Netflix

[barge1914]

Netflix is cracking down on sharing of Netflix. They say you have to log in your device to your home WIFI network every 31 days. As much as we don’t mind paying a subscription this looks like it’s going to cause problems for those like us who travel much more than a month away from home, or who only use a mobile router…not to mention our ability to use it abroad. It looks like this could also be tricky for watching downloaded stuff.

Has anyone already looked into this and found any solutions? I can’t see much point paying for the few months we are at home if we can’t use it for the rest of the year. As much as we used to read a lot, aging eyes are finding that more difficult, so we tend to while away the long winter evenings with a film or binging on series.

 

[Moped]

Whilst I have read about this in newspapers I have not received or seen anything official from Netflix.

Agree that it could present problems but it is difficult to suggest workarounds until I see an official Netflix release.

The simplest solution is to cancel U.K. Netflix when away and sign up for French or Spanish Netflix when in France or Spain using your mobile WiFi or phone hotspot.

 

[barryd]

Bit of a faff but you could always leave a PC on in the house and remote into it now and again using Google chrome remote desktop. Login to your Netflix every month as if you were at home.

I use google remote desktop all the time. Its brilliant as the person on the other end doesnt need to be there as long as the computer is switched on.

 

[Pudsey Bear]

Bit of a faff but you could always leave a PC on in the house and remote into it now and again using Google chrome remote desktop. Login to your Netflix every month as if you were at home.

I use google remote desktop all the time. Its brilliant as the person on the other end doesnt need to be there as long as the computer is switched on.

We used to download to all our devices now we can only download to two.

Can you elaborate Barry?

 

[barge1914]

Bit of a faff but you could always leave a PC on in the house and remote into it now and again using Google chrome remote desktop. Login to your Netflix every month as if you were at home.

I use google remote desktop all the time. Its brilliant as the person on the other end doesnt need to be there as long as the computer is switched on.

Does it work when computer is in sleep mode?

 

[barryd]

Does it work when computer is in sleep mode?

No unfortunately not. You need a "wake on LAN" product for that and most of them you have to pay for. I believe Teamviewer has that as an additional download and you can set up teamviewer for unattended remote access. Some computers are a bit iffy with wake on LAN though so it would need testing. It wont work in hibernation mode just sleep mode and obviously wont work if the PC is switched completely off. The PC also needs to be connected to the router with a cable, not wifi.

I stopped using Teamviewer a while back though as it kicked me out as it reckoned I was using it commercially. It would probably be ok for a single home computer though.

 

[barryd]

We used to download to all our devices now we can only download to two.

Can you elaborate Barry?

Its like Teamviewer as just mentioned Kev. Its free software that allows you to take control of your PC at home from where ever you are as if you were sat in front of it. It was an absolute God send in the pandemic.

If you go the Google remote desktop route be careful to just run and install the extension and not try to install the full windows package. You will need to be signed into a valid google account to set it up. Teamviewer is pretty easy to set up also.

Chrome Remote Desktop

remotedesktop.google.com

TeamViewer – The Remote Connectivity Software

Remote desktop access solutions by TeamViewer: connect to remote computers, provide remote support & collaborate online ➤ Free for personal use!

www.teamviewer.com

 

[Tezza33]

My home broadband is the one that I will be using in the van so it will not be a problem for me, what is more annoying is that I cannot have it installed on more than one device without paying extra, I have four firesticks and previously I had it on them all, I can only watch one at a time but if I switch from the lounge to the bedroom to watch Netflix there instead I get a message saying that I have to pay extra

 

[Nabsim]

No unfortunately not. You need a "wake on LAN" product for that and most of them you have to pay for. I believe Teamviewer has that as an additional download and you can set up teamviewer for unattended remote access. Some computers are a bit iffy with wake on LAN though so it would need testing. It wont work in hibernation mode just sleep mode and obviously wont work if the PC is switched completely off. The PC also needs to be connected to the router with a cable, not wifi.

I stopped using Teamviewer a while back though as it kicked me out as it reckoned I was using it commercially. It would probably be ok for a single home computer though.

Why not just use windows Remote Desktop, so long as computer is powered on you can get in?

 

[Drover]

My home broadband is the one that I will be using in the van so it will not be a problem for me, what is more annoying is that I cannot have it installed on more than one device without paying extra, I have four firesticks and previously I had it on them all, I can only watch one at a time but if I switch from the lounge to the bedroom to watch Netflix there instead I get a message saying that I have to pay extra

You're goning to need a different plan and payment for that......
Or a dodgy firestick.

Basic with adverts	Basic	Standard	Premium
✓ Watch on 1 supported device at a time	✓ Watch on 1 supported device at a time	✓ Watch on 2 supported devices at a time	✓ Watch on 4 supported devices at a time
Some films and TV programmes unavailable (learn more), unlimited mobile games	✓ Unlimited films, TV programmes, and mobile games	✓ Unlimited films, TV programmes, and mobile games	✓ Unlimited films, TV programmes, and mobile games
✓ Watch in HD	✓ Watch in HD	✓ Watch in Full HD	✓ Watch in Ultra HD
	✓ Advert-free TV programmes and films	✓ Advert-free TV programmes and films	✓ Advert-free TV programmes and films
	✓ Download on 1 supported device at a time	✓ Download on 2 supported devices at a time	✓ Download on 4 supported devices at a time

Pricing (British Pound)​

• Basic with adverts*: £ 4.99/month
• Basic: £ 6.99/month
• Standard: £ 10.99/month
• Premium: £ 15.99/month

 

[barryd]

Why not just use windows Remote Desktop, so long as computer is powered on you can get in?

