WDTV Smart DNS Services Compared
The WDTV is a digital media receiver, created by Western Digital, which allows users to view videos and images, or listen to music stored on a USB drive. Since 2009, WDTV models have also offered limited internet connectivity, granting access to certain streaming media services, with examples including Netflix, CinemaNow and Hulu Plus.
Many of these services offer different content libraries depending on where in the world a customer is located. These content libraries are loaded up automatically, based on a user's internet settings, which reveal their real location. As a result, manual region switching is seemingly impossible and some content is geographically blocked.
However, by using a Smart DNS service, WDTV users can work around this problem, effectively changing their region and gaining access to other countries' exclusive content.
Netflix Note
On some WDTV models, access to the Netflix service may be completely blocked to those living outside of North America. On other models, the app itself may be completely invisible to non-Americans. Unfortunately, if you own one of these WDTV models, Smart DNS technology is not able to provide a solution to this problem.
In actual fact, it is the result of hardware limitations, such as a lack of a DRM-compatible chip. Therefore, this setup guide should be useful for all WDTV models sold in the United States, but will only work on a select number of models sold outside of North America.
Best Smart DNS Services to use on WDTV
» View the Step-by-Step Smart DNS Setup Tutorial for WDTV
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- Amazon Fire TV,
- Android,
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- Boxee,
- Chromecast,
- Google TV,
- iOS,
- Kindle Fire,
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- Mac OS X,
- Nexus Player,
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- PS 4,
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- Sonos,
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- WDTV,
- Wii,
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Smart DNS
Smart DNS technology obscures a user's real internet location, making it appear as if it is stemming from somewhere else. To accomplish this, when a customer visits a supported website or uses a supported online service, parts of their internet connection are fed through a server located in another country.
As a consequence, when an app or website uses region detection methods, the customer's internet connection is traced back to the location of the server they are connected to instead. So, for example, a Netflix user can be based in the United States, but if they connect to a Smart DNS server in the UK, Netflix will load up its UK content library.
Smart DNS is ideal for streaming media, because it does not slow down an internet connection in any significant way. Additionally, it can be used on a wide number of devices, requires no software installation and will not result in changes to a customer's local IP address.
After registering for a Smart DNS service, you will be allocated new DNS settings, which need to be changed manually on the device you are using. In order to adjust these settings on your WDTV, work through the simple step-by-step instructions below.
- From the main WDTV menu, go to 'Setup'.
- Select 'Network Settings', followed by 'Network Setup'.
- Choose either the 'Wired' or 'Wireless' option from the bottom of the screen, depending on your own individual setup at home.
- Select 'Previously Connected Wireless Network' if your WDTV device is already connected to a wireless network. Otherwise, pick 'Auto Search' to connect to one.
- Go back to the 'Network Setup' menu and choose 'Manual' from the bottom of the screen.
- Write down the numbers next to 'IP Address', as you might need this information later on. Then scroll down to the 'DNS' field and enter the DNS settings your Smart DNS provider gave you.
- Select 'Finish'. On the next screen, click 'OK' to complete this section.
Upon reaching this stage, it is important to fully reboot your WDTV device before continuing further. In order to do this, press the 'Power' button on your remote control and wait for the WDTV to turn off. Then wait for at least ten seconds before turning it back on.
IP Address Entry
Finally, new Smart DNS customers will need to register their IP address with their service provider. With some Smart DNS services, this can be done by signing in to your client area and clicking an activation link. Although the WDTV does not have its own in-built web browser, using another device connected to the same network should work.
However, some Smart DNS providers operate a system where the user has to manually add their IP address to the database. If this is the case, since you wrote down the IP address during the step-by-step section above, simply visit their website and follow their instructions for adding it.
You are now ready to use Smart DNS. Again, due to the lack of a WDTV web browser, region settings and other options will need to be adjusted using another device connected to the same network. Please note that regardless of which IP address entry method you used, it will need to be repeated each time your IP address changes.