How to get an IP address for Asia

VPNs increase your online security. They encrypt your internet traffic, which prevents it from being read by any third parties. Many people don’t realize just how many organizations can gain access to their browsing history. However, the truth is that your Internet Service Provider (ISP) can monitor your activities, and it’s far from the only interested party. Workplaces often keep tabs on their employees’ online activities, and in some countries (such as China), the government routinely monitors and censors the internet.

As an added benefit, VPNs also allow you to bypass regional restrictions and access geo-blocked sites and services from abroad. Usually, these platforms check the user’s IP address to see if it corresponds to the country the service is based in. If not, the user is unable to access the service. With a VPN, however, you’re assigned a temporary, country-specific IP address each time you connect, allowing you to access any service you like from anywhere in the world.

What are the steps to get an IP address for Asia?

Below, we’ll cover each of our top picks in greater detail, but if you’re just looking for our recommendations, here are the best VPNs for an Asian IP address:

1. NordVPN:  Our top pick to get an Asian IP. Highly customizable, secure, and speedy, with exceptional unblocking capabilities. IPs in 10 Asian countries.
   TIP In our testing we found that the cheapest NordVPN plan (Standard) works perfectly.
2. Surfshark:  Best budget option to get an Asian IP. Servers in 12 Asian countries. Fast and secure. Highly versatile.
3. ExpressVPN: Reliable, fast, and able to unblock a huge array of Asian services. Servers in 94 countries, including many Asian IPs in 25 countries.
4. CyberGhost: Offers high speeds and one-click unblocking, and is very easy to use. Over 7000 servers in total, with around 380 providing IPs in 11 Asian countries.
5. Private Internet Access: Allows 10 simultaneous connections. Provides fast connections and excellent multi-platform support. IPs in 12 Asian countries.
6. PrivateVPN: Boasts above-average speeds and stable connections, and is able to unblock major streaming platforms abroad. Superb for torrenting.

How to get an Asian IP address

Once you have a VPN, it’s actually very easy to get an Asian IP address. Just follow the steps below:

1. First, sign up for a suitable VPN provider (we recommend NordVPN).
2. Download and install the software. There will be several versions (for various operating systems), so make sure you get the right one.
3. Connect to any of your VPN’s servers in your desired country.
4. Try accessing a geo-blocked site from the chosen country. It should load almost instantly, although you may have to clear the cache and refresh the page first.

Note: if you’re looking to stream a live event, it’s important to test the VPN beforehand. This way, should anything not work as planned,  you might still be able to contact customer support before the event begins.

What is the best VPN for getting an Asian IP address?

With so many competing VPNs, it can be difficult to decide which one to use. When finding the best VPNs for getting an IP address from Asia, we looked for services with the following characteristics:

• Provides fast, stable connections
• Offers access to servers in various Asian countries
• Includes powerful encryption and additional security measures
• Has multi-platform support, with apps for the most popular operating systems
• Logs as little information as possible, ideally with no logs kept whatsoever

To find out more about how we test and recommend VPNs, please check out our full methodology article.

Best VPNs for getting an Asian IP address

Below, you’ll find our top picks for obtaining an Asian IP address:

1. NordVPN

Apr 2024

NordVPN‘s network is unparalleled in terms of size, with more than 5,000 high-speed servers spread across 62 countries (including nine Asian countries). It’s able to bypass regional restrictions on numerous popular platforms such as Netflix and Amazon Prime Video, and is one of the only VPNs that still works reliably within China.

256-bit encryption is enabled by default, but that’s far from this VPN’s only security feature. There’s also DNS, IPv6, port forwarding, and WebRTC leak protection, ad-blocking, malware-scanning, and a customizable kill switch. You can even use two VPNs simultaneously or access Tor over VPN. NordVPN allows you to register anonymously and thanks to its no-logs policy, you can rest assured your privacy is in good hands.

This VPN comes with Windows, MacOS, Linux, iOS, and Android apps. It also works on select internet routers via manual installation.

BEST VPN:With one of the largest networks around, plenty of advanced options, and exceptional unblocking ability, NordVPN is a strong choice.

For more information, check out our full NordVPN review.

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2. Surfshark

Surfshark is a VPN provider based in the British Virgin Islands. It is a secure and fast VPN that is extremely popular with consumers, earning it 4.6 out of 5 on Trustpilot. The VPN is extremely cheap for what you get, and it allows you to install and use its apps on an unlimited number of devices. This means you can share the VPN with all your family and friends; no matter how many devices they happen to own.

