VPN users may have noticed that in some cases, their ISP may block their Internet connection. This could happen if they have a “no-VPN policy” and have detected that you’re indeed using a VPN.
ISPs and other entities providing Internet access can potentially snoop into your web traffic or see that you’re communicating with an IP address they know is owned by a VPN service provider – and block your Internet connection. This happens in high-censorship places like China as well as some countries in the Middle East where IT admins have enough resources to wage a “war” with VPN providers.
Say something like that happens, is there anything you could do about it? Yes, there is a way to get around these restrictions but you’ll have to play around with settings.
1. Change the server
In most cases IT admins have a list of IP addresses that are owned by VPN providers and have added them to the block list.
So the first thing you should do is try connecting to a different VPN server and see whether that solves the problem for you. This is also one of the reasons why it is good to select a VPN provider that has a vast network with a few thousand servers — the more servers they have, the harder it will be for IT admins to block all of them.
2. Change the protocol
Another approach could be to change the protocol you’re using. OpenVPN is still the industry standard, and if it’s not selected — try selecting it manually.
Alternatively, for VPNs that come with WireGuard support, try using that one. Usually, this protocol was bundled with the VPN provider’s own solution to protect the user’s privacy and may have a different name as a result. NordVPN — which is one of the most popular services out there and one of our personal favorites — takes this approach.
Also, try other protocols if you still can’t get the Internet to work.
3. Change the VPN provider
Finally, if nothing helps — and you did spend a lot of time playing with settings — consider getting a different VPN.
Remember what we keep telling you – what you want a is VPN that fits all your needs and if you’ll be frequently visiting the place where your VPN usage is detected – you may want to switch boats. And get a service that will have you covered no matter where you happen to be. Or whatever you want to do online.
As usual, we suggest checking out our list of Best of the Best VPNs, or if you need a solution for the infamous Great Firewall of China — which is the toughest nut to crack — check out our page with Best VPNs for China. Between those two pages, we’re sure you’ll find a service that will “get the job done” for you. Good luck! 😉