Using A Websites Direct Ip Address
URLs operate as a link to a websites IP address. Many blocking softwares commonly only block the URL and not the IP address. So if you go ahead and directly enter the IP address into the browser, you may be able to trick some rudimentary blocking servers.
You can find a websites IP address by visiting this site.
How To Unblock School Wifi And Bypass The School Firewall
To help students engage in their studies without distractions, many university campuses and K-12 schools place blocks on certain websites that might divert students attention away from their work. But no matter how busy a students study schedule is at any given moment, theyll still find a way to browse or stream content on sites that are blocked by their school, such as Netflix, YouTube, Twitter and other social media sites.
The way they can bypass their schools content restrictions is to use a VPN . But of course, schools arent the only places where you would want to use a VPN service. VPNs are versatile in a variety of situations and environments.
Journalists use them around the world to hide their location and protect their data from oppressive regimes, while tourists use them while staying in a hotel that doesnt have secure WiFi. Office workers can use VPNs to disconnect from work while the manager is out for coffee.
With a good VPN service, you can protect your computer, smartphone or tablet while its connected to a WiFi network. The problem with using the internet freely in universities or high schools is that they have different restrictions for different types of users.
Then they have different filters for each type of content. VPN apps can bypass these restrictions while also securing your internet connection simultaneously. In this guide, well cover the best VPNs for bypassing school WiFi restrictions.
Is School Wifi Safe Without A VPN
Schools may have differing online security equipment and policies. Still, as is the case with most public networks, you assume much risk every time you connect to your school WiFi.
Besides allowing your schools network administrator to monitor your online data, you open your devices to hackers and snoops. You can safeguard yourself by getting NordVPN, the best VPN for school WiFi.
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Is A VPN For School Wi
Posted on by Mel Hawthorne
Schools and universities often provide free Wi-Fi services for their students to use. The access can be incredibly useful for access to educational resources for research purposes. Many schools, however, apply network filters to restrict access to certain content. A VPN can be great for providing security on untrusted networks and for bypassing web filters, both of which are issues that affect students at many schools.
Many institutions implement firewall blocks to ensure that only safe or approved resources are accessible. In some places, it may even be a legal requirement to put some blocks in place. For example, in the US, schools must filter or block material that is harmful to minors for students under seventeen, to be eligible to receive government funding.
Due to the fact that this sort of legislation is often deliberately unclear as to what content needs to be restricted, implementations can vary wildly. Some schools may just block access to the most obvious things such as adult and violent content, while others may go overboard and only allow access to a few approved sites, or block access to controversial topics such as LGBT related content, even if it is no way 18+.
Security
Tip encryption is a method of scrambling data so it can only be read with an encryption key.
Usage Policies
Use An Alternate Dns Server
Many times, schools simply have all of their protection tied to their Domain Name Servers. Although this is rarely the case in modern times where everyone is becoming more aware of how they can control their internet connection, there is still a possibility that your school has simply blocked access to certain domains through their DNS.
When this happens, there are 2 ways through which you can bypass this restriction. One of them is to simply use the IP of the website to connect to it as opposed to the domain name. However, huge websites such as Facebook and Youtube have a whole range of IP addresses which makes this method quite redundant.
The best way to bypass internet restrictions through the DNS method is to use an alternate DNS server. One of the most popular DNS servers in the world is Googles, and they have a complete guide on on their website.
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Does VPN Protect On Public Wifi
Yes. One of the primary uses of a virtual private network is to protect your data from online security threats. Hackers are known to monitor Wi-Fi network traffic in public settings such as stores, libraries, and airports.
Even when you connect to a secure website via an HTTPS connection, they can still see what sites you visit. Also, they can use man-in-the-middle attacks to hijack your DNS to capture your raw data.
However, after connecting to your VPN service, all your data is encrypted. It goes through a secure tunnel. When it reaches the VPN server, your data receives a new IP address and is forwarded to your intended destination.
Can I Unblock Websites On My Phone Too
Absolutely! Most of the methods weve described work on mobile as well. The only problem is speed. Fiddling around with a web proxy or Tor might not work well due to their decreased speeds. A VPN is the best way to unblock sites on mobile. VPNs are easy to set up, easy to use, and protect you on unsecured Wi-Fi networks such as those in coffee shops.