Surfshark has 3,200 servers worldwide. These are located in 65+ countries. This includes servers in 11 Asian countries: Azerbaijan, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, and Thailand. Plus it also has servers in New Zealand and Australia (Asia Pacific).

Apps are available for all popular platforms, and they are packed with features. This includes a kill-switch, DNS leak protection, obfuscation, malware protection, ad-blocking, Wireguard with AES encryption, and a no-logs policy. Plus, this VPN throws in a free Smart DNS service. You can test it risk-free with its 30-day money-back guarantee.

BEST BUDGET OPTION:Surfshark is the top cheap VPN with Asian IPs. Unlimited connections. Apps for all devices. Strong encryption. Includes free Smart DNS service. Zero logs policy and a kill-switch. Works with Netflix US, iPlayer, Hulu, and most other services. Optimized for torrenting. 30-day money-back guarantee.

Read our full Surfshark review.

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3. ExpressVPN

ExpressVPN has more than 3,000 servers spanning 94 countries (25 of which are in Asia). It’s a very fast service, so streaming live HD content poses no problem whatsoever. Best of all, this VPN has the ability to unblock a huge range of geo-blocked sites and services including Netflix, Hotstar, and Hulu.

This service keeps your activities private using a combination of 256-bit encryption, DNS and IPv6 leak protection, perfect forward secrecy, and a kill switch that automatically stops traffic should the VPN disconnect unexpectedly. ExpressVPN doesn’t log any information that can identify you. Customer support is on hand via live chat 24/7 in case you run into any problems.

ExpressVPN has apps for Windows, Linux, MacOS, Android, and iOS. It even comes with custom firmware to make installation on supported routers as simple as possible.

EXCELLENT VPN FOR ASIA:ExpressVPN is a great choice for getting an IP address from Asia. It’s fast, secure, and able to unblock a huge range of streaming services abroad. A touch pricey compared to our top picks.

Find out more in our detailed ExpressVPN review.

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4. CyberGhost

CyberGhost offers access to more than 7,000 servers throughout 89 countries, including 11 high-traffic locations across Asia. This service is fast enough to stream HD content flawlessly, and with one-click unblocking for several popular streaming platforms, watching geo-locked content abroad couldn’t be simpler. CyberGhost even lets you see each server’s current load, making it easier to get as fast a connection as possible.

This VPN uses 256-bit encryption and includes a kill switch (in both desktop and mobile versions) that can’t be turned off. DNS and IPv6 leak protection is also included, as is a built-in ad-blocker and malware-scanner. If you pay with Bitcoin and sign up with a throwaway email address, you can register almost completely anonymously. In addition, CyberGhost doesn’t log any personally identifiable information. Live chat is available 24/7.

CyberGhost apps can be downloaded for MacOS, Windows, iOS, and Android. Manual configuration is required for Linux devices and network routers.

BEST VPN FOR NOVICES:With comprehensive protection and one-click unblocking enabled by default, as well as high speeds and a low cost, CyberGhost is ideal for those new to VPNs.

Read our full review of CyberGhost.

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5. Private Internet Access

Private Internet Access currently has over 10,000 servers across more than 80 countries including Hong Kong, Japan, Singapore, and India (12 Asian countries in total). Its connections are reliable and fast enough to live stream HD video with no buffering. It also allows you to use your account on up to 10 devices simultaneously.

This service uses 256-bit AES encryption, a kill switch, and DNS and IPv6 leak protection to keep your traffic secure at all times. It doesn’t log any information which could identify you, which makes up for it being located in the US. Best of all it offers a lot of encryption customization.

The only drawback is that this service doesn’t work with as many international streaming platforms as our other recommendations. PIA offers apps for Android, iOS, Amazon Fire TV, Windows, and MacOS devices.

HIGHLY SECURE:PIA offers a lot of customizability. OpenVPN encryption. WireGuard connections for fast streaming and gaming. Allows torrenting. Apps for all platforms with a kill-switch and DNS leak protection. Shadowsocks proxy.

Find out more by reading our full PIA review.

