Amazon fire stick

[cyprusgaz]

Would this work in Northern Cyprus if you have wifi access?

[Aitchie]

I expect you would have to use a VPN, I use Amazon Prime through my PS3 using a VPN and it works fine as long as the internet is functioning ok.

[erol]

To the best of my knowledge you can not configure a 'normal' VPN (like say the free MM one) on the amazon firestick. However (and agin to the best of my knowledge - I have not used the device myself or seen one) you can manually configure the DNS servers on the amazon firestick , so in theory it should work with a DNS based paid VPN solution.

[Aitchie]

I use a VPN uploaded (or downloaded not quite sure) to a Roku router so that everything wifi goes through my VPN, it works for me with the Amazon prime via PS3 (direct cable connection), I should imagine it would be the same with a firestick connected through wifi although cant be sure till you try, it does mean the extra expense of a router and VPN but worth it as far as I am concerned.

[cyprusgaz]

Many thanks for the responses. I am confident enough now to buy one. When visiting last year I brought with me a SurfEasy stick that my good lady saw advertised on QVC. This is I believe the VPN you mentioned. (I am a techno useless). Through the lap top we were able to access our netflix account easily and painless. Amazon is a better product than netflix so I guess I feel confident enough to bring one over next year. Again many thanks.

[erol]

I use a VPN uploaded (or downloaded not quite sure) to a Roku router so that everything wifi goes through my VPN, it works for me with the Amazon prime via PS3 (direct cable connection), I should imagine it would be the same with a firestick connected through wifi although cant be sure till you try, it does mean the extra expense of a router and VPN but worth it as far as I am concerned.

Hi. This is a viable set-up and I am not posting to 'have a go' at such a set up but it does have its 'downsides' as well as 'upsides'. In the interest of just general info and discussion and not to say - no that is the wrong way to do it, for there is no single right or best way that fits all people and circumstances, I will run through some of the pros and cons.

The biggest pro of such a set up, in my opinion, is once it is set up and working, then any device connected to the VPN'ed router (wired or wireless) will behave as if it is in the UK. So no worries about can I configure a VPN on this specific device or not and the like. Just connect the device and it will look like it is in the UK to most services (bbc, netflix , amazon prime etc etc)

The biggest con is that really you do not want all traffic from all devices to first go all the way to the UK before then going on to its destination. You really only want traffic that needs to look like the request has originated from a device in the UK to do so. The VPN router in analogy terms , means that very 'journey' you make from your house, you first drive to the UK and then go on to your destination. Now when you destination requires that the journey starts in the UK this is required. When the destination is in the UK but does not care where it originates from , then going to the UK first does not make much difference. However when your destination is in Turkey, then first going from here to the UK, just to go back to Turkey, really does not make much sense, yet that is what happens if you have a VPNed router that all you devices connect to. One way round this is to have two routers - one that VPNs to the UK anything attached to it and one that does not, so then you can connect to the vpned one when you need to be vpned and connect to the other one when you do not.

The other 'downsides' of a VPNed router, is setting it up and getting it working in the first place is not simple and what is more diagnosing internet issue is then much harder as well. So you seem to be connected to the vpned router fine (wired or wireless) - yet nothing is working. Is that a problem with your internet provider or is a problem with the routers VPN - knowing which is not easy and requires accessing the router itself to work out which it is.

For me personally my preferred solution are

for devices that can have a 'normal' vpn configured on them - like say a PC, I use this and just connect to it when I need to use it and stay disconnected from it when I do not.

for devices that can not have a 'normal' vpn configured on them directly but where you CAN manually set a DNS server (like say a samsung TV) i prefer a DNS based VPN service - this will only work with pre defined 'services' (like bbc iplayer, netflix etc) and the point is it will only 'redirect' (via dns) traffic to these services and all other traffic is unaffected.

for devices that can not have a normal VPN and where you also can not manually set a DNS server (i believe the roku TV boxes fall into this categfory), then a VPNed router / wifi AP may be the best option (though I would not want it as my only router / wifi AP).

[Aitchie]

I think I understand what you mean although I am not too tech savvy, however I can set my Roku router to only route certain inputs through the VPN and the rest through normal channels, it did take me a while to set up the router due to my lack of techy savvy but now that it is up and running I wouldnt want to mess with it too much incase it went wrong, I use a MM internet and I can change the router back if things do muck up but heres hoping it stays stable or else my TV is up the swanny, I did use to use the MM freeview telly through my Mac laptop but it stopped working for no aparent reason and I could not get it back even with advice from MM.