(edit title) I'm beginning to get slightly annoyed... Questions about UK based proxy servers. Options

[Majick]

I've been having a look around for a UK proxy server and I've come across this site > http://www.ukproxyserver.co.uk/

They seems okay I guess, what pay monthly UK servers do other British Ex-Pats use?

Cheers, sorry for picking your brains

[byke]

Currently using vpnuk.info/ and have done for a good 2 years but must say over the past couple of months I have seen a decrease in speeds and increase in network congestion. I pay 10 euros a month for 2 separate IP's

[jellybreadracer]

Why not try overplay? I use it for the United States and its only $10 a month. It includes something like 20 countries including 4 UK servers for that price. Its fast for streaming video.

[Essingen]

Expat shield works well most of the time and is free

[Rick Methven]

Tellyabroad.com works well most of the time€5 per month

[Ned Smitty]

I use my own proxy (linux running squid), which is sitting in my parents house.

Just so you know, you don't need the fastest proxy connection to use the BBC/ITV players since you only need the proxy connect to initialize whatever you want to view. Once the streaming starts you can disable the proxy and view the show directly using your local connection. To view a new show enable the proxy again and select. Much easier to convince family/friend to use their connection as a proxy, and much more effient.

[Gordy]

As pointed out Expat Shield is a free option but you will be infested with pop up ads so you will need to install some good ad blockers.

I'm currently running BlackVPN which is cheap but there are some drawbacks. I have a Sony Blu ray player which has a BBC iplayer feature for UK users, it connects via a Sony server but the BlackVPN ip addresses are blocked on the Sony server so I can't use iplayer on the Blu ray. No problems however using iplayer on my PC.

BlackVPN only costs €5 per month for a UK ip and if you sign up with a referral code you get 2 months extra free and the referrer gets 2weeks/a month extra depending on the package. Because I have referred quite a few people I am currently up to 9 months service having only paid the initial €5! My referral code is YEAVPAA

Overplay gives you a much wider range of servers for $9.95 a month.

WiTopia gives a similar wide range of servers but is cheaper from $39.95 per year.

I've seen several times on the net people saying that they can use the same log in info simultaneously across multiple users so if you have friends or family who also need the service that may be a way of reducing the cost.

You can of course set up the VPN in windows but I picked up a D-Link DIR-600 wireless router in a local PC shop for 239SEK and flashed it with DD-WRT firmware meaning I can run it as a VPN router. I therefore have two wireless networks in the house so depending on which one I connect to I have either a Swedish or UK IP address.

[CCVB]

I use this website, its good enough and has many UK channels

http://hackedcabletv.com/

[spindi]

Do you think there would be enough interest from UK expats to go to the trouble of setting up a specific hosted machine for something like this? The reason I ask is that I was thinking of doing it for myself but it would have enough capacity to stream for about 20 users with the advantage that I could customise the machine's services in any way the users wanted. It would work out much cheaper also.

[Gordy]

You'd be limited to a UK ip I presume whereas a sub with Overplay, Witopia or the like will give you access to IP's worldwide.

Also what would be the legal status of this arrangement if one or more of the users engaged in illegal activity on the connection? Could be a minefield...

[byke]

I would be interested if it was streams hosted in Sweden on a private network. In regards to the legal implications you should be ok as they are classed as free view broadcasts.

[Bender B Rodriquez]

I definitely recommend Witopia. I previously used StrongVPN but switched to Witopia which is cheaper and allows me to watch both Hulu, BBC and SVT...

[Bender B Rodriquez]

You'd be limited to a UK ip I presume whereas a sub with Overplay, Witopia or the like will give you access to IP's worldwide.Also what would be the legal status of th ... (show full quote)

You'd be limited to a UK ip I presume whereas a sub with Overplay, Witopia or the like will give you access to IP's worldwide.

Also what would be the legal status of this arrangement if one or more of the users engaged in illegal activity on the connection? Could be a minefield... ... (hide full quote)

I very much doubt it is illegal to use VPN to access free TV.

[Gordy]

I was figuring he was talking about setting up a VPN rather than just streaming TV.

Otherwise I don't see the point of re-inventing the wheel, the hacked cable tv site seems to provide all that people would need at zero cost.

[Bender B Rodriquez]

I was figuring he was talking about setting up a VPN rather than just streaming TV.

I think his concern was that for most VPN services many customers use the same IP (via NAT), so if one customer does something illegal and is traced by the IP there may be problems since they do not know which customer the illegal traffic was coming from.