Develop Bugs

Looking to use a VPN on a Firestick running KODI.

OK, I am new to VPNS, so please bare with me. I have an Amazon Firestick with KODI installed on it. Ideally, I would like to have a VPN on this device and all my other devices for that matter. What would be the best way to go about this? Thanks!

Quick question...Are wanting to use VPN for Privacy purposes or to unblock Geo restriction?

Sorry, should of been more specific. Privacy issues.

sandman512 said:
Sorry, should of been more specific. Privacy issues.
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I'd set the client up on my router then, i'm not sure there is any "baked in" vpn client in the fire tv(stick) devices

Froggy,
Thanks for the reply, much appreciated. Being new to this, can you point me in the right direction? I am currently using an Airport Extreme Router. Thanks!

OpenVPN App
sandman512 said:
Froggy,
Thanks for the reply, much appreciated. Being new to this, can you point me in the right direction? I am currently using an Airport Extreme Router. Thanks!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The openvpn app works fine on a my Fire-TV Gen 2 which I rooted yesterday. It shouldn't be a problem on a fire stick. The airport router lacks the ability to use openvpn.
That seems to be the quickest to to accomplish your goal & you could use vpn anywhere like when traveling in a hotel or whatever.

C-Rooted said:
The openvpn app works fine on a my Fire-TV Gen 2 which I rooted yesterday. It shouldn't be a problem on a fire stick. The airport router lacks the ability to use openvpn.
That seems to be the quickest to to accomplish your goal & you could use vpn anywhere like when traveling in a hotel or whatever.
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Can you give me a link to this app? Google link I am looking for a vpn to use on my AFTV2 but can it change my location so I can watch say USA programs in the UK Which would normally be blocked?

deanr1977 said:
Can you give me a link to this app? Google link I am looking for a vpn to use on my AFTV2 but can it change my location so I can watch say USA programs in the UK Which would normally be blocked?
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Click to collapse
Looks like there are two apps called "OpenVPN" for the FireTV/Stick...
https://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_...d-keywords=openvpn&sprefix=open,undefined,148
EDIT: Nevermind...looks like not compatible with Fire TV/Stick...sorry

deanr1977 said:
Can you give me a link to this app? Google link I am looking for a vpn to use on my AFTV2 but can it change my location so I can watch say USA programs in the UK Which would normally be blocked?
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Google search for openvpn APK (Site wouldn't let me post a link until I post more) this is what i found with a google search. I downloaded it from the play store on my Nexus 7 and used an apk extractor app.
2 notes.
1. It will require an openvpn config there are links within to private tunnel. I good choice for some because you pay by the data you use. not a good choice for me because I work on an offshore faucily where I live for a week at a time. The web is heavily monitored and blocks sites such as this one for some unknown reason. So I use VPN on all devices 24/7 while at work, it is more cost effective for me to pay for a service. There are also free vpn options seperate apps, not sure how they work on fire tv, you may have to experiment. popular choices are tunnel bear, vyprvpn & cyberghost.
2. The Netflix problem. Netflix put out an update a while back that causes Netflix not to work with some VPN. It has something to do with the DNS I'm still trying to find a solution for this myself. Maybe a pro can step in & fill us both in on that part of the equation. This is my 2nd time posting on this forum.
Hopefully something I said was helpful, and not to wordy. I am an XDA noob myself. playing with a rooted AFTV 2nd Gen trying to install youtube + playstore.

