Bypassing Region Blocking using VPN

[chinarakinda]

Hello all,

Since we are made to suffer by being blocked from purchasing DLC because apparently we are a tiny spec on the planet, I had scoured the internet for a way to bypass. I found a temporary solution which no longer works.

I opened this thread for any other suggestions or solutions found on bypassing region blocking on any of the consoles.
This works for purchasing DLC, points from xbox live marketplace itself using your TT issued Credit  Card.

IMPORTANT EDIT

NEW FASTER METHOD:
Download  Hotspot Shield which is free and requires no software setup or even registration.
It can be downloaded from www.hotspotshield.com.

Since xbox.com has the Xbox Live Marketplace and you can make purchases and queue your downloads from there.
All you to do is connect the Hotspot Shield program which give you a US IP Address.
Browse the Marketplace online make your purchases thus queuing them.
The next time you put on your Xbox 360 you items will automatically begin to download.
It will download to 99 %
Connect using ivacy to complete download



I will leave the previous method for PSN users because I am not sure if they have their marketplace online on a website.

NOTE: The below service gives you 100MB FREE on sign up. However downloading through your console does not run this down. IMPORTANT: The US Servers are for paying members only. THE FIRST MONTH IS FREE. Register your Xbox with a UK Account.

New Method:

Minimum Requirements:
Wireless Router with DHCP enabled ( IP address are automatically assigned)
Laptop with wireless capability
Windows XP or Windows 7 ( Did not work in Vista: ICS problem)
Xbox 360 or PS3 (duh!)
Ethernet cable
Broadband connection (lol)

Guide with screenshots for ppl who can't read and understand coming soon.... (maybe lol)


Begin: I AM USING WINDOWS XP

1. Using your laptop connected wirelessly to the internet Visit whatismyip.com and take note of your IP address
2. Still using your laptop Go to http://ivacy.com/ (your nextgen VPN provider )
3.On the home page just under the navigation bar you will see 2 links:
        02/04/2009 New version of Ivacy Monitor released
        08/02/2009 Ivacy Firefox Extension for Linux is now available!
4. CLICK the link and scroll down to download the ivacy monitor
5. Run and Install following onscreen instructions
6. Sign up at the site where you will create a username and password
7. Turn on your console
8. Connect the console to the laptop via Ethernet cable
9. Go to network setting on your console and ensure IP settings are set to AUTOMATIC (important!)
10. Run the ivacy monitor on your laptop
11. Select a country from the drop down box . United States for example. Choose a country you registered your console
12. Enter username and password and click connect
13. Visit whatismyip.com to check if you IP address has changed ( if it hasn't you're screwed. go kill yourself)
14. Go to network connections
15. On left panel click View Network Connections
16. Right Click VPN connection
17. Click Properties
18. Go to the advanced tab
19. Check (tick) allow other computer to connect through this computer internet connection
20. Click OK

They would tell that you need to disconnect and reconnect the ivacy monitor for the setting to take effect. Do this.
Restart your console.

Voila! YOU ARE DONE. HAPPY DOWNLOADING!!!

[Arcmanov]

Nah...stickied separately, because this may apply to other consoles as well.  We can always edit this post if
the above no longer applies.

...oh yeah, and I have tested this, and it works for Xbox Live.

[Eroo]

I hate hate hate HATE region locking.

Thanks for posting this. I just want to add that this should only be used to download region protected content or view region restricted content, not for gaming online as going through a proxy increases pings.

I will try your method later with vidzone and see how it works.

[Arcmanov]

Oh yes.  Good point about not using this to actually game.  It won't work.
Oh you can connect to the online service, but try to actually connect to a host to play online, and
it just won't work.  Your console will see the connection as a 'moderate NAT',
and may actually disallow connection to the game host.

[BeoBear]

Is the lapotop needed? Or can I use my PC? And once im done downloading do I need to switch anything back...or fiddle with any doo hickeys? I am tech retarded..bear with me...lol.

[Arcmanov]

Yes you can, but only if you have two network cards in it.

[ProtoJoe]

Anyone know how to make this work on a macbook? They got instructions how to get ivacy to work on mac ( http://ivacy.com/en/doc/user/setup/macosx_105 ) and it does change my ip address, however I no longer can connect to live...

[chinarakinda]

What is your network setup like.
Do you have the IP addresses for your network set to automatic?

[TriniXaeno]

but China you ain't easy, excellent guide. Chakra for you.

This should work for getting around steam's region lock as well.

[chinarakinda]

IMPORTANT UPDATE.

NEW EASY METHOD. Especially since the COD:WAW maps are region blocked.

[chinarakinda]

ANOTHER IMPORTANT PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT ( for those who care )

OK since my trial ran out. I added money to my ivacy account.   (PS: Anyone else whose time trial ran out I can lend you my credentials)

Had some difficulty connecting to xbox live via ICS. In that it plain DIDN'T WORK. Very frustrating.

