Here is everything you need to know about how to bypass VPN blocks.
Many sites and systems, such as Netflix, have begun blocking VPNs to restrict access to destination content.
Internet filtering has become a reality due to limitations imposed on the workforce and institutions and by some governments.
VPN connections have been prohibited since they became online freedom tools, yet they can still be circumvented even with modern internet censorship tools.
Why Do VPNs Get Blocked?
There are numerous reasons why a website, ISP, or government could block VPN connections.
Here are the most prevalent:
1. School And Workplace Policy
It’s no secret that some schools, universities, and workplaces block certain websites for productivity reasons, including Facebook, X or Twitter, and YouTube (if that makes people more productive is another question).
As a VPN is one way to circumvent these restrictions, your workplace or school may also block VPN connections.
Another reason to prohibit VPNs at school or the office is the ability to monitor Internet traffic, as VPNs prevent ISPs and network administrators from accessing your browsing history.
Your ISP or network administrator can use firewalls or other network filtering methods to prevent you from using a VPN to access blocked websites.
2. Fraud Prevention
Some websites that deal with money prohibit VPN access out of concern for money laundering.
For instance, if you are connected to a VPN server, you may be unable to perform any PayPal transactions. Worse, you may be shut out of your account if you attempt to do so.
3. Censorship By The State
There is a strong correlation between censorship and blocking websites across the country and geopolitical, intellectual, and economic beliefs.
China is probably the most known nation for limiting access to popular websites such as Facebook and Google. It employs sophisticated detecting techniques to ban VPNs.
4. Copyright Issues
Downloading materials via the Internet, such as movies, music, and games, can occasionally violate copyright regulations.
People who wish to conceal their identity and torrent securely frequently connect to a VPN for torrenting.
Simultaneously, these websites and copyright holders may attempt to limit VPN usage to prevent illegal activity.
5. Restrictions On Streaming
As Netflix, BBC iPlayer, Hulu, and other platforms impose geo-restrictions on their content, streaming VPNs are gaining popularity among users who want to enjoy their favorite programs from anywhere in the world.
However, this violates the policies of these platforms.
Consequently, streaming services work hard to prevent subscribers from connecting via VPN.
How Can VPNs Be Blocked?
Institutions and government agencies employ diverse VPN-blocking technology. The following are current VPN blocking methods:
1. Deep Packet Inspection (DPI)
Using DPI techniques, governments and corporations can examine the data that traverses their network and take action based on their findings.
Using DPI, they may tell if a VPN is being used and block, reroute, or log the data accordingly.
DPI is a sophisticated and highly effective method for stopping VPN traffic. It examines the type of traffic instead of the traffic’s origin.
The majority of VPNs employ OpenVPN protocols, making them easy to detect. The encryption method of an open VPN cannot circumvent DPI.
Therefore, it is difficult to discover a VPN that can bypass Geo-restrictions in certain regions.
For instance, the Great Firewall of China employs the deep packet inspection approach.
This technology is so solid and advanced that it can only be circumvented by a comprehensive VPN that supports multiple connection protocols.
2. IP Address Blocks
When using a VPN to access the Internet, your actual IP address is concealed and replaced with an IP address corresponding to your VPN server’s location.
Even though this IP address whack-a-mole often succeeds in fooling streaming services and geo-restricted websites into believing you are actually in the place where your VPN server is situated, many websites work diligently to outsmart this VPN tactic.
Streaming services like Hulu and Netflix maintain an expanding list of IP addresses known to originate from VPNs.
Because they reject these IP requests faster than VPNs can generate new IP addresses, reputable streaming services have been able to block several VPNs.
Since some VPNs are more aggressive in counterattacks, streaming services like Netflix rarely prohibit the best VPNs on the market.
3. Port Restrictions
When you connect to a VPN, your Internet traffic is routed through ports or tunnels. Each port utilized by VPNs is identified by a unique port number and serves a distinct purpose.
The issue with continuously using the same port for the same type of communication is that it allows websites to monitor these ports easily and block any traffic they do not wish to.
This technique of VPN blocking, known as port-blocking, is utilized less frequently than IP blocking.
How to Bypass VPN Blocks in 2025
1. Select A Highly Secure VPN
A VPN with configurable security features and a dependable server network will have little difficulty circumventing restrictions.
Certain VPN capabilities can make your VPN usage undetected and allow you to bypass geo-restrictions and firewalls.
These are military-grade encryption, obfuscation, several protocols, a kill button, and leak protection.
In addition, a vast server network with frequent IP refreshments reduces the likelihood of encountering blocked connections.
Most VPNs offer some features but lack advanced settings to circumvent VPN blockades (such as obfuscation).
Many VPNs do not frequently upgrade their server architectures to keep up with websites and organizations that target and ban VPN IPs.
Therefore, while some VPNs can circumvent Netflix or website VPN blocks (for instance), only a handful can do so consistently and reliably, and even fewer can bypass stronger blocks, such as network or government firewalls.
ExpressVPN consistently circumvents every VPN block, making it my top choice. You do not need to configure anything; connect to get maximum stealth.
2. Alternating Servers
When you switch VPN servers, your IP address for accessing websites and applications changes.
Meanwhile, your ISP can only see data destined for the VPN server, not the website or application being accessed.
It is typically useful when attempting to access geo-restricted websites, such as Netflix or BBC iPlayer, that have prohibited certain IP addresses.
Many VPNs allow you to choose specific servers in a certain region, so you can be certain that you’re moving to a new one.
Many of the best VPNs will advise you which server to connect to for a certain service.
A label may indicate it in the server list, or you can contact your VPN’s customer service department to learn more.
