WEBVTT 00:00:00.160 --> 00:00:06.720 up until around 2014 the cheap and easy way to get around region-locked online 00:00:04.160 --> 00:00:12.080 content was to fire up a trusty vpn like private internet access but then netflix 00:00:09.679 --> 00:00:16.480 pushed an update to detect and stop its users from doing so and the rest of the 00:00:14.080 --> 00:00:20.480 industry followed suit it was a dark time and many people simply accepted 00:00:18.480 --> 00:00:24.960 that the golden age of watching anything you wanted was over 00:00:23.199 --> 00:00:29.599 but what if i told you that there's another way to mask your address one 00:00:27.199 --> 00:00:34.239 that could not only unblock geo-restricted content but even save you 00:00:32.160 --> 00:00:39.360 a substantial amount of money on your subscriptions what if i told you you can 00:00:36.559 --> 00:00:43.440 use it on your smart tv home console or any other device 00:00:41.280 --> 00:00:47.520 and what if i told you about it after this message from today's sponsor 00:00:45.280 --> 00:00:51.280 jackery thanks jackery for sponsoring this video from september 20th to 00:00:49.360 --> 00:00:57.879 october 18th jackery is celebrating their 9th anniversary with a photo 00:00:52.879 --> 00:00:57.879 contest watch till the end to learn more 00:01:04.559 --> 00:01:10.799 whether it's an out-of-market sports ball game your favorite show that just got taken off netflix but only in your 00:01:09.840 --> 00:01:15.119 region or just any other random footage that's 00:01:13.360 --> 00:01:20.560 exclusively available in some other country losing access to content sucks i 00:01:18.000 --> 00:01:25.520 mean as a user you don't care which cable network or syndication has the 00:01:22.960 --> 00:01:30.080 rights you just want to kick back relax and put whatever you want on the big 00:01:27.600 --> 00:01:34.560 screen now even when they worked there were drawbacks to using a vpn to get 00:01:32.320 --> 00:01:40.159 around these problems i mean it wasn't convenient exactly to configure it on 00:01:36.720 --> 00:01:41.680 devices like smart tvs and rokus and 00:01:40.159 --> 00:01:45.280 especially if you were proxying to a distant location your network 00:01:43.360 --> 00:01:48.240 performance for everything other than your stream could slow down 00:01:46.720 --> 00:01:52.960 substantially thankfully a canadian company got fed up 00:01:51.119 --> 00:01:57.920 and went to work developing something similar to a vpn but 00:01:55.439 --> 00:02:01.840 kind of better actually at least when it comes to watching sports and streaming 00:01:59.759 --> 00:02:04.799 services and i'll tell you more about why it's not a replacement for a vpn 00:02:03.840 --> 00:02:10.720 later meet the stream locator the hardware is 00:02:08.399 --> 00:02:16.000 frankly speaking nothing special it's a gigabit capable ac 1200 dual band router 00:02:13.840 --> 00:02:21.200 the real magic is in their customized open wrt based firmware that uses a 00:02:18.239 --> 00:02:26.800 combination of smart dns transparent dns proxy and domain ip-based smart routing 00:02:24.400 --> 00:02:31.280 to circumvent regional blocks and it does all of this while not slowing down 00:02:29.520 --> 00:02:37.040 or compromising the security of your regular browsing now of course our 00:02:33.680 --> 00:02:38.959 viewers are not going to accept magic 00:02:37.040 --> 00:02:43.360 as an explanation for how a device on their network functions and they 00:02:41.040 --> 00:02:48.080 shouldn't so let's talk about how exactly it works 00:02:44.959 --> 00:02:50.000 now normally you type netflix.com into 00:02:48.080 --> 00:02:55.519 your browser which sends a request to a dns server which converts that 00:02:52.280 --> 00:02:58.000 netflix.com url to an ip address that 00:02:55.519 --> 00:03:02.400 your browser can actually connect to then traffic starts to flow 00:03:00.160 --> 00:03:08.080 the stream locator deviates from this normal manner of operation by checking 00:03:05.040 --> 00:03:10.319 your dns requests against a bank of urls 00:03:08.080 --> 00:03:14.400 that it has stored if it sees you're searching for a video streaming site it 00:03:12.239 --> 00:03:20.080 takes the ip address that your dns server says corresponds to that url and 00:03:17.599 --> 00:03:24.879 throws it in the garbage instead it responds with the ip of a proxy server 00:03:22.959 --> 00:03:29.360 that is in the region you're trying to access it from and all of your traffic 00:03:27.280 --> 00:03:35.440 reroutes through that just like how a vpn works it's a pretty 00:03:33.200 --> 00:03:39.599 elegant solution to this problem and we actually wanted to shoot our review of 00:03:37.120 --> 00:03:43.200 this thing over a month ago but then netflix managed to block stream locator 00:03:42.000 --> 00:03:47.599 system just two days after we had tested the device 00:03:45.519 --> 00:03:51.920 and confirmed that it worked talk