Never got on with it. Maybe its changed but I always found it not so good once outside your local area network. I dont think it reconnects after a reboot either and it locks the remote screen which for this purpose wouldnt be a problem I guess. I think its only available in Pro versions of Windows but I believe its available as a download for other versions. Personally I have found Chrome remote desktop really good. Teamviewer is probably the best though but its not really free.

 

[Pudsey Bear]

I just spent 20 minutes mansplaining to Liz how she could still download her iPlayer stuff using my android phone hotspot even though she's on a ipad.

Some days its not worth knawing through the straps

 

[Nabsim]

Never got on with it. Maybe its changed but I always found it not so good once outside your local area network. I dont think it reconnects after a reboot either and it locks the remote screen which for this purpose wouldnt be a problem I guess. I think its only available in Pro versions of Windows but I believe its available as a download for other versions. Personally I have found Chrome remote desktop really good. Teamviewer is probably the best though but its not really free.

Ah yes it could have only been pro versions, that was all I used so not sure. So long as the target pc/server actually rebooted I could always connect up okay and that was to customers off my network all over U.K. and Eire.
I had started using some of the Spiceworks tools before I retired and they did a Remote Desktop agent, I think it would let you add others as well but it’s a few years since I retired so not sure what it’s like now, I know they had some handy stuff and it was free.
I would only use Linux for back end servers or if I needed to hack anything, was too much trouble trying to teach users how to do everything as they had all come up on Windows and Office. Did once try to migrate everyone til the managing director stepped in and said he was happy paying all the Microsoft licenses lol

 

[barryd]

Ah yes it could have only been pro versions, that was all I used so not sure. So long as the target pc/server actually rebooted I could always connect up okay and that was to customers off my network all over U.K. and Eire.
I had started using some of the Spiceworks tools before I retired and they did a Remote Desktop agent, I think it would let you add others as well but it’s a few years since I retired so not sure what it’s like now, I know they had some handy stuff and it was free.
I would only use Linux for back end servers or if I needed to hack anything, was too much trouble trying to teach users how to do everything as they had all come up on Windows and Office. Did once try to migrate everyone til the managing director stepped in and said he was happy paying all the Microsoft licenses lol

Not come across the Spiceworks tools. Will have to have a look. Ive used the excellent forum for years though. Im retired really myself apart from a handful of select clients. I just have all their PC's on Google remote desktop so I can get into any of them whenever I like. Ive tried them all over the years but settled with that one as all the others that started off free like logmein and Teamviewer want a lot of money now.

Biggest PIA is everyone has massive screens now and often two or even three chained together which can be a nightmare when you remote in on a 15" laptop. Chrome remote desktop lets you bomb about them all though in a moving window. Gets a bit confusing at times though.

There is another Freebee for one off connections called Quick Assist in Windows 10 and 11 though which some might find useful for helping family or friends without downloading anything. Just do a search for it on your desktop.

 

[Nabsim]

I remember using remote connection using my iPad just before I retired, wasn’t keen at all. When I finished they gave me my works laptop in case they ever needed me to connect up.

Over Christmas/New Year they got in touch asking if I could remember passwords for one of the customers servers, couldn’t believe they said they were sure they hadn’t been changed in the time since I had retired lol. Think they must have as the passwords I gave them didn’t work

 

[alwaysared]

Why not get a Raspberry Pi and have your own VPN server? Or maybe your router supports a VPN ? That way when you connect to the VPN you'll be using you home internet's IP address
For remote desktop you could also try UltraVNC or TightVNC Both free and opensource.

Regards,
Del

 

[GeoffL]

Why not get a Raspberry Pi and have your own VPN server? Or maybe your router supports a VPN ? That way when you connect to the VPN you'll be using you home internet's IP address
For remote desktop you could also try UltraVNC or TightVNC Both free and opensource.

Regards,
Del

FWIW, that's what I do. I've set up a Pi as a gateway to my home network and have a couple of low-power mini-ITX servers running permanently to provide mail and other services. I've tried both OpenVPN and Hamachi but found the latter the more reliable.

 

[alwaysared]

FWIW, that's what I do. I've set up a Pi as a gateway to my home network and have a couple of low-power mini-ITX servers running permanently to provide mail and other services. I've tried both OpenVPN and Hamachi but found the latter the more reliable.

I use Wireguard for my VPN and have found it very reilable on my laptop and all mobile devices.

Regards,
Del

 

[barge1914]

FWIW, that's what I do. I've set up a Pi as a gateway to my home network and have a couple of low-power mini-ITX servers running permanently to provide mail and other services. I've tried both OpenVPN and Hamachi but found the latter the more reliable.

That’s all way beyond my Ken.

 

[alwaysared]

Only problem with the Pi option is last time I looked no official retailer has them in stock and the unofficial sellers are asking double their retail prices

Regards,
Del