Tech: VPN/Proxy

Subject: Tech: VPN/Proxy
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 09 Apr 16 - 07:32 AM

Hi Mudcat collective

Being a UNIX specialist at work, I am reasonably computer savvy but I don't know much about the best way to get round this. Here in the UK a number of internet providers block sites that can be used by, for instance, XBMC or Kodi to stream TV shows and films. I know the principle is to use a proxy service or VPN so I would link to the proxy and the proxy links to the streaming site. It becomes transparent to the provider and I can watch streamed video to my hearts content. Only non copyright and legal of course...

Now, it seems to me that I am getting into the seedy area of keeping IPs secret for nefarious purposes and I am a bit wary of linking to anywhere I am unsure of. I wondered if anyone had any advice or recommendations on proxy services, preferably free, and how to configure XBMC to use them.

Cheers

DtG

Subject: RE: Tech: VPN/Proxy
From: GUEST
Date: 09 Apr 16 - 08:15 AM

You could of course pay for the content. You're not exactly poverty stricken, are you?

Subject: RE: Tech: VPN/Proxy
From: Anglo
Date: 09 Apr 16 - 09:23 AM

There's a program called NetShade that does this. Not free though. About $20/year for proxy, more for VPN. In the US, anyway - I haven't checked for the UK.

Subject: RE: Tech: VPN/Proxy
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 09 Apr 16 - 09:45 AM

Is the computer you're wanting to stream with also UNIX, or is it Windows? I've used an Enterprise version of a Cisco program to log on to work, and that works fine, but I haven't had much luck with VPN apps on my phone, because I appear to be not myself to (for example) my Google mail client. I use two-step authentication with all of my accounts, and it is a nuisance to have to set up that way over VPN just to check my email while I'm on the road.

http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2419611,00.asp. Here's one result from googling "Windows VPN" - aimed at Windows 7. Oversimplified to a degree, you already know what VPN is, but skip down to the instructions for using Windows own software to set up a VNP network. This is aimed primarily at reaching back to your computer with a remote device, but may also work for said computer.

Subject: RE: Tech: VPN/Proxy
From: GUEST,Jon
Date: 09 Apr 16 - 09:53 AM

Setting up Kodi(/XBNC) to use a proxy looks simple enough:

http://kodi.wiki/view/Settings/System#Internet_access

You'd probably be better on the Kodi forms or maybe (if you are using Linux), your distribution's forums if you need more detail.

Subject: RE: Tech: VPN/Proxy
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 09 Apr 16 - 02:10 PM

Thanks for the sensible suggestions so far. I will investigate. The main device I want it on is a Raspberry Pi running OpenElec, which is a media centre dedicated Linux. I have Kodi on Windows as well so I can test either.

Subject: RE: Tech: VPN/Proxy
From: punkfolkrocker
Date: 09 Apr 16 - 02:33 PM

I'm fairly new to Kodi, it was preinstalled on a cheap android TV box I bought last year
for easier net browsing on the main living room big TV.

Discovering Kodi, what it was, and if / when it's working properly, the legal grey * area of what it could do.. was a bonus...

[* streaming as opposed to downloading ???]

Kodi forums seem to me to be an entire colossal alternative universe...
I haven't got time or energy to delve into all that complex sub culture...

My concern about VPNs would be on any potential slowing up / erratic unreliable buffering of streaming.

We already pay for Sky and Amazon Prime, and intend to continue...

So my academic research use for Kodi is the wealth of overseas bonkers late night cult trash movies
that are completely unavailable otherwise to rent or buy or view in the UK.

Subject: RE: Tech: VPN/Proxy
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 09 Apr 16 - 02:47 PM

Pretty similar here, PFR.

Subject: RE: Tech: VPN/Proxy
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 10 Apr 16 - 05:35 AM

Testing the colonially named ( :-) )'Hide my Ass' proxy client at the moment with some success. Just trying a month at £6.99 for now. It works on the PC. If I can get it to work on the Raspberry Pi as well I will go for the 12 months @ £3.99 a month. I'll keep you posted.

Subject: RE: Tech: VPN/Proxy
From: DaveRo
Date: 10 Apr 16 - 05:41 AM

I've run XBMC on an original RPi, and my son recently installed Kodi on one of the new wifi ones. Both were/are dedicated distros. Must you run it under OpenElec? Just curious.

Subject: RE: Tech: VPN/Proxy
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 10 Apr 16 - 07:34 AM

I don't think you have to run Kodi under OpenElec but as I only ever use the Pi for a media server, I do. I imagine you can run it under Raspian or any of the other distos but I am not sure.

Subject: RE: Tech: VPN/Proxy
From: GUEST,Jon
Date: 10 Apr 16 - 08:07 AM

I'd guess that Kodi is ready built in the repositories of the major Linux distributions.

I tried it (as XBMC) a couple of times with OpenSUSE but it didn't move me from mythfrontend for one reason or other.

One part of it I do remember was that I was wondering how it and tvheadend would compare to our (mostly recorded tv but sharing video and music and no real interest in downloading videos even if we had the bandwidth) myttv setup. At the time anyway I don't think hvheadend's scheduling was good enough and I think it lacked support for our hdhomerun. So I needed the mythbackend part of mythtv anyway.

That and the mythtv frontend works well on the living room tv with my old X10/pc remote control.

Subject: RE: Tech: VPN/Proxy
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 12 Apr 16 - 08:31 AM

It works pretty well on the PC. Have not yet managed to sort it on the Pi but I am still quite hopeful!