The Internet is full of all kinds of content. However, sometimes you may come across a website that’s blocked in your region/country. But why is that?
There are many reasons why some companies restrict the access to their websites only to certain geographic locations. Sometimes they feel that a certain type of content can be controversial in some countries. If they themselves are violating a certain law or laws, such as the copyright laws, then the government may act on its own and direct the Internet Access Providers (ISP) to block such websites. For instance, many countries have banned torrent websites due to their unlawful distribution of copyrighted content.
If you are trying to access a type of region restricted content, then you needn’t lose heart. There are many methods/tricks you can you can try to bypass the block:
Proxy
There are many browsing proxies that can be used for accessing the blocked content you are interested in. Basically, these proxy websites let you open a website on their own Internet connection. So, if they are based in a country where your website isn’t restricted, then you can simply access the same from your own place using “proxy”.
A lot of browsing proxies are really simple and free to use too. Some good examples include hidemyass, anonymous, etc. However, do know that this method may not always work. This is because in some cases the proxy website itself could be blocked in your region, in which case you can try other proxy websites, but even then, success isn’t guaranteed.
The DNS Trick
If you are comfortable with wearing your ”geek cap”, then you can give this trick a short.
Here is the thing- sometimes, when the ISPs have to block certain websites, they do it by changing their DNS servers. In other words, the restriction is made at the DNS level, and so if you are able to change it, then you can get access to your favorite websites.
To change your DNS server on your windows system, follow these steps
- Open control panel (if you don’t know where it is, you can simply search it from the search box in Windows)
- Click “Network and Internet”
- Click “Network and Sharing Center”
- Click “Change adapter settings” which is located on the top-left of the screen
- Right-click on the network interface you are using for Internet (Ethernet or Wireless network, etc.) and select “properties”
- Look for “Internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP/IPv4)” from the list and click the “properties” button on the right.
- Select the option “Use the following DNS server addresses”
- Enter different DNS addresses to see if one does the trick and lifts the ban from the blocked website. Some examples include 8.8.8.8 and 8.8.4.4 etc.
Virtual Private Network (VPN)
Don’t want to deal with technicalities and want a simple solution for problems like “BBC this content is not available in your location”? If your answer is “yes”, then a VPN is what you need.
A VPN or Virtual Private Network is not only an easy way to access blocked content, it protects your privacy too.
A VPN service allows you to surf the Internet through a server located elsewhere, i.e. from a different Internet Service Provider. It could be in a different location in your country, or in a different country altogether. So, you can use a server located in a country that allows access to your website and solves the problem easily.
If you don’t know which VPN services are the best, then you can go with PureVPN, ExpressVPN, or PrivateVPN.