Watching BBC Iplayer Abroad on the iPad

How Can I Watch English TV in Spain (or anywhere) on my iPad

Quick update in 2022, this post is quite old now, but all the information is still correct.  In fact, in 2022, Identity Cloaker is one of the few VPNs that still work with the BBC.  However, there are now other options to consider.  One of the simplest ones which you can try out for free is something called a Smart DNS service, here’s a free 14-day trial to test out (perfect for a holiday or short break).  You don’t need a VPN service all you need to do is change the DNS settings on your iPad.  It works seamlessly then, although you have to register the IP address you are using so it’s a nuisance if you move around a lot.  Anyway, the trial is completely free and requires no cards so it’s worth testing.

Can I Watch BBC iPlayer abroad on my iPad?

So, if you want to see how to watch BBC iPlayer abroad or indeed any British TV online using your computer or laptop then read this post which includes a video. However how to you access the BBC iPlayer if you’re using a tablet device like the iPad for instance, well it’s still perfectly possible and these are the steps required.

You will find exactly the same problem on an iPad if you try and watch BBC iPlayer from outside the UK or a site like Hulu from anywhere but the USA.  The site will look up your IP address when you connect and then block you if you’re not in the correct region.  So, if you’re using the iPad outside the UK, you’ll need to change your IP address to a British one for it to work.   The method is only slightly different from the PC, and you can use the same service such as Identity Cloaker to watch UK TV abroad on iPad or any mobile device.

Here’s how you do this –


Watching BBC iPlayer abroad on the iPad

So, all you need to do is to change the IP address of your iPad to a British one before you connect to the BBC website.  The simplest way to do this is to set up a VPN (Virtual Private Network) between you and a British server will allow you to watch any UK TV online.  When this is enabled all your traffic is routed through the UK first, so you are free to use UK only websites like the BBC, ITV or Channel 4.  Unfortunately, these servers cost quite a bit of money to run, and you won’t find a free one unless it’s supplied via your workplace.  Many international companies use VPNs to connect back to their home office, if you’ve got access to one of these then try it first.

For the rest of us, you need to subscribe to a service that provides VPN servers that you can use.  There are quite a few around but at a very minimum make sure you use one that provides UK and US servers as standard.  I have been using the service provided by Identity Cloaker for many years so will use this to demonstrate.

Using your iPad

  • Select Settings
  • Select General
  • Select Network
  • Select VPN

Which should bring you to the following screen –

iPlayer abroad on iPad - VPN

 

You can see from here, I’ve already set up one VPN, an American one to access Hulu and Pandora which I use a lot.  Anyway, just press Add VPN Configuration to set up another connection and you should get this screen.

UK VPN Setup

It looks a little technical but it’s actually very simple.

Leave it set to L2TP and then complete the following details.   These you should get from your VPN provider, for Identity Cloaker users all the details you need are listed in the members area for security reasons.

  • Description  – Just use a descriptive name, especially if you’re setting up lots of different country connections.
  • Server – Name of the VPN server (members area)
  • Account Name – Your Identity Cloaker username (or other service)
  • RSA SecureID – Leave this blank
  • Password – Password for your account.
  • Secret – VPN Secret Name again from members area

When you’ve filled those fields in, you’re finished, just remember to save the configuration before you exit and that’s it.  You should set up different VPNs for any country that you’ll need access to.  Identity Cloaker has about twenty different countries available, but you can see I have just set up two for the UK and US VPN connections.

iPad Settings Page

To enable the VPN, you just need to turn on the slider to ON at the top of the screen.  Remember you’ll have to select the right country, so if you want to watch the BBC iPlayer abroad then turn on the UK VPN or the US one if you want to watch a US only site like Hulu.  It is the country you are connected to which is crucial, so for example to watch Love Island abroad you need the UK server for ITV. The VPN ensures all your communication is encrypted so you should use these connections when travelling especially when using an unknown or potentially insecure network like a cafe or hotel Wi-Fi.  It’s quite easy to turn the connection on and off just by using the slider.

You’ll notice when the VPN is enabled by seeing this in the top left-hand corner of your screen.

BBC abroad

The method will be the same for whichever provider you select, make sure that their servers are enabled for VPN connections (not just simple proxy servers).

If you want to try Identity Cloaker subscription – it’s best to try this cheap ten-day trial first to make sure you can get it working.