Bypass blocked sitesMost organizations, schools, and institutions have a proxy server that services client requests and returns results based on the set filtering rules. If you have ever tried to access a website and received an error message telling you that website it is blocked, chances are that it is a proxy server that just restricted you from accessing that website or service. Learn about bypassing blocked sites.

There are ways around that however and the Web is full of resources that you can use to access whatever you want right behind that annoying proxy. Proxy servers only see the first website you connect to. So by going a step further and connecting to another website first before connecting to the blocked site, it is easy to see how you can easily bypass this security measure.

Bypass blocked sites with a Web Proxy

Locate a proxy site online by simply doing a simple proxy servers search on any search engine.

Enter the name of the website that you want to access. Notice that the web address has changed and that you will not be accessing the website using the normal URL.

Use the IP address of the blocked site

Alternatively, go to Start>Run and type “cmd”. A command window will pop up.

Ping the site you want to access. For example to access Youtube.com, use the command below:

Ping www.youtube.com

Notice the first IP address that pops up that reads something like this:

Pinging Youtube.com [74.125.230.72]

Copy and paste that IP address into your Web browser. You should now be able to access the website using that IP address.

Access your browser settings and select Tools>Preferences>Advanced>Proxy Servers. Remove all the proxy information that is contained in the corresponding fields and click “OK.”

Using a VPN (Virtual Private Network)

Register for a VPN service on the Web and download the VPN client provided.

Install the VPN client and ignore any warning messages that may pop up while installing the client application.

Get a VPN certificate and key from the VPN service provider and save them in the appropriate folder. This is usually the folder in the “C:/Program Files/..” folder where the VPN client has been installed. Read the service provider instructions to know where to save these 2 files.

Type in your proxy server address in the Proxy Server option provided. To locate your Proxy server information, navigate to Tools>Internet Options>LAN Connections or to Tools>Options>Network depending on the browser and copy the proxy server address.

Confirm that a connection to the proxy server has been established. A green icon or a similar action will indicate that you are connected and ready to browse anonymously.