Using a VPN while abroad
Next January through March we are travelling around France, Spain and Portugal. As we want to have internet access on phones and iPads we've got a TP-Link MiFi and intend to purchase a Tiekom Data-Only SIM card. Would a VPN on the iPad work through the MiFi? Sorry if my description here is not too good but hopefully you'll get the gist of what I'm trying to ask. 
Comments
-
Not sure about an ipad but it certainly works on our android devices.
We are currently in Portugal having travelled through France and Spain.
We have only used the VPN when wanting to stream UK TV channels. You have to turn it on first before trying to connect to say BBC i player or it says you are out of the country and won't let you connect.
1 -
As far as I understand things, and based on our recent experiences in France and Spain, if you have mobile data in a mifi or similar then you do not need a VPN as your IP address is not known by apps like iPlayer/ITV Hub etc and they work.
we've used our mifi and my iPhone (both with UK Vodafone SIMs) without a VPN to view iPlayer.
in fact, the reverse is true in that, if you were using a site wifi abroad, iplayer will NOT work as there will be a fixed and known 'foreign' IP address.
this is where you need a VPN to 'hide' the fixed IP as the VPN will route you through a server with a valid IP address.
Many of these VPNs are cheap over a 2 yr contract (just over a pound a month) and allow multiple installs (say two Firesticks or smart TV).
the link to PIA (private internet access) is probably the one I'll choose for use at out long term Spanish site from February.
1 -
YT, that is very strange as I've just tried it on my phone and got straight into ITV player and Ch4 without turning on the VPN.
Earlier on this trip it definitely would not let us into iplayer until we used the VPN 😟 ours is a free VPN.
0 -
Your first para is exactly as I understood things, seems a bit strange your earlier experience🤷🏻♂️
which VPN do you use...perhaps something to do with where you were...perhaps after the iplayer failed without the VPN, you always put it on because you thought it was necessary.....despite it being not😉0 -
I use NordVPN even when connecting direct on 4G, as I have encountered intermittent problems accessing BBC Iplayer , Netflix and Amazon Prime when abroad, which are all area specific. Certainly using site wifi you will need a VPN.
Also, you should always use a VPN if doing personal banking online away from your home network, for data security - whether wifi, 4G or 5G.
I used to use Goose VPN (Caravan Club offer), but both the BBC and Netflix sussed it straight away (error message "you are using a proxy server" !!! )and blocked me. No such issues with Nord.
I can even watch F1 in the UK by using a Belgian (legal) streaming service and logged into a Brussels VPN.
Whatever device you are using, initiate the VPN to a UK server before accessing the service you want.
1 -
"I use NordVPN even when connecting direct on 4G, as I have encountered intermittent problems accessing BBC Iplayer , Netflix and Amazon Prime when abroad, which are all area specific. Certainly using site wifi you will need a VPN."
Nutsy, that's interesting.
Memory not so good these days, lol, but as far as I recall, Netflix and Amazon Prime worked on the site wifi via a Firestick but (certainly Amazon) delivered slightly different content (premier league football not available for instance) to using the app on an iPad connected by mobile data.
iplayer and ITV HUB etc did not work on site wifi...hence the need for a VPN next time.
0 -
Thanks DD, didn't know that, however I need a VPN for the Firestick (makes the s TV 'smart') rather than for using a laptop/iPad....👍
0 -
Actually DD, just a thought....one could use Opera on an iPad to view, say, iplayer, and then 'cast' the image to the Firestick/TV....👍
0 -
NutsyH wrote "Also, you should always use a VPN if doing personal banking online away from your home network, for data security - whether wifi, 4G or 5G."
Don't do much in the way of internet banking whilst away but I've always just used my Iphone as a hotspot without a "belt & braces" VPN. Wouldn't use a public wifi though. How hackable is a phone that is connecting via a random signal?
0 -
Me too. 🤣🤣
We have a Cromecast which works fine at home, can stream Netflix, Disney etc no problem to the gKids TV. Even took it out to the MH worked great, can't get it to work over here it will just not connect.