Whether you use Android or iOS, AVG has you covered with our top-of-the-line mobile VPN app. Give it a spin today with our free trial.
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Unblock Netflix At School
Some school Wi-Fi networks block Netflix to keep students from spending time streaming their favorite shows and using up bandwidth.
You can use a VPN to unblock Netflix while on school Wi-Fi, allowing you to stream the latest movies and TV shows on your devices. Between classes, of course.
Will Using A VPN Let Me Have Unrestricted Access To The Internet
How does a VPN work exactly? When you have a reliable VPN on your device, you can access an encrypted tunnel connecting you to a remote server based somewhere other than your current geographical location.
Every move you make online is routed via this tunnel and protects your data. But more importantly, it shields your current location and makes it appear as if youre using the internet from somewhere else.
If you turn on a VPN app on your device and connect to the schools Wi-Fi, it will help you get around the networks filtering. Essentially, VPN serves as a sort of invisibility cloak, and all your communication via any network becomes private.
So, if your school or university bans Facebook, Twitter, Buzzfeed, Snapchat, Netflix, or any other app or website, those restrictions may no longer exist with VPN.
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Utilize The Alpha Testing Version Of Discord
Often times, the frontrunner versions of programs go left unchecked when institutions block them. If youre lucky enough, then your school or workplace neglected to limit access to the Alpha version on Discord.
Try accessing canary.discordapp in your browser, hopefully this works for you. If you have issues with typing it out, then use the IP method mentions above and type ping canary.discordapp into your Command Prompt and copy the IP address for use.
Is It Illegal To Use A VPN In School
Using a VPN is completely legal, as long as youre not doing anything online that breaks the law. Businesses, governments, and millions of private citizens use VPNs every day to keep themselves and their data safe.
Again, your specific school or college may have their own rules, and if youre worried about getting in trouble, we recommend discussing VPN use with a school administrator or a teacher. The restrictions also depend on the country you’re in. If you want to find more info about it, check our article discussing where are VPNs legal or illegal.
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Switch Between Http And Https
Most sites now offer both secure and insecure HTTP) versions. You can sometimes trick a school or work firewall into unblocking a site by using the HTTP version of an address. So if is blocked, you may be able to get to it by using its insecure address or vice-versa. However, HTTP is an insecure protocol, and we dont recommend using it if you can avoid it especially if you plan to enter any personal details into the website.
Is It Legal To Bypass VPN Blocks
If VPN usage is legal in your country, its also legal to bypass VPN blocks. Sure, it might be against the Terms of Service of some platforms , but usually, you wont face any consequences for doing so. However, it depends on the service – for example, most online casinos will terminate your account for using a VPN.
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Near Perfect Customer Support
IPVanish has hands down the best VPN customer service that weve ever experienced. Students dont have time to waste sitting on hold or waiting for emails when an assignment is due and with IPVanish, we dont think theyd have to. With a 24/7 live chat, a robust FAQ section, and even the ability to call directly, IPVanish blew us away. When we had a question about getting set up with IPVanish, we used their direct email and the answer to our request came in around five minutes, making them truly the gold standard.
Will My School Know If I Use A VPN
Network administrators on your school WIFI can see that youre using a VPN, but not what youre doing on the VPN network. This means that they wont know if youre accessing restricted apps or websites, allowing you to browse the internet free from their restrictions.
Some schools or colleges might directly restrict VPN use, however. In that case, you need to use a VPN service with obfuscated servers, such as NordVPN. Obfuscated servers disguise your VPN connection as just another ordinary internet connection, slipping past any VPN blocks imposed by the network.
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Connect To A Proxy Server/proxy Website/use A Proxy Extension
A proxy server acts as an intermediary that handles your internet surfing needs. When you access the internet through a proxy, the proxy forwards your internet traffic to its destination. It again forwards the results to you. The internet entities such as your schools firewall will only see the proxys server IP address.
Hence, you can be able to access blocked sites and other online content.
It is recommendable to use premium proxy servers. These proxy servers have higher chances of bypassing restrictions. They can encrypt your traffic and even provide faster speeds. On the other hand, free proxy servers are congested, and most of them are blocked.
Most premium VPNs offer premium proxy services. Also, consider using proxy servers that implement SOCKs5. They are more secure.
Apart from proxy extensions, you dont need to install a proxy to use their services. You just need the proxy IP address and port number. Sometimes, a proxy script address . You can use a proxy server for Ethernet or Wi-Fi connections.
