Phone as a Hotspot with VPN

[KhaoYai]

As I'm not full time in Thailand, I have no yet installed a broadband connection at my home.  When I visit I use my Samsung Android phone as a hotspot and connect my laptop to the internet through it. I have watched some un-restricted UK TV channels this way and often relay them through a HDMI cable from my laptop to my TV. I usually get a reasonably fast connection and there is very little buffering.

 

I'm a Formula 1 fan and try not to miss a race, I watch them in the UK on Sky and have Sky Go which allows me to watch Sky programmes including the F1 races on either my laptop or phone, away from home but still in the UK.  When I'm in Thailand I can usually watch the races at the local sports bar but sometimes the timings are not compatible with opening times.

 

I therefore checked out which VPN's are the best at accessing Sky Go with the idea of being able to connect in my usual way but through a VPN and then be able to watch the races.  Nord VPN and Express VPN came out on top in a few reviews - I went for Nord as it was considerably cheaper.

 

However, I am currently engaged in a converstation by email with Nord where they are saying that I would not be able to use my laptop in the way I describe above - only my phone would be protected, even if Nord was installed on both devices.  Please bear in mind that I am a long way from being a 'techie' but I don't understand what they are saying - surely if its my phone that's providing the internet access then my laptop doesn't come into the equation?

 

Failing that, I proposed an alternative to Nord that I believed will work:

 

Phone to TV HDMI cables are available - I have Sky Go on my phone as well as my laptop. How about I install the VPN on my phone and HDMI the video to my TV? Surely that would work?

 

Edit: Apparently that won't work either as to use a HDMI cable, the phone has to be something called MHL compatible - mine's not!!

 

So its looking like I either bite the bullet and install a broadband connection or watch F1 on my tiny phone screen - unless someone has an alternative??

 

I cannot use 'Chrome Cast' either - my TV is reasonably new but its not a smart TV.

 

As I said earlier, when I watch other programmes using my phone as a hotspot, there has been very little buffering but I have been told that VPN connections are slower - is this true? If so, maybe I can pay a little more to Dtac for a faster connection.

Edited August 21, 2019 by KhaoYai

[JamJar]

According to the cooments here; 

 

 

 

HDMI from a laptop should work, as the TV Screen is simply acting as a monitor.

 

So as long as the Sky Go App is presented with  a UK IP address from your Internet connection, it should work/

[JamJar]

So the first step would be to see if your device has settings within for adding VPN details, in so that you can present a UK IP address to the laptop on which Sky Go is installed.

Find a VPN with a free trial, in so that you can run a test.

[KhaoYai]

1 hour ago, JamJar said:

According to the cooments here; 

 

 

 

HDMI from a laptop should work, as the TV Screen is simply acting as a monitor.

 

So as long as the Sky Go App is presented with  a UK IP address from your Internet connection, it should work/

Yes, as I explained, I do that already. But Nord are saying I either have to recieve Sky Go on my phone via my Dtac connection or install the internet at my home if I want to use my laptop.  Using my phone as a 'hotspot' works quite well but Nord say I won't be able to use my laptop if I use my phone to connect to the net.

[KhaoYai]

1 hour ago, JamJar said:

So the first step would be to see if your device has settings within for adding VPN details, in so that you can present a UK IP address to the laptop on which Sky Go is installed.

Find a VPN with a free trial, in so that you can run a test.

I can do that with Nord, they have even told me the best servers to connect to in the UK. But they say I cannot connect my laptop to the internet using my phone as a hotspot.

[carlyai]

'I cannot use 'Chrome Cast' either - my TV is reasonably new but its not a smart TV'

I have ChromeCast, and can't always cast. In GoogleHome go to Mirror Device. This mirrors your smartphone screen on the TV. You find Mirror Device from the Account menue.

Sent from my SM-J700F using Tapatalk

[KhaoYai]

24 minutes ago, carlyai said:

'I cannot use 'Chrome Cast' either - my TV is reasonably new but its not a smart TV'

I have ChromeCast, and can't always cast. In GoogleHome go to Mirror Device. This mirrors your smartphone screen on the TV. You find Mirror Device from the Account menue.

Sent from my SM-J700F using Tapatalk
 

Sorry, I'm a bit dumb on these things but how would my TV pick that up if its not a smart TV?

[gaviny]

So why does your phone has to have a VPN if you are only using it as a hotspot , I would think you only need the VPN on your laptop and connect it via HDMI to the Tv , with the phone as your hotspot.
I do the exact same thing , except using an Android Box instead of the laptop.

Yes, as I explained, I do that already. But Nord are saying I either have to recieve Sky Go on my phone via my Dtac connection or install the internet at my home if I want to use my laptop.  Using my phone as a 'hotspot' works quite well but Nord say I won't be able to use my laptop if I use my phone to connect to the net.