froggymike911 said:
I'd set the client up on my router then, i'm not sure there is any "baked in" vpn client in the fire tv(stick) devices
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A single router VPN or double router (vpn/non-vpn) setup was the best option under Fire OS 3 (For all 1st Gen FireTV's & FireTV Sticks).
https://vpntips.com/fire-tv-vpn-install/
https://vpntips.com/how-to-unblock-any-digital-media-player/
C-Rooted said:
The openvpn app works fine on a my Fire-TV Gen 2 which I rooted yesterday. It shouldn't be a problem on a fire stick. The airport router lacks the ability to use openvpn.
That seems to be the quickest to to accomplish your goal & you could use vpn anywhere like when traveling in a hotel or whatever.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for confirming this. I've been asking if Fire OS 5 fixed the VPN shortcomings in FireTV OS 3. Glad to know it has been resolved. Root shouldn't be a factor at all.
jbl0ggs said:
Looks like there are two apps called "OpenVPN" for the FireTV/Stick...
https://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_...d-keywords=openvpn&sprefix=open,undefined,148
EDIT: Nevermind...looks like not compatible with Fire TV/Stick...sorry
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Click to collapse
There won't be any FireTV listed app for OpenVPN. It's more of a universal device android app.
Found this link for the PlayStore version of one of the OpenVPN apk: http://plai.de/android/
(I would choose the latest non Pre version. Not sure why they charge for the exact same app on the Amazon Store when it's free on the PlayStore)
Here is a Amazon review with how to use a PIA setup on a Fire device with Fire OS 5 using the OpenVPN app above. Since PIA hasn't updated their PIA app in a long while. ( http://www.amazon.com/review/R29NVV...D=2350149011&store=mobile-apps#wasThisHelpful )
C-Rooted said:
Google search for openvpn APK (Site wouldn't let me post a link until I post more) this is what i found with a google search. I downloaded it from the play store on my Nexus 7 and used an apk extractor app.
2 notes.
1. It will require an openvpn config there are links within to private tunnel. I good choice for some because you pay by the data you use. not a good choice for me because I work on an offshore faucily where I live for a week at a time. The web is heavily monitored and blocks sites such as this one for some unknown reason. So I use VPN on all devices 24/7 while at work, it is more cost effective for me to pay for a service. There are also free vpn options seperate apps, not sure how they work on fire tv, you may have to experiment. popular choices are tunnel bear, vyprvpn & cyberghost.
2. The Netflix problem. Netflix put out an update a while back that causes Netflix not to work with some VPN. It has something to do with the DNS I'm still trying to find a solution for this myself. Maybe a pro can step in & fill us both in on that part of the equation. This is my 2nd time posting on this forum.
Hopefully something I said was helpful, and not to wordy. I am an XDA noob myself. playing with a rooted AFTV 2nd Gen trying to install youtube + playstore.
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Click to collapse
Hopefully someone with a FireTV Stick with voice remote that comes pre-loaded with Fire OS 5 can test a VPN setup to let us know if 1st Gen devices wont have problems with VPN anymore. My best guess is that it wont. Thanks for the confirmation.
Can someone please confirm that a PIA OpenVPN setup works on FireTV or FireTV Sticks on Fire OS 5 ???

Running OpenVPN on the stick might not work, at least the way you hope. OpenVPN encryption is handled by the cpu which is really weak on the fire stick. Even if it does work you might not be able to get enough throughput to maintain a video stream.
Running OpenVPN on a router is a far better idea.

Thanks for the reply. The issue is that I have an Apple Airport Extreme which it seems like it 's going to be difficult to do. Thanks!

If its just a VPN for kodi then you can download a VPN addon through kodi. Ive not persoanlly used it but seen it mentioned a couple of times.
Heres a link http://www.dathovpn.com/index.html

Vpn
Anyone that can help set up vpn on netgear to access geoblocked streams on firestick please message me ....thanks in advance

Sideload this:
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=de.blinkt.openvpn
Works. (Tested with Kodi and other apps on 5.0.5.)
Also - this is an Open VPN client - so you have to get a VPN subscription elsewhere.
Also a thread full of people that have "heard things" but far and few between, that have actually tried out an app for themselves... Oh I'm sure the CPU is the issue here - not. *sigh*

What kind of errors are you getting here?

You can always do a double router setup. Running an APN through your router will slow your speeds but it will keep you safe. It will also give you the option on what devices to connect to what router.

