Computer help

[wilomn]

I have some sort of blocker on my IP address so it does not show where I am. I recall installing it a long time ago, but cannot remember the name nor find it on my computer.

It seems that Hulu will no longer allow me to use its service with my IP anonymised. It keeps telling me that it does not do business outside the USA and therefore, after several years, it will no longer allow me to use its service until I unblock my IP.

I'm about as good with computers as I am with giving birth. Not very.

Can anyone help me out. I have a toshiba satellite laptop and use chrome.

thanks

[dkspftw]

It may be slightly difficult to turn off without actually knowing the name of the program.

What version of windows are you using? 7?

Assuming the program that's running is an active process (which it probably is) you should be able to hit ctrl+alt+del and open up the task manager. There will be a list of active processes running, and hopefully your IP blocker will have a name that makes sense on that list. If you can use that to figure out the name of the program, you can then go to your control panel and do add/remove programs to uninstall it. In fact, using the add/remove programs utility, you might be able to just find the IP blocking program listed there without even using task manager.

Presumably if it's uninstalled you'll not have this problem any longer.

Many internet "utilities" targeted at less experienced users are actually BS, though, so it's very likely (no offense) your IP blocking program may in itself be malicious. This may make it harder to find/remove.

If you're having issues with that, I'd recommend a real (not what comes on your computer) antivirus, the best of which is eset nod. It's quite affordable.

[MasonC2K]

Are you sure it was a stand alone app? Usually such things are done in firewall software.

[wilomn]

I finally got to talk to what seems to have been a human at Hulu. After explaining that I was, indeed, within the USA, I provided him with my IP number which he then checked, verified and cleared my account. It seems that I do not have an anonymizer. Or maybe I do, frankly, I don't know right now.

The upshot is, if I get an urge to watch something on Hulu, now I can. Again.

Thanks for the help guys.

[dkspftw]

Happy it worked out. Not sure what would have caused the problem originally, but they should be able to "white list" your IP so it's accepted by their systems.

I actually work in a similar industry in IT, so I'm sitting in a Hulu competitor's office as I type this, haha.

Anyway, the problem may come back again because most consumer internet providers give you a dynamic (changing) IP. So don't be surprised if you lose power (or just wait a while) and the issue returns.