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Written by Martin Millmore   

Step by step guide to integrating OpenVPN with TunerFreeMCE for UK users

Instructions here refer to AlwaysVPN as an example, but that should not be seen as an endorsement. It worked for me OK though.

1) You will need to download and install a version of OpenVPN which allows the password to be entered in a plain text file, e.g.;

 http://botsikas.blogspot.com/2008/10/building-openvpn-with-enable-password.html

2) Buy a proxy server package, e.g. AlwaysVPN. Download and install the config file from them (just the config file - you already have the OpenVPN client downloaded in step 1).

3) Go to  C:\Program Files (x86)\OpenVPN\config and create a text file with your username for the VPN service on the first line, and your password on the second. Save it as "user_auth.txt", e.g.

martin.millmore
bananas

3) Edit your config file to add the full name of the password text file after the text auth-user-pass. Also change any certificate references to be full paths, e.g.;

ca "C:\\Program Files (x86)\\OpenVPN\\config\\alwaysvpn2_ca.crt"
tls-auth "C:\\Program Files (x86)\\OpenVPN\\config\\alwaysvpn-ta.key" 1
auth-user-pass "C:\\Program Files (x86)\\OpenVPN\\config\\user_auth.txt"

4) Create a text file with the following command in it, and save it as "openUSVPN.bat";

"C:\Program Files (x86)\OpenVPN\bin\openvpn.exe" --config "C:\Program Files (x86)\OpenVPN\config\AlwaysVPN-Compatible.ovpn"

5)  Create a text file with the following command in it, and save it as "closeUSVPN.bat";

taskkill /f /im openvpn.exe

6) Edit your preferences to enter these scripts in the UK and US VPN command boxes;

7) Right click on Media Center, and select Run as administrator.This is important, because the openVPN command needs to run as administrator to configure the network settings.

8)  When you browse to hulu, it will open your US VPN connection. When you go to UK programs, it will kill the VPN connecton so that you can watch UK programs though your regular UK broadband connection.

Step by step guide to integrating Windows native VPN with TunerFreeMCE for UK users

1) Set up your windows VPN connection as described by your VPN provider. This will create a network connection in the Network and Sharing center. In this example, we will say the connection is called "MYUSVPN".

2) Create a text file with the following command in it, and save it as "openUSVPN.bat";

RasDial MYUSVPN username password

where username and password are your username and password

3)  Create a text file with the following command in it, and save it as "closeUSVPN.bat";

RasDial MYUSVPN /disconnect

4) edit the preferences as described above

Here's a list of different services that have been tested by TunerFreeMCE users. This is not an endorsement of the sites that work, but is just provided to help people.

 Name Status
 AlwaysVPN  Works fine with Vista 32bit and Vista 64bit, but e-mail them to enable hulu support
 Anonymizer Does not work with Media Center
 HideMyIP Does not work with Media Center
 UKiVPN Works fine. RasDial can be used to script the proxy switching
  

VPN setup for US users

Follow the same instructions as for UK users, but set your default country to US, and create an openUKVPN.bat file that opens the UK VPN, and a closeUKVPN.bat file that closes the VPN. Put the openUKVPN.bat file in the UK VPN Command prefernce, and the closeUKVPN.bat file in the US VPN Command prefernce.

VPN setup for other countries

If you not in either the UK or the US, you will need to open a VPN connection for both countries. To do this, set the default country to your home country (e.g. CA for Canada), and create two command files, openUKVPN.bat and openUSVPN.bat. In the openUKVPN file, put a command to close the US connection and then open the UK one. In the openUSVPN file, put a command to close the UK connection and then open the US one. This will swap between the two connections fine. When you exit media center, just kill any remaining VPN connections.

Step by step guide to integrating Proxy Switching with TunerFreeMCE for UK users

1) Get the details of your proxy server. In the following example, we will assume it has the server name "myproxy"

2) Create a a text file with the following command in it, and save it as "openUSVPN.bat";

netsh winhttp set proxy myproxy:80

3)  Create a text file with the following command in it, and save it as "closeUSVPN.bat";

netsh winhttp reset proxy

4) Edit the preferences as described above.

As before, if you are connecting from a different country, simply change the commands to suit.

