How does geoblocking work and how to easily bypass it?
Imagine: you turn on your favorite streaming service to watch a new series, and you are told on the screen that this content is not available in your country. How disappointing, right? This is called geoblocking, when sites restrict access based on your location. But don't worry, it is easy to bypass, and in this article we will tell you how to do it quickly and without unnecessary headaches.
How to access resources that are blocked in the country?
What is geoblocking? This is when a website or service is unavailable because you are in the wrong country. For example, you want to watch a new movie on Netflix, and they tell you: "Not available in your region." The trick is that websites look at your IP-address and use it to determine where you are. And if you are in the wrong place, access is blocked.
How does geoblocking work? When you connect to the Internet, your ISP gives your device an IP-address, which is like your passport - it immediately shows what country you are from. The site you want to visit sees this IP and decides whether to let you in or not. If a site is on the "prohibited" list, for your country, a message will appear on the screen that the content is not available. All this is based on copyrights, licenses, or simply because your country is outside the service's “loyalty and cooperation list”.
Geoblocking is implemented based on many factors. Among them are the main ones:
- Copyright protection (for example, streaming movies in certain countries).
- Licenses and agreements (content may only be available in specific regions).
- Legal obligations.
- Censorship and restrictions in your country.
How to bypass geoblocking?
Luckily, there are several cool ways to bypass it and get access to the desired content again:
- VPN is your best friend. VPN allows you to change your IP-address to another country's address in seconds. So websites will think that you are, for example, from USA, and not from Russia. VPN not only helps to bypass geoblocking, but also encrypts your traffic, making your connection anonymous, and you practically invisible to surveillance. Works on all devices - from smartphones to smart TVs.
- Proxy is an affordable option. If you just need to quickly access a blocked site, you can use a proxy server. This is something like an intermediary: you access the site through it, and it replaces your IP address. But there is a downside - a proxy does not encrypt traffic, and only works in a browser. Proxy is not always a solution to geoblocking because it does not protect all traffic (only the browser), has a limited choice of countries to connect to, and is easily detected and blocked by geoblocked sites.
- TOR — for those who love anonymity. TOR is a browser that encrypts your traffic and passes it through several nodes around the world. This makes you virtually anonymous, but the speed leaves much to be desired, so it is not particularly suitable for streaming movies.
- Smart DNS is a clever way. Smart DNS allows you to change the DNS settings on your device and bypass geoblocking for streaming video. It does not change your IP, but simply redirects requests through servers in other countries. It works fast, but does not provide additional protection like a VPN.
Also, it is worth remembering when looking for workarounds to overcome geoblocks that free VPNs are not always a good solution. Although free access is very attractive, free VPNs are not always able to bypass blocking. They often have limited traffic, low speeds, and do not have access to services such as Netflix. Plus, free VPNs can sell your traffic data to third parties, which is not cool at all.
Here are a few proven VPNs that will help you watch any content without restrictions:
- NordVPN: the best for streaming and bypassing blocking.
- ExpressVPN: fast and reliable, with a huge network of servers.
- CyberGhost: convenient and supports many devices.
Geoblocking can be quite inconvenient, but it can be easily bypassed using VPN, proxy, TOR or Smart DNS. For maximum reliability and security, choose VPN - it is the most convenient and easiest way to access any sites and services, wherever you are. VPN will not only remove all restrictions, but also protect your anonymity on the Internet.
Private VPN server: a more reliable solution
Private VPN server - it is even cooler than a regular VPN! It is a personal resource that only you use, which makes bypassing blocking even easier, faster and safer. With a private VPN server, you are absolutely sure that your data is protected and will not fall into the wrong hands.
On Private VPN server you will find comprehensive information about the benefits of buying a private VPN server, as well as a detailed description of its functions and application options. The portal also offers to familiarize yourself with the public offer, prices and conditions for receiving the service, along with answers to popular questions and other useful materials about VPN technologies.