Transparent proxies and problems accessing geoblocked content

Forums › Online streaming services › Transparent proxies and problems accessing geoblocked content - some advice please

jonathan18

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Topic # 146602 23-May-2014 11:04

Having read a decent amount on the problems transparent proxies cause with DNS services on GZ and this week hearing it mentioned by Paul Brislen on Natrad , I'm interested to know a bit more about the problems this causes.

My parents are currently with TelstraClear (Vodafone I guess now); they're interested in being able to access some geoblocked material (eg BBC iPlayer) to make better use of their Apple TV.

What likeihood is there that they still won't be able to access such materials even if using a service like Getflix?

Is it that it won't work, or just won't be fast enough?

Are there any fixes/workarounds for this?

They're probably out of their contract period with TC by now, so could look at shifting to a new ISP (and one offering better value as well!), so ths answers to these questions may help steer them with this other matter (with others in their long shared drive pushing for UFB install).

Many thanks

Glassboy

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Reply # 1051618 23-May-2014 11:19

Accessing geoblocked services is fairly easy with unblock-us or Unotelly (especially with the Geekzone discount). From my experience the Vodafone transparent proxy seems to interfere only with static resources such as the movie\album covers that are being served via http.

The bigger questions are around the speed and latency of their connection, are they able to configure the proper DNS and QoS settings in their router etc.

jonathan18

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Reply # 1051622 23-May-2014 11:29

Glassboy: Accessing geoblocked services is fairly easy with unblock-us or Unotelly (especially with the Geekzone discount). From my experience the Vodafone transparent proxy seems to interfere only with static resources such as the movie\album covers that are being served via http.

The bigger questions are around the speed and latency of their connection, are they able to configure the proper DNS and QoS settings in their router etc.

Yeah, I have no issues with setting it up for them (am running Getflix at home myself, but that's on UFB); their ADSL speed and latency are pretty good (going just by Speedtest tests, that is!). So, generally, though, assuming speed and latency's ok, they shouldn't face too many issues?

The biggest concern I have for them is that they'll initially be relying on a wireless network, and that there's a decent distance between the router and the TV. I was thinking the best option for range extending (if they need it) would be a pair of those powerline adapters - would this be correct? (They had some cheap this week online - should have grabbed them at the time!).

Glassboy

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Reply # 1051631 23-May-2014 11:56

jonathan18: The biggest concern I have for them is that they'll initially be relying on a wireless network, and that there's a decent distance between the router and the TV. I was thinking the best option for range extending (if they need it) would be a pair of those powerline adapters - would this be correct? (They had some cheap this week online - should have grabbed them at the time!).

I've had a few people tell me that powerline adapters added a lot of latency. I'm a big fan of fixed cabling, and in my experience getting a sparky to run some cable for you is pretty damn cheap when you look at the real lifecycle costs of what you were doing. I know people tend to be a bit elitist about sparkies doing data cabling but the ones I know handle electrical, Aussie, video and data just fine and you're not paying premium prices.

With the powerline adapters you're taking out of operation two power points. You're going to have situations where people to take them out and forget to put them back in. They're going to have a finite life, and get to a point where they're running old protocols.

A decent run of cat 6 has a much longer life, and it's completely independent of layer 2 and 3.

jonathan18

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Reply # 1051667 23-May-2014 13:22

Glassboy: I've had a few people tell me that powerline adapters added a lot of latency. I'm a big fan of fixed cabling, and in my experience getting a sparky to run some cable for you is pretty damn cheap when you look at the real lifecycle costs of what you were doing. I know people tend to be a bit elitist about sparkies doing data cabling but the ones I know handle electrical, Aussie, video and data just fine and you're not paying premium prices.

With the powerline adapters you're taking out of operation two power points. You're going to have situations where people to take them out and forget to put them back in. They're going to have a finite life, and get to a point where they're running old protocols.

A decent run of cat 6 has a much longer life, and it's completely independent of layer 2 and 3.

Yeah, I'd agree re running cat 6 as the best option, and that's what we had done at our place - only reason for not doing so at my parents' house is that (I hope) they'll be moving out in the next year or so, given they're getting too old to maintain it. Thanks for comments re powerline adapters; something to think about.

BigMal

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Reply # 1051704 23-May-2014 13:50

I can't speak for vodafone but after testing many devices on Telecom VDSL I found the transparent proxy to cause major havoc.

Chromecast, Roku 3, Nexus 5, Nexus 7 and PS4 would all suffer constant buffering or completely fail to playback Netflix content. However my laptop browser and my ATV2 would successfully play back Netflix content, although it would spend more time buffering and take a long time to get to decent HD quality.

All my devices were running wirelessly from different areas around the house but I never really felt like the wireless was the problem.

