With the huge popularity and large traffic flow, it is so unlucky that Youku is only accessible in mainland China. This only means that if you are outside China and wish to access the most popular streaming site, the only fast and secure way to unblock Youku outside China is using a VPN.
What is Youku?
Youku is one of the most popular video hosting site in China which makes it one of the most visited sites in the country.
Due to the censorship and content licensing agreement enforced by the Chinaâs government, it can only be accessed within the countryâs boundaries.
It, therefore, gets a bit annoying to persons who keep traveling outside mainland China since trying to access the site from outside China always returns an error message âSorry, this Video can only be streamed within mainland China.â
This article is dedicated to outlining ways in which you can bypass the censorship by obtaining a Chinese IP address to be able to access Youku.
Details
Have you met Youku Toudu?
In the chance you havenât, it is the largest streaming site in China and probably worldwide.
The site is frequently shortened to just Youku. The site was founded in 2006 by Victor Koo and remain a leading video streaming site with a record of over 300 million users per month spending at least 60 minutes in 2011.
Youku is just like YouTube. However, it is not a copy cut of the American Video hosting site which is their greatest competitor.
Youku is more of a professional streaming TV. According to the founder: âOn YouTube you can find amateurâs content. On Youku it is all about Television and Cinema.â This statement is a bit cruel but actually very true.
The content on Youku includes;
- Mainland TV shows
- Concerts
- Special events (like public addresses)
- Blockbuster filmsand more for FREE
Not to forget, users can upload their own content with limitless durations. Unlike YouTube, Youku has no copyrighting problems. Therefore, users are not restricted to certain contents.
Although millions of China non-citizens may want to access this absolutely awesome cinema collection, it is unfortunate they canât due to the geographical restriction enforced by the government of China.
Thus, lest you reside in mainland China, you canât access Youku. However, like mentioned before there are a couple of ways to bypass the censorship and therefore access Youku outside China.
Unblocking Youku Using A VPN
The message below is due to the geo-restrictions placed on all video hosting sites including Youku Tudou and Sohu from outside China.
This be likely unfair for followers who may want to watch shows and videos on Youku from outside China.
Luckily, one can use a VPN to bypass the geographical restriction enforced on Youku.
A VPN will assign you to a Chinese IP address which will enable you to enjoy unlimited watching of your favorite movies, music, and shows on Youku from anywhere in the world.
It is important to note that, not all VPN provider have servers based in China.
If a VPN has no servers in China, they will not be able to provide you with a Chinese IP address meaning you cannot access content on Youku.
I have conducted a comprehensive review and testing to find out the best VPN provider to unblock Youku.
Best VPN To Unblock Youku
Youku being popular even outside of China, a lot of people may want to access the site from outside mainland China.
Like explained above, you need a China VPN to achieve that.
The question remains, which is the best VPN?
After conducting some testing, Express VPN is the best VPN provider to access Youku from any part of the world.
Express VPN has highly optimized secret servers based in China. They have servers in Hong Kong and Japan.
Their LA2 servers are the best in bypassing the Great Wall of China and providing its users with Chinese IP addresses which can be used to unlock Youku from abroad.
30-Days Money Back Guarantee
If you want to explore some alternatives to ExpressVPN, you can refer to our NordVPN review, CyberGhost review, and Surfshark review.
How A China VPN Unblocks Youku
A China VPN is precisely dedicated to bypassing the Internet censorship in China. For instance it works to fight the Chinas Great Firewall (GFW).
The GFW has high-end security feature and enhanced technical infrastructure which makes it impossible for some VPN services to bypass it. The above best VPN is carefully selected for you.
A China VPN basically creates a secure encrypted tunnel between your device and a server based within China. The server will then provide you with a devoted and steady Chinese IP address which has high-end security protocol.
These are basically the key features to bypass GFW.
When you are outside China, the VPN will alter your local IP address and provide you with a Chinese IP and also secures your internet traffic and data through an encrypted tunnel.