You can read more about proxy servers on Fortinet guide.
How To Use A VPN On School Wifi
Even if youve never used a VPN before theyre very simple to set up. Follow our instructions below and youll be able to access your favorite websites from school or college in no time.
Heres how to use a VPN for school wifi:
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Is It Legal To Unblock Websites
The legality of unblocking websites varies depending on where youre located. Many countries allow VPNs. But for more details about specific countries, you should research what local laws say about VPNs. And if youre torrenting copyrighted media, thats always illegal, whether youre using a VPN or not.
Device Compatibility And Ease Of Use
Most VPN services are compatible with popular operating systems, but its a good idea to check if your device is listed before you sign up. You might want to install the VPN on your school computer for research purposes, but if youre looking to access social media and the like, youll most likely do so on your mobile phone .
Check its user-friendliness, too. Beginners may prefer something that can connect with the click of a button, whereas experienced users might want something more tweakable.
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Breaches Of Student Privacy
There is then the broader issue of online privacy, which for those using a school, college, or university Wi-Fi connection is almost non-existent.
The Wi-Fi network in an academic institution is, more often than not, similar to a public Wi-Fi network. This means that the administrators of the network are able to see and record the activity of the students on the network. This is, of course, a gross invasion of privacy.
In extreme examples, this privacy threat can be taken further too, with reports of some institutions using tools to monitor and compile data files about students, access private files stored on their device or even take over students webcams.
However, there is a simple tool which students can use to get around the privacy threats and Wi-Fi restrictions they are encountering and enable themselves to access a full range of online sites and services. That tool is a VPN or Virtual Private Network.
Changing The Tunneling Protocol Encryption Or Port
This is yet another simple way to bypass VPN blocks. For a variety of reasons, your VPN might be blocked only when using a certain tunneling protocol. You might fix this by picking a different one in the Settings menu of your VPN application. It can be especially helpful to use new and less popular VPN protocols, as they may have not been blocked yet by your network or in your country.
You might get around VPN blocking by using a different encryption algorithm. Luckily, some VPNs let you pick a preferred type of encryption manually.
Alternatively, you can try selecting a different port used by a tunneling protocol. As an example, even though the default ports of OpenVPN are 1194 and 443, it doesnt mean that this protocol cant use entirely different ports – you just need to select them manually.
Sometimes, its possible to do this directly on the app, however, you might need to do this manually as not all applications have such selection options implemented directly.
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Hotspot Shield Popular Free VPN For School
- 1 free server in the US
- 500 MB/ day free data
- 44.63 Mbps on a 100 Mbps connection
- AES 256-bit encryption
- Works with YouTube, and Kodi
- Compatible with iOS, macOS, Android, Windows, browsers, and more
One final VPN that ranks in our list of the best free VPNs for school is Hotspot Shield. This popular VPN for schools offers 500 MB of data per month. While it doesnt offer a widespread server network for free users, it is a good choice for accessing US websites as you only get one server location the US.
Hotspot Shield uses 256-bit encryption for data security with perfect forward secrecy. It also offers a kill switch that only works on its desktop version. Hotspot Shield has a particular encryption protocol called Catapult Hydra that offers impressive speeds to users.
Hotspot Shield does not work with streaming services like Netflix US, Hulu, Vudu, and more. You can, however, stream YouTube videos and access social media with this free VPN in school. Hotspot Shield does not support P2P so you cannot download torrents.
Another downside of Hotspot Shield is that it monetizes its free version with ads so you will get pop-ups and ads every now and then when using the VPN.
Hotspot Shield also offers a live chat feature to cater to your queries. Learn more about this VPN in our Hotspot Shield review.
Who Should Be Using A VPN
Anyone who wants to stay safe and secure while browsing the internet! A premium VPN will keep your data private and protect you from cybercriminals.
If you use NordVPN, you can enjoy additional protection against malware and high-risk websites. Youll be able to pick from more than 5200 servers in 59 countries around the world changing your IP location is as simple as clicking a button.
Whether youre in school, college, university, or elsewhere, youll probably benefit from using a VPN. The NordVPN app is available for laptops, smartphones, tablets, and more, and with just one account you can cover up to six devices.
Online security starts with a click.
Stay safe with the worlds leading VPN
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