Republic of Ireland’s state broadcaster RTÉ launched the on-demand RTÉ Player back in 2009. The service has improved a lot since then and is now available on desktop, phones, tablets, and even PlayStation consoles. However, after the service underwent a makeover in December 2018 it’s become a lot harder for Irish abroad to watch the RTÉ Player. The service is now specifically targeting VPN traffic and is attempting to prevent anyone using a VPN from watching the majority of its live TV streams and on-demand content in the name of licensing restrictions. So, whilst there is a selection of shows available to watch by everyone regardless of location, the majority is geoblocked and only available to Irish IP addresses. Fortunately, we found that there are still a few VPN services that work.
Watching RTÉ Player from Abroad
There are approximately a million Irish expats living abroad, and for many, staying up-to-date on what’s going on at home is important, whether that be keeping up with soap operas, news, Gaelic football, or hurling. Using a VPN service with an Irish server will give the illusion that your connection is from Ireland, even if in reality it’s coming from the other side of the world.
Recently, streaming services have tried to stop this from happening and, unfortunately, RTÉ is one the main culprits featuring one of the most stringent VPN blocks around. Even some of the best VPN services are struggling to adapt, and many simply don’t work at all with RTÉ Player anymore. There are so many VPNs available now that picking the right one to unlock RTÉ requires an enormous amount of trial and error, but don’t panic – we did all the hard work for you.
Best VPN Services for RTÉ Player of 2024
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Editor's Choice 2024
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Using a VPN With RTÉ Player
If you want to watch RTÉ Player on the go, then you’re in luck as the best VPN services come with mobile apps, so you’ll be able to watch RTÉ Player from anywhere in the world on your phone or tablet. Of course, it can become a pain if you have to set up VPNs on several devices like phones, desktops, or tablets – but there is another way. You could set up a VPN on your router with Raspberry Pi, select a server from the Republic of Ireland, and then everything connected to your Wi-Fi will have the same Irish IP location. It’ll be like being in the Emerald Isle itself – almost.
Recommended VPN Services
Surfshark
From the exotic British Virgin Islands comes Surfshark, a VPN service known for its intuitive apps and flexible customization. What makes Surfshark great for using RTÉ Player is that not only does it include unlimited bandwidth, but unlike other VPN services, it also gives users an unlimited amount of connections. So, everyone in the house could be using Surfshark watching RTÉ at the same time without any complications. Surfshark’s strong speeds also ensure that streams will look great and you won’t have to worry about your connection dropping off.
CyberGhost
Despite being located in Romania, CyberGhost has 20 dedicated Irish servers, so it’s is a good bet in getting past RTÉ Player’s VPN blocks. Few services have so many Irish servers so if you do experience any issues you can simply move onto the next one and try again. CyberGhost has very reliable streaming speeds so live TV and on-demand shows will work perfectly. The service also supports seven simultaneous connections so you’re able to make the most of CyberGhost’s Amazon Fire Stick and Android TV compatibility.
HideMyAss
Ignoring the obvious irony of using British-based HideMyAss to access the Irish RTÉ Player, HideMyAss is an interesting choice of VPN. The unlimited bandwidth and five simultaneous connections are good for streaming but what makes HideMyAss great is that it has some diverse device support. HideMyAss will allow you to take advantage of RTÉ Player’s Apple TV, Chromebook, even Playstation apps, and give you some exceptional internet speeds in the process.
Best VPN Services of 2024
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Editor's Choice 2024
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