How to Bypass the Netflix Password-Sharing Ban

Bypassing the Netflix password-sharing ban has been a pain in the butt for many. The year 2023 brought some bad news: Netflix reigned down on its users and prevented account sharing. The first countries that got struck were New Zealand, the US, and Canada.

However, the same restriction “poisons” at least 100 more locations as we speak. Essentially, users are forbidden from sharing their accounts, meaning that they have to PAY to introduce a new member to their account. Keep in mind that each new user costs $7.99 a month.

Add a few users and the price racks up to dozens of monthly dollars. The question is – can you somehow circumvent Netflix’s account-sharing ban? Luckily, there are a couple of ways, with the most efficient being Meshnet from NordVPN. It’s free and works like a charm.

What Is the Netflix Password-Sharing Ban?

Our quick verdict explains how to bypass the Netflix password-sharing ban using Meshnet. However, let us explain WHAT it actually is and why it’s so detrimental to Netflix’s loyal users.

This password-sharing ban limits each account to four simultaneous streaming devices.

The trick is that all four devices must be inside the same household. If that is the case, all four devices can use the same Netflix account without additional charges. All devices outside the given household “play” by different rules. They must be assigned a sub-account.

However, this sub-account costs $7.99 a month, which is roughly $84 annually. You’ll agree that it’s no small price to pay. Now, there’s another point to make. For example, Netflix password sharing doesn’t apply to sharing the subscription with your friends.

If the person outside of the household tries to log in, he/she will need to enter a 4-digit code that Netflix sends to the primary email/phone number tied to the account. The person outside the household needs to enter this code within 15 minutes to verify his/her household presence.

Failing to do so will result in the person’s attempt being blocked because he/she can’t prove the location within the household. If you’re a primary account owner, no verification is required unless you’re outside the household for an extended period.

How Does Netflix Define a Household?

To ensure streaming devices, such as Smart TVs, are within the same household, Netflix needs to store quite a bit of data. Its policy defines a household as “you and the people you live with“, which means all devices need to have the same IP address.

If this is fulfilled, you can watch Netflix even with a VPN if you want, on up to 4 devices or less, which is defined by your subscription tier. The problem arises when the IP address of the device is different than that of your primary WiFi network, which awakens the notorious Netflix password-sharing ban.

Unfortunately, enforcing this password-sharing restriction requires quite a bit of surveillance on Netflix’s side. For one, it must monitor your IP address. Second, it must collect your device’s ID and your home location, which is extremely unfavorable to your privacy.

For this reason, people often use a VPN whose encryption will conceal their identity. NordVPN is people’s favorite for unblocking Netflix, and conveniently, it offers the Meshnet feature to help you bypass the Netflix password-sharing ban. Meshnet is free, as well!

How to Bypass the Netflix Account-Sharing Ban With Meshnet?

Here, we’ll go into detail on how to circumvent the annoying password-sharing ban on Netflix. As mentioned, we’ll use Meshnet as the best method. Meshnet allows you to route your traffic through a device’s IP address, where you’ll have the same IP address as that device.

With the IP address from the primary household, you can log in to Netflix and watch movies and series without any restrictions. Meshnet is a feature of NordVPN that allows you to connect up to 60 devices and enable file sharing, remote access, and traffic routing.

All three are performed safely, as Meshnet is based on the powerful NordLynx protocol that uses bank-grade 256-bit AES encryption. Meshnet is free and will work without NordVPN’s subscription but you’ll still need to download NordVPN’s app from the site.

When you do this without subscribing to NordVPN, you’ll only be able to use Meshnet, however. The solution revolves around using the IP address of the account owner, logging in to the Netflix account, and ensuring swift access.

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This is proven to work even if you’re in the other part of the globe. If the primary account owner is in Australia and you’re somewhere in Asia, you can still bypass the Netflix password-sharing ban. Don’t worry. Using Meshnet is extremely simple – follow the steps.

Bypassing Netflix Password Sharing: A Detailed Guide

To be clear, NordVPN Meshnet is completely FREE. However, you still need an account, which you can create as you go.

If you want, you can immediately get NordVPN and receive Meshnet either way but with the benefits of the VPN. We leave this choice to you.

1. If you want to use Meshnet for free, download it through this page. If you want NordVPN, click the button above to claim its 73% discount for the 2-year plan. Make sure Meshnet is installed on the Netflix account owner’s device too!
2. Once downloaded, open NordVPN’s app and sign up if you don’t have an account. Meshnet works on all devices, including phones and tablets.
3. In NordVPN’s app, click the Meshnet icon displayed in the screenshot below.

   

4. Turn Meshnet ON.
5. Press “Link Devices” and then choose “Link External Device.“
6. Now, provide the email address of the Netflix account owner and enable Traffic Routing. Optionally, turn on “Allow Local Network Access” if you want to allow that device to route its traffic through your IP address (if you’re an account owner).
7. Press “Send Invitation.”

   

8. The owner of the email you provided will need to accept the invitation in the Meshnet app, after which, the linked device of the owner will appear in the External Devices.
9. In NordVPN Meshnet, select “Route Traffic” and find the newly linked device.
10. Simply click on the device and your traffic will be routed through it, in which process, you’ll assume the IP address of the device.
11. Go to Netflix and sign in with the account owner’s credentials. Now that you have an IP address from the account owner’s household, everything should work perfectly.

Get Over Netflix Password Sharing Ban With Meshnet

Other Ways to Circumvent Netflix Password-Sharing Restrictions

With Meshnet’s efficiency, we don’t see other solutions as superior. However, if you don’t want to spend five minutes of your life, opting for the workarounds below might be more befitting. We listed a few more options that will also work:

Use the Owner’s Wi-Fi to Log In

If you’re looking for a quick solution to avoid the Netflix password-sharing restriction, it’s best to log in to Netflix using the account owner’s Wi-Fi. Who would’ve thought?! This is a pretty good option but a short-term one because you’ll eventually change your IP address.