If you're running a VPN for privacy reasons, running it on the fire is a bad idea. There's simply too many ways for something to go wrong. If the app crashes or the VPN disconnects, your connection will leak - and you might not notice in time. Or if the power blipped in the middle of the night, the fire would just reboot and you'd never realize the vpn app had gone down unless you make it a habit of checking it every single time. Which is a PITA.
This isn't an issue if you're running it for geo-unblocking, since a connection leak just means your video pauses. Not the end of the world.
It's much better to do this upstream in the network on a device that can implement firewall rules and keep your connection 100% secure and give yourself peace of mind. If your router supports OpenVPN natively (few do), you can probably do this with no problem at all. If it doesn't, you might be able to install OpenWrt, which can 100% do exactly this. I know that for a fact because it's what I have set up right now. My old ISP throttled youtube traffic. (Yeah. Youtube. I could watch 1080p through the VPN, but without it I could only occasionally watch 720p without buffering. I was mostly stuck on 480p. That sucked.)
Placing the tunnel upstream also makes it a snap to add additional devices to the "VPN only" group.
If your main router doesn't support either option you can use a networking device as a man in the middle between your fire and your router. To do this you can use an old router in your closest or a $15 one from craigslist that supports OpenWrt. Another good option is to use a raspberry pi. Worst case, a regular old computer can do the job, although it's not power-efficient and isn't elegant or pretty.

I have the firetv box as far as a VPN I adb linked ipvanish. Apk to the fireTv. Runs great.

TuSpockShakur said:
Running OpenVPN on the stick might not work, at least the way you hope. OpenVPN encryption is handled by the cpu which is really weak on the fire stick. Even if it does work you might not be able to get enough throughput to maintain a video stream.
Running OpenVPN on a router is a far better idea.
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canemaxx said:
Anyone that can help set up vpn on netgear to access geoblocked streams on firestick please message me ....thanks in advance
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Click to collapse
What VPN are you using? Did you flash DD WRT I can send you a command script if your using PIA, copy, paste and reboot.

can't complete initial setup without updating guide,can't get to registration screen

hello
i have just bought my 1st amazon fire tv device,a fire stick manufacture date march 16 2016
and i am trying to follow a (probably outdated) guide from 2014 from AFTVnews
for avoiding update during initial setup
also i am using open DNS ,outside blocking
but the guide does not work
i see that this guide keeps on being suggested for people to use recently but has anyone ever confirmed if this guide is even still working on new fire tv sticks?
because i can not get to the registration screen no matter what i do
i have followed the guide to the letter about 100 times now, all it does is hang on the checking for updates screen and then it goes back to the error message screen every single time
it hangs at checking for updates for a really long time, like an hour
then it goes to the error screen , then i press the back button like the guide says and i re configure the wifi settings like the guide says and then hit connect ,then when it says connection successful i pull the ethernet cable out of the back of my router,the one going to my modem , before it gets to checking for updates
then it says checking for updates and hangs there for like an hour , then it just goes back to the error screen and i press the back button and start the process all over again
is there is any way out of this loop?
i think that this guide is just outdated and that this method has not been tested recently for the fire tv stick specifically
because i follow it exactly and get the same result every time
anyone know what i am doing wrong, if anything or if this guide even still works anymore and on current devices?
can anyone with a brand new stick(not fire tv 1 or 2) confirm that this still works or not?
because i have not been able to find a single account of anyone doing this and getting it to work
i have just wasted and entire weekend on this BS
regretting my purchase and wishing i just bought an android box,
i really wanted to get into this scene but these extremely poorly written and outdated guides have got me so frustrated and discouraged that i am just about to say F it and return this thing to the store and go buy an android box instead
it's just not worth the aggravation and waste of time

