All 4 is a video on demand service from the Channel Four Television Corporation in the UK. Originally, the channel was released as 4od (4 on demand) and started out only to be available on the computer. Since then, access has spread to internet wired game consoles, as well as the Android and iOS operating systems. Much like one of it’s competitors, BBC iPlayer, All 4 allows you to catch up on 30 days of your favorite programming, but it also has older shows that Channel 4 has produced in the past. Also like BBC iPlayer, All 4 is free if you live in the UK. However, if you are outside of the UK, you could enjoy some of the programming from this great channel on Netflix or you would just use a VPN.
Best VPNs to Unblock 4oD (all 4)
First you will want to find a reliable VPN service. In this case you will want one with fast servers in the United Kingdom. There are several VPNs to choose from. Here are some of our favorites.
| Rank | VPN Service | Our Score | Server Locations | Visit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  | 9.8 | 160 |  |
| 2 |  | 9.4 | 87 | |
| 3 |  | 9.2 | 95 | |
How to Use a VPN to Watch 4oD (all 4)
I’ll use ExpressVPN for the example of how to stream 4oD outside the UK. First you’ll want to download the app. ExpressVPN offers free client software for Windows, Mac and Linux. In addition to free apps for iOS and Android.
Now that you’ve had a chance to download and install the software it’s time to connect. Launch the ExpressVPN client and select a server location. We’ll walk you through step by step using their Windows client.
Since a lot of gamers like to connect to servers in the US, we used that country for our guide. ExpressVPN has a large network of servers located all over the world.- We recommend you select Lightway UDP for the best experience. For online gaming, we use either Lightway (PC) or OpenVPN UDP (mobile) because its faster than TCP. They also support IKEv2 and L2TP. We still recommend Lightway UDP for the best mix of speed and privacy protection.
- Click the big round connect button. After a few seconds, you’ll see the area around the button turn green. There will also be a message letting you know the “VPN is ON”
- You now have an IP address in the USA, as far as anyone can tell online. As such, you can reach any site as if you were sitting there. The same would be true if you connected to a server in the UK or anywhere else in the world.
Since a lot of gamers like to connect to servers in the US, we used that country for our guide. ExpressVPN has a large network of servers located all over the world.
There you have it. Now that you have an IP address from an ExpressVPN server in the UK, you can browse the Internet as if you were actually there and stream content using the All 4 website or app. Connecting to a server in the USA would give you full access to geo blocked sites there as well. The same is true for other countries.
As you can probably tell by now a good VPN opens access to content around the world. If you are traveling outside of the UK, the service can help you access popular services like Netflix, Hulu and Amazon Instant. Since Hulu is not available outside of the US, you would also use a VPN to connect to a US server. You will still need accounts for services like Netflix but the VPN will help you watch shows and movies in any Netflix region.
Channel 4 (4oD) Streaming Highlights
Channel 4 has some great programming. Their app also allows you to stream shows live that are currently on. Let’s take a look at the channels available on the site.
- Channel 4 – National public service television and the original.
- E4 – Station aimed originally at 16-34 year olds, this station offers US imports like Desperate Housewives, Hollyoaks, and Big Brother.
- More4 – Aimed at the 35-60 crowd, this channel seeks to give more in-depth views and go beyond headlines.
- Film4 – Though this channel started out as subscription only, it later changed and became the only free movie channel on regular TV.
- 4seven – This channel lets you catch up on the the last 7 days of broadcasting.
- 4Music – Shows new single releases, and has it’s own countdown show among other things. Some have said it was reminiscent of the US station MTV in the early days.
- 4Shorts – Short pieces on different topics.
Clearly, not all of the stations are offered on All 4, but quite a few of them are. No matter what you are in the mood for, whether it is comedy, drama, kids shows, music, factuals or others, Channel 4 has a show to satisfy any desire. Some of the programming from Channel 4 has become quite popular outside of the UK. Shows like Father Ted, The Inbetweeners, and the IT Crowd, have been licensed to Netflix, so audiences all over the world may enjoy them. What if you wanted to watch All 4 and you are not in the UK currently? Say you are an expat or you are abroad on holiday? That is where we get back to the topic of VPNs.
A VPN is an encrypted connection to a server located (possibly) in another country. If you try to access the programming on All 4 without using a VPN, you will get a message like this one.
While seeing this message initially may be discouraging, all you would have to do is log in to a UK server with your VPN and you would be just fine. So, how do you get started? Simply follow the directions above.
Watch your favorite movies and original programs like Gogglebox and Made in Chelsea on All 4 (4oD) from outside the UK. Please share this post with your friends so they can unblock access to streaming services as well. Follow us @VPNFan for the latest reviews and promotions from leading VPN services.