How to bypass web URL filtering service to access blocked websites (proxy)

Question

I'm using network, where services such as Gmail or any other e-mails, Google Drive, Dropbox, all social networks are blocked.
Basically my goal is to access simply GMail, but I couldn't find any way to do that so far. I understand that different proxies have different filtering rules, so please post any tricks or your-way solutions.

Solution 1

• Following general methods are worth to try:

  • Try to use HTTPS instead of HTTP which is: https://mail.google.com instead of http://mail.google.com, sometimes company forgetting to filter HTTPS sites.

    SSL VPNs will do this automatically without messing up settings (e.g. Express VPN which is SSL based OpenVPN, or try hide.me).

  • Try substituting the IP address for a domain name; e.g., enter http://74.125.225.102 instead of google.com in a browser's address bar. nslookup from the command line can easily allow you to issue DNS requests.
  • Try to use one of free public proxies in your browser
  • Try to install Tor Browser

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• Different methods described in the other articles:

• Article: How to Bypass Firewalls & Get into Blocked Websites in School or at Work with FreeProxy (Windows)

  • Methods described (including the comments):
    • Set up your local proxy and configure Your Router For Port Forwarding
    • bypass the firewall using Glype + PhProxy plugin for firefox
    • Use PHP Proxy
    • run your proxy server in virtural machine then put the vitural machine in a DMZ
    • use TorPark on a USB drive
    • try “surfcontrol” from Websense
    • Ryan’s solution of: http://xx.xxx.xxx.xx:1087/http://www.yahoo.com
    • Find blocked site at work and tell your manager that you’re going home to view these un-work related sites because they’re blocked:)
    • try to "login" your local router:)
    • try: http://www.Yauba.com to open a banned websites
    • try: http://www.facebookfirewall.com
    • play free games at: http://www.techdictionary.com/games/index.html :)

• Article: access blocked web sites from office and bypass office firewall with the help of google proxy

  • Methods described (including the comments):
    • use following URL: http://google.co.in/search?q=cache:www.example.com
    • use translator site to "translate" any website: http://www.google.com/translate

• Article: Bypassing Gogo’s Inflight Internet Authentication

  • Methods described:
    • Try to use alternative IP address for Google servers in the hosts file (74.125.225.40 mail.google.com plus.google.com youtube.com docs.google.com code.google.com chatenabled.mail.google.com),

• Article: 10 ways to access blocked Gmail at office, school, work

  • Methods described (including the comments):
    • Use different access URL: http://gmail.com or https://gmail.com, http://m.gmail.com or https://m.gmail.com, http://googlemail.com or https://googlemail.com, http://mail.google.com/mail/x/ or https://mail.google.com/mail/x/
    • Use Proxy websites to get through,
    • Download Gmail messages using Email Client like Outlook, Apples Mail, Windows Mail, Thunderbird, etc.,
    • Access Gmail via Google Desktop,
    • Create password free Gmail feed, e.g. using FreeMyFeed,
    • Access through iGoogle (soon it'll be removed),
    • Use a website with Gmail Lite installed,
    • Access Gmail from Google Talk,
    • use GMail over HTTPS
    • Make friends in IT department,
    • contact your IT department,
    • try: http://www.NobleWebs.com
    • Way2Sms.com provides a service through which you can open your Gmail account (you need to “enable IMAP settings”in your gmail),
    • Try logging into Google Plus (it's quite new, so it could be not blocked),
    • use outlook or connect windows live mail to gmail,
    • login to your Google account and at the end of page just click the basic html link,
    • Install Radmin or TeamViewer, connect to your home PC and browse anything you like,
    • disconnect from office LAN and install your own data card to access internet,
    • set up Gmail to forward all incoming mail to my work address, and only reply at home (create also an Outlook filter to move Gmail to a folder),
    • use Gmail over HTTPS
    • use alternative address for way2sms: http://www1.way2sms.com/entry.jsp%E2%80%9D.
    • try using an aircard on the computer,
    • Java2scripts also works,
    • application called, “TOR” which stands for “The Onion Network”,
    • try: http://kexmail.com/ or http://webuzz.im/mail/ (It is a web mail client, supports almost all email provider, including Gmail, Hotmail/Live Mail, Yahoo! Mail),
    • If your network is blocking ports 3283, 3389, 5900, or 5988, you may have to alter the port that your home PC listens on,
    • install phproxy (you’ll need your own webserver),
    • try accessing via: Google’s Accounts system,
    • Mailuno will let you login to Gmail via a Squirrelmail IMAP webmail interface,
    • use ”ultrasurf”,
    • bring in your own laptop, and connect to the wireless network,
    • use a memory stick, with a portable web browser to access the web,

