If you’ve been watching DStv with a VPN and its no longer working, all your VPN’s IP addresses have been blocked by DStv.
This has happened because your VPN is no longer able to stay one step a head of DStv’ VPN blocking techniques.
This is obviously frustrating, especially if it was working and now it’s not. But don’t worry there’s a few fixes you can try to resolve this issue.
This article will explain how you can fix DStv not working with VPN and how you can prevent these issues from arising again in the future.
See also:
- How to watch Showmax outside SA: The EASY way! (May 2023)
- Showmax not working with VPN? Try these EASY fixes! (May 2023)
DStv not working with VPN: Quick Fixes
Delete Cookies
Some websites and apps use Cookies to streamline your online experience.
DStv is one of these websites. It uses Cookies to keep you logged in, remember your preferences and more.
Cookies are small files used to make your online experience better with DStv. The problem is, in some occasions these Cookies contain information about your location.
DStv can potentially access this information to find out where you’re located. If it finds you’re outside Africa it will block your connection.
A good place to start when trying to fix DStv not working with VPN is deleting your Cookies.
Change to a different server
If you’re still running into issues watching DStv with your VPN, try changing to a different South African server.
The reason you’re having trouble watching DStv with VPN is because the current IP address your VPN has given you has been blocked by DStv.
Changing to a different South African server will give you a new one and if it hasn’t been blocked by DStv, you’ll be able to watch DStv with your VPN again.
Change to a different protocol
Check to see if your VPN supports multiple protocols and change between them.
Protocols are a set of rules that define how your VPN reroutes your data through its servers.
Some protocols are faster than others, some are more secure, but they’re all different.
DStv might not be working with your VPN because the protocol you’re using is no longer compatible with the streaming service.
Try changing protocol to see if that fixes the issue.
Update your VPN
Always ensure you’re updated to the latest version of your VPN.
Chances are your VPN knows about an error or bug that might be preventing it from working with DStv. When this happens, it will probably release an update with fixes to these problems.
To ensure you’ve downloaded these fixes, update your VPN to its latest version.
Upgrade to a VPN that works with DStv
If the above fixes haven’t resolved the problem, DStv has managed to block all the IP addresses your VPN can provide.
You can wait for your VPN to release new IP addresses that DStv hasn’t blocked, however, there’s no telling how long this will take. Also seeing as you’ve run into this problem already, it’s obvious your VPN doesn’t have measures in place to stay ahead of DStv’ blocks. And inevitably the new IPs will get blocked by DStv as well.
We recommend ExpressVPN ($6.67/month). This VPN has measures in place to get around DStv’s blocks. These measures will prevent you from running into the same errors you’ve been coming across when trying to watch DStv with your current VPN and it will allow you to watch DStv reliably anywhere in the world.
Why has DStv blocked my VPN?
DStv only has the rights to broadcast its content in Africa.
Because VPNs are well-known ways of watching the streaming service outside Africa, DStv blocks VPNs from accessing its content.
It does this to protect itself from potential copyright and licensing issues that can arise for broadcasting its content outside the countries where it has the rights to do so.
The agreements that DStv has with its content partners stipulate that it can only be broadcast in Africa. If DStv breached these agreements it could potentially face severe financial repercussions.
How does DStv block VPNs?
DStv blocks VPNs using three main techniques:
- The most common technique is to do with the IP addresses that your VPN can provide. VPN providers have more customers than the number of IP addresses they can provide; this means that customers can use the same IP addresses. Usually, only a household with a few devices uses the same IP address. When DStv sees hundreds or even thousands of connections coming through on the same IP address, it knows that it is a VPN and it blocks it.
- DStv monitors for IP, DNS and WebRTC leaks that can tip the service off you are using a VPN.
- DStv teams up with GeoIP databases like Maxmind to identify IP addresses. If the IP address your VPN provides is on one of these databases, DStv will be able to find out where in the world you are connecting to the internet from and it will block you.
Lesser VPN struggle to get around these techniques and subsequently all of their IP addresses get blocked. This is what has most likely happened to your VPN.
Does DStv still work with VPNs?
DStv still works with VPNs, however, you need to use a VPN that can stay ahead of DStv’ VPN blocks.
VPNs like ExpressVPN ($6.67/month) and Private Internet Access ($2.03/month) are very good at this.
These VPNs work reliably with DStv because they play a game and cat and mouse with the streaming service. Inevitably DStv will sometimes identify an IP address provided by ExpressVPN ($6.67/month) and Private Internet Access ($2.03/month) however, when these IP addresses are blocked, ExpressVPN ($6.67/month) and Private Internet Access ($2.03/month) will close that IP and open a new one.
This means there will always be an IP address for you to connect to, allowing you to stream DStv from anywhere in the world reliably.
