When a VPN gets blocked
Discussion
Getting around a VPN block depends on how they are doing it.
It they are just doing it on a domain or IP adress basis (fairly easy to do) then you just have to find a VPN service that is not in the 'known' lists. I have come across this when travelling on foreign ISPs and to get around it use a VPN hosted in my house back home.
If they are blocking on protocol inspection (harder, but it does get done) then you can change the type of VPN protocol to one that is not so easily detectable. It is technically possible to detect any type of VPN, but it get increasingly hard/expensive.
It they are just doing it on a domain or IP adress basis (fairly easy to do) then you just have to find a VPN service that is not in the 'known' lists. I have come across this when travelling on foreign ISPs and to get around it use a VPN hosted in my house back home.
If they are blocking on protocol inspection (harder, but it does get done) then you can change the type of VPN protocol to one that is not so easily detectable. It is technically possible to detect any type of VPN, but it get increasingly hard/expensive.
Lord Marylebone said:
Can those more educated tell me why a VPN would be blocked by an ISP?
People keep telling me I should use something like Nord VPN as I do a lot of work from home that could be considered commercially sensitive, but it's pointless if VPN's get blocked?
Nooo.People keep telling me I should use something like Nord VPN as I do a lot of work from home that could be considered commercially sensitive, but it's pointless if VPN's get blocked?
Commercially sensitive then your corporate VPN if they/you have one.
I’d argue you have a superior contract with the ISP than a VPN provider wrt privacy wrt commercially sensitive and legally actionable stuff.
VPN is only useful for obfuscating what ip/domains you visit. That’s it.
I’ve stopped bothering with VPN for general use.
If you’re doing anything dodgy like film downloads etc, just scrape off those hosting them rather than using torrents (where you share and get legal issues due to hosting)
Anything more dodgy than that and you’re rolling your own solution.
Ie, anything where you buy access with an email, logon with an account, and but with traceable funds is just obviously not sensible.
Really the best thing to do is just get an unlimited connection and have a script that just hammers everything out there so you have so much traffic doing all manner of stuff that nothing can be reliably gleaned from it.
Mr Whippy said:
Lord Marylebone said:
Can those more educated tell me why a VPN would be blocked by an ISP?
People keep telling me I should use something like Nord VPN as I do a lot of work from home that could be considered commercially sensitive, but it's pointless if VPN's get blocked?
Nooo.People keep telling me I should use something like Nord VPN as I do a lot of work from home that could be considered commercially sensitive, but it's pointless if VPN's get blocked?
Commercially sensitive then your corporate VPN if they/you have one.
I’d argue you have a superior contract with the ISP than a VPN provider wrt privacy wrt commercially sensitive and legally actionable stuff.
VPN is only useful for obfuscating what ip/domains you visit. That’s it.
I’ve stopped bothering with VPN for general use.
If you’re doing anything dodgy like film downloads etc, just scrape off those hosting them rather than using torrents (where you share and get legal issues due to hosting)
Anything more dodgy than that and you’re rolling your own solution.
Ie, anything where you buy access with an email, logon with an account, and but with traceable funds is just obviously not sensible.
Really the best thing to do is just get an unlimited connection and have a script that just hammers everything out there so you have so much traffic doing all manner of stuff that nothing can be reliably gleaned from it.
I'm a consultant and work for various different businesses, and usually just work on their stuff via Teams/Sharepoint folders etc. I have my own email address and use that for all my communications with businesses.
Sounds like a VPN is pointless for me anyway!
Lord Marylebone said:
Thanks for the explanation.
I'm a consultant and work for various different businesses, and usually just work on their stuff via Teams/Sharepoint folders etc. I have my own email address and use that for all my communications with businesses.
Sounds like a VPN is pointless for me anyway!
VPNs for general use have been sold to ‘protect’ end users from ISP snooping.I'm a consultant and work for various different businesses, and usually just work on their stuff via Teams/Sharepoint folders etc. I have my own email address and use that for all my communications with businesses.
Sounds like a VPN is pointless for me anyway!
So mainly you’re downloading torrents, which by design mean you share copyright material and expose yourself to copyright infringement.
That was big stuff at one time.
More recently they’re touted as protecting you from ISPs throttling your connections to things like streaming sites such as Netflix so you use less data, or from them selling your browsing metadata (like what url you visit and how much data you send/receive etc)
That was a bigger thing at one time too.
But in practice these days there is no need for a VPN for normal use. Only to log into a corporate or personal vpn.
If you’re worried about your isp that’s another issue. But swapping to a good one is the best course of action if you have misgivings about your current one.
mgsontour said:
Mr Whippy said:
To OP specifically.
Is the ISP blocking all vpn traffic or just some IPs?
But weird they’d block a vpn. Who is it?
BT. Just some IP'sIs the ISP blocking all vpn traffic or just some IPs?
But weird they’d block a vpn. Who is it?
I’d assumed they were pretty laid back but surprised and curious to hear they’re messing with blocking an IP.
Im not a massive expert but is it just blocking it at the DNS level?
I know BT have those added features like family filters and all that jazz which you can/should turn off.
wonder if it's anything to do with this: https://www.uefa.com/insideuefa/about-uefa/news/02...
ISP's in UK and Ireland are apparently are trying to be very proactive in blocking illegal services.
ISP's in UK and Ireland are apparently are trying to be very proactive in blocking illegal services.
Mr Whippy said:
I’m on BT and I’ve done all manner of stuff with VPNs and TOR (inc vpn via tor) without issue.