• Article: 5 Methods To Bypass Blocked Sites

  • Methods described (including the comments):
    • use XeroBank web browser,
    • try UltraSurf software,
    • use Remote Access (LogMeIn’s Java viewer or whatever else),
    • try WebToMail service (send an email to [email protected] with the URL as the subject and wait a few minutes and you’ll get an email with the web page),
    • Bypass Firewalls using Proxies,
    • use ssh to my web server (or a home Linux server) and just add “-D ####” to create a socks proxy on the port that you specify with #### (pick a port that is available),
    • try MakeUseOf service,
    • use cached pages in google search results,
    • use google translate option by specifying the URL in the “Translate Web Page” text box,
    • try PrimeProxies,
    • try DynaWeb service (secure and uncensored Internet portal),
    • use IP Privacy service,

• Article: How to Access Blocked Facebook in Vietnam

  • Methods described (including the comments):
    • change your DNS servers to different like: Google DNS servers: 8.8.8.8 and 8.8.4.4; OpenDNS: 208.67.222.222, 208.67.220.220; Norton DNS: 198.153.192.1, 198.153.194.1),
    • access Facebook by those URLs: http://lisp4.facebook.com, http://vi-vn.connect.facebook.com, https://www.facebook.com (with an "s" after http), http://m.facebook.com, http://touch.facebook.com
    • use http://www.hidemyass.com or http://hypercloak.com,

• Article: Does anyone know any good sites to bypass proxy blockers?

  • Methods described (including the comments):
    • use a proxy that's under one week old, not listed on any public proxy lists and doesn't have names like "proxy", "filter" "unblock", etc.,
    • check those groups: http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/nafpl/ and http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/Pick-A-Proxy/ (subscribe and receive daily new proxy sites),

• Article: Free Anonymous Surfing

  • Methods described (including the comments):
    • Anonymouse – allows you to surf the web without revealing any personal information.
    • Proxify - is a web-based anonymous proxy service,
    • Megaproxy – is a medium that handles web requests on your behalf,
    • The Cloak – HTTP and HTTPS anonymous proxy,
    • Shadow – allows you to browse the Internet anonymously,
    • StealthMessage – is a secure messaging system designed for communicating sensitive and confidential information,
    • BeHidden – allows users to surf Internet anonymously
    • try SmartHide service,

• Articles: Access Blocked Websites by Bypassing URL Filtering, 8 Innovative Ways to Access Blocked Websites, UltraSurf – Access Any Blocked Site, View Private Websites Safely at School/Work, Top 10 Free VPN Services to Help you Protect Your Privacy

  • Methods described (including the comments):
    • access sites using Decimal address like http://1249729384 or http://3512041827. Check this converter.
    • try Screen Resolution Checker service,
    • try Browser Shots service,
    • try to use Google and Yahoo cache webpages,
    • try Online Translation Services like: Yahoo BabelFish, Google Translate or other,
    • retrieve web pages via Email using Web2Mail or WebinMail,
    • try Google mobile Cache,
    • subscribe to RSS Feed using i.e. RSS Feeds or FeedMyInbox and then use RSS Reader e.g. Google Reader,
    • use Wayback Machine service,
    • Yauba service (World’s first Privacy Safe search engine) [non existing anymore?],
    • use PDFMyURL service,
    • on Windows try program StopDistractions,
    • buy a VPN service,
    • try MyPersonalBrowser service,
    • try UltraSurf,
    • try Varnishd (it hides your private website by placing an authorized website),
    • use free VPN: OpenVPN, PacketiX.NET, UltraVPN, Hotspot Shield, CyberGhost, TorVPN, SecurityKiss, Your-Freedom, USA IP, MacroVPN, AceVPN, JAP VPN, AnchorFree Hotspot VPN, Free VPN by WSC, Free2Surf, WebSecuritas, Hostizzle, OpenVPN, DNSdynamic, VPN4All, GlobalVPN, Mullvad, VPN-for-free, Free Canada VPN, Free UK VPN, Free US VPN, SecurePoint, Astrill, itsHidden,

• Article: Defeating URL Filters

• Article: http://triponic.com/guidestutorials/complete-proxy-guide/
  • Methods described (including the comments):
    • try AtomInterSoft service (Free HTTP proxy list updated in realtime),
    • try DigitalCyberSoft (Fresh Anonymous Proxy List),
    • try HideMyAss (The largest real-time database of free working public proxies),
    • anonymous surfing websites: Proxify, HideMyAss, Tor, Proxy.org, Charon,
    • try: Firefox plugins: SwitchProxy and ProxyTex,
    • check if your proxy works anonymously using WhatIsMyProxy service,
    • check your network details here on: WhatIsMyIP or Geobytes,
• Article: How To: ByPass School/Work Filters
  • try HTTPS over HTTP (it's using different port which could be not blocked for the same page),
  • try accessing the website via IP address (command: nslookup domainofwebsite.com to check the IP address of the domain) and then go to: http://ipaddress,
  • use Google Web Light (googleweblight.com?lite_url=http://...) website converter/shrinker,
  • use screen sharing software like: Microsoft SharedView, CrossLoop, Yuuguu,
  • install a Circumventor on your home PC (it will give you the URL for your new Circumventor where you can use that URL to bypass the filters there), you need to install ActivePerl and OpenSA first, then download the software from here,
  • use alternative social websites like Faces Epicentre (it has some chat, map, etc. functionality which could be blocked somewhere else),