Today, you can log in with the household’s IP address but tomorrow, when you log in on your network, the ban will hit you in the face. What happens if the account owner is outside your city, state, or country? You surely aren’t going to travel that far!

The only viable solution is to use Traffic Routing from NordVPN Meshnet. This way, you can assume the IP address of the account owner even if you’re thousands of kilometers away. You’re basically using an IP address of its domestic WiFi network from afar.

Don’t Use Streaming Devices and TVs

All laws and policies have holes in them like dirty, old, beat-down rags. The circumvention of the Netflix password-sharing ban is possible outside streaming devices and TVs! Netflix’s policy tells us that you can watch it on up to 4 Smart TVs or streaming devices – right?

Well, this means using a phone, laptop, computer, or tablet is allowed. Using these devices will let you avoid the Netflix password-sharing forbiddance in seconds. Grab your phone, open the Netflix app, and sign in. You’ll see no restrictions and hoops to jump through.

Now, we know watching Netflix is better on a large screen and your phone happens to be 20 times smaller. But what if we told you that you can mirror your phone’s screen to the Smart TV? You can also do the same with an HDMI cable from your PC to Smart TV.

This will let you bypass the Netflix password-sharing ban and not take anything from your enjoyment.

Not Avoiding the Netflix Password-Sharing Ban

The final solution, if we can call it that, is to comply with Netflix’s restriction. You can be a nice person and pay for additional sub-accounts. To remind you again, the price is at least $7.99 a month, so you do your math and see if you can afford it. One more important thing!

The Basic plan doesn’t support additional streaming devices. You can watch on only ONE streaming device at a time, which means you can’t purchase additional sub-accounts. This is possible only in Standard and Premium plans. More about that in a minute.

Can a VPN Still Unblock Different Netflix Libraries?

Yes, you can, which is why we recommend NordVPN’s subscription and not only Meshnet.

Meshnet lets you bypass the Netflix password-sharing ban but NordVPN can change your IP address to over 111 countries. This will allow you to unblock more Netflix catalogs.

Connecting to a server in America lets you access the full US Netflix library. Conversely, obtaining a UK IP will transfer you to the British catalog that provides different content. We think combining NordVPN and its mighty Meshnet feature will yield the best results.

Besides, a VPN like this can access other geo-restricted content. This is handy if you’re subscribed to other streaming services you can’t access in your location. Accessing HBO MAX abroad, watching Paramount+, and enjoying sports on ESPN+ will be a breeze.

If we mention all platforms a VPN like NordVPN can unblock, this article would be longer than the Great Wall.

Unblock Netflix Libraries With NordVPN

How Many Devices Can I Use on My Netflix Account?

You can use as many as you want if we’re talking about:

• Windows, macOS, and Linux computers and laptops
• Android and iOS smartphones and tablets

However, when talking about TVs and streaming devices, things are quite different. The list below shows you the so-called “supported devices.”

You can see Firestick and Apple TV but also TVs from Vizio, Philips, Samsung, LG, Hisense, Sharp, etc. The Netflix password-sharing ban applies to these devices and you’re limited to no more than 4 depending on your plan. The “Standard With Ads” plan supports 2.

We then have the Standard plan with 2 devices but without ads. Finally, the Premium plan is beefed up with 4 devices, 4K + HDR streaming, and Netflix Spatial audio. According to the screenshot above, the “Standard With Ads” plan doesn’t support additional devices.

Opting for the Standard plan lets you add 1 extra member who doesn’t live with you at $7.99/mo. The Premium plan lets you add 2 extra members outside the household at the same price. However, if you add 2 members, you’ll pay $190+ yearly only for them.

Again, you can bypass this Netflix password-sharing restriction with Meshnet. You can “pretend” you’re in the same household as the owner by using the household’s IP address. This will rid you of the $7.99/mo payment and save a substantial amount of money.

Is Sharing Your Netflix Account Illegal?

This is a tricky question. First of all, we need to touch on the VPN portion. A VPN will be legal almost everywhere but if you use it for Netflix, things steer in the “grey area” direction. Netflix is clear when it comes to VPNs – it doesn’t want you to use them. Period!

In the same fashion, sharing your Netflix account is considered illegal in the United States and the United Kingdom. Both countries deem it illegal because it breaches copyright law. This raises the question of how many people have been arrested for Netflix password sharing.

We’ll answer it right away – zero.

Bypassing the Netflix password-sharing ban is a common occurrence. Likely thousands, if not millions of people are doing it one way or another. The company would have to spend years in court and sue thousands of people to enforce its policy. That would be a waste of time.

It’s estimated that the company loses about half a billion yearly as a result of people avoiding the Netflix password-sharing restriction. Yet, the company reacts only by modifying its policy and placing new restrictions to prevent you from sharing your account.

Summary

Despite Netflix’s formidable efforts to limit account sharing, people have found new and creative ways to fight back. Using Meshnet and its Traffic Routing is the top option to bypass the Netflix account-sharing ban no matter your or the account owner’s location.

You can simply re-route your traffic through the owner’s IP address and pretend to be in his/her household. Another method is to avoid using streaming devices and TVs, and instead, watch movies and series on a smaller phone, tablet, laptop, or computer screen.

While logging in on the owner’s WiFi network is sometimes impossible, one solution always is – buying a sub-account at $7.99/mo. People who want to be on Netflix’s friendly side can comply and go with the flow as long as their budget is flexible enough.

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