Macbook Pro is blocking me from accessing netflix?

Posted:
in Genius Bar edited July 2015


About 6 months or so ago, my computer stopped letting me go to netflix, but just on my laptop. Any other device on my network can access it just fine, and if I take my laptop to someone else's network, it still cannot access it. According to my ISP, my Mac is most likely blocking the site as a security measure. Unfortunately, my Apple Care plan ran out a year ago, so Apple's of no help unless I pay them $40. 



Similar forums I've seen would lead me to believe that it's a DNS issue, since I was traveling in the UK around the time that it stopped working.



Can anyone tell me how I could unblock this site? Or at least circumvent my Mac's security for this site?

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 7
    tallest skiltallest skil Posts: 43,388member
    Well, that makes zero sense. What happens when you navigate to the site? Refuses to load entirely, or a special screen comes up?
  • Reply 2 of 7
    gwmacgwmac Posts: 1,807member

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Craig Maxwell View Post


    About 6 months or so ago, my computer stopped letting me go to netflix, but just on my laptop. Any other device on my network can access it just fine, and if I take my laptop to someone else's network, it still cannot access it. According to my ISP, my Mac is most likely blocking the site as a security measure. Unfortunately, my Apple Care plan ran out a year ago, so Apple's of no help unless I pay them $40. 



    Similar forums I've seen would lead me to believe that it's a DNS issue, since I was traveling in the UK around the time that it stopped working.



    Can anyone tell me how I could unblock this site? Or at least circumvent my Mac's security for this site?



     


     


    Do you have hot spot shield installed or anything similar? How about Little Snitch or similar? If not, try opening system preferences then security&privacy and turning off firewall and see if Netflix loads. If it does, there is your issue. You can also create a spare account in users and see if it works

  • Reply 3 of 7
    sessamoidsessamoid Posts: 182member


    Your mac is not blocking Netflix. That's absurd.


     


    "Similar forums I've seen would lead me to believe that it's a DNS issue, since I was traveling in the UK around the time that it stopped working."


     


    That's not your Mac blocking Netflix. That's something you've done to block Netflix. In all likelihood, you (or somebody helping you with your internet access in the UK) changed your DNS addresses to something that would work in whatever network you were using in the UK. Just change the DNS address(es) back to match the ones in your other computers.

  • Reply 4 of 7
    charlitunacharlituna Posts: 7,217member
    One thing you can test is to create a new blank user and see if it works there
    If it does then something got changed in your user that is creating an issue. Perhaps something your network connections.
    You could also try creating a new location in the network connections and see if that works
  • Reply 5 of 7


    The VPN approach is better in this case, because now websites are using smart javascripts, cookies and all kinds of scripts to detect if you are using a proxy/dns and what is your real ip address, but if you are using a VPN you will bypass their security searches and you will be safe.

  • Reply 6 of 7


    As you didnt mention this piece, did you upgrade Silverlight?  You need that to play videos on netflix.


     


    Also did you try a different browser?


     


    I hope you get it to work again.

  • Reply 7 of 7

    Hi Craig,

     

    I had a similar problem where I couldn't access Netflix on my Mac Laptop but could access it on my ipad once I downloaded the app.

    I found that it was a DNS issue as at one stage I did the trial for unblock us so apparently I still had their DNS servers or something on my laptop.

     

    If you didn't or don't use unblock us, it may still be worth a try.

     

    1. On your mac you go to the top left corner of your screen and press the apple sign > system preferences > network

    2. Click on advanced > DNS (tab)

    3. Delete all the DNS Servers listed. Do this by clicking on them and pressing the minus sign until it shows one that you can't delete.

     

    NOTE: You need to do this for all your networks that you're connected to (indicated by the green circles next to them).

     

    4. Restart your computer

    5. Check Netflix ! :)

     

    I solved it with this website, if its easier for you. https://support.unblock-us.com/customer/portal/articles/1112267-removing-our-dns-from-your-mac---osx

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