Sent from my Redmi Note 6 Pro using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app

[JamJar]

3 hours ago, KhaoYai said:

I can do that with Nord, they have even told me the best servers to connect to in the UK. But they say I cannot connect my laptop to the internet using my phone as a hotspot.

 

I am quite sure that I have not mentioned Nord...not even once.

Nord is not the only VPN out there. So once again, you need to find a VPN who can work with your existing equipment and then run a test.

 

Quote

Please note that on December 1st 2018, NordVPN’s servers stopped supporting L2TP/IPsec and PPTP connections. 

 

https://nordvpn.com/blog/l2tp-pptp-protocol-update/

 

 

https://www.knowyourmobile.com/samsung/how-to-set-up-a-vpn-on-the-samsung-phone-tablet/

Scroll down to; How To Manually Setup VPN on Samsung Phone

 

Once again, find a VPN with a free trial, that still supports those protocols and then run a test to see if your Samsung works as a Router for your laptop.

 

[JamJar]

From what I have read, the Android OS may prevent you from sharing the VPN connection. There may be ways around it, but since it is not something that I have tried myself, so in that case, will only be able to point you towards people who have.

The alternative is to buy a 4G Router that allows you add the VPN details. It won't have the restrictions of the Android OS.

[dimitriv]

4 hours ago, KhaoYai said:

I can do that with Nord, they have even told me the best servers to connect to in the UK. But they say I cannot connect my laptop to the internet using my phone as a hotspot.

 

I tested for you. I have Nordvpn.

There are 2 ways:

 

-I have the Nordvpn app on my phone. I connect with a VPN using the Nordvpn app. I checked the IP on the phone, it is the IP of the VPN. Till now everything is as expected. When I make a Wifi hotspot with my phone and connect with my laptop to that Wifi hotspot I would expect to have the IP of the VPN on the laptop. But this is NOT so. I get the IP of the phone provider (DTAC in your case). Somehow the data does not go through the Nordvpn app on the phone when connected with the Wifi hotspot. The lady from customer service was right about this.

 

but...

 

-When I don't use the Nordvpn app on my phone, make a Wifi hotspot, connect with that with my laptop I can start a VPN connection with software on my laptop. That works fine. I don't have the Nordvpn software on my laptop. I use Viscosity on my laptop, it allows me to also use other VPN providers. But I assume that it will also work with the Nordvpn software. And if not you can install Viscosity ????

 

There are more problems when trying to avoid country restrictions using a VPN.  Not all VPN IP's work. I am Dutch, I can watch Dutch television using a Nordvpn IP in Netherlands. But a different company that gives me sport channels detects that I am using a VPN. They see that the IP is not right. And I cannot watch sports. With Netflix it's the same. For some time I used a VPN with a US IP to get more content on Netflix. It stopped working. Probably they decided that my IP was also a VPN.

 

I made my own VPN with a Raspberry at home in The Netherlands. Some Wifi cable/ADSL modems have that option build in. I can now connect with my own VPN at home. And it looks like my laptop is in NL and I can watch everything without problems.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[jethro69]

Probably doable, but my guess, it's much easier to run the VPN on the Client. Most VPN providers allow multiple Clients to be connected one one subscription.

It might be a challenge to find a provider who is not blacklisted with your media provider. Sky in your case.

[JamJar]

The problem, I imagine, is that Sky Go is an application. But on closer look, it does work on certain Browsers. So having the VPN installed to the laptop might work.

OP should tell more about how he avails himself of SkyGo on the laptop. 

 

[carlyai]

Sorry, I'm a bit dumb on these things but how would my TV pick that up if its not a smart TV?

I have Google ChromeCast 3. You plug it into one of your TV HDMI ports. If you have the WiFi Analyser app. on your android phone you can see ChromeCasts RF signal. You set it up as per the instructions and ChromeCast provides the link between phone and TV.

You don't need a smart TV as the magic happens in the ChromeCast device.

 

I have a VPN on the handphone, then connect thru it using the Chrome browser to the content I want and then use Google Home to image my handphone screen to the TV.

 

Sent from my SM-J700F using Tapatalk

 

Can't upload pix at the moment, but Lazada have ChromeCast 3.

 

[KhaoYai]

13 hours ago, JamJar said:

The problem, I imagine, is that Sky Go is an application. But on closer look, it does work on certain Browsers. So having the VPN installed to the laptop might work.

OP should tell more about how he avails himself of SkyGo on the laptop. 

