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We've used a digibox for accessing UK TV for nearly 20 years both in France & northern Spain, until the footprint changed.

With no social life for nigh on a year we've bought a VPN to access iPlayer & ITV Hub for their extensive libraries and box sets.  This involves connecting my laptop to the TV via an HDMI cable.  The router provided by my ISP has no provision for a VPN so I'm about to buy a router with the capability to add a VPN so that every device in the house thinks we're in the UK, or elsewhere, if I choose & will avoid trailing cables.

Anybody already done this & prepared to share their expertise?  Thanks!

As an aside, the VPN has been brilliant & much used.  We watched the Tour de France on a Spanish campsite via ITV4 & regularly access Australian TV to watch rugby & cricket in order to keep up with the younger members of the family.

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I'd thought about doing something similar but I wasn't sure what I would do as my router also provides two VoIP phone lines. I don't think there are any open routers which can do that so it might be necessary to daisy-chain the new router and the ISP router? Having the VPN on the router also limits being able to connect to different countries.

In the end I've got both Chromecast on the TVs so can share programs wirelessly from a VPN-enabled computer to a particular TV and an Amazon Fire TV Stick on one TV which I've installed my VPN on.
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When we moved to our flat in Nantes, we had this problem as Sat dishes are not allowed. I have a yearly subscription with NordVPN (markedly cheaper by the year with their special offers).

It allows upto 6 different devices to be connected at once, not necessarily even in the same house/country!

So rather than use the VPN through the router, each computer/HTPC is logged on when necessary. Download speeds are greatly reduced through the VPN, so when its not needed, max speed is available (we are on FTTH).

Sometimes the initial connection, say to the UK is a bit slow, so its easy to just change the connection point from the PC (not sure how you can do this from a router).

The other thing we do is to have different computers in different countries. My wife was following a US series on Amazon. Connecting her computer to the US Amazon site and logging in with our French Amazon code let her watch, same with UK.

Cannot help with the set up on a router, although our Free box does allow it.

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Thanks to you both, it's really interesting to find out how you've circumvented the problem.

I was thinking of getting an Asus modem (as recommended by Nord VPN*) and using it in parallel with my Bouyges BBox which has a landline connection but I'm now coming round to the Chromecast idea, thanks Pomme.

An unusual flash of brilliance this morning got me thinking of installing the VPN directly on the TV but then I read that you need an Android/Apple/Amazon TV to do that. 

It seems I'm stuck with my HDMI cable from the laptop or Chromecast from laptop/tablet/phone etc.  Chromecast research starts now.

Thanks again.

*I bought a 3 year contract with NORD VPN and agree with Lehaut, it can be a bit slow to connect to the UK but you have plenty of choice and once connected it works really well.  I tend to use the higher numbered servers & have to disactivate my antivirus software & use Edge or Internet Explorer.  I also clear my browsing history and use a New Private Window.

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I use NordVPN as well.

The Fire TV Stick (I bought mine in the UK) is easy to use once you've installed the NordVPN app on it. But you are limited by the various TV program apps available for Android. For CH4/All4 you also need to set the Firestick time to the current UK time zone.

You will need to cast to the Chromecast. I only do so from a wired PC with my network address; the Chromecast will need to be on the same network. However, it seems you can install NordVPN on the new Chromecast with Google TV so it seems it will be similar in operation to the Firestick.
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I've just ordered a Chromecast dongle;  seems like a good way of connecting a phone/tablet/laptop wirelessly to the TV.  Found a very good video by Awkward Bob on Youtube which  shows how to set everything up.  No more trailing HDMI cables will merit a few Brownie points!

Usually I set our Humax box up a week in advance to record programs/series we're interested in but with successive lockdowns it's been really useful to use the Nord VPN to access iPlayer and download programs from it's vast library to the BBC Downloads app.
We subscribe to The Times online (£5 a month with a non-UK address) and it's a brilliant service which includes a What to watch this week section which suits us nicely.
Thanks again for your advice.

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Today I've encountered a problem. 

I can't get BBC Downloads to play wirelessly using Chromecast on my laptop.

I disconnected the laptop & tried my tablet but then my tablet didn't connect to the Chromecast.