After several laborious hours I AM VICTORIOUS.

If you ever happen to encounter the above problem here is what you do.

Go to My Xbox > System Systems> Network Settings> Configure Network Settings

Use Manual Settings for both IP addressing and DNS

You can use any IP address in the range: 192.168.0.5 to 192.168.0.100
Gateway: 192.168.0.1

Primary and Secondary DNS settings ( in that order): 208.67.222.222, 208.67.220.220

You then test xbox live connection. It will tell you, you've got MODERATE NAT and that bad bla bla bla

Just IGNORE and press B and back out.

Go to [map pack/DLC] download again and press continue.

VICTORY!!!

When going back to your blink/ flow connection remember to change the networking settings back to automatic

[W1nTry]

Ok so i've come up with a way thats completely free but it's technically involved. At first with the latest advisement of Foz regarding hotspot free vpn browsing, I realize that it wouldn't work using ICS as was used with ivacy. Also the fact that ivacy website is DOWN atm (10pm 02-09-09) I wouldn't be able to get my maps for WAW. Anyways in an effort to get around this I tried something that in theory I figured would work and eureka it does. It still involves ICS, a laptop/pc with 2 network connections 1 to share and 1 to connect to ur Xbox, PS3, etc.

Here's what I did. My laptop uses windows 7 and even that's not a problem. I downloaded and started up hotspot which gives me an US IP address. Here's what it gets involved. I am using Sun Microsystems VirtualBox. It's a virtualization application that allows you to run another OS on top of your primary OS. Fortunately I already had a Windows XP Pro VM installed and functional on VirtualBox. I then created a secondary network card on the XP VM and designated 1 card as a NAT-ed card (i.e. it uses the IP addy of the Primary PC) and a secondary bridged to my actual LAN port on the Laptop. I then enabled ICS on the NAT-ed virtual card and used the bridged VM network card to connect to the Xbox and low and behold it works. Not only that but its COMPLETELY free!

Below are some pics of me downloading the WAW map pack 3
http://img2.imageshack.us/img2/6932/img3821n.jpg
http://img137.imageshack.us/img137/6107/img3823.jpg
http://img529.imageshack.us/img529/4162/img3824z.jpg

These last 2 screenshots have some more details on what was done:
http://img512.imageshack.us/img512/6126/38355788.png
http://img522.imageshack.us/img522/5774/53105005.png

[Rion]

Here's a question. But first some background info. I have a wired internet connection and sometime ago, I had to share a connection between two of my computers via the ethernet port. The internet connection for computer #1 at the time was via USB.

Now the internet connection on all computers is via ethernet. So if I wanted to share a connection with my PS3 my idea is to use a USB-Ethernet adapter: http://www.amazon.com/Belkin-F5D5050-Networking-Ethernet-Adaptor/dp/B000062R4P/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=hi&qid=1278014750&sr=8-1

to connect computer #1 to the internet via a USB port, leaving the ethernet port free to share with the PS3.

So... My question is would this work just like having two network cards or a wireless connection as is in your instructions?

BTW the purpose is not for DLC, it's to join US only servers and the like (when I'm back up and running)

[Netizen1]

Once it shows up as a 2nd NIC, then yes, you can simply enable ICS and it will work as prescribed...

[W1nTry]

Wouldn't it be cheaper to just buy a switch? they're 8 port for like 80-100 TT...

[Rion]

Wouldn't it be cheaper to just buy a switch? they're 8 port for like 80-100 TT...

Well I already have a switch, or rather switches... but would I be able to share a "cloaked" internet connection with the PS3 using one? How?

Because it seems to me that using the ethernet port on computer #1 for getting a connection eliminates entirely any possibility of using a switch to share. I say so because once I have a connection via ethernet I can't go to the system settings and set computer #1 to share a connection "over ethernet port".

So my idea of using the adapter to free the ethernet port seems more possible, even from a physical standpoint... unless I've missed something entirely. And if that's the case, please let me know.

[3M_Chang]

I intend to buy an xbox 360 with kinect. I need some advice from those who have gone before.

1. Do I need to change my internet provider? I'm with Greendot.
2. Would I need  to buy a wireless router? If so what kind. I think Xbox now comes with wifi onboard.
3. The IP manipulation described in the above, does it really work? Does it work with Zune also?

I hope someone replies.

Thanks.

[woodyear99]

Not too sure about 3 but.....

1. I would say yes, Greendot has some high latency, your games will lag terribly.
2. The Kinect Bundle Xbox 360 has built in wifi, but you can use a regular wired ethernet connection as well. A wireless router is convenient but not absolutely necessary.

[3M_Chang]

Thanks for the response woodyear99.

[Joegrine19]

IT WORKED YAAAAAAAAAAY!!!!!!