Hulu recently started to block anonymous access to their site. It appears the goal is to keep users outside of the United States from viewing the site and streaming the TV shows they carry from the major US networks. There are still ways to access Hulu anonymously using a VPN or Smart DNS service.
If you connect to Hulu through a proxy this is what you’ll see:
The message is present regardless of where you live. Even if you connect from the United States through an anonymizer it will still block your access. As someone who promotes Internet privacy I think Hulu’s approach is bad for everyone. Luckily there are still ways to connect to Hulu and stay anonymous. Regardless of where you live or happen to be traveling.
1. Access Hulu through a VPN
This might seem confusing since I just mentioned that Hulu is blocking privacy services. They are doing so by banning blocks of IP addresses in use by the VPN providers. That works if you are using a shared IP address but a dedicated IP will still help you access the site. I recommend you take a look at ExpressVPN and PIA. Both offer accounts with dedicated IPs.
2. Use a Smart DNS service to access Hulu
I recommend a smart DNS service for those who don’t care as much about privacy. It won’t give you the encryption of a VPN but it will allow you to access US services like Hulu. A friend uses one all the time while traveling. If you plan to be outside the United States and want to access Hulu without encryption then I recommend you take a look at ExpressVPN (includes MediaStreamer Dmart DNS) and NordVPN.
3. Access the TV network sites directly
Depending on what you want to watch you may be able to stream the show directly from the source. Hulu works with major US neworks like CBS, Comedy Central, CW, Fox, NBC and MTV. Each has their own website. You can go directly to the source to watch some of the same content that is shown on Hulu. That won’t work for everything but it can help you watch recent episodes.
I hope you found this guide helpful. If Hulu decides to take a different approach in the future you may not need a VPN or Smart DNS service. For now though you’ll need one to help you access the site from outside the United States or anonymously from anywhere. Follow us @VPNFan for more privacy tips.