If you’re working overseas, or on vacation abroad, you won’t be able to watch Comedy Central like you can back home in the US. But don’t worry, for just a couple dollars a month – or even for free – I am going to show you how to watch Comedy Central outside the US (this method works for all American channels).
See also: BBC iPlayer not working with VPN? Here’s how to fix that!
How to watch Comedy Central outside the US: Quick guide
- Get ExpressVPN ExpresssVPN ($6.66/month) or Private Internet Access ($2.03/month)
- Download and install app on your device
- Select a server in the US
- Watch Comedy Central outside the US
It’s as simple as that. But keep reading below if you want to find out more about how it all works from a technology point of view.
Why can’t I watch Comedy Central outside the US?
Rights. That’s the simple reason. Comedy Central only has broadcasting rights inside of the US. As soon as you leave American soil, you won’t be able to watch Comedy Central via the internet.
See also: NBC not working with VPN? Here’s an EASY fix!
How does Comedy Central know I am outside the US?
Every internet connection in the world has an IP address. This is a bit like a telephone number as it lets websites know where its users are connecting from. And IP addresses can be used to locate a user to the nearest town (not just country)
How to watch Comedy Central outside the US
The way to watch Comedy Central, and every other American TV channel, when you’re outside of the US is to spoof your IP address.
This sounds technical, but it’s actually pretty simple. All you need is a good VPN (more on this later) and you’ll be able to stream US content just like you would back home.
How do VPNs work?
VPNs work by encrypting and rerouting your internet traffic via a Virtual Private Network (VPN) of servers.
For example, if you’re on vacation in London and you want to watch Comedy Central via the www.cc.com website a VPN will encrypt your data before sending it to a server in the US. When it reaches the server in the US, it will unencrypt your data and forward it onto the local American ISP (Internet Service Provider). The received data from www.cc.com is then encrypted again and forwarded back to your device in London.This technical hack is all that’s needed to watch Comedy Central from outside the US.
Comedy Central not working with VPN? Here’s how to fix that!
Not all VPNs are equal. That’s the first thing you need to understand here. While the technology each VPN uses may be similar, including military-grade encryption, you need a VPN that does more if you want to watch Comedy Central from outside the US (these days).
That’s because Comedy Central, and every other streaming website, has started actively trying to identify which IP addresses belong to VPN providers.If you’re trying to access CC.com via a cheap VPN that doesn’t update its IP addresses if/when they’re blacklisted. You won’t be able to watch Comedy Central using your VPN anymore.
The workaround is simple. You need to use a VPN that plays a game of Cat and Mouse with the streaming sites. All the VPNs listed below do this, employing 24/7 technical teams to monitor connections.
With ExpresssVPN ($6.66/month) being the very best the industry has to offer and is the VPN I use the most.
Comedy Central not working with VPN? Here’s how to fix that!
1. ExpressVPN
Price: $6.66/month
ExpresssVPN ($6.66/month) is the best VPN you can buy.
If you can afford the extra few dollars a month, compared to the other VPN, you won’t regret it.
The first thing you need to know about this VPN is that it’s fast. Really fast! It consistently tops our independent VPN speed tests, with blazingly fast download/upload speeds. And importantly, it ALWAYS has servers that are open with major streaming sites such as Netflix, Amazon, HBO Go and BBC iPlayer.
ExpressVPN is a little more expensive than the other VPNs on this list that still work with online streaming sites. But if you can afford it, it’s totally worth it.
Note: ExpressVPN offers a 30-day moneyback guarantee. If you’re not happy with the service you can get a full refund.
Get ExpressVPN for $6.66/month
2. Ivacy
Price: $1.33/month
If you’re looking for an excellent VPN, with an even better price tag, Private Internet Access ($2.03/month) is a great option.
This VPN has all the features you need to stream Comedy Central, 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, unblocking all the major streaming websites – BBC iPlayer, US/UK Netflix, 4oD etc – with ease.
For an extra $1.99/month 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.
3. NordVPN
Price: $3.99/month
This is another one of my favourite VPNs for all things streaming. It has dedicated easy-to-use apps for Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Amazon Firestick. Pretty much all mainstream devices.
NordVPN also has thousands of servers and IP addresses. 5105 in total. 2,000 of these are based in the US. From a purely numerical point of view, this makes it one of the best VPNs.
The customer service with NordVPN is also really good. They provide a 24/7 live chat support feature from the website. NordVPN also employs a dedicated technical team to monitor its connections with HBO Go, Netflix, iPlayer (etc). If/when one of its servers gets blacklisted by these streamers, these technicians start work on a fix immediately.
Read next: HBO Go not working with VPN? Here’s how to fix that!