This way you can access Youku, all your favorite streaming websites or any Chinese website from outside China.
Watching Youku Content From Outside China
Now I will take you through a few very simple steps on how you will be able to access Youku from outside mainland China;
- First, you will need to select one best China VPN, sign up and purchase a subscription to enjoy the VPN services. In this case, I recommend Express VPN.
- Download the installer, Install and make all the setups required according to the device you are using.
- Sign into the VPN app. Itâs simply by inputting the emailed to you by the VPN provider or the details used to sign up.
- Now select a VPN server that is most appropriate for China for example for the Express VPN the best server for China are in Hong Kong, Japan, Singapore and so on.
- Choose the most secure VPN protocols such as OpenVPN or SSTP.
- By now you should be ready to bypass GFW and access Youku from outside Chinas boundaries.
Unblocking Youku On Window, Mac, And Linux
To all Windows, Mac, and Linux users who are great followers of Youku but are unable to access the site because of the geo-restrictions enforced on Youku by the government, here is a solution for you.
Get a VPN App that goes with the device you use for streaming may it be Windows, Mac or Linux.
Note that not all VPN services are compatible with the above platforms.
With an active VPN account, you can now enjoy fast streaming speeds of your favorite TV shows, Funny Clips, Videos, Movies, Music, etc.
Unblocking Youku On Android And iOS
On any mobile platform, it is very easy and possible to watch Youku from your smartphones may they be Android, iPhone or an iPad smartphones.
All you need to do is install a China VPN service on your device, and you are good to go.
Alternatively, with an Android device, you can use the link to download Youku app http://m.derzero.store.aptoide.com/app/market/com.youku.yesvpn/5/4704740/unblcok%20youku.
However, you will still need to obtain a Chinese IP address by the use of a Virtual Private Network (VPN).
The use of a VPN to bypass geographical restriction should provide the best experience.
The download link for iOS to unblock Youku; http://www.freegroup.org/2014/03/unblock-youku-for-ie-firefox-iphone-ipad/
Unblocking Youku On Firefox
You can achieve the use of unblock Youku for Firefox tool.
Youku app is readily available for both PC and mobile Firefox versions. For instance, if you want to access Youku on your PC you will need to install in accordance to the browser you are currently using.
If you are using Mozilla Firefox, it is installed as an add-on to Firefox browser.
Unblocking Youku On Chrome
Just like in Firefox, to unblock Youku on Google Chrome by the use of chrome extension.
The tool is readily available in Chrome Extension Store. The extension is also free of charge.
Required Configurations
In the case of using the iOS smartphone or PC browsers, there is some configuration required.
For the iOS device, you are required to turn on Wi-Fi and then input Auto as the HTTP PROXY and http://yo.uku.im/proxy.pac as the URL.
It is illustrated below.
If you are using Firefox, go to the network settings at input the latter URL http://yo.uku.im/proxy.pac  like illustrated below;
Possible Problems
General Problems
Most people will experience problems with most of these procedures.
If you happen to be one of them, donât worry, I got you. If you experience trouble with unblock Youku, the first thing is to confirm whether the PAC-proxy automatic configuration settings were effective on the device.
To do that, click on uku.im/check on your browser, if a true value returns, the connection is successful otherwise it will bring a false result.
Google Chrome Problems
While using Chrome, the video may not play even after all the settings and configurations are setup correctly.
This calls for an extra action of clicking on the Chrome icon found on the upper right of the browser depending on the version you are using.
A dialog screen pops up that enables you to change from normal to redirect operation mode.
Conclusion
Youku is not only popular in China, but it is also loved by the Westerners in all parts of the world.
Unluckily, the site is blocked for users residing outside mainland China by the composite and geographical restriction enforced by the Chinese government.
Fortunately, we have outlined the most secure methods to unblock Youku from outside China.