about timing now streamlocator has recently 00:03:50.159 --> 00:03:56.400 gotten things back up and running again using basically the same system we just 00:03:54.159 --> 00:04:00.879 explained but with an added layer of ipv6 hackery and at the time of writing 00:03:58.959 --> 00:04:04.879 american netflix is back online with the promise of more countries in the near to 00:04:02.799 --> 00:04:10.480 mid future i said a moment ago that it works just like a vpn but i also said 00:04:07.920 --> 00:04:13.680 before that that it's not a replacement for a vpn 00:04:12.000 --> 00:04:19.440 what gives okay the difference is that a vpn routes 00:04:17.199 --> 00:04:23.919 all of your traffic through the selected proxy server and all of the good ones 00:04:22.240 --> 00:04:27.680 encrypt your data to make it more difficult for your internet service 00:04:25.280 --> 00:04:31.280 provider to track what you're doing both of those factors contribute to crap 00:04:29.759 --> 00:04:35.919 your performance stream locator by contrast doesn't 00:04:33.440 --> 00:04:40.720 advertise any kind of privacy enhancement whatsoever but the benefit 00:04:38.720 --> 00:04:45.040 of their approach is that by cherry picking the traffic that gets rerouted 00:04:42.880 --> 00:04:49.520 they can achieve performance in other applications like web browsing and 00:04:47.360 --> 00:04:53.199 gaming that is on par with your raw connection 00:04:50.639 --> 00:04:58.000 here's a quick demo let's say we like ufc but we don't like paying jacked up 00:04:55.840 --> 00:05:03.520 american pay-per-view prices for it let's subscribe for 12.50 a month in 00:05:01.600 --> 00:05:06.479 germany where if they're obviously struggling to find an audience for the 00:05:04.880 --> 00:05:10.000 sport and look at that 00:05:07.919 --> 00:05:15.520 same sweaty dudes and gals beating each other up much lower price 00:05:12.560 --> 00:05:19.520 now we jump into a game while our stream is running on a second monitor and look 00:05:17.759 --> 00:05:23.440 at these ping times just about identical to our regular 00:05:21.919 --> 00:05:28.160 connection now you might look at this and think gee 00:05:26.240 --> 00:05:34.160 that could really be a software product and honestly that was my first response it 00:05:31.600 --> 00:05:38.560 seems reasonable on the surface but 00:05:35.440 --> 00:05:39.840 only if you want to use it on a computer 00:05:38.560 --> 00:05:46.000 consider this certain devices and services don't use 00:05:42.800 --> 00:05:48.960 dns for example the netflix smart tv app 00:05:46.000 --> 00:05:53.840 is developed by netflix it doesn't have to check netflix's own address with a 00:05:51.199 --> 00:05:58.080 dns server and instead it just connects directly to the ip 00:05:55.680 --> 00:06:03.520 to adapt to this stream locator uses ipforwarding instead of smart dns in 00:06:01.120 --> 00:06:07.759 those situations now they could build apps for every device under the sun that 00:06:06.000 --> 00:06:12.720 each contain all of the necessary workarounds but that would introduce a 00:06:10.000 --> 00:06:17.520 ton of development overhead and i actually agree with them that from a 00:06:14.800 --> 00:06:20.800 user perspective this is way simpler to use 00:06:18.319 --> 00:06:26.800 instead of downloading and logging into and configuring an app i just plug this 00:06:23.840 --> 00:06:30.960 unit into my existing modem router combo that my isp sent me it detects my 00:06:29.280 --> 00:06:35.440 existing subnet and creates a non-conflicting one for all the devices 00:06:32.960 --> 00:06:39.280 that connect to it and then i never think about it again 00:06:37.759 --> 00:06:43.120 you even have the choice between using the wi-fi access point that's built into 00:06:41.039 --> 00:06:47.440 your stream locator or connecting to a higher performance one if it's a 00:06:45.360 --> 00:06:52.080 dedicated ap like once we've shown in the past from ubiquity or ruckus then no 00:06:50.240 --> 00:06:56.800 special configuration is required other than disabling the wi-fi in the stream 00:06:54.160 --> 00:07:00.720 locator but if you want to use an all-in-one like wi-fi router connected 00:06:59.120 --> 00:07:04.560 to it you'll probably need to put it in bridge mode now the most pain-free 00:07:02.639 --> 00:07:09.039 install would be to put your isp combo unit in bridge mode so it's acting only 00:07:06.880 --> 00:07:12.960 as a modem and have the stream locator act as your router and wireless access 00:07:11.199 --> 00:07:17.680 point for your whole system connecting to it is as simple as connecting to your 00:07:14.880 --> 00:07:21.520 existing network unfortunately in our experience that comes with some 00:07:19.199 --> 00:07:26.720 limitations the stripped-down version of open wrt that they're running has some 00:07:23.599 --> 00:07:28.720 of the advanced features removed and i 00:07:26.720 --> 00:07:32.479 really do mean advanced