Guam Location Issues with Streaming Services, Websites & Smart TVs
Contents
Samsung TV Regions
Samsung TVs sold in Guam are not configured for the United States region by default, and therefore may not be able to access US apps like Peacock, Disney+ and many others. The region can be changed, though the exact steps vary for different models. It is best to do this when you first get the TV if possible, since you will have to re-login to each app after changing regions. Detailed steps are here:
Workarounds for Streaming Service & Website Region Restrictions
Many streaming services do work from Guam, however some like Disney+ do not work without a VPN or proxy. Occasionally some websites will also restrict access from Guam as a security precaution. Many commercial VPN services are available, though some can also be blocked by streaming services. Below are a couple of fairly technical, but potentially free ways to work around location restrictions.
Option 1: SSH Tunnel using Putty
If you have a shell account in the US this method can work. You might have one from a web hosting provider, school or perhaps a friend/family member. Commercial VPS (Virtual Private Server) options are also available.
In Putty:
- Load or create the session profile with your destination server
- Connection Tab -> SSH -> Tunnels
- In Destination field, choose Dynamic
- Choose a TCP port number for the source field (8080, for example)
- Click Add
- Connect to your server via ssh as usual
Now you can configure a web browser to use a SOCKS5 proxy with localhost:8080 to tunnel traffic through the SSH session.
For Firefox this can be configured within the browser, but for Chrome and Edge the SwitchyOmega extension works well.
Option 2: OpenVPN on a Synology NAS
If you have access to a Synology NAS in the US mainland you can add the VPN package and configure OpenVPN on it. You would also need to forward a port from the firewall to the Synology. More details are here:
Option 3: Install Your Own Smart DNS Proxy
Since some devices including Samsung Smart TVs do not have VPN clients, a Smart DNS Proxy can be used instead. Details here:
Option 4: Site to Site VPN Tunnel
You also could configure routers at two locations to tunnel traffic for particular sites/services for all devices within your local network.
Option 5: Commercial VPN Service
Many commercial VPN services make things easy, but the good ones are not free. Some VPN providers get blocked by streaming services too.
iOS Disney+ Without VPN
If you search for Disney content from within the Apple TV app and then click to play it, it will stream in the Disney+ app without region blocking (must link the Apple+ app to your Disney+ app when prompted).
