proxy server or VPN

Windows 10 Pro version 22h2 OS build 19045.2486

I have a simple, if not especially effective, setup. My Windows10 computer’s internet connection is either by means of a cell phone WiFi hotspot or by USB tethering of that same cell phone through a USB port.

I’ve been using Amazon’s Prime video on my Windows10 computer since last August. While I don’t much like Prime’s selection interface, everything worked properly until somewhere around two weeks ago.

I’ve spent considerable time with Amazom support, on several different days, and some with the cell phone carrier, but have made no progress.

Some time not long before the Prime problem started I did a factory reset on the phone because it has somehow lost the functionality of taking address request, and giving step by step directions to same, by voice. That was fixed by the factory reset. This also produce a new name and a new password for the WiFi link. I believe Prime video worked properly for at least a few days after I did the phone reset. I had to select the new WiFi hotspot name and enter the new password but there were no difficulties.

I also, for unrelated reasons, changed my Amazon password recently. Prime Video demanded the new password the first time I tried to use it but, as far as I can recall, I was able to access the video I wanted without any complaints.

The difficulty now is that whenever I try to select any video from Amazon Prime, there is an error message saying
Your device is connected to the Internet using a VPN or proxy service. Please disable it and try again. For more help, go to amazon.com/pv-vpn.
Prime doesn’t allow access with that condition although the interface itself has no problems.

Prime video has been uninstalled, the system rebooted, then downloaed and installed again. Nothing changed. I have gone through quite a few other Amazon support suggstions without results.

I have never used a VPN or downloaded any software related to a VPN.

The outside chance is that some phone setting or some Windows setting looks like a proxy server to Prime video. However, I tried Prime video on an Android tablet, using the same cell phone Wifi hotspot, and there were no complaints.

Today I unpacked a Windows10 computer that had been in storage for almost two years. It was up and running in short order, using the same cell phone internet connection. I downloaded Prime video. It gets the same error there as on the other Windows10 computer.

I don’t know what to look at or where to look. I wanted to check the Prime installation on my computer, to see if here is some control file or setting that might be corrupted or wrong but Prime somehow remains invisible. There seems to be no way to get a link to the executable or any other part of it. It does not show up in Windows Explorer, nothing can be found with search.

Any suggestions for debug would be appreciated.

Tech support from any company now-a-days is an absolute joke. I'm extremely tech orientated and I just have to laugh at the absurdity of some of the screen read horse crap they feed me when I call these morons. Yes, they just read scripts from a screen unless you're lucky enough to get a tier 1 technician of sorts.

Okay, what's the issue here. It seems like your cellphone IP address is the culprit. Though, that really shouldn't be the case. The Amazon servers see your IP address and say "wait a minute, this guy's using a VPN or proxy." Or at least thinks you're using a VPN or proxy. So thus the error message. At least that's my educated theory thus far. It's interesting though that the tablet using the same connection has no issue, but computers do. There could be some other underlying fingerprints from your browser or operating system (OS) that the Amazon servers see and think you're using a VPN or proxy. There are many different types of fingerprints that'll do this. Like your browser type. Is it updated? Though, I doubt Amazon would use that and declare an immediate VPN or proxy. A browser add-on could do it or if your traffic passes though some kind of firewall/anti-virus. It's just got to be an IP thing to me. I'm pretty sure Amazon pays for an API (Application Program Interface) from a company that tells them (Amazon) who your IP belongs to and thus controls who can watch if it looks like a VPN or proxy. Maybe even Geo location.

Try this once. Go to this website with the connection you use and note the ISP listed. Try that website on other devices. Does the IP change? See screenshot




Now take your IP address and go here. Does Usage Type say data center or mobile? Any reports? That could potentially trip things on Amazon's side. But I highly doubt Amazon uses AbuseIPDB but other websites like AT&T's AlienVault could be used...

The suggestions lead to a solution. somewhat indirectly. There were some field values in those inquires that seemed peculiar although the solution to my problem did not change those values.

The phone service I have required I install a program on the phone in order to open an account. If one doesn’t already have phone service, one cannot get phone service through them. The process was, for me, difficult and obnoxious. I don’t get along with text communication using tiny virtual keyboards. Anyway, after opening the account, I never used the application again.

When I recently did a factory reset on the phone, it removed that application. My phone still worked. My WiFi hotspot for internet service still worked – except for Amazon Prime Video.

After seeing the peculiarities on the two web pages regarding the IP address I did the unpleasantness of dealing with Play Store on the phone and re-installed the phone service application. Prime Video now works again. Why it worked on the Android tablet but not one the Windows PC seems a mystery not worth pursuing.

If you are getting the Proxy/VPN error and are using your cellphone as a hotspot, the cell provider is utilizing a Proxy or VPN in how they utilize tethering. Nothing that you can do to change that.

Why you reset everything instead of seeing the most obvious which is how you are connecting your computer to your cellphone is not how you should approach these kind of issues from the beginning.

Good to hear it's fixed.