The invention of the Internet changed many things have surely shaped the way we do most of them on a regular basis. Namely, we all use our phones or laptops for various things, regardless of whether that’s for work or pleasure, and the only difference is the type of apps or programs we use. On the other hand, since we are highly dependent on technology and there is plenty of our personal info online, it’s pretty understandable that cyber security and safety are the most talked about topics. Yes, there is a constant threat of someone hacking your profile on social networks or databases at work, but this shouldn’t trouble us that much as corporations and companies we work for, and most of the websites we visit daily are highly secured.
The reason for this is pretty simple-it is in the general interest that no third and unauthorized party has any access to some piece of information we are not willing and legally bound to provide, and as for why, well, from the company’s point of view, any breach will impact their sales.
But what about when that infamous message appears that some website we know is entirely safe to visit is blocked, and we simply cannot browse through it? Well, there are three possible answers, which we will further discuss but what you need to know is that there are actions you can take to work pass-through this blockage, visit the website, and browse through the content, so let’s start.
Why Are Some Websites Blocked?
The most important thing to know here is that your access to a website is restricted because of the computer (operating system) you use, the internet, or if the government has blocked it. The restrictions set in operating systems we use are what happens in most situations, and when some site is blocked, most of us think that the website is down for some reason, so we usually ignore and delay dealing with this issue. Now, if the operating system is set to block any access to websites not verified or globally known and used, the solution is pretty simple, and you can easily change it in the settings feature. The other two types of blocks are a little more complicated, and we will focus more on them now.
Try Another Browser
Source: pcmag.com
One of the simplest solutions you can try to reach the desired address that does not require any tech skills is to try another browser. It may look silly, and many people will not even try this, but switching to some other browser can solve the problem in a few seconds. The reason for that is VPN which varies from one browser to another and activating it will give you access to the restricted addresses. Enabling it is easy, and all you need to do is go to the privacy settings, choose VPN, and allow it.
Restart the Router or Modem
Another simple solution to try is to turn off the internet connection and turn it on after a minute or two. It sometimes happens that everything works properly, but you cannot reach a certain website because there is some problem with the internet connection that you are not even aware of. No matter how simple it looks, restarting the modem or router can solve that problem, and the best thing is that it only lasts about one or two minutes to do that.
Check Parental Control
Source: wp.com
If you are not the only person who uses the computer, it is always a good idea to check the parental control and see are some addresses restricted on the browser you use to browse the internet. It happens more than often to restrict access to some websites, especially if you have children, to avoid them browsing something that is not suitable for them and simply forgetting about that. Regarding that, one simple check can solve the problem and save you a lot of time and nerves without putting any effort.
Uninstall Suspicious Extensions
There are many extensions we can install on our internet browsers, and all of them have different functions. Some of them can block annoying add ons, some of them can measure the traffic or even the word count on the websites we visit, and some of them can block certain addresses, so there is no way to reach them. In some cases, these extensions are installed by mistake, and one of them is certainly a website blocking one. If that is a problem, uninstalling it will solve it in a few seconds, so make sure to check the extensions before searching for some more complicated solution.
Pay Attention to Firewall and Antivirus Settings
Source: idgesg.net
The main point of a firewall and antivirus is to protect your computer from reaching some unsecured addresses and catching viruses that can destroy your computer in a few seconds. Because of that, it is important to make sure that they are always updated and turned on, so you can surf the internet without worrying. The problem occurs when we are sure that the connection is secure, but we cannot reach it because the firewall or antivirus recognizes it as potentially harmful. In that case, we can check the settings and mark that connection as safe, or turn the firewall and antivirus off for a while and try to reach the desired address.
The Bottom Line
After reading all this, it’s pretty clear that a blocked website is nothing unusual to come across, and what’s really important is knowing how to deal with this issue. Yes, there are certain things we can use to avoid restrictions set by some third party, and even though these actions mentioned above can help with that, using a service that will hide your IP and shield your digital identity and footprint at all times is the best possible option. Now, there are many ways to get this, but the only one that has proven results is WeVPN, the one most people use to unblock websites.
