Using a VPN is an effective way to protect your privacy online, but it doesn't always go smoothly. You may have noticed that some websites treat you differently when you're connected to one.
Using a VPN isn't a problem in itself, yet some sites will automatically block your connection, which can be a real inconvenience. So why do some websites ban VPN users?
Why do websites block VPNs?
Streaming services often block VPNs because of contract and licensing issues. On a streaming site, for example, most services host a lot of content they didn't produce, in addition to their own original shows and movies. Because they are only hosts and don't own that content, they are usually bound by distribution licenses.
Say Netflix is streaming Show A but doesn't own it. It may only be allowed to broadcast the show under US law. If you live abroad and want to watch Show A through Netflix's US site, your access can be blocked while you're using a VPN. Netflix may not block every VPN user, but it can pick out the IP addresses of VPN servers and block them once an address is identified as belonging to a VPN server.
Sites that don't stream video can block VPNs for a variety of reasons, too. The service a site offers may be illegal in the country where you live, so the site has blacklisted the IP address of the VPN server you're using. And if you use a VPN to avoid paying for something, sites will often try to stop it by checking your IP address to see whether a VPN server owns it.
How websites detect and block VPNs
Wondering how a website can tell whether you're using a VPN? There are several ways to find out.
1. IP blacklists
Anti-VPN and blocking mechanisms mostly work by checking a visitor's IP address against a blacklist of known VPN addresses. Because VPNs typically host their servers in well-known data centers, it isn't hard to identify the IP ranges they own.
Services such as IPHub and ipinfo.io collect this information and sell it to customers at a reasonable price. If you use a VPN, IPHub will detect it and conclude that you're using a hosting service, a proxy, or simply a bad IP address.
When you connect without a VPN, however, IPHub will most likely rate your address as a "good IP."
A good IP address is rarely banned, while a server IP or "bad" IP address can be banned on certain sites if it gets added to a blacklist.
VPN IP problems often show up as CAPTCHA screens, which check whether you're a real user or a robot. Sometimes, though, a VPN can still get banned even when you enter the CAPTCHA correctly.
2. Internal fraud detection
Large corporations such as Google and Netflix have extensive resources, which lets them spot proxies easily by processing huge volumes of traffic. Even if a VPN service offers many different IP addresses, those addresses can still show up repeatedly among millions of its users, making it easy for companies to flag suspicious IPs.
These businesses are also technically sophisticated, so their solutions use advanced technologies such as machine learning to analyze and classify traffic patterns.
3. Port blocking
Port blocking happens when the virtual network port your VPN uses is blocked by a firewall. When that happens, the VPN's tunneling method for browsing is cut off, which means you can't reach the websites you want.
4. Blocking by authorities
Sometimes the site you want to visit has been blocked by the authorities where you live, or the government has outlawed the VPN you're using. Some countries are fairly relaxed about their VPN laws, but more extreme cases exist, such as Iraq, China, and North Korea. If you live in a country where some or all VPNs are illegal, you may run into blocking frequently.
5. DNS leaks
Sometimes your connection can suffer a DNS leak, meaning your web requests are still sent directly to your Internet service provider even though a VPN is running. This usually happens when the VPN you're using isn't working properly, and it can get you blocked instantly by certain websites.
Many VPNs offer DNS leak checks to make sure your data isn't leaking to your ISP. So if this worries you, check whether your VPN provider offers a leak-testing service.
6. Sites that block VPN users outright
Some website owners try to block VPNs completely. Social Blade (shown above), for example, uses Cloudflare to block VPN traffic, cutting off access for anyone with an active VPN when they load the site.
How to get around VPN blocking
Most popular streaming sites tend to block VPNs, including:
- Disney+
- BBC iPlayer
- Hulu
- Netflix
- Max
This can vary depending on your location and your specific VPN.
There's no sure way to get past these mechanisms every time, but you can take a few steps to improve your chances.
1. Try different IP addresses
Many commercial VPN providers give you access to multiple servers located in different data centers around the world. By switching to another server, you can change the IP address you use to connect to the Internet.
If you get blocked, browse through the available servers. With luck, you'll find one that isn't on the site's blacklist.
2. Tell websites you use a VPN
Letting certain websites know that you use a VPN can help. For example, if you contact your bank's customer service department, they can add a note to your account to help resolve any problems if their anti-fraud system flags your VPN use.
This is an especially good idea if you've previously connected to a service without a VPN but plan to start using it in the near future, perhaps while traveling. Keep in mind that websites usually restrict proxy traffic to limit bot abuse, not because they have anything specific against people who use VPNs.
3. Pay for a private IP address
The more people use a particular IP, the more likely it is to end up on a blacklist at some point. Having a private IP address makes your VPN much harder to detect.
There are plenty of private IP providers now, but before you sign up with one, make sure your current VPN provider doesn't already offer this feature. The following popular VPN providers offer dedicated VPN IPs (often at a higher price):
- IPVanish
- SurfShark
- PureVPN
- NordVPN
- Windscribe
- Ivacy
- Private Internet Access
- CyberGhost
If your current VPN provider doesn't offer private IP addresses, consider switching to another service or to a dedicated private IP provider, such as IPv4 Global. Other handy VPN features can also help you get past these barriers if you want to maximize your chances.
4. Use a less popular VPN
Another way to avoid crowded servers is to use a lesser-known VPN provider. Because a few companies tend to dominate the VPN market, you can expect them to feature prominently on blacklists. Lesser-known VPNs are less likely to be blocked or to trigger CAPTCHAs.
Of course, that doesn't mean you should use any cheap, shady provider you come across. You especially want to avoid free VPN services. Not only do these often have thousands or millions of users, they are also magnets for fraud, piracy, and many other problematic behaviors. Websites have a strong incentive to target and block them.
5. Clear your cache and cookies
In some cases, specific browser features or settings can trigger protection systems or tracking features that easily identify your browser.
Clearing your browser's cache and cookies can reset how a website or service sees you as a user, and may unblock your VPN in the process. It's simple to clear the cache and cookies in Google Chrome, and the process is similar in most other browsers.
6. Change your DNS server
Another useful way to unblock a VPN is to change your DNS server. DNS translates human-readable domain names into IP addresses. Instead of having to remember long, hard strings of numbers for every website, we can remember names instead, like Quantrimang. When you get a new Internet connection, you use your ISP's default DNS settings, but you don't have to.
You can change your settings to use a third-party DNS, which may unblock your VPN and let you reach the website or service. You can change DNS settings on Windows, change DNS settings on macOS, and find and change DNS settings on Linux.
7. Set up your own VPN server
A better solution is to use your own VPN server, either on a computer you control or on a virtual cloud server. This gives you a unique IP address and lowers the risk of being blacklisted.
Keep in mind, though, that cloud providers such as Amazon AWS and Microsoft Azure also publish their IP ranges, so this isn't a completely safe solution. Setting up a server on a physical computer that connects to the Internet through your own ISP will be more reliable.
You may run into CAPTCHAs or other barriers while browsing. Overall, though, there are simple ways to get past the mechanisms websites use to single out VPN users. By taking a few steps to make your traffic look less suspicious, you can use a VPN to protect your online privacy with fewer headaches.
