Top 5 Ways to Access Region-Blocked Sites

The authorities of many countries take serious measures to fight unwanted information and impose restrictions on Internet companies.

10:55 24 February 2022

Banned lists can include both individual pages with certain materials and entire sites. If you want to access platforms that have been blocked in your area for one reason or another, here are five effective ways.

1. Proxy Servers

Proxies act as intermediaries between you and the resource you want to access. They receive your request and forward it further, so the site you plan to use reads the request as sent from the server. There are a huge number of types of such tools that differ in some parameters:

• accommodation;
  
  
• type of use;
  
  
• type of data transfer;
  
  
• support for Internet protocols;
  
  
• anonymity, etc.
  
  

Each has its own characteristics that may be useful for your activities. For example, residential proxies are geo-referenced. Therefore, to surf on the Internet space of China, you need a China proxy server.

2. VPNs

VPN stands for Virtual Private Network. Such a tool passes all your Internet traffic through its servers and allows you to bypass blocking for any application, for example, a messenger. You can connect PCs, laptops, mobile devices, and even some home routers to such a network. It all depends on the specific provider. In addition to masking your IP, as proxies do, they also encrypt information passing through them, providing reliable user protection.

3. Web Anonymizers

Anonymizers are sites through which you can open any other resources. They also, like other methods, hide your actual IP address and allow you to act anonymously. Although there are a lot of such services now, the authorities of some countries try to fight them too. Therefore, they should be taken as a temporary measure. Besides, they do not provide the same security for your sensitive data as the options mentioned above. So you have to be careful when using them.

4. Browser Extensions

There are special browser extensions that allow you to surf the Internet anonymously. Also, some programs, such as Opera, have built-in secure proxy servers. Please note that only the browser for which you install the extension will bypass blocking. Other applications (like torrent clients or messengers) on your device will not be able to do it. Update your software regularly to get relevant IP addresses.

5. Tor Browser

The TOR (The Onion Router) browser encrypts your traffic and gives you anonymity while using Internet resources. Keep in mind that this method does not apply to the use of other programs and applications, only to websites. Besides, the multi-layer encryption process somewhat slows down the speed. By the way, in some countries, this tool is also blocked, so to bypass the bans, you should set up “bridges” or use analogs.

Bypass Blockages in Different Ways

Special sites or servers, extensions or browsers with built-in bypass functions, as well as programs that connect your device to secure networks can help you deal with resource blocking. Some of them are completely free, while others require you to pay money. When choosing the most suitable method for yourself, remember not only about anonymity but also about protecting your own data. Make sure scammers don’t get access to personal information.