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BBC iPlayer detecting/blocking VPN [How to fix]

Apply our detailed procedure right away

7 min. read

Updated onSeptember 12, 2024

updated onSeptember 12, 2024

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VPNs are commonly used for security as they provide the privacy most people seek online through encrypted tunnels across the open internet architecture.

For people who travel a lot and for long periods of time, VPNs come in handy to keep data secure while being able to access geo-restricted content whenever they want to watch their favorite shows on streaming media such as Netflix, Hulu, BBC iPlayer, or Amazon Prime, among others.

The primary reason for using a VPN, however, is tobypassinternet censorship and country-level filtering, where there are severe censorship regulations. VPNs do this by hiding your current location and IP address such that the website you visit only sees that of your VPN and not your real one.

If you’re aBBCfan and you’d like to access the content from a different location other than the UK, sometimes you’ll find your VPN blocked byBBC, and there are reasons why this happens.

One reason is thatBBCblocksVPNconnections from accessing the iPlayer application. However, it is hard to completely block outVPNaccess, which can involve manual intervention because a strong, well-configured VPN can go undetected.

In fact, some reports have said that about 60 million people outside the UK can access BBC’s iPlayer via VPN connections or other unblocking tools, which is a more significant population than those living in the UK.

This is probably why theBBCis actively stopping unauthorizedusersfrom accessing the content.

To resolve the VPN blocked byBBCissue, try the solutions below.

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Has BBC blocked VPN? Here’s how to unblock it

1. Preliminary checks

2. Change your VPN

For guaranteed access, go for aVPNthat is optimized for streaming, such asPrivate Internet Access.

When it comes to fighting online censorship, PIA is unmatched. According to its statement, this world-leading VPN provider has made it its mission to liberate the internet for you, as it was always intended.

With unlimited bandwidth and the highest download speeds, PIA is your best bet to unblock BBC content and enjoy all your favorite shows, buffering-free and without worrying about ISP throttling.

In addition, all the servers composingPIA‘s impressive network of worldwide gateways are streaming and P2P sharing compatible, which takes out the question of having to blindly search for a server location that the BBC does not block.

Activate yourVPN, choose the server closest to you to rule out proximity-related issues, and enjoy a smooth, reliable, and stable connection for as long as you want.

Private Internet Access

3. Download the latest version of your VPN

Uninstall the VPN app you’re running, sign in to yourVPNaccount, and set up the VPN. Find the latest version for your device and reconnect, then see if you can accessBBC.

To set up the VPN in Windows 10, do the following:

4. Get a dedicated IP address

This may cost you a bit more, but go for one if you want uninterrupted streaming. A dedicated IP address is more complicated to blacklist because the shared ones are already on BBC’s radar.

But with a dedicated IP, you won’t be sharing with many other people, just a few selectedusers, which makes you look like a regular household compared to a big company.

5. Download the latest version of your VPN

Uninstall the VPN you’re running, then sign in to yourVPNaccount and run the setup again. Find the latest version for your device and reconnect.

6. Flush the DNS

Flushing your DNS cache allows your computer to automatically access your VPN’s DNS for the proper/correct entries. To do this:

7. Manually configure DNS settings

Configure your computer with your VPN’s DNS servers’IP addressesso that it automatically connects to your VPN’s DNS servers. Manually configuring your computer with other DNS server addresses helps you access BBC and enjoy faster connection speeds. To do this:

8. Manually configure proxy settings

Aproxyserver hides your real location so you can access websites such as BBC. Ensure your browser is set to auto-detectproxyor noproxy, then use the instructions to configure proxy settings for your browser manually. To do this:

You can apply the same fixes when encountering theBBC iPlayer error code 02050orerror code 02062.

Let us know if these solutions helped fix the VPN blocked by BBC error by leaving a comment in the section below.

BBC iPlayer detecting/blocking VPN [How to fix]#

Has BBC blocked VPN? Here’s how to unblock it#

1. Preliminary checks#

2. Change your VPN#

Private Internet Access#

3. Download the latest version of your VPN#

4. Get a dedicated IP address#

5. Download the latest version of your VPN#

6. Flush the DNS#

7. Manually configure DNS settings#

8. Manually configure proxy settings#