How To Bypass the Netflix Password-Sharing Ban with NordVPN

In 2023, Netflix cracked down on password-sharing ban, only allowing multiple to use its service if they live in the same household. It also charges $7.99/mo for an “extra member” if you wish to share with someone outside of your home.

But with NordVPN, you can now bypass that tricky little “extra member” fee and link your Netflix with up to 60 devices. (That’s not a typo, we said 60.) The best part? It won’t cost you anything extra. Nord is giving Meshnet to everyone for free. Once configured, you'll be able to share a single IP address between all those devices. 

We'll walk you through how to use Meshnet to share your Netflix account to save you money and save you a headache from Netflix's password-sharing ban.

How to use NordVPN Meshnet with Netflix

Meshnet is, for all intents and purposes, exactly what it sounds like — it meshes your network together. It’s an encrypted tunnel through which you can route your internet traffic that connects to the same IP address.

What that means is that it makes your online activity look like it’s coming from the same place. It doesn’t matter if you live across town or across the globe, you’ll still be able to appear like you’re sitting in the same living room as the Netflix account holder. To the eyes in the sky, it looks like you all have identical IP addresses. 

With NordVPN, you can connect up to 10 devices from your Meshnet account to 50 external devices. 

To use Meshnet, you have to:

1. Download NordVPN.
2. Sign in with the same account credentials.
3. Enable Meshnet on the device within the NordVPN app.
4. Your devices will discover and connect to one another automatically.
5. Enjoy!

How does the Netflix password-sharing ban work?

There’s a lot of literature online about Netflix’s decision to ban password-sharing. When it was first announced, people wondered how it would work and how it would be enforced. We now know Netflix makes you log in to the service from your home location once every 30 days. 

If you have a family member who “lives with you” but doesn’t actually reside in your dwelling unit entirely throughout the year, you can add an extra member to your account. This is meant to cover kids at college or perhaps a parent or sibling who lives across the country.

To add an extra member, you can't have a Netflix account with ads or one paid for by a third party. The extra member must reside in the same country as you and be invited to your account after you purchase their slot.

While these rules were meant to discourage password sharing or recoup some fees from people who share, they put an extra strain on individuals who were splitting the cost of the service. Members found violating these policies may have their accounts suspended or canceled completely.

Does NordVPN unblock Netflix?

In our testing, we found that, yes, NordVPN unblocks American Netflix as well as other countries’ Netflix libraries with its vast VPN server network. The VPN app works if you’re outside of the country trying to keep your VPN traffic encrypted and watch content or if you’re trying to connect to a non-U.S. server to watch geo-restricted content.

Either way, we found NordVPN allows you to do this with fast VPN connection speeds and no buffering. While it’s free to use Meshnet to bypass the password-sharing ban, you’ll still need a NordVPN paid account to access various worldwide VPN servers for geo-restricted content.

If you’re inside the U.S. and want a VPN on your devices for security, NordVPN runs while you’re streaming Netflix. This is the primary criticism against Netflix’s war on VPNs — the streaming service blocks VPN usage even if the user isn’t violating terms of service.

Note that although NordVPN works with Netflix, this might not always be the case. Nord removed Netflix from its list of supported streaming services, likely due to its persistent VPN blocks. This means its support team may not be able to help if you can't unblock Netflix.

7 reasons to use NordVPN with Netflix

Nord may help you access geo-restricted content on Netflix, but it’ll also provide you with a host of benefits. If you’re accessing Netflix from home, you can beat internet service provider (ISP) throttling by connecting to NordVPN, and if you want to stream while you’re out of the house, security is a top priority! Wherever you are, you’ll want to know how to watch Netflix with a VPN. 

Here are some of the benefits:

1. Keeps your internet traffic safe by shielding it with AES-256-bit encryption
2. Speeds up home internet by stopping ISP throttling
3. Protects your mobile device and laptop on public Wi-Fi with encrypted traffic
4. Unblocks geo-restricted content on streaming services with SmartPlay
5. Helps stop ads and trackers when accessing Netflix from a browser
6. Incorporates anti-malware and ad blocker solutions into your browsing with Threat Protection
7. Works on multiple platforms and devices like Amazon Firestick, so you and others on your plan can stream different content simultaneously

NordVPN not working with Netflix? Try these 5 easy tips

There’s nothing more frustrating than reading about a cool new technology and then not being able to make it work. If you’re struggling to unblock Netflix with NordVPN, check out the following troubleshooting techniques.

