Getting Iplayer etc onto an Amazon Fire stick

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casita-bonita
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Re: Getting Iplayer etc onto an Amazon Fire stick

Postby casita-bonita » Tue Feb 28, 2017 3:23 pm

I bought a Firestick at Christmas when I was in the UK to bring back here. Pretty sure that it already had iplayer installed as it's on there and I don't recall doing it, just a couple of other apps like TVPlayer and Mobdro. I also have an android box with KODI etc on it so was already using a redirection service. The one I use is smartdnsproxy.com. During the trial I was mailed a special offer of 2 years (yes years) subscription for $34. Came across no issues during the trial so I went for it. Unbelievably you also get VPN in addition to DNS redirection. Had it for 3 or 4 months now and works like a charm

When I got home I plugged in my firestick and it worked straight off the bat using DNS redirection. You can either set the DNS server addresses on your router so all devices benefit, or manually configure the DNS server addresses in the firestick for only that device. I have two routers one provides wifi network with redirected dns addresses, the other a wifi network with VPN, but that is obviously slower.

Had a few issues configuring VPN on my dd-wrt router but their tech support was excellent.

I have no affiliation with the company other than being a very satisfied customer.
Regards

Bob

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Re: Getting Iplayer etc onto an Amazon Fire stick

Postby dhasdell » Tue Feb 28, 2017 3:37 pm

That is absolutely brilliant. Thank you so much. it is working perfectly. Where it asked for DNS I entered 2 of the 3 alternates which Cactus suggested. Was that right?

The obvious next question is how to get ITV, Channel 4 etc working. I can watch live with FilmOn, but is there a way to get catchup, please?

Thanks for the help and patience,

David

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Re: Getting Iplayer etc onto an Amazon Fire stick

Postby markwilding » Tue Feb 28, 2017 4:25 pm

Make sure you have followed my instructions in the first post at the beginning of this thread. Then in the Amazon UK site, search for your required app and install from your PC. Don't forget to download TV player as the quality of the Freeview channels are better and it's easier to navigate between channels, even though there are fewer channels than filmon.

casita-bonita
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Re: Getting Iplayer etc onto an Amazon Fire stick

Postby casita-bonita » Tue Feb 28, 2017 4:30 pm

Why not just install them directly onto the firestick from it's Apps menu? No need for a PC. Even Mobdro with hundreds of channels is installable straight onto the firestick, although not directly from the amazon store, but using ES file explorer which is. Plenty of instructions how to do this on the web, it's a breeze and took a few minutes to get Mobdro working.

Do you know of any UK EPG that can also be installed onto it.
Regards

Bob

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Re: Getting Iplayer etc onto an Amazon Fire stick

Postby Mike Lytt » Tue Feb 28, 2017 4:35 pm

As you say Casa Bonita installing from a PC seems superfluous, just simply add them directly.

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Re: Getting Iplayer etc onto an Amazon Fire stick

Postby casita-bonita » Tue Feb 28, 2017 6:02 pm

Quick correction. My firestick is connected via the VPN. Probably wanted to keep it as British as possible. Hardly evev buffers, live itv streaming as I type this.
Regards

Bob

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Re: Getting Iplayer etc onto an Amazon Fire stick

Postby markwilding » Tue Feb 28, 2017 7:21 pm

I have got used to downloading from the PC because i had problems downloading directly to the firestick when i first bought it.
Now and again i google best apps for firestick to see if there is anything useful to install. One app I've tried to install without success is Skygo

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Re: Getting Iplayer etc onto an Amazon Fire stick

Postby dhasdell » Wed Mar 01, 2017 10:21 am

Oh dear, it seems I spoke too soon. After my last post I successfully installed both ITV and TVPlayer, and everything worked perfectly for the rest of the day. However when I unplugged the Firestick overnight all the setting seem to have been lost. On restarting I got the "unable to open Home" message, with "network connected with problems". I can get the Home page working again, and other apps etc, but iPlayer, ITV and TVPlayer need me to go through the whole performance of forgetting, resetting, and adding DNS addresses all over again before they will work. What have I missed, please?

David

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Re: Getting Iplayer etc onto an Amazon Fire stick

Postby firsttango » Wed Mar 01, 2017 10:47 am

By unplugging your Firestick you have cut its wifi connection and when it restarted this morning it was possibly assigned at different ip address from yesterday which stopped your SmartDNS or just unplugging it caused the same. Did you FIRST check to VALIDATE IP again with your SmartDNS supplier? If you unplug it every night this will happen......just leave it in connected its designed for this, it goes to sleep when not in use but stays connected to wifi. ALWAYS CHECK IF YOUR SMARTDNS NEED VALIDATING AS YOUR FIRST MOVE

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Re: Getting Iplayer etc onto an Amazon Fire stick

Postby dhasdell » Wed Mar 01, 2017 12:17 pm

Thank you. So I need to enter the settings again, check it's working and then validate the Cactus DNS on my PC via the client area while the stick is connected, or can I validate from the stick? I understand that it's better not to turn the stick off, but if I do, or if there is a power cut, which is not unknown here, will the settings survive?

