How to watch DirecTV online from anywhere in the world
Many people love to watch DirecTV and rely on it for its unique combo of kids channels (Disney, Nick, and Cartoon Network) and sports channels like NBCSN, Fox Sports, ESPN, and CBS Sports. All of these are available in one package with good speeds and a killer price.
Unfortunately for most of the world, however, viewers must technically be in the USA to watch DirecTV online.
You can record your favorite shows and stream them online from everywhere else (DVRing in the latest way!) – as long as you’re in the US. Depending on your plan, you can get a ton of content on demand – from the latest films and blockbusters like M. Night Shyamalan’s Glass, to classics such as Schindler’s List and TV shows including Game of Thrones, Killing Eve, and many more.
You can also log in to most channel apps and make use of many great deals, such as the Apple TV or HBO, which is a big draw for the service.
Can I watch DirecTV online wherever I want?
Yes, and no – while DirecTV is the same everywhere and allows you to access everything described above, “everywhere” just means the USA.
This obviously leads many to the titular question that we’re here to answer: how to watch DirecTV from anywhere in the world?
The problem, as some of our readers will already know, is geo-blocking. Geo-blocking is the technical term for that pesky notice you might have seen on YouTube saying “This video is not available in your country.”
When restrictions are placed on content, limiting it only to certain regions, we call it geo-blocking, although “geo-restrictions” is a widely-used term as well.
As you might already have guessed (or directly faced), this means that even if you’re a US resident travelling outside the country, you won’t be able to watch DirecTV online like you normally would.
Watch DirecTV online in the US
What you’re looking for is DirecTV Everywhere, the app that allows your DirecTV to be shown on your computer, tablet, or smartphone.
Online, you can simply log in with your ID on the DirecTV site (using what was formerly your AT&T Access ID, if you’re confused about what to use).
You can pay through Auto Bill Pay or online with your bank card.
Watch DirecTV anywhere with a VPN
Ultimately, the best way to circumvent regional geo-blocking is through the use of a Virtual Private Network (VPN). A VPN essentially masks your online identity and presents you as being “someone else” from “somewhere else” – good VPNs will let you connect from a virtual location of your choice, but most will offer you the best location for your needs either way.
Some people also suggest Smart DNS services, but in our experience, those aren’t as refined and reliable. Therefore, the VPN route is the best for anyone wanting to get the most out of their experience and watch DirecTV online from wherever they want, whenever they want.
It’s worth paying for your VPN too, since a VPN not only changes your IP address, but also encrypts your data and protects your identity only. Beyond that, it also stops your ISP (Internet Service Provider) from artificially limiting your bandwidth (especially for specific services such as streaming) and eradicates government restrictions.
With that said, what follows is our recommendation for three of the best VPNs you can use to watch DirecTV.
1. IPVanish
IPVanish gives you privacy and peace of mind, fast download speeds with WireGuard, and a wide range of locations to choose from.
One of the best features of IPVanish is that they also have custom apps for a whole bunch of devices and platforms, from Windows/Mac and iOS/Android to Linux, Fire TV, and even VPN-enabled routers.
It also offers unlimited simultaneous connections. Combine this with the previous features, and this means you can get that DirecTV direct-to-go across all your home devices.
Its price is also excellent, meaning you won’t need to worry about incurring too much extra cost on top of what you’re already paying for DirecTV. On top of that, the security aspect of IPVanish alone makes it worth the purchase.
For a deeper investigation of IPVanish, read our IPVanish review.
2. NordVPN
NordVPN gives you what any other VPN product promises (even if others might not deliver, NordVPN always does), and its price is almost unfair – for the other VPNs, that is.
Starting at barely $2.99/month, NordVPN competes with the best of the best with well over 7000 servers and stealth modes for those VPN-restrictive countries we talked about. There’s also the security that follows the topmost standards of the industry and speeds that make sure you never have to worry about your time going to waste waiting for things to load.
Not only do they provide so much bang for your buck, but they go above and beyond by offering special features such as double VPN, anti-DDOS attack capabilities, dedicated IPs, and much more.
For a deeper investigation of NordVPN, read our NordVPN review.
3. ExpressVPN
ExpressVPN has some of the best speeds in the game, making it top the list of the best VPNs often and with good reason.
With servers in 105 countries, the speeds can only be described as surprisingly wonderful, especially considering the security it offers. Things like military-grade encryption, the most robust security protocols such as OpenVPN, and absolutely no DNS, WebRTC, or data leaks.
ExpressVPN is also adept at bypassing censorship in countries where even the very usage of a VPN is banned, as well as having a Smart DNS feature built in, making it a great ‘all-rounder’ of sorts.
Conclusion
To watch DirecTV online without worrying about being locked out of your own account, a VPN is your best bet. We’ve done a lot of the research for you, but independent needs might vary – let us know in the comments if you’ve found a way that works better in your opinion!