• Article: Hotspot Shield 1.3 Works with Hulu Again… Sometimes

  • Methods described (including the comments):
    • try Hotspot Shield (is a free, ad-supported download, Windows and Mac OS X); for Linux follow this article: Hotspot Shield with Ubuntu,
    • try Hamachi2 software,
    • try LogMeIn,

• Other useful articles: How To: Use A Proxy In Mozilla Firefox, Ultimate Method To ByPass School/Work Filters And Firewalls, How To: Use A Proxy In Internet Explorer, How To: Bypass RapidShare Restrictions, How To: ByPass School/Work Filters

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Summary

In summary, you can bypass proxies by different methods. It's a very complex topic and there are thousands of methods bypassing the proxy and in very secured networks you'll find maybe only few methods which works, so you have to check all of them first. There is no really one simple answer for it and never will be, so please don't down-vote it, because if it doesn't work in your network or specified case, that method could work in different environment, so please respect users from different countries.

Feel free to extend or add other actual methods found on the internet, to make it actual and up-to-date. If some of the methods are out-dated, please cross them over, for the future references using strike tag, instead of removing them or down-voting the whole page.

Solution 2

You can use Tor browser, browse for it in Google, get it. You dont need to install it, just extract the file and set up a tor network and browse whatever you want.

Tor Browser

Alternatively you can also use http://hidemyass.com. It is a web based proxy.

Solution 3

If you have SSH access to a server outside the the restricted network, you could open an SSH tunnel to that server on a local port and use it as a proxy in your browser.

Create SSH tunnel:

ssh -D 12345 [email protected]

Tell your browser to use localhost and port 12345 as SOCKS proxy.

This solution requires SSH access to another server and the port (usually 22) on which your SSH server runs has to be open in your restricted network. You can also run SSH server on any other port. However, your connection will be fully encrypted and the admins of your network will not be able to see any data or even which hosts yo connect to. All they see is encrypted data and the IP of your remote server.

Solution 4

Maybe it was answered by others - the top answer - https://superuser.com/a/454829/122085 - is really comprehensive - my feeling is that many of the methods will not work - I'm pretty sure that if certain sites are blocked, the proxying services will not work as well and you may have to roll your own - http://www.labnol.org/internet/setup-proxy-server/12890/

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My (rather naive) approach would be to use mobile hotspot, or simply use the mobile device.

Another alternative would be to RDP (remote desktop) to an Amazon / Digital Ocean instance.

Solution 5

Firefox plugins which can help to bypass the internet filtering:

• anonymoX
• SwitchProxy
• ProxyTex

View more solutions

Comments

[Frank Meulenaar]

Please note that if you try to bypass e.g. the firewall of your company, you might break internal rules and lose your job.

[kenorb]

Now I'm in Switzerland, because of contract. google works, but gmail doesn't. google.se domain doesn't help me, because whatever I type, everything is redirected to mail.google.com/mail which is blocked, because there is as well URL filtering, so no any tricks with translation services, mobile version, cached version, similar services works.

[kenorb]

imap doesn't work as most of the ports which are blocked, DNS is internal, most of the sites works through proxy which translate the DNS hosts

[kenorb]

all proxies are blocked, which I've posted, removed by Bob (thanks Bob, it could help somebody else)

[kenorb]

I could try using VPN through SSH tunel over HTTPS (ah. it was removed as well from other post as well, thanks Ramhound), but I'll have to spend more time on it, in addition I've to setup configuration on the *nix remote machine.

[chawkinsuf]

The trick with using imap is that you would have to find another webmail to use it from. One that isn't blocked. Obviously yahoo mail or hotmail won't work. But perhaps you could find one that is fairly obscure. But I'm beginning to think that using a phone is probably the way to go. Or sweet talk the network guy.

[kenorb]

unfortunately all ports are filtered, I can't even ping (DNS are resolved by the proxy), so I could only use proxy (HTTP, HTTPS, FTP and socks proxy I hope).

[Max Kueng]

You could try to run your SSH server on a different port. For example on the FTP port. You could also scan if some of the high port numbers are open and run the SSH server on one of those.

[Max Kueng]

Or get one of those 3G USB things. Not free as in beer, but free as in no restrictions.

[jiggunjer]

The suggestion for using Tor to access Gmail is not really a good one...

[Silom]

it is fabulous !

[Ričardas Sabaliauskas]

Anybody get Dropbox to work through a company proxy that is blocking *.dropbox.* and where you don't have access to the router?

[kenorb]

@10basetom Try to ask another question.