Netflix on Android no longer working. Any workarounds?

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InTheCube

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I've been using Netflix on Android for around 2 years now, and towards the end of 2014, it just stopped working. I Googled, and found out that Netflix changed something in their app to prevent UnoTelly and other unblocking DNS services from working. Some have recommended installing an older version of the app, which I've tried, but that hasn't seemed to help. Even the older versions of the app don't work.

I have a Netgear DGN2200M (Telkom-branded version), have configured the static routes for Chromecast to work (which was working previously, but I have since sold it).

What else am I missing? How do I get Netflix running on my Android devices, using Unotelly, an ADSL modem (as above) and Afrihost capped data?

Please assist.
 
I already tried everything on this article, except the last part:

http://help.unotelly.com/support/articles/199318-netflix-3-7-2-not-working-on-android

Will try setting up Unotelly directly on the phone and tablet, and see if it makes a difference. This isn't ideal though, as the phone and tablet connect to multiple WiFi networks in different locations (though I only need and use Netflix at home). Static IPs might be problematic when I connect to other networks.

Edit: it seems like you can only set up a static DNS server if you also specify a static IP address for the device. Was hoping that the IP address could be set to DHCP, while the DNS server could be statically assigned.

Edit 2: Ok I think I missed something important. It looks like the static settings can be assigned per WiFi network. So some networks can be static, and some DHCP. If this is right, then I shouldn't have a problem

I was think with a Windows mindset, where IP settings are applied per adaptor, and not per network.
 
Last edited:
Saajid said:
I already tried everything on this article, except the last part:

http://help.unotelly.com/support/articles/199318-netflix-3-7-2-not-working-on-android

Will try setting up Unotelly directly on the phone and tablet, and see if it makes a difference. This isn't ideal though, as the phone and tablet connect to multiple WiFi networks in different locations (though I only need and use Netflix at home). Static IPs might be problematic when I connect to other networks.
Click to expand...

MY version 3.7.2 had the same issue. It worked fine for a few months, then I started getting this problem. To be honest - I did a factory reset of the tablet, then installed the older version. So far, so good.
 
I made changes to my router settings can't remember now, but I can tell you when I get home.
I redirected the Google DNS to my Unotelly DNS or something like that. very easy to do assuming you have a half decent router. The app is just forcing a lookup to Google DNS or else it gives an error, nothing revolutionary implemented. Like a wise man once said, go ahead and bypass their crap and prosper.
 
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Vegeta said:
I made changes to my router settings can't remember now, but I can tell you when I get home.
I redirected the Google DNS to my Unotelly DNS or something like that. very easy to do assuming you have a half decent router. The app is just forcing a lookup to Google DNS or else it gives an error, nothing revolutionary implemented. Like a wise man once said, go ahead and bypass their crap and prosper.
Click to expand...

Did this already. You basically set up static routes which redirects DNS traffic destined for Google DNS to Unotelly instead. I had to do this to get my Chromecast working (when I still had it - it's been sold) since the Chromecast is hard-coded to use Google DNS.
 
Saajid said:
Did this already. You basically set up static routes which redirects DNS traffic destined for Google DNS to Unotelly instead. I had to do this to get my Chromecast working (when I still had it - it's been sold) since the Chromecast is hard-coded to use Google DNS.
Click to expand...

Funny. Neither my Chromecast or Roku have that issue. I only had that with my Androids
 
Compton_effect said:
MY version 3.7.2 had the same issue. It worked fine for a few months, then I started getting this problem. To be honest - I did a factory reset of the tablet, then installed the older version. So far, so good.
Click to expand...

It didn't work when setting up a brand new out-of-the-box Sony Xperia Z3 which was purchased on 31 December 2014. So I am doubtful about going through the hassle of doing a factory reset on the other devices.