 

I'm far from an expert but I don't think that is correct. Sky Go is installed on both my phone and my laptop.  When I'm in the UK I connect to any Wifi network and can watch Sky Go channels on my laptop. I can also watch them on my phone on either a good mobile connection or through Wifi.

 

For now, I give up. I think it will be easier to get broadband installed in my Thai home.

 

This is the latest reply from Nord:

 

Thank you for your reply.

As we have mentioned in the previous letter, a VPN connection cannot be transferred via the hotspot.

If you are able to connect your Android device to your TV using a HDMI cable, then that should work.

In order to access Sky Go UK on your mobile device, please connect to these servers: UK1445, UK1490.

Let us know how it goes!

 

Unfortunately, even if I buy a phone HDMI cable, I will not be able to use it apparently because my phone is not MHL compatible ????.

 

Thanks for everyone's help.

 

 

[KhaoYai]

14 hours ago, dimitriv said:

I tested for you. I have Nordvpn.

There are 2 ways:

Dimitriv,

 

Thank you for your detailed reply.  Unfortunately that is all a bit complicated for me - I'm going to get Wifi installed at my house.

 

Thanks anyway.

[timendres]

11 minutes ago, KhaoYai said:

Dimitriv,

 

Thank you for your detailed reply.  Unfortunately that is all a bit complicated for me - I'm going to get Wifi installed at my house.

 

Thanks anyway.

Setup the Hotspot on your phone, but do not use VPN there.

Connect your laptop to the phone Hotspot.

Configure the VPN on your laptop.

[JamJar]

1 hour ago, KhaoYai said:

I'm far from an expert but I don't think that is correct. Sky Go is installed on both my phone and my laptop.  When I'm in the UK I connect to any Wifi network and can watch Sky Go channels on my laptop. I can also watch them on my phone on either a good mobile connection or through Wifi.

 

For now, I give up. I think it will be easier to get broadband installed in my Thai home.

 

This is the latest reply from Nord:

 

Thank you for your reply.

As we have mentioned in the previous letter, a VPN connection cannot be transferred via the hotspot.

If you are able to connect your Android device to your TV using a HDMI cable, then that should work.

In order to access Sky Go UK on your mobile device, please connect to these servers: UK1445, UK1490.

Let us know how it goes!

 

Unfortunately, even if I buy a phone HDMI cable, I will not be able to use it apparently because my phone is not MHL compatible ????.

 

Thanks for everyone's help.

 

 

 

What in my post do you say is not correct?? It is an App on your phone. It is also an App on Windows. So what is it that I wrote that you imagine was wrong?

You haven't yet explained exactly as to how you use it on the laptop.

Signing in on the website via a Browser page or the opening of an App?

[KhaoYai]

1 hour ago, timendres said:

Setup the Hotspot on your phone, but do not use VPN there.

Connect your laptop to the phone Hotspot.

Configure the VPN on your laptop.

Nord have given me different recommended server numbers depending on which device I'm using. If I do as you suggest, should I use the servers recommended for the laptop or for the mobile?

[JamJar]

4 minutes ago, KhaoYai said:

Nord have given me different recommended server numbers depending on which device I'm using. If I do as you suggest, should I use the servers recommended for the laptop or for the mobile?

 

Using on Router covers all of your devices. Using it on laptop covers the laptop; https://nordvpn.com/tutorials/windows-10/application/

[sfokevin]

Turn your phone vpn on and plug your phone into this WiFi router using a usb cord

 and set your phone to hotspot via usb... 

 

https://www.lazada.co.th/products/tp-link-tl-mr3020-portable-3g4g-wireless-router-n150-router-ap-wisp-network-i160581405-s193393826.html?search=1

Edited August 22, 2019 by sfokevin

[KhaoYai]

1 hour ago, KhaoYai said:

OP should tell more about how he avails himself of SkyGo on the laptop.

My aplogies, I hadn't realised that Sky Go could also be accessed through a browser and thought you were questioning whether I use it or not. 

 

To be clear, the Sky Go application is installed on both my laptop and my phone.

[KhaoYai]

19 minutes ago, JamJar said:

Using on Router covers all of your devices. Using it on laptop covers the laptop; https://nordvpn.com/tutorials/windows-10/application/

Please understand, I know little about all this, nor do I want to be. I am an expert in my own field only - not computers or tech - I just want to 'Wash & Go'.  So, given that information are you saying that if I access Sky Go on my laptop (using my mobile as the hotspot) I should use the numbers recommended for the laptop?

 

To try and explain my way of thinking - and possibly why I am misunderstanding.........what I was thinking is that as I am using my mobile to connect to the internet, the signal would show as coming from Thailand if I didn't use the VPN on my mobile.