David

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Re: Getting Iplayer etc onto an Amazon Fire stick

Postby casita-bonita » Wed Mar 01, 2017 3:19 pm

dhasdell wrote:Thank you. So I need to enter the settings again, check it's working and then validate the Cactus DNS on my PC via the client area while the stick is connected, or can I validate from the stick? I understand that it's better not to turn the stick off, but if I do, or if there is a power cut, which is not unknown here, will the settings survive?

David
Ask your ISP to assign you a fixed IP address, then this ceases to be a problem. Mine was happy to oblige.
Regards

Bob

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Re: Getting Iplayer etc onto an Amazon Fire stick

Postby Mike Lytt » Wed Mar 01, 2017 3:59 pm

Static IP addresses can create problems and many suppliers charge for them or just don't allow it.
http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/static-ip- ... dvantages/

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Re: Getting Iplayer etc onto an Amazon Fire stick

Postby casita-bonita » Wed Mar 01, 2017 4:41 pm

Which is why I said ASK your isp.

Anyway if your firestick is connected by wifi to your internal network it will have an 'internal' ipaddress assigned to it by YOUR router. This is not visible to the outside Internet, which is always that which your ISP gives to your router's external (internet facing) interface. The ISP may change this from time to time and that is when you will need to re-validate with your smartDNS service. If your ISP is kind enough to give you a fixed ip address then should never be a problem.

You can change your internal device IPaddress as often as you want and the Internet will never know because your router converts your internal address (normally 192.168.xxx.xxx) to it's isp assigned IP address, hence your internal IP addresses are invisible to the Internet.

Try a website like whatismyipaddress.com. No matter which internal device or how many different internal devices you browse from it will always show the same IP Address i.e that your isp has given you.

I should add the caveat that this is the NORMAL config for small home networks. You go buy your router from some shop, plug it into your ISP's connection then connect devices to it by wifi or wire. Obviously some people may have different setups for very specific reasons.
Regards

Bob

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Re: Getting Iplayer etc onto an Amazon Fire stick

Postby Mike Lytt » Wed Mar 01, 2017 5:55 pm

Yes indeed correct, but a fixed IP does come with security issues, was just giving the OP a link to read up on the pro's and cons

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Re: Getting Iplayer etc onto an Amazon Fire stick

Postby northandsouth » Wed Mar 01, 2017 6:47 pm

dhasdell wrote:Thank you. So I need to enter the settings again, check it's working and then validate the Cactus DNS on my PC via the client area while the stick is connected, or can I validate from the stick? I understand that it's better not to turn the stick off, but if I do, or if there is a power cut, which is not unknown here, will the settings survive?

David
The DNS settings you have input into your firestick and other devices will remain until you actually go in and change them so you do not need to reset all the settings again. It is the actual external ip address allocated by your internet provider that may change from time to time, ie power failure or reboot of the router, and it is this that needs to be verified by your smart DNS service. As has been said previously use a link on your normal browser page for your providers IP address validation and click on that and that will let your DNS provider know and correct your settings.
I'm on movistar fibre and the only time we have an ip conflict is after a reboot or power cut, a quick tap on the link and all's well but remember the DNS settings in your devices, smart TVs etc don't change.

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Re: Getting Iplayer etc onto an Amazon Fire stick

Postby dhasdell » Fri Mar 03, 2017 4:37 pm

Thank you all for the replies, but I am afraid it's getting a bit hazy now, I have looked at the Cactus Client Area, and my IP address shows as validated.

I have looked at whatsmyipaddress.com and found a value there which I do not think I have seen during any setup processes. Is the suggestion that I should enter this figure somewhere at some stage?

Sorry to be dim, but we are "moving out of my comfort zone"! Am I safest not meddling and leaving the Firestick permanently on, then re-setting if necessary?

David

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Re: Getting Iplayer etc onto an Amazon Fire stick

Postby firsttango » Fri Mar 03, 2017 4:59 pm

If you actually post who your ISP is and what your Router and model number is maybe someone will be able to give you an answer from experience or knowledge of your supplier

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Re: Getting Iplayer etc onto an Amazon Fire stick

Postby dhasdell » Fri Mar 03, 2017 5:22 pm

Thank you. I'm on Orange, with a Livebox AR7519RW22-A-L-T- VR9 1.2
http://encuentris.com/informatica/redes ... vr9-1-2_32

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Re: Getting Iplayer etc onto an Amazon Fire stick

Postby casita-bonita » Fri Mar 03, 2017 5:27 pm

Normally the simplest solution is to set the DNS servers on your router to be those that Cactus give you, assuming of course that you can access your router. Then set the firestick back to 'normal' i.e DHCP mode. Your router will give it one of your internal address, and itself as DNS server. Then when/if you power down the firestick it will just reboot, get an address and work.

The other advantage of setting the DNS servers in your router is that all your devices, phones, tablets,TVs etc will be able to utilise the service.

The whatismyipaddress site is simply a way for you to see what IP address you are allocated and presenting to the Internet at that moment in time. The address you see there should match the address you have validated in Cactus.
Regards

Bob

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Re: Getting Iplayer etc onto an Amazon Fire stick

Postby firsttango » Fri Mar 03, 2017 5:37 pm

I think Orange lock their Routers DNS settings, there are ways to get around this but I feel you want to keep it as simple as possible, so in my opinion you should just set up your Firestick with the Cactus DNS settings and just leave it plugged in and leave it alone.


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