I've since managed to get a static IP address from Telecom that doesn't go via their transparent proxy and now all devices work flawlessly and in HD. I primarily use the Roku 3 in the lounge and the chromecast in the bedroom. The wireless has never been a problem but the transparent proxy, for me, made the above mentioned devices redundant.

For your parents you should just signup a free trial of a DNS unblocker. You can plug the DNS settings directly into the ATV and start testing for a total cost of of $0 for BBC iPlayer or around $10 for Netflix.

jonathan18

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Reply # 1051717 23-May-2014 14:18

BigMal: I can't speak for vodafone but after testing many devices on Telecom VDSL I found the transparent proxy to cause major havoc.

Chromecast, Roku 3, Nexus 5, Nexus 7 and PS4 would all suffer constant buffering or completely fail to playback Netflix content. However my laptop browser and my ATV2 would successfully play back Netflix content, although it would spend more time buffering and take a long time to get to decent HD quality.

All my devices were running wirelessly from different areas around the house but I never really felt like the wireless was the problem.

I've since managed to get a static IP address from Telecom that doesn't go via their transparent proxy and now all devices work flawlessly and in HD. I primarily use the Roku 3 in the lounge and the chromecast in the bedroom. The wireless has never been a problem but the transparent proxy, for me, made the above mentioned devices redundant.

For your parents you should just signup a free trial of a DNS unblocker. You can plug the DNS settings directly into the ATV and start testing for a total cost of of $0 for BBC iPlayer or around $10 for Netflix.

Ok, so it may not necessarily be clear sailing. Totally intend on using Getflix's free trial period to test it out first (use them myself and have no problems with their service; cheapest option as well). I can try with a device plugged in to the nework to rule out the wireless being the problem (I guess it should be the ATV, given that any problems caused by the transparent proxy may be device-specific, going by your experience).

Thanks for your advice!

Otagolad

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Reply # 1051719 23-May-2014 14:24

Depending on the size of your parents' house (mine is 2 story and 500m2) a good wireless router might suffice. I use the ASUS RT-AC66u and from the office in the top corner of the house, I am able to comfortably stream from my home server Bluray rips of 20GB+ to the family room in the far bottom corner of the house (using an aTV or Roku3). I can also stream bluray rips of this size to multiple aTV's at the same time. Streaming Hulu, BBC iPlayer, Netflix etc. is a piece of cake compared to that.

I know ethernet would be best but putting Cat 6 in would be very difficult and I've had zero coverage/streaming issues with the ASUS - it rocks.

trig42

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Reply # 1051727 23-May-2014 14:33

Can you get iPlayer on the AppleTV ?

jonathan18

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Reply # 1051728 23-May-2014 14:33

Otagolad: Depending on the size of your parents' house (mine is 2 story and 500m2) a good wireless router might suffice. I use the ASUS RT-AC66u and from the office in the top corner of the house, I am able to comfortably stream from my home server Bluray rips of 20GB+ to the family room in the far bottom corner of the house (using an aTV or Roku3). I can also stream bluray rips of this size to multiple aTV's at the same time. Streaming Hulu, BBC iPlayer, Netflix etc. is a piece of cake compared to that.

I know ethernet would be best but putting Cat 6 in would be very difficult and I've had zero coverage/streaming issues with the ASUS - it rocks.

500m2 isn't a house - it's a small block!

Their modem/router is getting on in years - an old Asus WL600G (I think that's the model number); both I and my sister both had this modem and both of ours have died in the past couple of years. So it could well be time to replace it (given it's a G only, not even N), so good to know there are routers out there with a good range (though your one isn't one of the cheapest, that's for sure!).

jonathan18

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Reply # 1051746 23-May-2014 14:46

trig42: Can you get iPlayer on the AppleTV ?

BBC have allowed Airplay on the iPlayer app for iOS. Totally deals with the absence of iPlayer on the ATV, as I'm not a big fan of being forced to watch on a small screen (and with no decent sound!). PQ on the TV via this is excellent. It's also great for the kids as well, given they don't always have to watch the decent kids stuff on BBC hunched over a shared iPad.

Otagolad

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Reply # 1051779 23-May-2014 16:21

3 kids and a need to have a fully kitted office at home for after hours working necessitated the size of the house. It's not the cheapest router, however it is incrediably reliable and its firmware is regularly updated (although I'm running Aus-wrt Merlin). It is also future proofed to a degree being duel band G/N/AC, although if I was buying now I would go for the ASUS RT-AC68u which is getting rave reviews.

As regards BBC iPlayer, I do exactly as you do and use the iPlayer app on the iPad/iPhone and it works great, although I do use iPlayer through Plex on my Roku3 and the PS3 version of iPlayer does produce IMHO a better picture than the ios iPlayer app.