I believe both devises have to be on the same network but we can't get the Cromecast to recognise the mifi or OHs phone. So no Netflix 🙁
0 -
Problem with Cromecast sorted, it turns out that we can 'cast' to the TV via the mifi but not direct from our phones mobile data. The reason is our phones security is WPA2 this is not supported by Cromecast.
We have now managed to 'cast' from both our phones and my Kindle Fire tablet to the MHs TV using the mifi, no VPN was needed.
Thanks to YT for his help and patience in working through this with me 😊
I hope the OP sees this and it helps him with his original question.
1 -
No worries, TG...I certainly learned a bit too.🙂
0 -
I had always thought that mobile data is encrypted which was confirmed by a Google search " Accessing the internet via your cellular network is secure. Data transferred through 5G, LTE, and 4G connections are encrypted" Now I suppose using a VPN is an extra layer but some observers question whether some VPN's are actually as secure as they make out to be? I can understand the use the use of VPN for streaming purposes as we have done in the past whilst on site WiFi. I hope it goes without question that everyone has some sort of security software on their device which is also an addition layer?
David
0 -
You would need to be GCHQ to hack any mobile phone message let alone one connectied to a bank. As David points out there are several layers of encoding. Not so sure a phones security software is any protection because that is more about defense from viruses. I have no idea to what degree of protection it offers against spyware e.g. keystroke monitors. While I do use my phone for banking using the bank's App over a mobile network I am wary of using it over public WiFi.
peedee
0 -
John, in very simple terms a VPN (virtual private network) does two things, neither of which will specifically assist anyone in the uk using the booking system.
the first thing is that it does provide an extra layer of security which isn't needed if using an ordinary mobile data stream.
secondly, and again of no specific use to you, is that certain applications like iplayer and ITV Hub, can't be used overseas with (say) a Spanish campsite wifi, as the app knows where you are and will block its use. Yes, folk can use their phone data (as the location then can't be determined easily) but streaming programs in this way is very data hungry...
so folk can buy a small app/program called a VPN (which hides the location) to run on the device that streams the TV...your iPad or a Firestick etc....this then allows you to use the Spanish campsite wifi without iplayer etc knowing where you are.
this is why this point was raised in the overseas section...as it's an ongoing issue for long termers who wish to use their own tv while away.
as far as youre concerned, I wouldn't give it another thought, not really relevant to you and certainly not specifically to the booking system.
0 -
+1👍🏻, it gets UK users the American Netflix-more Movie choices. Plus Hulu👍🏻
0 -
YT am I correct in that you are saying you can use your 4G mobile data without a VPN? We don’t bother with TV generally, as we only go over there in the better weather. However, when we were in a France in June I tried to watch a Grand Prix. That was on the Sky Go App and it told me I was out of the country. Same thing happened with the All 4 App, when I tried for CH4. That was on an EE contract through BT and on Other halves O2. Are other operators different?
0 -
Yes, that's correct.
We are over here at the moment and it's working that way for both of us no VPN require to connect to any of the iplayers.
We've always needed to use on in the past even when over here in the Spring.
Make sure you are on your mobile data, I turned off the WiFi choice. Have to say I was surprised it worked but yes it does.
We do have a VPN on our phones which is a free one from the Google play store.
0 -
AD, our VPN is a free one from Google playstore. As mentioned we only use it to stream programmes. At the moment not needing it unless we use a sites WiFi, which is very rare. We either use our phones mobile data or connect to the mifi if wanting to 'cast' it to the TV.
0 -
Steve, TG and I have been discussing this and they've been doing some real time testing in Portugal, which has supported my own findings that no VPN required, certainly when using an Amazon Firestick or TG's Google Chromecast.
however, i have Vodafone sims in my iPhone and in my Vodafone branded HUAWEI mifi but it could be possible that there are issues with other providers.
I've used SkyGo abroad but, as we have Sky via satellite, I don't use SkyGo very often.
Just to note, BBC channels don't appear on the SkyGo TV guide. A contractual thing.
0