this device is a Fing piece of $hit, how can anyone deal with this $hit?
it paired with the remote instantly on 1st use, but after i unplugged it it will not pair, the 1st time i turned it on after unplugging it
it took 15 minutes to pair with the remote, the second time, the 3rd time unplugged it it paired in like 5 minutes, the 4th time i unplugged it and now when i turn it on it will not pair with the remote at all after an hour, i took out the batteries, put in new ones, i put the remote right up to the stick , i press the home button briefly, i hold it down have i tried everything and this damn thing will not pair at all now i just opened it 2 days ago ,says made in mid march 2016
F this device and F this scene i am out , returning this steaming pile of dog $hit and going to order a android box what god damn piece of $hit this thing is , how do you people deal with this $hit, every Fing time you turn it off the remote will not pair again
these devices are pure garbage
this is the worst product i have ever bought

Have you tried using the steps in the Can't Pair a Remote or Game Controller guide? I am waiting on the @rbox release of Fire OS 5 for the 1st Gen Fire TV Stick and can not test this out for now as far as rooting the device.

mjbxx said:
Have you tried using the steps in the Can't Pair a Remote or Game Controller guide? I am waiting on the @rbox release of Fire OS 5 for the 1st Gen Fire TV Stick and can not test this out for now as far as rooting the device.
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yes i did all of that i am just trying to pair the remote that came with it an it does not pair it worked right away the 1st time but one i unplugged it the 1st time it was nothing but problems from then on
also it keeps saying that i'm not using the amazon power supply when i am using it is this normal?
i think this thing is defective

gdroid666 said:
yes i did all of that i am just trying to pair the remote that came with it an it does not pair it worked right away the 1st time but one i unplugged it the 1st time it was nothing but problems from then on
also it keeps saying that i'm not using the amazon power supply when i am using it is this normal?
i think this thing is defective
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Click to collapse
No. That is not normal as I've never seen that message on my 4 Fire TV devices. Just exchange it and hopefully you'll have better results trying to root a Fire TV Stick.

mjbxx said:
No. That is not normal as I've never seen that message on my 4 Fire TV devices. Just exchange it and hopefully you'll have better results trying to root a Fire TV Stick.
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Click to collapse
funny thing i was just about to take it back,i had the bag receipt and everything ready to go
i figured i'd try it one more time before going back to worst buy , i plugged it in again but this time i used the HDMI extension adapter
and it finally paired after like 10 minutes but then once i hit play it went straight into checking for updates
and it did not give me the option to configure my wifi or network settings ,it just connected and said checking for updates , so i yanked the ethernet cable from my modem out of the back of the router and this time it finally went to the registration screen
it had done this like twice before, i mean automatically going to checking for updates on power up without me configuring the wifi and i had pulled the cable but it never went to the registration screen before
i only had 2 domains blocked in open DNS
after it was on the registration screen i plugged the ethernet cable back into the router and added the other 2 domains to the block list in open DNS dash
but then i realized i was not sure if this thing even remembers the DNS settings, i assume it did not ,so i think that was a waste of precious time because i think it just connects to wifi without even going through open DNS if it goes to checking for updates on power up without giving you the option to pick the wifi network,enter the password and set the DNS settings, but i am really not sure about this
after i added the other 2 domains in open DNS and had all 4 on the list i went and checked the about menu and seen it was still on 5.0.5 and not on 5.0.5.1 , then i went and turned on adb and unknown apps
then i went to cmd prompt and connected to it and did pm hide com.amazon.device.software.ota
then i went into about checked it to make sure it was still on the older fw, then i went to check for updates and realized i forgot to disconnect the modem from the router, so i unplugged it again , i noticed it had downloaded the update or at least it looked like it did because the progress bar was all the way at the end but it was not installing
then i ran adb fire and debloater tool and did the hide the update.ota.apk option just to be sure
i have restarted a couple times and it is still on 5.0.5 ,but i still have not reconnected the wifi yet
but i think i should be in the clear,but the weird thing is that after i restarted it once or twice it still had the message in the check for updates menu that said downloading 5.0.5.1 ,it would not go away then i ran the debloater tool and hid the ota.apk
and now when i go in there it just hangs at checking for updates(but i did not yet reconnect the router to the modem yet) and the message about downloading 5.0.5.1 is gone
but i watched a few tutorial videos and they all show that it gives them an error message in checking for updates menu screen mine does not give me that message ,it just hangs at checking for updates and i am afraid to plug the modem back into the router now
but when i did both block methods, the one through cmd prompt it said some message, can't remember it exactly but it said something like hide: true so i assume it worked and in debloater it said something like status hidden
i did try to run the cmd prompt method again after i rebooted the 1st time to be sure but it kicked some error the second time maybe cause i was telling it to hide something that i already hid , but debloater seems to have given the confirmation even after i ran the cmd method
it has also stopped giving me the not amazon power supply error now too
i think maybe because when i initially powered it on for the 1st time it was connected to the tv usb , but then i switched it to the amazon power supply but it still was giving me the message on every reboot, it's like it remembers whatever it was connected to on initial boot and does not forget it until you finally get through completing the setup even if you switch it to the amazon power supply