Comments (28)
  • Stefan Verhagen  - UKiVPN

    I guess UKiVPN changed the way to access VPN. I don't know which network (for either US or UK VPN)to choose in
    rasdial userid password

  • Robbin Nichol  - Location of Batch files

    Do the batch files go in the Tunerfreemce installation directory?

  • Martin  - Re: Location of Batch files

    They are in C:/ProgramData/MillieSoft/TunerFreeMCE

  • Mark  - Straight forward?

    Hi Martin,
    I jumped straight in abnd bought some AlwaysVPN credit and followed the steps just fine. I then realised I had missed out the all important step one!! Which, had I checked out beforehand I really wouldn't have bothered as is is certainly not straight forward and pretty unclear as to what files are exactly required. I do think I managed to get the correct ones but I'm getting an error when trying to build the package saying error in script of openvpn.nsi on line 300. And ideas? Cheers

  • Mark  - Onto the next problem..

    Well I managed to find a build of Openvpn that accepted passwords and now it runs ok, but now I get this from Hulu "Based on your IP address, we notice you are trying to access Hulu through an anonymous proxy tool". Am I missing something else? Cheers!

  • mmillmor  - Re: Onto the next problem..

    Mark,

    I notice that on the AlwaysVPN site it now says;

    Hulu, ABC and other video networks are blocking our IP addresses.
    Please contact us for more details

    I suggest that as they say, you contact them to ask if there is a workaround. Please let me know what they say so that I can update the site.

  • Mark

    You would need to contact them yourself for this info I'm afraid, but there is a workaround.

    I'm finding that even though all the advertisements play, quite a lot of the actual programs don't.

    Apart from that, It's working just great and I thank you for such an amazing application that my whole family enjoy on 5 PC's around the house! I've been a user since your version 1 builds using Vista and now in W7.

    Cheers!

  • Erich  - vpn/proxy options

    So it sounds like this requires a special vpn that allows usernames and passwords in the configuration your plugin requires. There seem to be a huge number of proxies out there, has anyone tested out any free ones? I realize this is probably a really stupid question since this was probably explored as an option before everybody paid for the service mentioned.

  • Anonymous

    Im sorry to post 2 comments, but does anyone have any input on how far 5gb of bandwidth goes watching SD content on this VPN?

  • MisCount  - Get Hulu Again

    Looks like most of the VPN providers out there have been blocked by hulu. But I've just switched to UKiVPN and it works fine since they changed their set-up.

    PS. 5GB is a lot of hours in SD video, but unlimited accounts are probably a better value.

  • drew  - Witopia vpn and GTSVPN

    Hi

    I live in an arab country that runs a proxy to stop "inappropriate content". The two vpn providers work fine. I run them continually on a couple of machines, one being the Win 7 MCPC. Doing this, I need no mods to Tunerfreemce to get UK TV. It is great. Hulu detects the vpn and blocks access. Not using the vpn, the proxy slows access greatly.

  • Anonymous

    A quick question about the kill vpn command in preferences -does this kill the vpn upon exiting mce? How would i set it up?
    Thanks

  • Martin  - Re: Kill VPN

    Have a look at step 5 above for an example of a Kill VPN Command. If you want to be able to run that command at any time rather than just when you watch programs from another country, enter the command in to the kill vpn command box in preferences, and a button for running it will appear on the tuner free home page.

  • JD  - It works

    Looks really good and saves a lot of hassel. I have a lap-top plugged into the audio-video stack and control it with a bluetooth mouse - which works but not too accuarately from a distance - so this solution makes for fewer clicks and a cleaner interface.
    Doctor Who versus Fox News. No contest ... the Doctor is far more realistic ;o)
    Old XP Lap-top - now part of the audio/video Borg (resistance is futile)
    An XVGA-to-ComponentVideo converter (no video out on the old dear - but this goes up to 720p, not all do)
    6Mb DSL over WiFi
    UKiVPN - which works for both UK and US streams.

  • Piet in hert veld  - ukivpn

    Do not use their installers as they do not work with rasdial. Instead use UKiVPN's manual setup instructions as provided in their word document.

