With the majority of sports around the world returning to normal, many people would like to keep up with the latest events. Streaming has become very popular in recent years, with many streaming services emerging on the market.
However, in some cases you might not have access to streaming services. For example, you might struggle to get access to Sky Sports streaming if you’re outside of the UK. This has led to frustration from many sports fans across the globe.
However, there is a way that you can stream sports even if you’re not in the allowed region. You can stream from anywhere by using a VPN. If you’re not sure what a VPN is or how to use it to unblock sport streams, read on for a full explanation.
Why Can’t I Access my Usual Sport Streams?
If you find yourself travelling abroad you might be frustrated to find that you’re not able to access streams that you usually would be able to while you’re at home.
Even if you have an account with a specific sports streaming service, you still won’t be able to access the website or the streams if you’re outside a specific region.
There’s a good reason for this though. Many broadcasters need to pay huge amounts of money to acquire the rights to stream specific sports. Acquiring these rights usually comes with a strict set of rules that broadcasters must follow.
One of these rules is that broadcasters must limit their streams to specific regions. For example, Sky Sports might only be allowed to stream their sports in the UK and a select few other countries. Thus, if you’re trying to watch a Sky Sports stream outside of any allowed regions you’ll be met with an error message stating: “This content is not available in your region.” This is known as geo-blocking.
All internet connections have an IP address. An IP address is a unique identifier connected to a network. One of the purposes of an IP address is to keep track of your location. Websites use your IP address to determine whether or not you fall within an allowed region, and they can block your access to the website based on the location of your IP address.
What is a VPN and How Will it Help me to Stream Sports From Anywhere?
A VPN or virtual private network is used as a cybersecurity tool first and foremost. It is used to encrypt your internet connection, which will prevent anyone from seeing what you are doing on your internet browser. Even your internet service provider won’t be able to keep track of your data and browsing history.
However, one of the features found on VPN services will help you to bypass geo-blocking to access websites that aren’t available in your region. This includes sport streaming services. A VPN will allow you to change your IP address to a different location.
Changing your location by using a VPN is as simple as connecting to one of its many different global servers. VPNs provide locations in different countries and cities across the world, allowing you to access any websites even if you’re in a geo-blocked region.
How do You Install a VPN?
Installing a VPN is very simple and you can get it up and running within a matter of minutes. It’s important to remember that some countries such as China and Russia block the websites that allow you to download a VPN. This is why you must ensure that you have your VPN downloaded and set up before you travel. Follow the quick steps below to learn how to get your VPN set up.
1. Choose your preferred VPN provider. There are many to choose from, and each one has its own benefits and drawbacks. You need to do some research on each one to make sure that it has the correct requirements for your streaming needs. You’ll have to be on the lookout for internet speeds and the variety of global servers available.
2. Download the VPN on the device that you will be streaming from. You can do this either by visiting the VPN provider’s website or finding the app on your preferred App Store.
3. Create an account with the VPN provider by following the steps.
4. Activate your VPN and choose the global server you would like to connect to. Remember that this will affect which streams you have access to. You will also begin to see adverts from the country that you have selected which shows that the VPN is working correctly.
5. Open your streaming service and find the sport that you would like to stream.
Can You Use a Free VPN to Stream Sports Online?
While you’re researching which VPN to use you may come across some free VPNs. You’ll also see free versions of premium VPNs. While it may be tempting to use a free VPN to stream sports, it’s not recommended that you do as they have several drawbacks that can affect your streaming experience.
Firstly, free VPNs often have slower internet speeds. Even if you have access to a fast internet connection, the VPN will throttle the internet speed. This is really bad for streaming as you may find that your stream will be constantly buffering and even lagging behind the live feed, leading to a frustrating viewing experience.
Free VPNs also have a daily data cap. In the majority of cases, the daily data limit will be set at 500 MB. Streaming sports, movies or even videos can take up to 1 GB per hour. This means that you’ll struggle to stream the entire event and you will lose access to the stream once you have reached your daily data limit.
Finally, a free VPN will also have a limited list of global servers to choose from. In most cases these are the less popular countries. You might struggle to find a server that you need to use to stream sports from your streaming service or app.