I’m sure all of us have come across more than one website or online service that was blocked in our area. There are several reasons why this could happen, although all of them have the same result, which is to stop us from viewing our favorite online content.
On Android, there’s a number of ways you can bypass these restrictions and visit practically any blocked website. You can also check out our best VPN services roundup if you need a powerful VPN to access any restricted site. tHere are some very easy and reliable methods to ensure you can access the web pages and services that wouldn’t normally be available in your area.
1. Orbot with Orweb
Orbot may not be the most popular proxy app, but it certainly offers a high level of privacy. The Tor-powered app encrypts all your Internet traffic giving you access to blocked websites, and private communication via email and messaging while remaining completely anonymous. Follow the instructions below to get it up and running (if your device is rooted, follow this guide).
Download Orbot (Google Play)
After the app finishes installing open it and long press on the power button to start Tor. This is enough for the purpose of this guide, although feel free to explore Orbot a bit more, it can do more than just bypass website restrictions.
Now that Orbot is running, it’s time to install Orweb, the browser companion.
Download Orweb (Google Play)
Now you can browse websites which would be blocked otherwise, and even access the hidden web if you’re interested in that sort of thing.
2. Hola Free VPN
Hola is an easy to use VPN app that can do a number of things. Besides letting you access blocked websites, it offers the same functionality for blocked apps, plus it compresses data sent over the Internet, which does speed up browsing a bit, as well as reduce data usage.
Download Hola Free VPN (Google Play)
Just install it and you’re good to go. The app comes with a built-in web browser and it also lets you install apps that are normally blocked in your country. While these apps can only be accessed through Hola, it’s still a very useful capability.
3. Tunlr
Tunlr is a free service combining the power of VPN and DNS. It doesn’t offer any security, so this may not be a good solution if you need to encrypt your traffic. It only changes your IP address to bypass regional restrictions and you can’t use it over a cellular connection.
The best part about it, is that you don’t need to install any app on your device. All you have to do is change the DNS settings.
Head over to Settings -> WiFi, then touch and hold the network you’re connected to. In the pop-up menu, tap on ‘Modify network’ and checkthe box next to the ‘Advanced options’. Then set the IP settings to static.
Finally, scroll down until you see the DNS settings of your device. The last thing you need to do is to replace them with Tunlr’s DNS addresses. Â Right now they’re the ones shown in the image above, but the addresses can change so it would be a good idea to bookmark this support webpage from the Tunlr site where you can see the current addresses when you need them.
There are many other ways that allow you to access blocked sites and services. What methods are you using to bypass restricted websites, and have you tried any of the ones we mentioned above? We’re always looking forward to hearing from our readers, so share your experience with us in the comments section below or drop us a line on Facebook, Twitter or Google+.