  • Rik  - Error with country set to Other

    Have created the batch files
    Verified they work

    But when I select BBC or Hulu I get an error in MCE...
    "System.ComponentModel.Win32Exception: The System cannot find the file specified
    at Sytstem.Diagnostics.Process.StartWithCreateProcess
    at System.Diagnostics.Process.Start
    at TunerFreeMCE.EnormoList.setCountryCode(string country)"

    Any ideas?

  • Martin  - Re: Error with country set to Other

    I'm guessing you have a space in the path to your batch file, and windows doesn't like that. If that's not the case, post in the support forum.

  • Anonymous

    Great share!
    I already get open vpn account for only 4 dollars at SuperVPN. Everyone have a right on privacy so http://www.supervpn.net/ are very important part of Internet freedom.

  • johnny expat  - i used strong vpn from spain for all uk tv

    i used Strong vpn, american co i think, from spain and france for couple of years to watch uk tv. rarely had probs, even streamed some hd stuff. tried various free proxies, all unreliable, rarely worked, tried a few pay proxies, StrongVPN best and cheapest. if this sounds like i work for them, then ignore me, if not then give em a go.

    enjoy

  • Rob  - Additional Batch request

    Is it possible to request an additional field for a batch file that disconnects the VPN when closing the tunerfreemce addon- If it stays connected and I use other net-based software I get charged for my usage.

  • Martin  - Re: Additional Batch request

    Rob,

    There is already the ability to add a batch file to disconnect the VPN. In the preferences there is a "Kill VPN Command" option where you put the reference to that. If you do that, you will see a Kill VPN command on the first page. It doesn't run automatically when you exit TunerFreeMCE, because technically you only exit it after opening 8 other AddIns, which isn't when people want to kill the VPN - they want to kill it sooner.

    Martin

  • awfawf

    Eyes are not glasses only observe the world ", or "the viewfinder window. The health perspective Clinical experience, have many diseases that can be obtained from the eyes of the original. Bloodshot eyes cheap eyeglasses and full of eyes, often give murky person "and" bad health. Contemporary urbanite, especially at the beauty of women spend heavily purchase upscale cosmetology sunglasses product self maintenance, but often ignored "eye" this another beautiful "the window".

  • Myles Mc Laughlin  - Proxy swiching not working

    Hi Martin, great software.I just have small problem - I can't get the proxy switching to work via the via the VPNComand in preferences. I'm outside the UK so use a proxy sever to watch bbc. If I configure Intenet Explorer to us my proxy server I can watch bbc in IE and also in Windows Media Center without using the VPNcommand option. But this means that I have to exitMda Center to switch on and off the proxy. I tried putting a .bat file in the VPNcommad box with the following commnd 'netsh winhttp set proxy proxy-server="ftp=127.0.0.1:8118;http=127.0.0.1: 8118;https=127.0.0.1:8118;socks=127.0.0.1:9050"'. But when I try to watch bbc says that I'm outside the UK. These proxy sting match the ones which work for me in IE. Any idea what going wrong?

  • Martin

    Myles,

    I wonder if media center reads the proxy settings when it first loads and then doesn't notice any changes? Have you checked that the proxy is actually changed in IE when you watch a bbc program?

  • Myles Mc Laughlin  - Proxy swiching not working

    Hi Martin,
    When media center starts it definitely loads the proxy settings from IE. Running netsh webhttp commads either from the VPNcommand option or just a cmd window never affect these settings in media center. Actually, running netsh webhttp commands never change the proxy setting in IE. Is this normal behavior? I'm running windows 7 ultimate.

  • Myles Mc Laughlin  - UPDATE Proxy swiching not working

    I managed to get it working by installing Proxy Switcher (http://www.proxyswitcher.com/). This program allows easy switching between proxy and direct connection by either using an GUI or command line option. I put the command line option in a .bat file and execute it in TunerFreeMCE VPNcommand option. Proxy switching in Media Center now works fine :D Proxy Switcher changes the proxy settings in IE and all other programs which access the internet.

  • Martin  - Re: Proxy swiching not working

    Great. Glad you got it working.

    Martin

  • andre  - VPN query

    I have entered the path and file in the UK VPN Command box under preferences but nothing seems to happen? The user account has permissons to the file/directory - If I run the bat file manually, I successfully connect to the VPN - UKiVPN. I am still testing this from the UK - have I missed something

    Thanks

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Last Updated on Saturday, 29 August 2009 08:28