Similarly, some VPNs offer specific servers to connect to circumvent government censorship, such as in China.
You may be instructed to connect to a server in a particular area, or you may encounter servers labeled “stealth VPN,” “scramble,” or “obfuscated.”
3. Make Use of Multiple Vpn Connections
To regulate data flow, a port serves as a docking station. As far as virtual private networks (VPNs) are concerned, ports are utilized by various protocols to control how your Internet traffic is managed.
One method of limiting VPN programs’ use is shutting off a port and blocking data flow. Consequently, the alternative is to utilize a local account.
A common encrypted protocol called TCP Port 443 (used by HTTPS) is utilized every time you browse a webpage that asks for confidential material, such as your credit card details.
Internet transactions are impossible without access to this port.
Hence it is rarely banned. Detection of websites by Deep Packet Sniffing is significantly more difficult for ports 443 and 443.
The ability to alter the VPN connection’s port number is present in nearly all of the services that provide it.
Changes to the OpenVPN file system can be made even if your program doesn’t support it. Before making any modifications, though, you should consult your VPN supplier.
Port 80 on TCP is the default HTTP port employed by virtually every webpage.
When VPN traffic is detected on this port, Deep Packet Inspection (DPI) can isolate and restrict the traffic from passing via that port.
4. Modify Your Security Procedure
Some protocols can circumvent VPN blockades more easily than others. Protocols govern how VPN data is transmitted between your device and the server.
Understanding the many protocol forms will allow you to select the most effective one for evading detection.
WireGuard is an open-source protocol utilized by several leading VPNs due to its speed and ability to bypass restrictions. Ideal for data-intensive tasks such as streaming.
Lightway is an open-source alternative to WireGuard, verified for security and designed for high speeds.
Since it is not a common protocol, it may be easier to remain undetected, as it will not be easily recognized.
OpenVPN is the most popular VPN protocol. It is highly secure and open-source, but since it is widely used, it sometimes fails to overcome firewalls.
Some VPNs offer the option of OpenVPN TCP or UDP; TCP is slightly more effective at bypassing firewalls than UDP but is also slower.
SSTP avoids blockages by utilizing port 443, the same port used by most HTTPS connections (so it looks like regular traffic). However, only Windows is supported.
L2TP/IPSec is fairly reliable for circumventing VPN blockades. L2TP does not encrypt communication on its own.
However, when combined with IPSec, it supports 256-bit encryption. It is compatible with most VPNs, although significantly slower than other protocols.
IKEv2 is extremely secure, quick, and lightweight, making it ideal for mobile devices. However, it just utilizes port 500. Thus it is simple to block.
One of the oldest protocols with obsolete security is PPTP. It is quick but lacks sufficient privacy security, making it simple to block.
5. Use Mobile Data
If you just wish to circumvent VPN limitations imposed by your ISP, school, or office, you must remember that these restrictions only exist on Wi-Fi.
Consequently, using mobile data or your phone as a hotspot to access these prohibited websites may show to be a prudent course of action.
You must also remember that mobile data cannot be used to circumvent government-imposed limits.
Due to the restrictions of cellular data, it should be viewed as a temporary solution.
6. Use TOR
Using TOR will not help you bypass VPN restrictions but may allow you to access prohibited websites.
Keep in mind, though, that Tor is a browser that favors user anonymity over privacy.
The browser redirects your data transmission through many nodes, altering your IP address and preventing interruptions.
Therefore, it enables you to stay anonymous when browsing the Internet.
The most important part of this configuration is that the IP address of the last exit node changes every 15 minutes.
These measures contribute to the circumvention of certain constraints.
7. Modify Your SSH And SSL/TLS Tunnels
SSH and SSL/TLS are two types of tunnels that encrypt your data for security and allow you to bypass content filters.
By encrypting your connection, these tunnels can help you circumvent VPN-specific restrictions.
Here’s a little additional information about how they operate separately:
1. SSH
Using local port forwarding, SSH encrypts your VPN connection so that it can pass undetected across firewalls.
Numerous apps, including FTP file-sharing, utilize it. Hence it is rarely blocked.
However, it is far slower than a typical ISP or VPN connection, making it unsuitable for viewing or downloading information.
2. SSL/TLS
These tunnels transmit encrypted data, corresponding to the “S” at the end of “HTTPS” on secure websites.
These tunnels are necessary for properly operating secure sites, but they are rarely obstructed.
As such, they are an effective means of concealing your VPN connection and gaining access to banned content.
Some commercial VPNs, such as ExpressVPN, support SSL/TLS tunnels, but you can manually configure a tunnel if you have a sufficient technical understanding.
8. Modify Encryption Level
Some VPNs allow you to modify your encryption level, which can help bypass restrictions if your Internet connection is slow and your connection times out.
All of the top VPNs in 2022 utilize AES (Advanced Encryption Standard) 256-bit, the same encryption employed by the United States military to safeguard classified information.
AES has not yet been cracked, making it one of the most secure encryption schemes.
However, this connection has a drawback: data encryption and decryption using AES 256-bit is slower and takes longer.
High-level encryption may cause your connection to time out if your usual internet speeds are already sluggish.
It can prevent you from connecting to websites and services when your VPN runs.
The Bottom Line
Certain networks and services, such as Netflix, began blocking VPN connections to limit access to geo-restricted content.
Restrictions in businesses and schools prevented contact with popular web pages, and some governments implemented internet censorship.
There are numerous reasons why a website, ISP, or state could restrict a Virtual private network.
And there are multiple ways you can bypass these restrictions. Follow the above-mentioned methods to do so.
And that is how to bypass VPN detection and blocks.
