortunately we'll need to switch countries a lot. For example we might want to watch a show from Netflix(US) and a show from the BBC(UK) in a single evening.

I don't want anything that's going to confuse the non-technical members of my family :)

davidcole

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#1020394 8-Apr-2014 09:22

BaronGrivet:
davidcole: You could switch to a DNS based solution like unblockus (use my affiliate code down below - thx!!), overplay, unotelly etc. If you want this for media streaming. Basically you don't have to do anything it's all handled by their service - apart from if you want to actively switch netflix regions.

Unfortunately we'll need to switch countries a lot. For example we might want to watch a show from Netflix(US) and a show from the BBC(UK) in a single evening.

I don't want anything that's going to confuse the non-technical members of my family :)

Exactly my point...if going from BBC/itv/4od to netflix/hulu/abc/cbs there is no switching.....

BaronGrivet

66 posts

Master Geek

#1020396 8-Apr-2014 09:26

davidcole:
BaronGrivet:
davidcole: You could switch to a DNS based solution like unblockus (use my affiliate code down below - thx!!), overplay, unotelly etc. If you want this for media streaming. Basically you don't have to do anything it's all handled by their service - apart from if you want to actively switch netflix regions.

Unfortunately we'll need to switch countries a lot. For example we might want to watch a show from Netflix(US) and a show from the BBC(UK) in a single evening.

I don't want anything that's going to confuse the non-technical members of my family :)

Exactly my point...if going from BBC/itv/4od to netflix/hulu/abc/cbs there is no switching.....

Oops - I must have missed something.

How does UnblockUs work?

davidcole

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#1020400 8-Apr-2014 09:30

BaronGrivet:
davidcole:
BaronGrivet:
davidcole: You could switch to a DNS based solution like unblockus (use my affiliate code down below - thx!!), overplay, unotelly etc. If you want this for media streaming. Basically you don't have to do anything it's all handled by their service - apart from if you want to actively switch netflix regions.

Unfortunately we'll need to switch countries a lot. For example we might want to watch a show from Netflix(US) and a show from the BBC(UK) in a single evening.

I don't want anything that's going to confuse the non-technical members of my family :)

Exactly my point...if going from BBC/itv/4od to netflix/hulu/abc/cbs there is no switching.....

Oops - I must have missed something.

How does UnblockUs work?

You put their DNS servers in each device you want to access the services (or put it in at your router level) and all devices on your network can access the overseas services. So if one machine goes to netflix, netflix works, if another goes to BBC iPlayer that just works also...

freitasm

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#1020401 8-Apr-2014 09:35

Note that depending on ISP it may not work or work with strange results (for example it now works on Vodafone cable for streaming but browsing the Netflix website is a pain, with missing images, etc, because the HTTP proxy gets on the way).

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BaronGrivet

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#1020405 8-Apr-2014 09:38

We're on Snap if that makes a difference.

freitasm

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#1020406 8-Apr-2014 09:39

It should work.

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#1020409 8-Apr-2014 09:45

freitasm: Witopia.

I use Witopia and bolehVPN, with proxies in the UK and US West Coast (with many other options).
I have found bolehVPN to be faster and less likely to crash than Witopia.
bolehVPN uses OpenVPN by default, and offers a 1-day free trial (or a 7-day cheap trial).
Be sure to enable DNS leak protection.

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ubergeeknz

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Vocus

#1020414 8-Apr-2014 09:53

I use Unotelly, which is a DNS based service. You can set different countries for different services and change them very easily if needs be as well.

afe66

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#1020476 8-Apr-2014 11:00

I use witopia too. ( never crashed on me ) interface nice, click on icon select target city and after 10 seconds, off you go. Works on W7 Ubuntu 12.04 Apple laptop.

Netflix fine not issues but iPlayer bit intermittent which I have put down to the distance so use the iPlayer desktop program to queue up the programmes and download overnight. Then just stream from my hard drive after iPlayer checks its still in UK..

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