If you’re seeing the Netflix Error Code m7111-5059, it means Netflix has detected that you’re using a VPN or Proxy. Continue reading to find out how to fix the Netflix Error Code m7111-5059.
Netflix Error Code m7111-5059: Quick fix
The easiest way to stop the m7111-5059 error code appearing is to turn off your VPN or Proxy. This, however, will result in Netflix serving you your local library. If the show(s) you want to watch isn’t in your local library – see how to watch The Office US on UK Netflix for example – then “fix” probably isn’t the end-result you’re looking for.
If you need to use a VPN or Proxy to access another country’s Netflix library, you’re going to need to switch to a VPN provider that Netflix doesn’t block.
- Sign up to ExpressVPN ($6.67/month) or Private Internet Access ($2.03/month)
- Download and install the app
- Connect to a server in the US (or whatever Netflix region you want)
- Clear your browser’s cookie and cache (optional)
- Open Netflix and watch from anywhere in the world
See also: BBC iPlayer not working with VPN? Here’s how to FIX that!
Why am I seeing Netflix Error Code m7111-5059?
Netflix explains that its m7111-5059 error code is served when “our systems have detected that you are connecting via a VPN, proxy, or “unblocker” service. Because our content library can vary by region and and these services hide your region, you may not be able to stream some movies and TV shows when connected in this way.
How to fix Netflix Error Code m7111-5059
Turning your VPN off is the obvious way to fix this. But the knock-on effect means you’ll only have access to your local Netflix library.
If you want a fix that lets you access the US, UK or Canadian Netflix libraries, for example, then simply turning off your VPN won’t work. Turning your VPN off means you won’t be able to access different Netflix libraries anymore.
Before we go any further, it’s important to understand that while Netflix Error Code m7111-5059 means Netflix has detected your VPN it doesn’t mean that Netflix can detect all VPNs.
In fact, Netflix can’t detect any VPN. It can only detect IP addresses that it suspects belong to VPNs.
If you’re using a low-end VPN that shares its servers (IP addresses) with too many customers, it’s going to result if your VPN’s server’s IP address(es) getting blacklisted.
ExpressVPN ($6.67/month) is the best VPN on the market for unblocking US Netflix (and many other Netflix libraries too). If you want to spend a little less, I recommend using Ivacy ($2.25/month) – both of these VPN’s work with US Netflix too, but they’re not as fast (consistently) as ExpressVPN. Meaning you’re more likely to stream Netflix in SD or HD when Ivacy or NordVPN’s servers have a high use load compared to streaming Netflix in 4K with ExpressVPN.
I’ve been using VPNs heavily since I moved to New Zealand in October 2017 (New Zealand’s Netflix library is tiny) and there hasn’t been a single day when ExpressVPN ($6.67/month) hasn’t been able to unblock the US or UK Netflix library for me.
How does Netflix detect VPNs?
I’ve written about this at length – head over to my Netflix detecting VPN article to learn more.
However, the tl;dr version is as follows:
Netflix doesn’t detect VPNs; it detects IP addresses it suspects belong to VPNs. The way it does this is simple. When too many accounts connect to Netflix using the same IP address – more than an average household, for example – Netflix knows the IP address is a VPN server, and it blacklists it.
This is why you are currently seeing Netflix Error Code m7111-5059.
Which VPNs work with Netflix?
Below I’ve listed the three best VPNs you can use with Netflix. I’ve been using each of these VPNs for the best two years, and they’ve provided reliable connections to US, UK and Canadian Netflix libraries. Take a look at my article Which VPNs still work with Netflix to find out more.
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
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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.
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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).
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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.
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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.
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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
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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.
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Which VPNs are blocked by Netflix?
- IPVanish
- PureVPN
- Buffered
- Hola
- TunnelBear
- HideMyAss!
- GetFlix
- OperaVPN
- Unlocator
- VPN Unlimited
- VyprVPN
- Windscribe
- Zenmate
Why does Netflix block VPNs?
It’s common knowledge that Netflix has different size libraries for different countries. This is due to the third-party content Netflix includes in its library.
Let’s use the TV show Frasier for example. You can watch it on US Netflix, but not on UK Netflix. This is because Netflix US has bought distribution rights from Paramount (the show’s producers and rights holders). However, Netflix doesn’t have the same distribution rights for the UK. Channel 4 and 4OD does.
But, if a UK Netflix subscriber uses a VPN to spoof their internet connection to somewhere in the US, they can use their same Netflix account to watch Frasier on US Netflix.
This is a global problem for Netflix. Part of the reason US Netflix has a much bigger library than any other region is that there are more subscribers in the US than any other country.
Data released by Statistica highlights the mismatch. In Q4 2017, Netflix had 54.8m subscribers in the US and 62.8m international subscribers. Netflix has customers in 160 different territories. With 159 of these only just overtaking the number it has in America. Which means more buying power for the US. Hence the bigger and better library.
TV & Film distributors recognise this and sell their content to Netflix accordingly. Netflix’s recent crackdown on VPNs is likely to be due to pressure put on them by the third-party rights holders it licences content from.
Read next: How to watch Amazon Instant Video abroad.
