Site Blocked at Home but Not Elsewhere

Here we can see, “Site Blocked at Home but Not Elsewhere”

• Although the Internet provides you with access to a virtually limitless collection of content, you may be unable to access specific websites at times.
• Certain websites or services may become inaccessible due to geo-restrictions, ISP access restrictions, or misconfiguration on your end.

Although the Internet provides you with access to a virtually limitless collection of content, you may be unable to access specific websites at times. It’s common knowledge that some websites are only available in certain areas.

There are other areas where websites and/or online services are completely blocked.

However, when you can’t access a website from your house, it’s downright frustrating. There are no other limitations in place, and your ISP says they have nothing to do with it, but the website remains unavailable.

Why is my Internet blocking some sites?

For a variety of reasons, the ISP may occasionally restrict certain websites. For example, there is some government filtering at work, and the government has reached out to ISPs all around the state to enforce their rules.

As a result, some websites and services may become inaccessible throughout the region. The content of some websites could also be a reason for your ISP restricting them. If it does not comply with legal requirements, the ISP may ban it without warning.

Your ISP, for example, may block websites that infringe on copyright and those that promote or condone piracy.

Whatever the cause of your incapacity to access particular websites, you must first run some tests and rule out a few possibilities before adopting a solution. This is what you must do:

• • Inquire with your Internet Service Provider (ISP) if that website is expressly blocked for you.
  • Check to see whether another device on your network can visit the same webpage.

If your ISP is restricting the service/website, it is not a problem on your end. Fortunately, you may simply get around this restriction by utilizing a VPN.

However, if you can access it from another device on your network, it indicates that the original device is malfunctioning.

Another scenario is that you cannot access the service throughout your whole network, but your ISP is unaffected. You should examine your router in this instance.

We’ll walk you through all of the scenarios and suggest possible solutions for each one.

How to unblock websites?

1. If your ISP restricts you from accessing it

1.1 Use a VPN

1. 1. Private Internet Access is available for download.
   2. Download and install it on your computer.
   3. Start it up and sign in to your account.
   4. Connect to a server in a different part of the world (where the website is less likely to be blocked)
   5. Please try to access the website once more.

If that doesn’t work, delete your browser’s cache and cookies and try accessing the website again. VPNs are well-known for their ability to bypass geo-restrictions by disguising your online identity (IP address, DNS, location).

1.2 Use a Smart DNS service (for geo-restrictions)

Many internet services have become more intelligent and can now detect VPN traffic without any effort. As a result, using a VPN may not always perform as planned, particularly if it lacks obfuscated servers (ones that bypass VPN blocking).

A Smart DNS solution allows you to access geo-restricted content by masking your location. It strips geo-location data from your DNS address and replaces it with one of its servers’ addresses.

When you utilize a Smart DNS, all of your traffic is routed through it, giving the impression that you’re in a different place.

The disadvantage of using a Smart DNS over a VPN is that it provides neither privacy or security. There is no encryption, your IP address is not disguised, and it will not assist you in circumventing firewalls.

2. If you can access the website from another network device

Anything is likely wrong with your gadget in this situation. As a result, you’ll need to do some manual troubleshooting to rule out any possibilities that your device might be blocking the website.

• • Try accessing the page again after clearing the cache and cookies in your default browser.
  • Restart your computer and try one more.
  • Attempt to view the webpage with a different browser.
  • Disable any adblockers you’re using and try again.
  • Disable each of your browser extensions individually.
  • Turn off your antivirus/antimalware program for the time being.
  • Restart your modem and/or router if necessary.
  • Connect directly to your modem or phone line.
  • Instead of using Wi-Fi, use a cable connection.
  • Check that your PC’s time and date settings are right (HTTPS websites may block you if your time and date settings are incorrect).
  • Also check your computer for malware.
  • Check to see whether your firewall is blocking the website/service.
  • Try flushing your DNS and using a different DNS (Google, Cloudflare) instead of the one assigned by your ISP.
  • Check your Hosts file to see if you’ve mistakenly blocked the website.

2.1 How to flush your DNS

1. 1. Start the CMD with administrator privileges.
   2. ipconfig /flushdns is the command to use.
   3. On your keyboard, press the Enter key.
   4. Shut down the command prompt.

2.2 How to change your DNS

1. 1. Choose a DNS server that you’re familiar with (we recommend Google, OpenDNS, and Cloudflare)
   2. Open a CMD window and type ncpa.cpl, then press Enter.
   3. Select Properties from the context menu of your active Internet connection.
   4. TCP/IPv4 is selected, and then Properties is selected.
   5. Select the radio option to Use the following DNS server addresses.
   6. In the corresponding fields, type the two DNS servers.
   7. Select OK.
   8. Restart your computer.

2.3 How to unblock websites with hosts file

1. 1. Open the File Explorer application.
   2. Go to the C: disk, which is normally where Windows is installed.
   3. Go to the WindowsSystem32driversetc folder on your computer.
   4. Open the host’s file with Notepad by right-clicking it (or your favorite text editor)
   5. After the comment lines (the ones that begin with #), make sure there are no further lines of text.
   6. Save the hosts file to your computer.

3. If you can’t access the website on any network device

If you’ve eliminated the possibility that your ISP is restricting the page, this indicates that something is wrong with your router. In this situation, go to your router’s admin page and double-check that the website isn’t hard-blocked.

We’ll walk you through how we checked our router:

1. 1. Open the browser of your choice.
   2. Go to your network’s default gateway (the address of your router).
   3. Go to Advanced mode.
   4. Any blacklist/whitelist rules should be found in the Parental Controls section.
   5. Make sure the website isn’t on the prohibited list in the Security section.
   6. Restart the router after making any necessary changes to the settings.
   7. Check to see if you can go on the website right now.

Websites can be unblocked easily

Websites can usually be unblocked regardless of why they aren’t available to you. All you have to do now is isolate the problem and determine the best plan of action based on the circumstances.

For example, even if a VPN can unblock geo-restricted websites, it won’t help much if your device is blocking the website. The same can be said for the other way around.

If your ISP has blocked or geo-restricted a website, there’s little you can do with your PC’s configuration to make it accessible again unless you use third-party specialist solutions like a VPN or a Smart DNS.

Conclusion

I hope you found this guide useful. If you’ve got any questions or comments, don’t hesitate to use the shape below.

User Questions

1. Why are certain websites restricted at home?

The content of some websites could also be a reason for your ISP restricting them. If it does not comply with legal requirements, the ISP may ban it without warning. Your ISP, for example, may block websites that infringe on copyright and those that promote or condone piracy.

2. Is it possible to use a VPN to get around WIFI restrictions?

A VPN is the quickest way to access banned websites by unblocking school Wifi or your school PC. The secure server offers you an IP address in addition to encryption. Your real IP address is hidden behind this new IP address. Any service you use will only see the IP address of the VPN’s server.

3. Is it possible to go around the VPN?

You can usually get around a VPN block by moving servers or using a different VPN provider. When deciding what to block, the organization preventing your access may have focused on only the most popular VPNs, so you may be able to acquire access via a less popular provider.

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