1. Connect to a different server

There are no streaming-optimized servers on NordVPN because of the SmartPlay feature built into the VPN service itself. SmartPlay is a Smart DNS technology, and domain name servers (DNS) are like the phone book of the internet. It converts domain names, like Netflix.com, into IP addresses that the internet can read.

Smart DNS technology switches the DNS to IP addresses that aren’t blocked by streaming sites by encrypting your traffic and hiding your true IP address. Think of it like getting an Unknown Number on your caller ID. You know the caller is using a phone number to connect, but you just can’t see it.

So, if you can’t connect to Netflix using your current server, try a different one. The SmartPlay feature automatically reconfigures your traffic. For best results, try to use a VPN server close to you physically unless you’re accessing geo-blocked content. Considering NordVPN offers over 6,400 blazing-fast VPN servers, you’re likely to find one that works.

NordVPN server count by Netflix library

2. Clear your cache

Cookies and other cached data from websites are stored in your browser’s cache. This data is used to load webpages faster by remembering information like text and images. But when something changes, like your location, it can cause the page to not load at all. So if your cache says you’re in Pennsylvania, but your IP address is pinging from London, there’s a chance Netflix won’t load.

Clearing your cache can reset the information Netflix is reading and allow you access. We have an entire guide dedicated to showing you exactly how to clear the cache in your browser, but you can always do a quick internet search if your specific browser isn’t listed.

3. Change your DNS server

NordVPN provides specific DNS servers for your use when connected to its VPN service. If you want to configure these manually, NordVPN has a page explaining how to configure DNS servers within your specific operating system. 

You can manually set your DNS settings in Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, and iOS with NordVPN’s guides.

4. Send in a customer support ticket

If you’ve tried all of this and it’s still not working, reach out to customer support on NordVPN’s website. The support agents are helpful and understand that sometimes technology can be frustrating. Chatting with support may take longer than troubleshooting on your own, but they have access to problem-specific tools to help you fix your issue.

5. Try a different VPN

So if you exhausted all the methods above and still couldn’t unblock Netflix, it may be worth it to try a different VPN service. You’ll still be able to use NordVPN’s Meshnet feature for free to bypass Netflix’s password ban, and you may find another reliable VPN that offers the ability to access Netflix libraries if NordVPN can’t do that for you.

If you’re wondering what other VPN services are good for Netflix, consider these alternatives:

Price	$2.19–$17.95/mo	$2.03–$12.99/mo	$6.67–$12.95/mo
Free version
Max # of connected devices	Unlimited	7	8
# of servers	3,200 in 100 countries	Servers in 100 countries	Servers in 105 countries
VPN protocol	WireGuard, OpenVPN, IKEv2/IPsec	WireGuard, OpenVPN, IKEv2	Lightway, OpenVPN, IKEv2
Encryption	AES-256-GCM	AES 256-bit	AES 256-bit
No-logs policy	No logs	No logs	No logs
Headquarters	The Netherlands	Romania	British Virgin Islands
Netflix access
Learn more	Get Surfshark	Get CyberGhost	Get ExpressVPN

How to use NordVPN with Netflix FAQs

Bottom line

Whether you’re the kind of person who needs episodes of Community streaming to fall asleep or are just catching up on Bridgerton, having unrestricted access to watch Netflix is a must wherever you are in the world. Meshnet can help you get around that pesky password-sharing ban. And if you need to unlock geo-restricted content, try one of NordVPN’s 6,400+ servers in 111 countries. Whatever you need it for, NordVPN has a way.

If, for any reason, NordVPN just doesn’t work or you prefer another service, check out our best VPNs for Netflix guide to find one that’s right for you. You’ll still need Meshnet to get around the password-sharing ban, but you’ll likely be able to unblock Netflix with one of our top-rated VPNs. Whatever you choose for your VPN needs, we want to wish you happy streaming!

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Mary James

About the Author

Mary is a seasoned cybersecurity writer with over seven years of experience. With a B.S. in Liberal Arts from Clarion University and an M.F.A. in Creative Writing from Point Park University, she educates audiences on scams, antivirus software, and more. Her passion lies in educating audiences on helpful ways to protect their data.