features and finger quotes because i don't personally 00:07:30.400 --> 00:07:39.080 consider port forwarding to be that advanced also the hardware inside is 00:07:35.759 --> 00:07:42.319 fine at best it uses a mediatek 00:07:39.080 --> 00:07:44.080 mt7621a chipset which is enough to speed 00:07:42.319 --> 00:07:47.680 test our gigabit connection at around 850 megabits so 00:07:46.319 --> 00:07:51.280 more than enough for most residential connections but is not exactly state of 00:07:50.160 --> 00:07:57.199 the art back to the good stuff though it has this really cool function where you can 00:07:54.800 --> 00:08:02.639 run supported streaming services from different locations concurrently 00:08:00.240 --> 00:08:06.800 so back to vpns for a second remember the way they work is you choose one 00:08:04.400 --> 00:08:11.599 location and all of your network traffic routes through it so if you wanted to 00:08:08.879 --> 00:08:16.080 say for example watch a ufc fight with that cheap german subscription while 00:08:13.599 --> 00:08:20.800 also streaming something from bbc you're fresh out of luck with the stream 00:08:18.639 --> 00:08:25.680 locator though you could have netflix from the uk and american amazon prime at 00:08:23.840 --> 00:08:31.599 the same time hooked up to your home theater screen just check out the services list toggle 00:08:29.120 --> 00:08:34.959 the options you want and you're all set speaking of home theaters by the way 00:08:32.959 --> 00:08:39.360 we've got a doozy of a video coming up where we're going to be testing HDMI 2.1 00:08:37.200 --> 00:08:42.959 cables from a ton of manufacturers to see who's lying and who's not make sure 00:08:41.440 --> 00:08:47.360 you're subscribed so you don't miss it if you're trying to maintain privacy for 00:08:45.040 --> 00:08:51.760 whatever reason a vpn is still an important piece of your toolkit and it 00:08:49.519 --> 00:08:56.720 should be noted that any device whose purpose is to sort through your internet 00:08:54.080 --> 00:09:01.200 traffic has inherent privacy risk associated with it you've got to kind of 00:08:58.880 --> 00:09:04.720 trust streamlocator because we don't have any way of guaranteeing that 00:09:02.880 --> 00:09:08.160 they're not benefiting from any kind of data collection i'd love to hear your 00:09:06.640 --> 00:09:14.560 guys's discussion about that in the comments below what we do know for sure is that for the 00:09:11.839 --> 00:09:18.800 price it's a really compelling package that does exactly what it says on the 00:09:16.320 --> 00:09:23.040 tin for 85 bucks which includes the first year of service after which it's 00:09:20.640 --> 00:09:28.480 seven dollars a month it really does unlock region locked content 00:09:25.920 --> 00:09:31.519 which is all fine and good but my lord 00:09:30.160 --> 00:09:34.959 is this legal 00:09:33.440 --> 00:09:40.000 well yes and maybe no their own website 00:09:37.680 --> 00:09:45.360 states the following the short answer yes of course stream locator is 00:09:42.160 --> 00:09:47.440 completely legal in 99 of the world 00:09:45.360 --> 00:09:51.120 which of course leaves out that one percent which could be a lot more than 00:09:49.279 --> 00:09:55.839 one percent because if you're living somewhere like china or iran which last 00:09:54.080 --> 00:10:01.600 time i checked is a lot more than one percent of the world you could very well 00:09:57.839 --> 00:10:03.440 be breaking laws by using this thing 00:10:01.600 --> 00:10:06.800 the good news for everyone else is that the worst case scenario is that right 00:10:05.200 --> 00:10:10.399 holders might get mad at streaming platforms for not geo-blocking their 00:10:08.320 --> 00:10:13.839 content effectively enough but that doesn't really sound like your problem 00:10:11.839 --> 00:10:18.399 does it what it does sound like is a segway to our sponsor zachary jackry 00:10:16.320 --> 00:10:21.279 wants to inspire an outdoors lifestyle so they're advertising online as tech 00:10:19.920 --> 00:10:24.959 tips because apparently they think we need to be reached they want people to 00:10:23.040 --> 00:10:29.360 be closer to nature and to live with a positive and energetic attitude and from 00:10:26.959 --> 00:10:33.519 september 20th to october 18th they are celebrating their ninth anniversary with 00:10:31.279 --> 00:10:37.760 a photo contest for a chance to win big prizes to enter all you have to do is 00:10:36.000 --> 00:10:41.680 take a picture of you exploring the outdoors and upload it to their campaign 00:10:39.839 --> 00:10:45.920 site all winners will be notified by email by october 29th and we're gonna 00:10:43.440 --> 00:10:50.240 have all the links down below seriously though guys if you're using a vpn and it 00:10:48.000 --> 00:10:53.839 works for you keep using it and if you like this video make sure you check out 00:10:51.839 --> 00:10:56.839 our video on how to browse the internet anonymously