I installed ExpressVPN on my Amazon fire stick to try to stream Astros games. As expected, it's not working worth a flip. I have cleared the app cache several times, tried multiple cities in multiple countries, and nothing has worked. The only thing I haven't tried is changing the settings in the Spectrum router, and I would have no idea how to do that. Anyone willing to help?

I'm trying to use the mlb.tv app on my fire stick. Everything online I read said it should be as simple as connecting the vpn, signing into the app, and presto, you're online. One quirk is that I'm using my wife's mlb.tv account that she got for free through Verizon. I don't know if that's causing the problem.

Pretty sure that the MLB is fairly militant about blacklisting known VPNs that are trying to bypass their blackout rules, so I would not be surprised if ExpressVPN is something they are already blocking.

What specific error are you getting? Blank screen or unauthorized or just the radio audio only? I've not used Express or Firestick but I do use VPN to watch the Astros on my iDevices and AppleTV.

On my devices I have to disable location services for the MLBtv app so that might be something to check.

Any chance you can test your setup on a tablet or pc as another data point?

T-Mobile still does the free mlb tv thing. It works great and is not at all dependent on the network. I use it at home, work and overseas without issue.

I find that MLB is somewhat diligent with VPN blacklisting for about a week when the season starts but that's about it. I've used Nord, SurfShark and my corp all successfully. This year in particular I've had the best luck with a server in London though I suspect that's mostly random.

My method:
1 Sign out of MLB tv app or browser completely and force close the app
2 Establish vpn connection
3 Sign into MLB
4 Start stream

Cool thing is MLB only checks / authorizes the stream at initial playback. So I usually immediately disconnect after it begins playing. Super useful because YTTV checks like every 5 seconds and will immediately disrupt playback if any vpn is detected (even from the same city!)… (and I'm usually in my home office on my laptop watching multiple games)

I'm getting the unauthorized message on my app through the fire stick plugged into the tv. I'll try it tonight on my iPhone and see if I can run it through that. My wife's credentials work on the app, because we were able to watch other games, just not the Astros.

In my experience unauthorized usually means blackout restriction, I.e. the vpn is not established or maybe the Fire has other location services that need to be disabled.

Thanks. I'll check the settings in the fire stick and see if there are location settings in it. If it's not that, then I'm stuck.

On my Apple TV, I couldn't get Nord to work at all this year. I switched to Unlocator's smart DNS and that works just fine for me. Only thing I had to do to make it work was go into the Apple TV settings and disable location services for that app. Might try doing that on the fire stick.

I'm not sure how you even setup a VPN on that fire stick, because I tried to change the DNS on one last night and it didn't seem like that was even an option.

Edit: and I have the free T-Mobile account, so I doubt it's that.

I use express vpn and mlb tv on the fire stick too and was getting the unauthorized user a lot. I had to switch through each of the vpn protocols on the express vpn app to finally get it to work consistently. I think I'm using one of the lightway protocols now and it's worked every time since I went through them initially. I also make sure to every time I change something or get through with either app, I disconnect the vpn, force stop both apps, and then clear the cache too

On iPhone/iPad I've always just used automatic vpn protocol and it's worked everytime, but the fire stick had issues

rmp15 said:

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I use express vpn and mlb tv on the fire stick too and was getting the unauthorized user a lot. I had to switch through each of the vpn protocols on the express vpn app to finally get it to work consistently. I think I'm using one of the lightway protocols now and it's worked every time since I went through them initially. I also make sure to every time I change something or get through with either app, I disconnect the vpn, force stop both apps, and then clear the cache too

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I changed the location on the Fire Stick to a town in North Dakota, used a Rotterdam location on the vpn, and changed the protocols going down the list, and the last one worked! Thanks for your help!

C@LAg said:

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HTownAg98 said:

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I'm trying to use the mlb.tv app on my fire stick. Everything online I read said it should be as simple as connecting the vpn, signing into the app, and presto, you're online. One quirk is that I'm using my wife's mlb.tv account that she got for free through Verizon. I don't know if that's causing the problem.

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it should be as simple as you think it is.

that said, it really MIGHT be your free verizon account.

a few years ago. i know when tmobile offered something similar it would only work off the tmobile network

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i've had the t-mobile free MLBTV for 4 years now and never had issues watching games.

I did have a VPN on my router and was able to watch local games, but it also screwed up my Amazon Fire TV I could not stream anything on Amazon FIre TV or thru Prime Video Ap on Apple TV unless I disabled it.

HossAg said:

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On my Apple TV, I couldn't get Nord to work at all this year. I switched to Unlocator's smart DNS and that works just fine for me. Only thing I had to do to make it work was go into the Apple TV settings and disable location services for that app. Might try doing that on the fire stick.

I'm not sure how you even setup a VPN on that fire stick, because I tried to change the DNS on one last night and it didn't seem like that was even an option.

Edit: and I have the free T-Mobile account, so I doubt it's that.

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for the MLBTV ap?

Yep

I watched 100+ Cardinals/Royals games (or parts of games) every year from 2016-2021 using GhostVPN on a PC. I never had a game blacked out. Maybe other providers have issues, but GhostVPN was absolute money.

By 2022 I'd switched to DirecTV Stream (which carries Bally Sports w/Cards+Royals in MO), and I dropped mlb.tv. As I've lost count of the number of price increases I've gone through since joining DTV Stream, I'm about ready to go YTTY+mlb.tv+VPN myself.

I've been able to watch all the games with no issues. I switched the VPN protocol in ExpressVPN to OpenVPN, and it's been working perfectly.

T-Mobile free mlb.tv offer is back in the T-Mobile Tuesdays app.