How to get a Dutch IP address from anywhere

What is a Dutch IP address?

To navigate the web, devices are assigned an Internet Protocol (IP) address that makes them identifiable by web servers. An IP address is usually assigned by your internet service provider and can be considered your overall digital signature that defines your internet traffic. If you’ve ever wondered, “What is my IP?”, then there are tools to help you check your IP address location.

An IP address is crucial because it informs a server’s security protocols where your device is located — in short, where you are geographically when you’re browsing. This helps websites and web servers better tailor their services to internet users like you, with most major platforms personalizing content depending on where you are.

A Dutch IP address is an IP address associated with a Dutch server. Normally, you can only access servers in the Netherlands if you’re physically in the country where your online activity is registered.

Reasons for getting a Dutch IP address

The most common reason for acquiring a Netherlands IP address is to use online services or access restricted websites configured to block internet traffic outside the Netherlands. Some use cases include (but are not limited to):

• Accessing local content from popular platforms while traveling.
• Using online banking services with Netherlands-based banks.
• Accessing local content in the Netherlands, like restaurant websites and other geo-reliant establishments.

By getting a Netherlands IP address, accessing Dutch content is much easier. This can be useful if you’re someone from the Netherlands traveling abroad or a tourist browsing online for the best way to plan a cheap flight to the Netherlands.

Using Netherlands IP addresses can also be a way to potentially keep your internet traffic more private. Using a Netherlands IP address makes you appear as if you were browsing from the Netherlands and not your home IP address, which may be useful if you’re worried about your internet privacy and security.

How to get a Dutch IP Address

You don’t have to be physically in the Netherlands to have your device tunnel your internet traffic through Dutch servers. Here are three different ways you can get a Netherlands IP address.

Virtual private network (VPN) services

A VPN service is the easiest and most reliable way to get a Netherlands IP address. A VPN connection encrypts your internet traffic, hiding your public IP address by changing its association to a different server in another country — in this case, Dutch servers.

A VPN service is easy to use because it works on any device regardless of internet connection or type of online activity. All you need to do is download a VPN service and configure your connection and other settings.

Proxy extension

Like a VPN, a proxy server redirects your internet traffic through other remote servers, which changes your IP address. However, there are some significant differences between proxy servers and VPN servers, especially in how they keep your online identity private.

The most significant difference is that a proxy server doesn’t have the encryption capabilities of a VPN service. Because they only work on the application level, a proxy server will only work with a single application or web browser instance — and without any encryption. A VPN server can operate on a number of simultaneous connections, encrypting all your device traffic through secure remote servers.

The Tor Browser

The Onion Router (Tor) browser is an open-source browser that uses multiple layers of encryption to hide your IP address. The Tor network is the only way to access specific Tor services and web servers, usually those .onion addresses.

Using Tor over a VPN service is acceptable for internet browsing, but it also has some drawbacks. Like proxy servers, Tor encryption doesn’t apply to all of your internet traffic, only those routed through the Tor browser. Using Tor hides your real IP address, which is handy if you’re concerned about keeping leak protection in mind. However, you can only configure the specific country — you can’t choose the specific location.

Why consider getting a dedicated Netherlands IP address

One of the most common reasons for using a Netherlands VPN service is to get access to Dutch websites while abroad. However, some servers may be able to screen and see that you’re using a VPN to access content. This can be an issue if you’re trying to access a site with advanced security features specifically looking for people who use VPNs to access their content.

The issue with VPN servers is that most VPN services often manage hundreds or thousands of different IP addresses. These IP addresses are flagged by Netherlands services using more robust security features, which can easily identify if you’re connected to a VPN. This is a somewhat common issue, especially on overcrowded VPN servers.

Fortunately, some VPN services get around this restriction by offering a dedicated IP address with their plans. With a dedicated Netherlands IP address, your connection is routed through a Dutch server with a unique IP address that isn’t shared with other VPN users. This makes your dedicated IP connection less likely to be blocklisted on a particular service end because no other users are accessing the service via the same IP address.

Why NordVPN is the best VPN to connect to Netherlands servers

NordVPN has many VPN servers in the Netherlands, allowing you to access local Dutch content while traveling with ease. It can help you keep your internet traffic private and more secure. In general, it boasts many features over a free VPN that can make it well worth the investment.

These considerations make NordVPN an excellent option for accessing Dutch content securely. It offers unlimited VPN bandwidth (with the option of acquiring a dedicated IP address) and has other features that can give you more peace of mind when using it for your internet traffic.

• VPN Kill Switch: NordVPN’s VPN Kill Switch feature automatically turns off your internet access when your VPN connection unexpectedly stops, ensuring your online traffic remains safe.
• Zero Logs Policy: NordVPN’s Zero Logs Policy means that any online traffic you route is never collected or stored on its servers.
• Split Tunneling: NordVPN allows you to customize which apps you want to route through a VPN server with split tunneling, assigning trusted apps and securing less secure applications’ traffic.

With the 200+ servers that NordVPN offers in the Netherlands, you’ll have plenty of options to keep your online traffic secure while also enjoying a smoother experience online. Check out NordVPN reviews to find out more.

How to connect to a Dutch server

With NordVPN, getting a Netherlands IP address is drastically simple. All you need to do is the following:

1. Download the NordVPN app from the NordVPN website.
2. Sign up for the NordVPN service and log in to the app.
3. In the app, look for the Netherlands and select your desired server.

NordVPN offers unlimited VPN bandwidth and 10 simultaneous connections, allowing for a smooth and optimized online experience. NordVPN encrypts your connection with AES 256-bit encryption, securely hiding your online traffic from internet service providers and protecting it from unwanted monitoring and access.

For additional security and convenience, you can also opt to use NordVPN’s other features, like obfuscated Servers (servers that hide the fact that you’re using a VPN), ensuring that you get to browse Dutch websites and services the way you prefer. You can even pick servers in the Netherlands to personalize your online web activity, like VPN servers in Amsterdam.

With services like VPNs, you can now enjoy content from your favorite local major streaming platforms while traveling or access local accounts and services in the Netherlands without compromising your online privacy. Combined with other features like a strict no-logs policy and Kill Switch, you’ll be able to browse like a local without the hassle of connecting from another part of the world while abroad.

Paid vs. free VPNs for getting a Netherlands IP address

Many free VPNs will still allow you to access Dutch servers and content, so it may not seem necessary at first to opt for a paid service. But as discussed earlier, free VPNs have a limit on how much security and online privacy they can provide to you and your devices when you’re trying to access Dutch content while traveling.

While you can certainly access Dutch streaming services and other local content with free VPNs, there’s no guarantee that a free VPN service won’t keep logs of your online activity. Remember that services being free usually means that the user is the product, so it’s entirely possible that your data could be collected and sold to third parties in exchange for your ability to access local content.

A trustworthy VPN protects both your privacy and the quality of your online experience. Considering that some of the content that you may access includes sensitive websites like your local bank, investing in the additional security and privacy of a paid VPN service over a free one is worth the additional cost.