Nelson Mandela spent 27 years behind bars because he believed that everyone should be treated equally. He opposed apartheid, a system of racial segregation in South Africa. He was eventually released from prison in 1990 and served as President from 1994 till 1999. His story is truly inspirational. But if we move on to the digital world, Mandela’s calls for equality and freedom can apply perfectly. Censorship and geo-restrictions form a big part of the online world today, and not everyone has access to the same content. For example, if you’re a South African expat, you’ll find that several local websites are unavailable from abroad. Why? Because you don’t have a South African IP address.
How to Get a South African IP Address from Abroad
Therefore, you need a VPN to help you change your IP address no matter where you are. And in this article, we’ll show you how.
Why Do I Need a South African IP Address?
Certain South African IP addresses are unavailable from abroad. Banking services, streaming channels and much more are all off limits due to security or copyright issues. That is why whenever you try to access DStv from abroad, a location error message pops up instead.
This is all thanks to your IP address, which reveals your location to the internet. And when web hosts find out that you’re outside their coverage zone, you’re going nowhere.
Therefore, if you want to access local websites from abroad, you’ll need a South African IP address, and the only way to get that is with a VPN.
How to Get a South African IP Address with a VPN
First, a virtual private network (VPN) is a tool that can hide your actual location from the World Wide Web. It allows you to connect to a foreign network of your choice, then gives you a new IP address from that region. This will trick web hosts to think that you are inside their coverage area, forcing them to unlock their content.
So basically, the VPN will reroute your traffic to a server from South Africa and grant you a new local IP address. As a result, you’ll appear as if you reside there, and you’ll have total internet freedom.
Now here’s what you need to do to get a South African IP address:
- Choose a well-known VPN and sign up. Check the list below for suggestions.
- Download the app on your device. You can also install the service on routers, smart TVs, and gaming consoles.
- Sign in and launch the app.
- Connect to a server from South Africa.
- Enjoy unlimited access to any South African website.
Best VPNs to Change Your IP Address
The important thing to remember is that you must never trust free VPNs. The idea might be tempting, especially since all the good services are a bit expensive. But trust me, go for the paid providers. After all, you can save up on almost 40% if you subscribe to long-term plans.
Therefore, we prepared a list of the best brands in the industry. I hope it will save you some trouble.
- 30-Day Money-back Guarantee
- Unlimited Bandwidth
- Apps For All Your Devices
- 24/7 Live Support
ExpressVPN
It’s not by chance that ExpressVPN sits top of our list. This company offers one of the best features in the business, and it can appease to both new and advanced users.
First of all, the company has over 1,000 servers in 94 nations, including South Africa. This means that you can access any local website no matter where you are.
Second, it is perfect for streaming live sports and shows in full HD. That’s because the company offers one of the fastest speed rates in the business, despite using a strong encryption protocol. As a result, you won’t experience any buffering issues when you stream your favorite shows on DStv.
Third, ExpressVPN provides outstanding security and privacy features for its users. It uses a military-grade AES 256-bit encryption that guarantees total anonymity from government surveillance or ISPs, as well as protection from hackers. Moreover, you can benefit from additional specs like split tunneling, DNS leak protection, and a kill switch.
Furthermore, the company does not keep any traffic or search history data. It says on its website that: “We never keep traffic logs, and we also don’t keep any logs that might enable someone to match an IP and timestamp back to a user. We work entirely on the basis of shared IPs, meaning that a single IP does not track back to an individual user.”
And for a full list of the company’s features and benefits, check out the ExpressVPN review.
South African IP Address – All the Advantages
If you’re a South African expat who wants to keep track of the latest local news and updates, then a South African IP address is indispensable. Why? because it allows you to:
Safely browse the internet
A South African IP address will keep you safe from cyber threats and hackers. The encrypted traffic guarantees that no one can monitor your online activity.
Access local banking services
You can access your South African bank account no matter where you are and make secure transactions.
Unblock streaming channels and websites
Catch the latest episodes of your favorite shows from anywhere as you won’t encounter location error messages anymore. Also, your South African IP address will give you access to any local website.
Compare prices
Because you’ll appear as if you were in a different region, you can get better deals on flight tickets, hotel room bookings, and online shopping.
How to Get a South African IP Address from Abroad with a VPN
How to Get a South African IP Address Anywhere – Final Thoughts
Now that you’ve seen how important a South African IP address really is, there is no need for hesitation anymore. You can get change your IP swiftly and safely, without worrying about invasions of privacy or security breaches. In fact, anyone can benefit from a South African IP address, not just nationals living abroad. Therefore, if you’re interested, get a VPN and don’t miss anything from back home.