I’d assumed they were pretty laid back but surprised and curious to hear they’re messing with blocking an IP.
Im not a massive expert but is it just blocking it at the DNS level?
I know BT have those added features like family filters and all that jazz which you can/should turn off.
I don't know where it's getting blocked, but I will test and inform you all if someone walks me through how to check?I’d assumed they were pretty laid back but surprised and curious to hear they’re messing with blocking an IP.
Im not a massive expert but is it just blocking it at the DNS level?
I know BT have those added features like family filters and all that jazz which you can/should turn off.
Mr Whippy said:
VPNs for general use have been sold to ‘protect’ end users from ISP snooping.
So mainly you’re downloading torrents, which by design mean you share copyright material and expose yourself to copyright infringement.
That was big stuff at one time.
More recently they’re touted as protecting you from ISPs throttling your connections to things like streaming sites such as Netflix so you use less data, or from them selling your browsing metadata (like what url you visit and how much data you send/receive etc)
That was a bigger thing at one time too.
But in practice these days there is no need for a VPN for normal use. Only to log into a corporate or personal vpn.
If you’re worried about your isp that’s another issue. But swapping to a good one is the best course of action if you have misgivings about your current one.
They’re useful for protecting you from packet sniffing / MITM / evil twin attacks when on free public WiFi. They’re useful for watching / using geo locked apps and content. So mainly you’re downloading torrents, which by design mean you share copyright material and expose yourself to copyright infringement.
That was big stuff at one time.
More recently they’re touted as protecting you from ISPs throttling your connections to things like streaming sites such as Netflix so you use less data, or from them selling your browsing metadata (like what url you visit and how much data you send/receive etc)
That was a bigger thing at one time too.
But in practice these days there is no need for a VPN for normal use. Only to log into a corporate or personal vpn.
If you’re worried about your isp that’s another issue. But swapping to a good one is the best course of action if you have misgivings about your current one.
Mr Whippy said:
Lord Marylebone said:
Can those more educated tell me why a VPN would be blocked by an ISP?
Really the best thing to do is just get an unlimited connection and have a script that just hammers everything out there so you have so much traffic doing all manner of stuff that nothing can be reliably gleaned from it.
Really the best thing to do is just get an unlimited connection and have a script that just hammers everything out there so you have so much traffic doing all manner of stuff that nothing can be reliably gleaned from it.
jakesmith said:
Mr Whippy said:
VPNs for general use have been sold to ‘protect’ end users from ISP snooping.
So mainly you’re downloading torrents, which by design mean you share copyright material and expose yourself to copyright infringement.
That was big stuff at one time.
More recently they’re touted as protecting you from ISPs throttling your connections to things like streaming sites such as Netflix so you use less data, or from them selling your browsing metadata (like what url you visit and how much data you send/receive etc)
That was a bigger thing at one time too.
But in practice these days there is no need for a VPN for normal use. Only to log into a corporate or personal vpn.
If you’re worried about your isp that’s another issue. But swapping to a good one is the best course of action if you have misgivings about your current one.
They’re useful for protecting you from packet sniffing / MITM / evil twin attacks when on free public WiFi. They’re useful for watching / using geo locked apps and content. So mainly you’re downloading torrents, which by design mean you share copyright material and expose yourself to copyright infringement.
That was big stuff at one time.
More recently they’re touted as protecting you from ISPs throttling your connections to things like streaming sites such as Netflix so you use less data, or from them selling your browsing metadata (like what url you visit and how much data you send/receive etc)
That was a bigger thing at one time too.
But in practice these days there is no need for a VPN for normal use. Only to log into a corporate or personal vpn.
If you’re worried about your isp that’s another issue. But swapping to a good one is the best course of action if you have misgivings about your current one.
But yeah a PIA vpn might be ok for that kinda thing.
I’ve never had any joy using vpn for unlocking stuff like USA Netflix since about 2016.
But all these services have got tons better since then wrt regional libraries.
eein said:
Mr Whippy said:
Lord Marylebone said:
Can those more educated tell me why a VPN would be blocked by an ISP?
Really the best thing to do is just get an unlimited connection and have a script that just hammers everything out there so you have so much traffic doing all manner of stuff that nothing can be reliably gleaned from it.
Really the best thing to do is just get an unlimited connection and have a script that just hammers everything out there so you have so much traffic doing all manner of stuff that nothing can be reliably gleaned from it.
And obfuscation could get more refined.
mgsontour said:
Mr Whippy said:
I’m on BT and I’ve done all manner of stuff with VPNs and TOR (inc vpn via tor) without issue.
I’d assumed they were pretty laid back but surprised and curious to hear they’re messing with blocking an IP.
Im not a massive expert but is it just blocking it at the DNS level?
I know BT have those added features like family filters and all that jazz which you can/should turn off.
I don't know where it's getting blocked, but I will test and inform you all if someone walks me through how to check?I’d assumed they were pretty laid back but surprised and curious to hear they’re messing with blocking an IP.
Im not a massive expert but is it just blocking it at the DNS level?
I know BT have those added features like family filters and all that jazz which you can/should turn off.
Smart setup for new connections asks you if you want filtering and all that stuff activated too iirc.
It’s in that mini manual they give you that has what the different router lights mean etc.
And/or via the web login for your account at bt.com, they may well be global account settings which set your routers default DNS server.
I’m far from an expert on it, I just know at some point years ago I turned it all off when it asked me.
I’m pretty sure for the most part the protections BT offer are DNS filtering/blocking though... nothing too sophisticated at least at your end.
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