VPNs and Streaming in Australia: Each Service's Rules

You sit down to watch something, and instead of the show you get an error code. If you have a VPN running, that's often why. Streaming services license their shows country by country, and a VPN can make your device look as if it's somewhere else. This guide sets out what Netflix, Stan, ABC iview and SBS On Demand each say about VPNs, what their errors mean, and what to do next. Every rule comes from the service's own help page, checked on 30 October 2026.

SecureCheck.com.au is an independent guide operated by Dominet BV. This page is general information, not legal or technical advice for your situation. We don't sell VPNs or security software. No link on this site is an affiliate link right now. We may earn a commission from VPN or security companies in future when a reader buys through a link on this site. If that happens we'll label those links and explain it in our affiliate disclosure, and it won't change the facts we publish. Facts were checked on official and company websites on 30 October 2026. Read our general information notice.

Why streaming services care where you are

A streaming service doesn't usually own the shows it streams. It buys the right to show them in particular countries. That's why the same service can have a different library in Australia and overseas, and why some Australian services aren't available outside Australia at all.

A VPN sends your traffic through a server that might be in another city or country. To the streaming service, your device then appears to be wherever that server is. If that doesn't match the service's licence, or if the service spots that the connection comes from a VPN, it may block playback.

We don't explain how to get around these rules. They're part of each service's terms, so read the terms of any service you pay for. What follows is what each service says, so you can work out why something isn't playing.

The four services at a glance

Netflix

Netflix's help page says the error E106, or a message that you seem to be using a VPN or proxy, appears because a VPN can make a device look like it's connecting from somewhere other than where it really is. Netflix's suggestion is to turn the VPN off and try again.

Two details are worth knowing:

• Live events and ad-supported plans. Netflix says VPNs aren't supported for live events or on its ad-supported plans.
• Antivirus software. Netflix notes that some antivirus software includes a VPN that might be turned on. If you get the error but don't think you're using a VPN, check your antivirus settings.

Stan

Stan's help page for error A26 says the error appears when Stan detects that you're outside Australia, or that you're using a VPN, a proxy or a custom DNS setting. Stan says its content is licensed for Australia only.

If you see A26 at home in Australia, the likely causes are a VPN, a proxy or a DNS setting on your device or router. Turn them off and try again. If you set up a custom DNS on your router some time ago and forgot about it, that can be the cause for every device in the house.

ABC iview

The ABC's help page says its content contracts limit iview to Australia. A VPN can mask your location, so iview blocks it.

For people overseas, the ABC says there's an ABC Australia category on the iview website. The iview app stopped being available to international audiences from 27 June 2024. So if you're abroad, the website's ABC Australia category is the option the ABC itself points to.

SBS On Demand

SBS's help page, updated 10 March 2026, says SBS On Demand is only available within Australia. That includes Australians travelling overseas. If you're going away, plan on watching SBS shows before you leave or after you get back.

A VPN stopped my show: what to do

Work through these in order:

1. Turn the VPN off and reload the app or page. This is what Netflix suggests, and it's the quickest test.
2. Check your antivirus or security software. Some include a VPN that may be on without you realising.
3. Check for a proxy or custom DNS. Stan names both as causes of error A26. Look in your device's network settings and, if you've changed it, your router's settings.
4. Restart the app or device after changing settings.
5. Contact the service's help team if it still doesn't work. Each of the four help pages above is a starting point.

VPNs on routers and smart TVs

Some people set up a VPN on their home router rather than on each device. If you've done that, every device on your home network, including the smart TV, connects through the VPN. That can explain why a streaming app fails on the TV but works on your phone when it uses mobile data. Check the router's settings, or ask whoever set it up.

If you use a VPN for work, you may need to switch it off while you stream and back on when you return to work. Your workplace IT team can tell you if that's allowed.

Travelling overseas with Australian streaming

If you're heading overseas:

• SBS On Demand says it's only available within Australia, even for Australians abroad.
• Stan says its content is licensed for Australia only.
• ABC iview points overseas viewers to the ABC Australia category on the iview website.
• Netflix works in many countries, but what you can watch depends on where you are.

If a service lets you download shows in its app, check its help pages before you leave for whether downloads still play overseas.

If you take a VPN overseas for security on hotel or airport Wi-Fi, which the ACSC's remote working tips say can hide your activity from others on the same network, check the local laws first. The ACSC's travel tips say some countries restrict VPN use.

Is using a VPN for streaming illegal?

Breaking a streaming service's terms is a matter between you and the service, and each service's own terms explain what it can do about it. Whether VPNs themselves are legal in Australia is a separate question, and we cover it in is a VPN legal in Australia. In short, we found no Australian law in our sources that bans using a VPN, but a VPN doesn't make an unlawful act lawful.

Should streaming affect which VPN you choose?

If streaming is your main reason for wanting a VPN, it may not be the right tool. These services say they block VPNs, and that can change at any time. A VPN is better suited to protecting your connection on networks you don't trust. Our checklist covers what to look for, and our free VPN guide covers the limits of free plans. To understand what a VPN does and doesn't hide, start with what a VPN is.

Frequently asked questions

What does Netflix error E106 mean?

Netflix says it appears when a VPN or proxy makes your device look like it's connecting from somewhere else. Turn the VPN off and try again.

What is Stan error A26?

Stan says it appears when Stan detects you're outside Australia or using a VPN, proxy or custom DNS.

Can I watch ABC iview overseas?

The ABC says iview is limited to Australia by content contracts. Overseas viewers can use the ABC Australia category on the iview website. The iview app stopped being available to international audiences from 27 June 2024.

Can I watch SBS On Demand while travelling overseas?

SBS says SBS On Demand is only available within Australia, including for Australians travelling overseas.

I'm not using a VPN but Netflix says I am. Why?

Netflix says some antivirus software includes a VPN that might be switched on. Check your security software, then your network settings.

Will you tell me which VPN works with Netflix?

No. We don't give advice on getting around streaming rules. We report what each service says.