Hulu is a leading streaming service that is growing in popularity thanks to award-winning original series like “The Handmaid’s Tale”. Unfortunately, at the moment, it is only available in the United States and Japan. If you try to access the service from another country, you will come across an error message letting you know that Hulu’s video library can’t be accessed in your location. In 2016, Netflix launched a major global expansion, but Hulu, which is another major streaming video service, is still very limited in its geographical coverage. This is bad news for viewers around the world because there is a lot of great content available on Hulu, given that it was created by top US TV networks like NBC, Fox and ABC. Not being able to access what Hulu has to offer can be very frustrating, but there is something that can be done to defeat the restrictions.
Using a VPN to watch Hulu outside the United States and Japan
Even if you live in the countries supported by Hulu, if you happen to travel abroad for work or holidays, you will come across the error message that lets you know that the Hulu library cannot be accessed. This can be really frustrating for those who have a subscription and have to travel regularly. Even if you go to Canada or Mexico, you will experience the blocks that prevent you from watching content on Hulu. The solution is to use a VPN to change your IP address and appear as if you were in the United States, even if you are actually connecting from Canada or another country. You just have to choose a VPN service, install the software and connect to a server in the United States. Once you do, all your traffic is routed through the US server before it reaches Hulu and you can watch all the content that you want.
However, there is something that you need to keep in mind and that is that Hulu, like Netflix, is trying to prevent the use of VPNs and proxy services. Since the geographical restrictions are imposed to comply with their licensing agreements with copyright holders, Hulu has implemented ways to detect the use of VPNs and proxy connections. In fact, Hulu has become very good at blocking VPNs, which is why only a few services are capable of bypassing the restrictions. There are no free services that allow you to get around Hulu’s firewall so you need to go for a paid service. Some VPNs have managed to defeat the blocks because they have the resources to update their network and offer more options for their customers. Still, not all the servers in the United States will be effective and it is likely that you need to reach out to the provider’s customer service to find out which server works to unblock Hulu.
Sometimes, the servers get blocked and the VPN providers need to add new solutions. As with Netflix, the situation is constantly changing and a server that works today, may not work tomorrow since Hulu is constantly looking for ways to catch up with VPN services. This is why you need to check with your VPN provider what servers can be used to defeat the restrictions. ExpressVPN is a high quality VPN that offers advanced technology, impressive speeds and excellent customer support. Although their plans are more expensive than other options available, they are definitely worth considering since they offer an effective solution to unblock popular streaming services like Hulu. Their customer support is available 24/7 so you can contact them at any time to find out what servers you can connect to in order to watch content on Hulu.
How to watch Hulu outside the US on Chromecast, Roku, Fire TV and other devices
When it comes to watching content from Hulu on a streaming media device like Fire TV, Chromecast, Roku and other Android-based devices, there are additional challenges to overcome. These devices don’t offer built-in support for VPNs, which means that you will need to set up the service on a router. It is possible to use a physical home WiFi router or create a virtual WiFi router using your Mac or Windows computer. It is similar to setting up a WiFi hotspot on your phone.
If you come across issues, try disabling IPv6
You may have connected to a VPN server that is meant to work to unblock Hulu, but you may still experience issues. This is because most VPNs don’t offer protection against IPv6 leaks. A VPN can route all your traffic requests through its own DNS servers and disguise your IPv4 address. However, your IPv6 addresses may still be exposed. IPv6 is similar to IPv4, but it has a wider range of possible IP addresses for internet enabled devices. What you can do to solve the issue with IPv6, if you are unable to access Hulu, is to disable IPv6. Although it is not a perfect solution and it would be better not to have to stick to the limited amount of addresses supported by IPv4, it an effective workaround to access Hulu.
Disabling IPv6 on Windows
- Disconnect the VPN and close the client
- Press Windows Key+R to open Run
- Type ncpa.cpl and press Enter to open your Network Connection
- Locate the connection you are using, right click it and select Properties
- On the Networking or General tab, unmark the box that says “Internet Protocol Version 6 (TCP/IPv6). Then click OK to save the changes and close the window.
- Press Windows Key+R and select Command Prompt (Admin).
- You will be asked if it is ok for the program to make changes to your computer. Press “Yes”.
- In the command prompt (black window), enter this: ipconfig/flushdns and press Enter.
- Reconnect to the VPN, refresh the Hulu page. You should be able to watch Hulu now.
Disabling IPv6 on Mac
- Disconnect the VPN and close it
- Open the Apple menu
- Select System Preferences >Network > AirPort > Advanced
- Click TCP/IP
- Click on the Configure IPv6 pop-up menu and select Off
- Click OK and then Apply to apply the changes
- Connect again to the VPN, refresh Hulu. It should be working now.
How to pay for Hulu outside the United States
In order to access Hulu’s video library you need a subscription and at least your first payment have to come from the United States. If you don’t live in the United States and don’t have financial details or PayPal account from that country, you will need to opt for some alternatives. The below solutions are not guaranteed to work in every case, but they can be effective when it comes to paying your Hulu subscription from abroad.
You can use a prepaid card and you can top it up with the amount of credit that you want to add to your Hulu account. Once the account is set up, you can purchase Hulu gift cards online (Amazon, eBay and other sources) for your monthly payments.
You can also use Entro Pay, which lets you make online payments by setting a prepaid virtual visa card. Although you can’t use it to pay directly for Hulu, you can create a US PayPal account to make payments for your Hulu subscription.
