Amazon Prime says behind VPN (we're not!)

[Neil Smith]

This is a long shot as appreciate so many variables. Problem I have is Amazon say it's a router/ISP issue and Asus/ISP say it's Amazon. Put simply the facts are this:-

1) On my wireless network Prime video says I am behind a VPN and therefore will not play on any device connected to my network
2) I am not behind a VPN and have even factory reset my Asus AX68U router and set up again from scratch
3) All other streamers work on my network
4) Prime WILL work when I hotspot devices to my phone's network
5) Bizarrely, my paid for dedicated IP DOES work. So it suddenly doesnt like my normal IP address,

Any ideas as I've exhausted all customer support options!

 

[ColinTaylor]

5) Bizarrely, my paid for dedicated IP DOES work. So it suddenly doesnt like my normal IP address,

What do you mean by this? If you have a dedicated IP why are you not using it? What is a "normal" IP address, do you mean dynamic via DHCP?

 

[Neil Smith]

Yes dynamic but I also mean the IP address from my ISP is now seen as a VPN by Amazon. Yes, I suppose I could put my paid dedicated on at router level but that's not the point...

 

[Tech Junky]

Replace the streamer.

 

[ColinTaylor]

Yes dynamic but I also mean the IP address from my ISP is now seen as a VPN by Amazon. Yes, I suppose I could put my paid dedicated on at router level but that's not the point...

I'm still confused. So you have two public IP addresses from your ISP that you can use simultaneously? Is this like AT&T's DMZplus?

If Amazon have blacklisted your dynamic public IP address because they think it's a VPN then the correct solution would be to inform Amazon of the IP address and get them to remove it from the blacklist. In the meantime a possible workaround is to try and change your dynamic public IP address and hope that the new one isn't on the blacklist.

To change your dynamic public IP address "clone" a different MAC address onto the router's WAN interface. This can be done by going to WAN - Internet Connection and clicking on the MAC Clone button. This replaces the router's MAC address with that of the PC you're currently using (but any MAC address would do). Apply that change and wait for it to take effect.

At this point you probably won't have a working internet connection - this is normal. Just power off the modem and the router. Wait a couple of minutes and turn the modem back on. Wait another couple of minutes before turning the router back on. You should now have a working internet connection with a different dynamic public IP address.

 

[bbunge]

But what if the ISP is assigning non-public IP addresses? Would that make Amazon think he using a VPN? Or is there something wonky with the IP-location setup?

 

[ColinTaylor]

But what if the ISP is assigning non-public IP addresses? Would that make Amazon think he using a VPN? Or is there something wonky with the IP-location setup?

As far as Amazon is concerned it always sees a public IP address because he's connecting over the internet. However, if his "normal IP address" isn't a public IP address but a private address (e.g. 192.168.1.99) or a CGNAT address (100.64.10.2) then that would mean that the public IP address Amazon sees is that of the ISP's internet gateway and not that of his router. In this case changing his router's MAC address probably won't make a difference. So the solution in this situation would be to inform the ISP of the problem and get them to speak to Amazon about getting their IP address removed from the blacklist.