The best VPNs to watch DStv
1. ExpressVPN 🥇
Why You Should Use ExpressVPN? It’s the fastest and MOST reliable VPN of 2022
Pros
- ✅ Fast servers
- ✅ Thousands of IP addresses
- ✅ 10-simultaneous connections
- ✅ 24/7 Live Chat
- ✅ Easy-to-use app
- ✅ 30-day money-back guarantee
Cons
- ❌ Expensive
Special Offer for you!
Get 3 extra months free when you sign up for a 12-month ExpressVPN plan. That’s 15 months in total for the price of 12.
Number of servers: 3,000+ | Speed: >80% | Bandwidth: Unlimited | IP locations: 160 in 94 countries | Devices supported: 5 | Live chat: Yes | 30-day money-back guarantee: Yes
- $6.66/month for 15 months
- $9.99/month for 6 months
- $12.95/month for 1 month
ExpressVPN ($6.66/month) is still the best VPN. And importantly, it ALWAYS has servers that are open with major streaming sites such as Netflix, BBC iPlayer, Hulu, Disney+, HBO Max, Paramount+, Amazon Prime Video, etc.
ExpressVPN is usually very good at playing Cat and Mouse with online streaming sites. Meaning, whenever one of its servers is blacklisted it creates a new one – giving its users a constant stream of servers that aren’t blocked. Needless to say, this is a valuable attribute if you’re looking for a VPN to unblock streaming sites.
Its app is easy-to-use and free to download on pretty much any device you can think of. Mac, Windows, iOS, Android, FireStick, Android TV, Roku, PS4, Xbox, Linux, even Apple TV (with a workaround). It’s got it all covered.
The app is another main reason this VPN is so good at unblocking TV streaming sites (that claim they block VPNs) is that its software takes a pragmatic approach to user management. While other VPNs tempt customers by promising them access to hundreds/thousands of servers in multiple countries, ExpressVPN does things differently.
With ExpressVPN you only have a handful of server locations to choose from. Once you select your location the app takes care of the rest. Assigning you to the fastest available server that’s not oversubscribed. This simple technique is so important, as it keeps ExpressVPN’s servers operating at lightning-fast speeds and prevents its IPs from getting blacklisted for “abnormal” usage in the first place.
Check out our full ExpressVPN review.
Special Offer for you
(30-day money-back guarantee)
2. Private Internet Access 🥈
The BEST low-cost VPN for streaming!
Pros
- ✅ Fast and reliable servers
- ✅ Thousands of IP addresses
- ✅ 10-simultaneous connections
- ✅ 24/7 Live Chat
- ✅ 30-day money-back guarantee
Cons
- ❌ Only 48 server locations
Special Offer for you!
Sign up for a 3-year plan with Private Internet Access and save 83% + 3 months free. That works out at $2.03/month.
Number of servers: 25,000+ | Speed: >75% | Bandwidth: Unlimited | IP locations: 70 in 74 countries | Devices supported: 10 | Live chat: Yes | 30-day money-back guarantee: Yes
- $2.03/month for 3 years
- $7.50/month for 6 months
- $11.99/month for 1 month
Private Internet Access is one of the leading no-log VPN services with over 1-million paying customers.
This VPN is one of the best in the industry at beating streaming sites’ VPN bans. It provides reliable connections with US Netflix, BBC iPlayer, Hulu, HBO Max, Disney+ Amazon Prime Video, etc. It also allows 10 simultaneous devices to be connected to its servers at the same time, so you can share the account with your close friends.
If – for whatever reason – you’re not happy with Private Internet Access, there’s a 24/7 live chat support available to assist you with your problem. PIA also offers the industry-standard 30-day money-back guarantee.
From my tests (from New Zealand) I was able to get download speeds of 70 Mbps while connected to a UK server using the Private Internet Access VPN (my non-VPN speed is 100 Mbps).
Special Offer – Save 83%
(30-day money-back guarantee)
3. NordVPN 🥉
A very quick and trustworthy VPN
Pros
- ✅ Fast servers
- ✅ No logs
- ✅ Thousands of IP addresses
- ✅ 6-simultaneous connections
- ✅ 30-day money-back guarantee
- ✅ Easy-to-use app
Cons
- ❌ No refunds for purchases from iTunes/App store
Special Offer for you!
Sign up for a 3-year plan with Private Internet Access and save 83% + 3 months free. That works out at $2.03/month.
Number of servers: 5,000+ | Speeds: >80% | Bandwidth: Unlimited | IP locations: 62 countries | Devices supported: 6 | Live chat: Yes | 30-day money-back guarantee: Yes
- $3.49/month for 2 years
- $6.99/month for 1 year
- $11.95/month for 1 month
NordVPN is the most widely-used VPN in the world. And it’s easy to see why. It’s a polished app that delivers fast connections (more on this later) to a massive network of VPN servers.
It’s the most reliable at unblocking popular streaming services too – US Netflix, Hulu, Disney+, BBC iPlayer, HBO Max, Amazon Prime Video, etc. This is because NordVPN hired a full-time technical team (that’s responsible for monitoring its servers’ connections with popular TV streaming services) and has been aggressively investing in its network of IP addresses in key locations.