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6. PrivateVPN

PrivateVPN might only cover 63 countries but 11 of them are in Asia. The service boasts above average speeds and ability to unblock popular services such as Netflix, Hulu, and Hotstar, this makes it ideal for those looking to stream geo-blocked content abroad. PrivateVPN even allows up to 10 simultaneous connections, so you can protect all of your most commonly used devices.

256-bit encryption is enabled by default, but PrivateVPN also uses IPv6, DNS, and WebRTC leak protection to enhance your security even further. Bitcoin payments are accepted, meaning you can sign up anonymously (using a disposable email address). This VPN has a strict no-logs policy meaning your activities cannot be traced back to you. Live chat is available for around 18 hours per day, the customer support team is very helpful and can even remotely install the software for you at your request.

This service includes Windows, MacOS, Android, and iOS apps. It can be manually configured to work on Linux-based platforms and select internet routers.

STREAM SAFELY ABROAD:Offering a reliable, extremely fast service, with a zero-logs policy and strong unblocking potential, PrivateVPN allows you to stream and browse safely from anywhere.

Read the full PrivateVPN review.

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Can I get an Asian IP address with a free VPN?

You might be tempted to use a free VPN to get an Asian IP address but we’d advise against it. These services have several significant downsides, chief among them the fact that they almost always have more users than their networks can support. This means that free VPNs are often far too slow to really be useful, and streaming becomes almost impossible. Assuming your free VPN can even unblock the chosen site, you’re likely to experience long buffering periods, stuttering video, and possibly even disconnection from the VPN.

Maintaining an international server network isn’t cheap, so how can free VPNs afford it? These services make money from their users in different ways. Many insert large, obnoxious ads into the sites you visit, but others go even further and use tracking cookies to monitor your activities. The information these cookies provide can be compiled into a detailed consumer profile and sold (usually without your knowledge) to advertisers at a later date.

Unfortunately, there are plenty of people looking to take advantage of your security concerns. Research has shown that popular app stores are inundated with malware-carrying apps posing as free VPNs. Worse still, of the 283 tested apps, almost 20% never encrypted user traffic, and 84% leaked user data over IPv6. It isn’t just small, little-known services that pose a threat, though: in 2015, Hola was caught selling idle user bandwidth for use in a botnet. To stay safe online, we recommend using a reputable VPN with a clear-cut, user-first privacy policy.

Can I use a VPN to watch Asian TV abroad?

Absolutely. Most major VPNs will have servers in at least a few Asian countries, and some (such as ExpressVPN) even cater to those looking for an IP address from smaller regions like Bhutan.

Once you’ve connected to one of your VPN’s servers in a particular country, you should be able to use that country’s online streaming services, provided they don’t require any kind of identification or require you to pay with a credit card linked to a local address. For instance, by connecting to a Japanese server you’ll be able to watch Netflix Japan, Hulu, and Wowow, while an Indian server will unblock Hotstar, Jiocinema, and Voot.

You should note that VPNs don’t let you access premium services for free. However, you can still sign up to services from your home country when abroad – just use your regular payment method. Some services even accept gift cards, which is ideal if you’re trying to sign up from outside of its broadcast area since there’s no need to enter your address.

What other benefits does an IP address from Asia provide?

You may have received alerts from your bank or other online accounts in the past, warning you about attempted logins from foreign countries. This is a particularly helpful system unless you’re travelling, since legitimate logins can trigger the same automated fraud prevention messages. However, if you connect to a server in your home country before you login, your online banking site likely won’t realize you’re actually elsewhere.

Additionally, while in other countries, you’ll likely connect to public wifi more often. The problem is that these networks are often highly insecure, and there’s no telling who’s monitoring your activity. VPNs encrypt your traffic, so they sidestep this issue and enable you to browse safely, whichever network you’re using.

Internet censorship in Asia

Various Asian countries, including India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Vietnam, and of course, China, restrict access to certain types of content. In some cases, the governments of these countries actively monitor the internet, and are capable of personally identifying users who have posted content deemed to be illegal.

The biggest problem with this level of censorship is that it’s often used to stifle debate and project the values of the government. For instance, you might find that pro-LGBTQ content is inaccessible, as are news articles that show the country in a negative light.

You should be able to bypass most country-wide blocking using a VPN. That said, it’s considerably more difficult to do so in China. In fact, there are just a handful of VPNs that can reliably bypass the Great Firewall, and as their websites are blocked in the country, you may have to install them before traveling.