I wonder if it's that the TV is connected to my BBox & my tablet to a VPN?

I've scoured the web but am getting square eyed; sorry for being a woodentop but any suggestions would be welcome.  Thanks.

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Update.

Using a VPN on my tablet, the Chromecast works well when simply viewing a live channel* on the BBC iPlayer.  Using the iPlayer to watch previously shown programs is impossible as I now understand it, unless the TV is connected to a UK server via a VPN. 

*Which I don't need at home as I have a good Freesat set up.  Very useful when away traveling however; no more HDMI cables across caravan or hotel floors!

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I did write earlier "I only do so (cast) from a wired PC with my network address; the Chromecast will need to be on the same network. However, it seems you can install NordVPN on the new Chromecast with Google TV so it seems it will be similar in operation to the Firestick."

The wired PC can connect using NordVPN but it also has an IP address on the same home network as the Chromecast so it is possible to cast to it.

That is why I also have a Fire TV Stick for use when travelling as I have installed NordVPN and iPlayer on it (iPlayer now works reliably - in the past it was necessary to use iPlayer in a Firestick web browser)
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Thanks Pomme, sorry for being such a muppet!

So, as I understand it, I can watch live UK TV from my laptop using a VPN & Chromecast, but not BBC Downloads.  I've got this bit working fine.

With a tablet it's best to use a Firestick with a VPN and iPlayer installed?

I was hoping to travel with my tablet + Chromecast but your advice would be to get a Firestick to use with the tablet?  Both devices are remarkably inexpensive.

I'd be very grateful for your suggestions.

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The Firestick is an Amazon version of Android-based device so you can install most Android apps including NordVPN on it. You may need to sideload some apps from your tablet/phone which aren't available from the Amazon appstore. You may not be able to download iPlayer directly (I think I put it on mine when I was in the UK). You will find the All4 app may need both the VPN and the clock time changed to UK time. So you don't need a tablet with a Firestick and we (used to !!) travel with a Firestick.
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Thanks again Pomme

From what you've said it sounds like I need a Firestick if travelling without a laptop?  There are sites on the Web (selling VPNs) which show how to install iPlayer on a Firestick outside the UK.  It's only the BBC and ITV player (for Le Tour on ITV4) that I'm after.

I'm going to try your suggested link to download a whole series later today.

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I've been using get_iplayer for years and updated regularly. I've not had my Microsoft Windows Security software blocking those installations (and not had any Linux issues either). It is open source and all the code is available.

Just make sure you download it from the official web site https://github.com/get-iplayer/get_iplayer/releases/tag/v3.26

The program only keeps programme detail in the local database for 30 days but you can download older programmes if you get the PID or URL from iPlayer.
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Thank you, that's very re-assuring. You're a fount of knowledge & I'm very grateful. 

Most years we're travelling in Spain or Asia/Australia for 4+ months or so and I like to keep up with all the rugby & cycling.  The VPN has been a great buy, the Chromecast the same, next stop the Firestick.

Thanks again et bonne soiree.

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Firestick arrived yesterday and I've installed the VPN & BBCiPlayer using this link
https://firesticktvtips.com/bbc-iplayer-firestick/

It seems to be working well & I'm very pleased, particularly with access to the iPlayer library. I can't see when I will need to use Chromecast however.

Many thanks again for all the help.

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I had a Chromecast before the Firestick. When I first got the Firestick there were various apps not available from the Amazon Store. Even now some apps can only be installed by side-loading onto the Firestick from an Android device. But even so, some side-loaded apps won't install or may not run on the Firestick. They will elsewhere so can be displayed on the TV using the Chromecast. So it is a useful backup. Not UK TV, but RMC Sport was one app I remember didn't work on the Firestick (I've not tried recently) and I now just Chromecast from my PC
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  • 2 years later...

Remember, specific steps may vary depending on the router model and VPN service you choose. Always refer to the documentation provided by the router manufacturer and your VPN service for the most accurate and up-to-date instructions. Also, be aware that using a VPN to access content not available in your region may violate the terms of service of the streaming platforms, so proceed at your own discretion.

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