What are alternative methods for accessing blocked websites?

  • Thread starter Thread starter mech-eng
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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around methods for accessing blocked websites, particularly in the context of censorship in various countries. Participants explore various techniques, including DNS changes, the use of Tor browser, VPNs, and proxies, while also addressing the implications of censorship and the reliability of these methods.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Debate/contested
  • Technical explanation

Main Points Raised

  • Some participants suggest using Google DNS, while others express skepticism about its effectiveness for certain sites.
  • There is a proposal to use the Tor browser for anonymity, with questions raised about its security and effectiveness.
  • Participants discuss the role of VPNs in bypassing country restrictions, noting that they can be used for both personal and corporate purposes.
  • Proxies are mentioned as a potential solution, with a note that they may be slow and temporary.
  • Concerns are raised about the censorship of Wikipedia in Turkey, with some participants expressing disbelief about such censorship existing.
  • There are discussions about the nature of internet censorship in countries like China and North Korea, including the control of ISPs and the concept of "The Great Firewall."
  • Participants reflect on the evolution of the internet and its implications for free information exchange, with some expressing concerns about divisiveness and self-censorship.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express a range of views on the effectiveness of different methods for accessing blocked websites, with no consensus on the best approach. There is also disagreement regarding the extent and nature of censorship in various countries.

Contextual Notes

Some participants acknowledge their lack of expertise in networking, which may limit the depth of technical discussions. The effectiveness of suggested methods may depend on specific circumstances, such as location and type of content being accessed.

Who May Find This Useful

This discussion may be of interest to individuals seeking to understand methods for bypassing internet censorship, as well as those curious about the implications of such censorship on information access and exchange.

  • #31
rootone said:
The OP says that Wikipedia is censored/banned in Turkey.
WWGD said:
Is it even technically possible?
2017 block of Wikipedia in Turkey ...
 
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  • #32
  • #33
mech-eng said:
But I know changing DNS can work very well with some sites but what is the reason that it does not work for wikipedia?

Thank you.
DNS requests are sent in cleartext and are likely being intercepted, or the Wikipedia IP ranges are being blocked. The main issue I see with using proxies/VPN/Tor to access restricted content is their use is very noticeable from the network administator's perspective, and I think it's best to stay off their radar if possible.
 
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  • #34
stoomart said:
DNS requests are sent in cleartext and are likely being intercepted. The main issue I see with using proxies/VPN/Tor to access restricted content is their use is very noticeable from the network administator's perspective, and I think it's best to stay off their radar if possible.

Tor also ?
 
  • #35
Buffu said:
Tor also ?
Yes, Tor is really just an anonymizing VPN that prevents the target server from knowing where you connected from, but the traffic from your client to the entry node is trivial to identify as Tor traffic by its signature/fingerprint.

Like all current low-latency anonymity networks, Tor cannot and does not attempt to protect against monitoring of traffic at the boundaries of the Tor network (i.e., the traffic entering and exiting the network). While Tor does provide protection against traffic analysis, it cannot prevent traffic confirmation (also called end-to-end correlation).​

 
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  • #36
If you don't want to use tor or a vpn, you could still use googles web cache. i.e. go to google.com and type in "cache:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2017_block_of_Wikipedia_in_Turkey"
Since the connection between your browser and google is encrypted, there should be no way to tell that you used wikipedia. Even if your ISP logs all your activity, all they will see is that you connected to googles servers.

edit: I just noticed, typing in "cache:..." into google will redirect you to an unencrypted http site for some reason. Therefore it's better to type in the correct url directly https://webcache.googleusercontent....ia.org/wiki/2017_block_of_Wikipedia_in_Turkey
 
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  • #37
Thread is closed.
 

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