I'm a bit confused. Is your Fire TV Stick rooted now?

mjbxx said:
I'm a bit confused. Is your Fire TV Stick rooted now?
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Click to collapse
no it is unrooted on 5.0.5
i just used adb to block updates
it's brand new i was just trying to get past the initial setup without updating so i can root it in the future when rbox releases a pre rooted custom rom for it
but it would not go past the error screen and get to the registration screen
then it rebooted and went straight to checking for updates which it had done a few times before but this time it went to the registration screen after checking for updates, it usually just hung on that screen for about an hour and went back to the error screen no matter what i did
since it went to checking for updates right after i turned it on and pressed play without me configuring the network settings and DNS setting i did not put in the open DNS settings, so i don't know if remembers them from previous boots when i did enter them
so i am wondering if it not connecting through open DNS is what finally let me get to the registration screen
like if it has something in the FW that detects weather or not a proxy like open DNS is being used when it gets to connection successful and then it tells the device hey do not let this go to registration if a proxy is being used or if the update domains are blocked through open DNS
but then again i did have it go to checking updates a few other times at boot and i did not configure the wifi and DNS settings and it still hung on checking for updates and kicked back to error screen every single time
i don't what made it finally work but it was getting really frustrating, especially with the length of time it hung on the checking for updates screen

HELP Can I Root My Fire TV Stick

I apologize for being so frantic, but I'm really confused. I've seen things about using Kingo Root on a certain firmware and am worried my device will update on me. How can I get Kingo Root? Thanks so much!
Fire OS 5.0.5

FlashTheFox said:
I apologize for being so frantic, but I'm really confused. I've seen things about using Kingo Root on a certain firmware and am worried my device will update on me. How can I get Kingo Root? Thanks so much!
Fire OS 5.0.5
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If you are on OS 5.0.5 you can root it however after the procedure just disable updates and under any circumstances do not try to replace it with SU. (If you are looking for version 4.1 just scroll down to the bottom of first post however vs 4.6 should work as well).
http://forum.xda-developers.com/android/apps-games/one-click-root-tool-android-2-x-5-0-t3107461

bula1ca said:
If you are on OS 5.0.5 you can root it however after the procedure just disable updates and under any circumstances do not try to replace it with SU. (If you are looking for version 4.1 just scroll down to the bottom of first post however vs 4.6 should work as well).
http://forum.xda-developers.com/android/apps-games/one-click-root-tool-android-2-x-5-0-t3107461
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thank you so much. Could you explain the procedure briefly? How do I get the .apk on my Fire TV Stick, and what do I use to install it?

