How to Get a German IP Address From Abroad

There are several reasons why an internet user would want to use an IP address based inside German borders.

There are many fine Germany-based streaming providers (including Sport1, TVNow.de, 3sat, ProSieben, TV Now, 7TV and Zattoo), which offer a seemingly unlimited number of movies and TV series.

If you try to access them without using a German IP address, you’ll likely be turned away from the gate. The same thing goes for many other websites and services, including financial and banking websites, gaming servers and more.

In addition, Freedom House gave Germany a 2020 Internet Freedom Score of 80 out of 100 (with 0 being the least free and 100 the most free).

That means users in restrictive countries like Iran, Pakistan, and others can use a German IP address to access a free internet, despite the virtual roadblocks erected by their home countries.

Happily, there’s a way to obtain a German dynamic IP address, even if you’re traveling or living outside of Germany’s borders. A Virtual Private Network (VPN) can temporarily assign your device a German IP address, opening access to the content and freedom that German internet users currently enjoy.

A VPN service provider assigns a German dynamic IP address to your connected device by temporarily routing the device’s internet connection through a server that’s located on German soil. This causes the device to appear to be connecting from Germany, and most of the internet will see your connection as originating from inside Germany. (More about that “most of” qualifier later.)

Why Do Some German Online Services Ban International Internet Users?

While you may subscribe to German streaming services and gaming services, or deal with German banks and other financial services, you aren’t always able to access those services if you’re traveling or residing outside the Fatherland.

In the case of the streaming services, they don’t block you just to be jerks – they have to do it because of their contracts with television and movie producers. Those contracts restrict the territories each service is allowed to stream to. Gaming services face similar restrictions, as distributors are contracted for each region.

When it comes to financial services, such as banks and investment firms, their restrictions are in place to provide you and your money with better security. By enabling geo-restrictions, they are helping ensure that bad guys in Russia (or any other country) aren’t draining your retirement accounts.

How Geo-Restriction Blockades Work

Every device that’s connected to a network (the internet included) is assigned and identified with a dynamic IP address. This IP address acts much like your home’s postal address, identifying where information is being requested and where it should be sent.

That same IP address can also be used to identify your device’s geographic location (again, much like your home’s postal address). This allows streaming services to detect your device’s location and whether the device should be allowed access to its servers.

How Can I Get a German IP Address for My Device?

German citizens traveling around the globe, or German ex-pats living outside the country, will find that the only way to keep their access to German websites and services is by using a VPN to “spoof” their device’s IP address to make it appear as if they are located inside of Germany.

A VPN service provider connects your computer, mobile device, set-top box or other internet-capable devices to a VPN server located in a different country. (In this case, our target server is in Germany.) By doing so, the VPN channels your online activities through a German dynamic IP address, making it appear that you are located in that country.

Once the German-based online services see an IP address indicating that you are connecting from inside Germany, they’ll allow your device to connect, granting you access to the treasure that lies within.

While it’s true that this article’s focus is obtaining a German IP address from outside of Germany, I want to take a moment to mention the other important benefits that a VPN offers.

In addition to unblocking access to content housed in other countries, a VPN also does a top-notch job of protecting your online activities from cyber attacks and the prying eyes of outsiders.

Whether it’s your Internet Service Provider (ISP) looking to track your online activities to sell the information to advertisers, or hackers looking to glean your banking and credit card information, a VPN’s encryption hides all of your online activities in an anonymous tunnel.

That same encryption allows you to prevent your ISP from throttling your connection just because you’re engaging in “unapproved” activities like sharing files via P2P or streaming video from certain providers.

Which VPN Provider Should I Use to Obtain a German IP Address?

There was a time that nearly any VPN service with a server located in Germany could provide an IP address to access Germany-based content reliably. But, that was before German content providers and website hosts got hip to the trick.

Now, streaming services, gaming servers, and financial services have become adept at detecting and blocking the IP addresses that many VPN providers use. When this happens, VPN users lose access to the sites or services that have blocked them.

When this happens, the VPN supplier must act quickly to set up new VPN servers sporting fresh IP addresses, in order to once again open access to the services. This can happen over and over, and it requires your VPN provider to be willing and able to respond when needed quickly.

The most reliable VPN service that I’ve found is one that not only offers German IP addresses that reliably unblock German sites and services, but also provides optimal protection for all of your online activities.

NordVPN

NordVPN’s German servers offer IP addresses that offer reliable access to content stored in Germany and to a free internet.

The VPN boasts fast download speeds, provided by an extensive global VPN server network that offers excellent security. Your online privacy is also thoroughly protected.

The provider offers protection for the most popular device platforms, along with support for numerous routers, guaranteeing that all of your connected devices will be well protected.

Read the full NordVPN review here.

1. Connection Speed

Connection speed is one of the top considerations when you’re researching VPN providers. A fast connection enhances any online activity.

NordVPN is a top scorer in the connection speed arena, scoring best in my most recent speed tests. The provider offers more than enough download speed to handle both HD and 4K video streaming, online gaming, downloading large files and more. Plus, you never need to worry about daily or monthly data caps.

2. Multi-Platform Support

It’s a connected world – everything from your phone to your gaming console to your refrigerator is connected to the internet. This makes comprehensive app support a vital thing to keep in mind when deciding on your VPN provider.

NordVPN offers advanced features for apps such as Amazon Fire, Android, iOS, Linux, macOS, Android TV and Windows device platforms. It also offers compatibility with a large number of routers makes and models, as well as browser extensions for Chrome and Firefox.

The provider’s SmartDNS service opens access to blocked content on Chromecast, Apple TV, gaming consoles and other streaming-capable devices. (Be aware, though, that the service doesn’t encrypt your connection like the VPN service does.

Up to 6 devices can simultaneously connect to NordVPN’s servers using the same username.

3. Customer Support

When you have technical issues, or simply need to investigate a billing issue, you’re going to want a quick answer to your support questions.

NordVPN has you covered with 24/7 live support chat, email support and a searchable support library.

4. Global Server Coverage

While the subject of this article concentrates on using a VPN to gain a dynamic IP address located inside of Germany, I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention the importance of comprehensive global server coverage. The larger a provider’s global server network, the more access you’ll have to content and services around the globe.

NordVPN has 5,500+ servers strategically stationed in 59 countries around the globe. Plenty of those servers are housed in Germany.

5. Pricing

NordVPN is one of the most affordable VPNs out there, offering its multi-year subscriptions at a pittance.

NordVPN offers a no-risk, 30-day money-back guarantee.

Visit NordVPN.

German IP Address FAQ