Is it possible to watch ZDF/ARD online in Ireland? I live in Dublin, but would love to watch German TV, and especially the upcoming FIFA World Cup on ZDF/ARD. Can that be done from abroad?
That is a brilliant question, and the answer to your question is yes. It can be done, but you need to trick around a bit. The upcoming FIFA World Cup will be broadcasted in Ireland as well, so you can watch the matches on Irish TV, but if you want to watch them on German TV (which is understandable as you cheer for Germany), you will need to give the ZDF/ARD website the impression that you are in Germany.
To do so, you will need to make the ZDF/ARD website believe that you are in Germany. The best way to do so is by using a VPN service. Such a service will let you connect to a server in Germany, which will result in you getting a German IP address, which again will make you able to watch German TV online in Ireland.
There are lots of programs available for free all across Europe on the websites of ZDF and ARD, but if you want to watch live streams of sports events or special programs from the big library of both TV networks, a German IP address is often required. You might also need to register a free user at both websites, but that is completely free, so you don’t need to pay any extra for such a service.
For this purpose, I recommend using the VPN services of IPVanish. That is an American VPN service with servers all across the world, also in Germany. Sign up, connect to a server in Germany, and you are good to go.
If you later move back to Germany and miss Irish TV, you can also use IPVanish to get an Irish IP address, in order to stream RTE and other Irish TV channels from abroad.
What is a VPN and why does it help me stream German TV in Ireland?
A VPN, or Virtual Private Network, is a tool that helps protect your online privacy and security. When you use the internet, it is easy for others to see and track your movements. This can be abused by hackers, and also by your internet service provider if they want to find out what you are doing online. A VPN creates a secure, encrypted connection between your device and the internet, and this makes it much harder for anyone to see or steal your information.
Many people think of a VPN like a private tunnel for your internet traffic. When you connect to a VPN, your data goes through this tunnel, hiding your activities and location. This is especially useful when using public Wi-Fi networks, as they lack security. In other words, this is especially useful if you use public WiFi in restaurants, cafés, and hotels as you travel to Dublin, or leave Ireland to visit some other place.
Overall, using a VPN is a simple way to enhance your online security and privacy.
A few words about IPVanish.
IPVanish is a very popular and well-known VPN provider, perfect for the purpose of streaming German TV online in Ireland (and elsewhere in the world). The service was founded in 2012. It helps keep your online activities private and secure by encrypting your internet connection. IPVanish has over 2,000 servers located in more than 75 countries around the world. This means you can choose from a lot of different locations to connect through.
With IPVanish, you can have up to 10 devices connected at the same time, which is great for families or people with multiple devices. It supports many platforms, including Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, and even some smart TVs and routers. This makes it easy to protect your privacy no matter what device you are using.