Here you will find a good guide how to do it...
--> http://www.aftvnews.com/start/

in theory could i flash rom on firestick with no root to cause boot loop on 5.2.1.1 to cancel out the not in my house system app and then run kingo pc to gain root and install the 5.0.5 firmware. im just wondering dont really want to try this my self with no recovery

On a related note, I just bought a FireTV stick yesterday. The "virgin" FireTV stick is doing the same thing as my Fire TV 2: It is requiring me to connect to a network before I can check the installed O/S version.
If I let the FireTV Stick connect to the internet, will it automatically upgrade to the latest unrootable O/S v5.2.1.1 before I can get to a menu to see my O/S version?
What are my options to root & block updates on my new FTVS if I don't know what O/S version is installed?

@¿GotJazz?:
The answer is to pull the plug on your wireless router as soon as the authentication gets through. Blocking amazons update servers also blocks authentication - afair. You could also change the Wifi Password beforehand (to something short preferably) - and then switch it back to the old one - once you "hot" unplugged the Wifi router after the authentication goes through (and youve turned off the fire tv stick). That way the stick won't autoconnect the next time its turned on.
Also - Amazons firmware updates up until now have been incremental - so it is not uncommon for a FIre TV stick to have to update several times in a row - with several update packages - to get on the latest firmware version. This gives you a little security buffer - at least potentially/theoretically.

Thanks, @harlekinwashere - I followed your advice as best as I could. I had my router set so that Amazon updates were visible, and I saw the Fire Stick check for updates. After it checked on updates, I temporarily turned off my WiFi on my router, and then reconfigured my router to block Amazon updates via OpenDNS.
My FireTV Stick is at O/S v5.0.5.1. I don't know if I should upgrade or not, but I did block updates on the Stick via Method #2 here.
I haven't found any recent FTV-S ROMs or TWRP yet, but at least I can hold off Amazon updates for now until somebody finds a solution.
From what I have seen, the only rooting solution for now on the FTV-S 5.0.5.1 is KingoRoot, correct?
Cheers,
¿GJ?

Correct - the only (software) rooting solutions available for the Fire TV Stick - ever - were either King Root or Kingo Root. There was a HW rooting method before - but it required some very precise soldering with extra thin wires and...
Kingoroot and Kingroot arent optimal either - as they do act as bloatware from time to time - so the first time I rooted my Fire TV stick, was when the tutorial to "replace Kingoroot/Kingroot" with SuperSU popped up.
I froze my update schedule on firmware 5.0.5 - as I very much enjoy the features of Firestarter ("force exit app", or delete app data for a certain app are crucial every day tasks - that you can perform with firestarter MUCH faster, than with the stock UI.
Amazon started to play BS cat&mouse games with Firestarter - because it wanted you to experience banner ads, while choosing your apps - essentially. And steal its functionality. And steal UI design from Kodi and Microsofts Xbox UI. And be buddy, buddy with Plex so the "I needz it to be eazy" crowd had another monthly subscription path Amazon could cut into. (Here is how that goes. Kodi = distributed, native rendering, Plex = transcoding (why?), server dependent, login required, pays for Amazon cloud storage, gets featured on their main page, had to make concessions to never ever, allow python scripts, because an internet we understand is bad for corp. And why was Kodi banned? Because it acted like a browsing platform, Outside the amazon and affiliates ecosystem - so amazon ran a smear campaign. The product blogger was very understanding...)
The Amazon product blogger that ran this community here for a while - decided to praise them for waging war against an alternative Launcher (that btw didn't replace the original interface, but rather linked to it by default) -- instead of antagonising it as an "unprecedented move - never seen anywhere on android before" -- so we HAD to split as a community.
People who actually use the FIre TV for stuff, stayed mostly on 5.0.5 or 5.0.5.1. While the rest didnt care and not only lost Firestarter functionality, but also full adb access (its only the last remaining interface into the FireTV, why not mess with it, until its much less usable, right Amazon?) - and didn't care.
Now - using Xposed modules - you can replicate most of Firestarters features on 5.0.5.1 and above (on 5.0.5.1 you could at least use firestopper, but Amazon took that away as well (or will do so shortly - havent followed up on how far they have come.)) - using a certain Xposed Module - but as always, you have to be extra careful with them on FireTV Sticks - as you don't have a working recovery on them currently. Its best to install only modules others have tested and that are confirmed working.
Also as a result of the community split - the community never really recovered. It wasn't especially active beforehand (despite frequent help soliciting from "I bought a fully loaded... - it stopped working" folks), but with the product blogger "gone" (less interested in the hacking scene, because of the fragmentation after the "split") that wrote most of the tutorials - and put them on his blog to commercialize them - even that stopped.
Amazon so far has not halted content delivery to older firmware boxes (good idea, because despite everything else, I still buy apps) - but they could at any time, If they chose to.
Long story short. Amazon is the worst. They acted like malicious bullies, implemented tripwire routines, blacklists, froze apps they had no discernable right to even access. On devices that arent "owned" by the customers who bought them, according to some license agreement you clicked through. No one even halfheartedly whispered, that this is a real issue - and what they did was malicious -
now, its basically over. There was no pushback - the scene basically turned over on its back and surrendered under the de facto leadership of a product blogger that had them cheer for it. #cheeringforcompanyblacklists-onadeviceyoubought.
Just in case some day a historian stumbles over this - and wonders what happened.