By the way, I also subscribe to Hulu Plus and Amazon Instant Video, and these work fine on the tablet and phones. It's only Netflix that is giving me a hard time.
 
since end of last year they're forcing devices to go through opendns (8.8.8.8 etc) which obviously means anything like unotelly won't work. you need to route those IP's to 127.0.0.1 on the router. Not sure about how to do it on a device that's not connected to a router via wifi
 
Saajid wait now I remember you have to treat the Chromecast and the Android app differently.
If you still have a Chromecast assign an IP to it and write down its Mac
Use your routers Firewall to block Google DNS requests for the chromecast only!
Disable the static routes your used before, because the new app actually has to reach the Google DNS to work, Unotelly will still do it's thing.

But I will confirm once I have a look at my router settings
 
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Saajid said:
It didn't work when setting up a brand new out-of-the-box Sony Xperia Z3 which was purchased on 31 December 2014. So I am doubtful about going through the hassle of doing a factory reset on the other devices.

By the way, I also subscribe to Hulu Plus and Amazon Instant Video, and these work fine on the tablet and phones. It's only Netflix that is giving me a hard time.
Click to expand...

I am currently running netflix on a sony xperia z3. The netflix build I am running is 3.7.1. I also had problems with newer version when first setting it up, and after deleting the newest version and rolling back. I had to clear the data for the app, force stop, and reinsitall. Only after this did the app start working. I could not get any app past this version to work with unotelly setup. My router is set up to route all google dns queries to unotelly dns servers though.
 
frobbertze2 said:
My router is set up to route all google dns queries to unotelly dns servers though.
Click to expand...
That's the problem don't block/reroute it for the app to work
Block it for chromecast only for it to work
 
No problems here, latest version of Netflix on 4 droid devices with Unotelly.
 
I installed an older version on my android media player and just have the DNS settings in my router, was using it last night without any hassles.
 
Thanks guys. I'm gonna remove the static routes that were set up for the Chromecast (since I don't need it anymore), install Netflix 3.7.1, and then check if it works.

If I'm not mistaken though, aren't the static routes required for Roku 3 as well? There was an update to the app late last year, which required static routes to be set up in order to block/redirect Google DNS requests.
 
I managed to get Netflix working on my Android phone and tablet. Here's how:

- First I disabled the static routes which were originally set up for Chromecast (and later updated to cater for Roku).
- Then I used a static IP on the 2 Android devices, with UnoTelly DNS servers set statically.
- Then I installed Netflix 3.7.1, and it worked
- I went back to try Netflix on Roku 3, and it gave an error message.
- Re-enabled all the static routes, and then it worked on both Roku 3 and Android.

So the crux of it for me was that I had to assign static DNS entries on my Android devices. The static IP address on my phone seems to apply only to that particular wireless network - the one at home. This is different to how Windows handles static IPs, which assigns per network adaptor/interface. My phone connects fine to the work network, using DHCP settings.
 
My kids have android tablets and they watching Netflix with no issues. I haven't updated it to the new version yet though and afraid to do it. As log as it works they are happy which means I'm happy.
 
Vegeta said:
Saajid wait now I remember you have to treat the Chromecast and the Android app differently.
If you still have a Chromecast assign an IP to it and write down its Mac
Use your routers Firewall to block Google DNS requests for the chromecast only!
Disable the static routes your used before, because the new app actually has to reach the Google DNS to work, Unotelly will still do it's thing.

But I will confirm once I have a look at my router settings
Click to expand...
This is what solved my problem so when i had static routes i couldnt sign in on my phone and when i didnt have static routes the chromecast wouldn't connect so i blocked the ip of the chromecast from going out to 8.8.8.8 and 8.8.4.4 and it works fine now
 
InSanity said:
This is what solved my problem so when i had static routes i couldnt sign in on my phone and when i didnt have static routes the chromecast wouldn't connect so i blocked the ip of the chromecast from going out to 8.8.8.8 and 8.8.4.4 and it works fine now
Click to expand...

So, just to confirm. For Android Netflix app and Chromecast to work I need to leave the dns 1 and 2 on the router to what they are and block the Chromecast from accessing 8.8.8.8 and 8.8.4.4. I have a Ubiquity Air Router, I hope this is possible.
 
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