How to access services like Netflix, Hulu or Pandora outside the USA

Spotify, Pandora, CWTV, Netflix or Hulu - these are only few from so many services accessible exclusively within the U.S. Because of international laws regarding media rights, US citizens traveling abroad can't, for instance, access Netflix, which they paid for. It's very unfortunate that media companies seem unwilling to try and work something out, in order to satisfy their customers. Not to mention the rest of us, poor citizens of the (supposedly) globalized world, dying to watch videos on Hulu, or listen to some music on Pandora. :-)


There are countless commercial Proxy and VPN services of course, but they all have one thing in common - you have to pay for them. For traveling business person VPN is a must, but for most people it's an unnecessary expense. So, for those of us who will not pay (read: the cheap foreign bastards), there are some free solutions. Free proxies, experimenting with Tor or modifying browser headers some times work, but not always. With one exception.

There is a free application which will provide you with US IP address and 2.5-3Mbps download speed, sufficient for watching online movies, which you can use for free anywhere in the world (unless you are in hell, or any other place on Earth where internet traffic with USA is blocked).
That program is a good ol' AOL Desktop.We will use version 9.7 which works on my Windows 7 64bit, and should also work on Windows 8. You'll find installer on official site, and also here and here. You might have read on the internet some horror stories about AOL software, but I assure you it's not so bad.
With default settings AOL Desktop doesn't function as Proxy, but one single tweak changes that. We will begin installation, and uncheck all default options.

We will create a new account:

Choose the free option  :)

Enter your personal details. The first segment of e-mail address (without '@aol.com') will be your Screen Name:

More personal details. Enter any US Zip code (10000 will do just fine):

We will be automatically signed on. We are not ready yet, so we need to sign off:

Next we click on Connect Options...

...and then Advanced Broadband Settings:

Here we click on Add a Broadband profile:

Name your profile, e.g. US IP:

Now the most important part. From Connection Type drop-down list select Home Network and save.

Exit AOL Desktop - we don't really need main application, as we will be using dialer . Click on Start AOL Dialer:

Enter your Screen Name, password and connect using default Broadband profile. If you don't do that, you might get an error message:

Next sign off by clicking Disconnect from Dialer, and then connect again (Connect with Dialer), but this time use profile you have created before (US IP):

Open your browser of choice, and check your IP address at http://whatismyipaddress.com/.

"Th-th-th-that's all, folks!" :-)

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Few remarks:
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• Don't forget about two-step connecting (connect with Broadband-disconnect-connect with US IP, especially when you connect for the first time after starting computer.
• If can't connect with dialer for some reason (sometimes there is no icon in system tray), start the main application and connect from there (two-step as well). Just don't close it, or you will be disconnected.
• During first dialer use, you will be asked to set it as default dialer. It's better not allow it, but in case you do it by mistake, you must change following setting in your Internet Options:

• Here's how my internet connections look like.

Disconnected from AOL (AOL Dialer set as default, otherwise it won't show here):

Connected to AOL:

• You might want to avoid updating the application:

• Last, but not least, don't forget it's AOL software after all. There is good chance you will face some small problems. For instance, if you are connecting with your US IP profile, and it takes unusual amount of time, click Cancel and then Sign On again. Repeat if necessary. 

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P.K.

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