@harlekinwashere - Does that mean that nobody is working on a TWRP Recovery / ROM for the FireTV v1 Stick? I have held off on the Kingoroot method for now (unsure about security/malware), hoping that a real ROM/Recovery become available.

any way to enable OTG on a 5.2.1.1 fire stick?

[Q] Fire TV 1 - Custom IP/DNS Ethernet settings not working

Has Amazon 'broken' the ability to manually configure the Ethernet IP address or DNS server on an Amazon Fire TV 1 with the latest update?
I can input my custom setttings but when I click continue (>”) it quits to the settings menu and doesn’t save.
Any ideas why?
I have tried a factory reset but the problem persists.
Fire OS version: 5.2.6.6 (617513220)

You are not alone - but it doesnt seem to affect everyone...
https://forum.xda-developers.com/fire-tv/help/forget-wired-network-fire-tv-2nd-gen-t3845710

Can confirm that the network problem remains after the latest firmware update (5.2.6.7 build value of 623529620).
Tried looking on the Amazon site to see if I could report the bug - but looks too hard....

It's been a while but I've made a break through regarding this issue. It was my broadband hub blocking the IP address I was trying to assign my Fire TV.
Spent countless hours trying to figure this out and it was something simple.
Ah well, you live and learn...

How to block UI update on new Fire TV Stick Setup?

So I woke up this morning to my 4k Fire TV Stick updating to the horrendous new UI. I suffer from a visual disability and the new UI is triggering eye strain and migraines. So first I would like to thank Amazon for doing something completely unnecessary and rendering a device I paid for unusable. I will be contacting them demanding a refund for breaking a device I paid for, we'll see how that goes
As luck would have it, I have another 4k Fire TV Stick still in the box, unopened. So it will have the old UI on it. Is there a way to set that up and block the update on it? I have read that you cannot complete setup without connecting to wifi, and as soon as you connect to wifi, the update auto installs (again thank you Amazon and the tech industry in general for removing user choice on what happens to things we paid for). Is it possible to set up the old fire stick, not have it update, and then block the update? I had no idea updates were rolling out so I didn't know this was coming (and for a third time Amazon, thank you for rendering a device unusable for me with ZERO heads up or notice. Awesome customer service)
Alternatively is there any way I could pull the old launcher APK off that fire stick and put it back on my current one?
And before you recommend it I tried Wolf Launcher and it is terrible and way to basic, it doesn't even have a search function, so it's not a usable option

Would I be able to connect to the new stick over USB and adb push the update blocker to the stick and install it via adb prior to activation?
Alternatively could I root the new device and install the blocker prior to activation?