Another interesting thing to note is that NordVPN is an industry leader in its development of Nordlynx technology. Nordlynx is built using the WireGuard, a new VPN tunneling protocol designed to outperform current standards (OpenVPN and IPSec). The benefits, according to NordVPN, are dramatically faster transfer speeds while connected to a VPN. My tests – New Zealand to London – confirm that Nordlynx is currently the fastest VPN on the market. However, the difference isn’t dramatic, a few Mbps is all.
SPECIAL OFFER – SAVE 70%!
(30-day money-back guarantee)
4. Ivacy
A very quick and trustworthy VPN
Pros
- ✅ Fast servers
- ✅ Thousands of IP addresses
- ✅ Dedicated streaming servers
- ✅ 5-simultaneous connections
- ✅ 30-day money-back guarantee
- ✅ 24/7 Live Chat
Cons
- ❌ Only 5 devices
- ❌ Sometimes runs slow
- ❌ Occasionally block by streaming sites for several days
Special Offer for you!
Sign up for Ivacy and enjoy a 7-day trial with no strings attached
Number of servers: 1,000+ | Speed: >65% | Bandwidth: Unlimited | IP locations: 275 in 100 countries | Devices supported: 5 | Live chat: Yes | 30-day money-back guarantee: Yes
- $1.16/month for 5 years
- $3.50/month for 1 year
- $9.99/month for 1 month
If you’re looking for an excellent VPN, with an even better price tag, Ivacy ($1.16/month) is a great option.
This VPN has all the features you need to stream BBC iPlayer, in HD, from any country in the world. I’ve been testing the app recently on Mac, PC, Android, iOS and FireStick and the results have been impressive – unlocking BBC iPlayer, US Netflix, Hulu, Disney+, HBO Max, Amazon Prime Video, etc. with ease.
The Ivacy app is a little different in regards to its UX (user experience). Instead of just selecting a UK server, you need to select the specific BBC iPlayer server. Don’t worry, this isn’t a bad thing – by connecting to a dedicated BBC iPlayer server, it simply means that you’re connecting to an IP address that Ivacy knows works with BBC iPlayer.
For an extra $1.99/month (£1.74) you can add-on a dedicated IP. This will buy you sole access to an IP address in a country of your choice, meaning you won’t have to share your IP (and speeds) with any other use. I don’t recommend this though, using the regular Ivacy servers is enough 95 per cent of the time.
Special Offer – 7-day FREE trial!
(30-day money-back guarantee)
5. CyberGhost
A very quick and trustworthy VPN
Pros
- ✅ 1-day free trial
- ✅ Reliable servers
- ✅ Thousands of IP addresses
- ✅ 7-simultaneous connections
- ✅ 30-day money-back guarantee
- ✅ Easy-to-use app
Cons
- ❌ Expensive
- ❌ Average speed scores
SPECIAL OFFER – 1-DAY FREE TRIAL
Take advantage of CyberGhost’s 1-day FREE TRIAL!
Number of servers: 1,000+ | Speed: >65% | Bandwidth: Unlimited | IP locations: 275 in 100 countries | Devices supported: 5 | Live chat: Yes | 30-day money-back guarantee: Yes
- $2.75/month for 3 years
- $3.69/month for 2 years
- $5.99/month for 1 year
- $12.99/month for 1 month
CyberGhost is one of the more established VPNs on the market. It has a well-established, and well-tested global network of servers that perform well.
From my tests over the past several months, CyberGhost has no trouble at unblocking major streaming services – US Netflix, BBC iPlayer, Hulu, Disney+, Amazon Prime Video, HBO Max etc. This VPN performed well at maintaining download speeds, well above 65 per cent of my regular (non VPN) ISP speed.
That said, there’s nothing really unique about the service. Which forces you to look at its price-point. And there’s nothing special here. Its short-term $12.99/month price tag puts is well above the industry average of $10.10/month. Similarly, its long-term $2.75/month for 3 years deal isn’t much of a “deal” either.
Oddly, CyberGhost’s most unique feature is its a 1-day, no obligations, free trial. This is an appealing offer to customers who are new to VPNs. However, it’s important to remember that most reputable VPNs will offer customers a 30-day money-back guarantee, so try not to be too seduced by the offer.
SPECIAL OFFER – 1-DAY FREE TRIAL
(30-day money-back guarantee)
Can I watch DStv outside Africa?
Officially, DStv is only available in Africa. If you try and access the streaming service outside Africa, it won’t work.
Fortunately, you can trick DStv into thinking you’re accessing it from within Africa. To do that you need to change your IP address to an African IP address.
The easiest way to watch DStv outside Africa is with a reliable VPN. Both ExpressVPN ($6.67/month) and Private Internet Access ($2.03/month) will allow you to change your IP address and watch DStv anywhere in the world!