 

So in a very simplistic way. Is the following correct according to what timendres is recommending:

 

1. Open the hotspot on my phone - no VPN.

2. Connect to the internet on my laptop through my phone's hotspot.

3. Open the Nord VPN application on my laptop and set the select one of the servers recommended for THE LAPTOP.

4. Open Sky Go (hopefully).

 

Is that correct?

Edited August 22, 2019 by KhaoYai

[KhaoYai]

19 minutes ago, sfokevin said:

Turn your phone vpn on and plug your phone into this WiFi router using a usb cord

 and set your phone to hotspot via usb..

Thanks for the suggestion Kevin but I don't want to buy any more equipment.  If I can't make the VPN work as has been suggested, I will just install broadband at my house.

[KhaoYai]

14 hours ago, carlyai said:

I have a VPN on the handphone, then connect thru it using the Chrome browser to the content I want and then use Google Home to image my handphone screen to the TV.

Right but how do you connect the TV to the phone?  I looked at some phone HDMI cables but they said my phone must be MHL compatible to use them - mine's not.

Edited August 22, 2019 by KhaoYai

[JamJar]

1 hour ago, KhaoYai said:

Please understand, I know little about all this, nor do I want to be. I am an expert in my own field only - not computers or tech - I just want to 'Wash & Go'.  So, given that information are you saying that if I access Sky Go on my laptop (using my mobile as the hotspot) I should use the numbers recommended for the laptop?

 

To try and explain my way of thinking - and possibly why I am misunderstanding.........what I was thinking is that as I am using my mobile to connect to the internet, the signal would show as coming from Thailand if I didn't use the VPN on my mobile.

 

So in a very simplistic way. Is the following correct according to what timendres is recommending:

 

1. Open the hotspot on my phone - no VPN.

2. Connect to the internet on my laptop through my phone's hotspot.

3. Open the Nord VPN application on my laptop and set the select one of the servers recommended for THE LAPTOP.

4. Open Sky Go (hopefully).

 

Is that correct?

 

Yes. if you connect to SkyGo via the Browser, you can hope that will work.

 

Use Internet Explorer or Firefox. Before you connect to SkyGo, check that you are appearing to be browsing from the U.K; https://www.dnsleaktest.com

If all ok, then use the same browser to sign in to SkyGo.

[timendres]

2 hours ago, KhaoYai said:

Nord have given me different recommended server numbers depending on which device I'm using. If I do as you suggest, should I use the servers recommended for the laptop or for the mobile?

Since you are connecting to the VPN with your laptop, you would use the instructions that Nord gave you for your laptop. In this scenario, the phone looks exactly like a WiFi router from Nord's point of view.

[KhaoYai]

14 hours ago, JamJar said:

Yes. if you connect to SkyGo via the Browser, you can hope that will work.

Can you tell me how to open Sky Go in my browser? I went to Sky's page and under the title 'Open Sky Go' there is a link that says 'sign in' - when I click on that link I get a dialogue box titled 'Launch Application' and in that box it says 'This link needs to be opened with an application':

 

https://www.sky.com/shop/tv/sky-go/?http://dcmp=knc-ggl-brn-nc-1775587368-&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIxcH4oq-Y5AIViLTtCh1-VwNrEAAYASAAEgI3sPD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

 

I also found this Q & A on a Google search:

 

Can you watch Sky Go on a browser?

Re: Sky go on laptop without the app

You need to read through the posts as there are loads. In essence however Sky are unable to stream via browsers as it requires Silverlight which all the browsers are abandoning support for. So you do need the desktop app download.

[JamJar]

5 hours ago, KhaoYai said:

Can you tell me how to open Sky Go in my browser? I went to Sky's page and under the title 'Open Sky Go' there is a link that says 'sign in' - when I click on that link I get a dialogue box titled 'Launch Application' and in that box it says 'This link needs to be opened with an application':

 

https://www.sky.com/shop/tv/sky-go/?http://dcmp=knc-ggl-brn-nc-1775587368-&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIxcH4oq-Y5AIViLTtCh1-VwNrEAAYASAAEgI3sPD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

 

I also found this Q & A on a Google search:

 

Can you watch Sky Go on a browser?

Re: Sky go on laptop without the app

You need to read through the posts as there are loads. In essence however Sky are unable to stream via browsers as it requires Silverlight which all the browsers are abandoning support for. So you do need the desktop app download.

 

Which Browser are you using?

I don't have SkyGo, so cannot test anything. But it could be Sky might have stopped the Browser version of SkyGo, according to that forum.

So the App may be your only option.

So try the VPN on the laptop to see if it works.

 

 

 

[JamJar]

The service seems problematic; https://helpforum.sky.com/t5/Sky-Go-Apps/bd-p/skygo