How to bypass FortiGuard Web Filtering

Why Does My Network Block Certain Websites?

Probably so you can stay productive. When you’re studying or working, your teacher or business manager doesn’t want you to be distracted by social media feeds, live-streamed sports, or shopping sites. Nor do IT administrators want you to infect their systems with malware you inadvertently downloaded. Hence, it shouldn’t be too surprising for networks to use website-blocking tools like FortiGuard Web Filtering.

And networks use FortiGuard Web Filtering for good reason: to prevent virus-laden files or abusive content from infiltrating your network! But if you absolutely must bypass FortiGuard Web Filtering, you’ll be glad to know that doing so is fairly straightforward.

How Does FortiGuard Web Filtering Work?

Before getting to that, let’s discuss how a website might get blocked in the first place. There are numerous techniques, such as by including that site’s address to the blocklist of a firewall, or by disabling the access of a router to the website host server’s IP address.

FortiGuard Web Filtering works by using DNS web filtering — employing DNS lookups to get webpage ratings that determine whether webpages will be blocked or redirected. DNS filtering services are available to manage the process. They block access to malicious and risky websites, prevent the downloading of malware, and stop users from accessing content that could hamper productivity or cause offence. This technique prevents the use of simple tricks like entering a site’s IP address instead of its URL to bypass a block.

Any attempt to access a blocked site will result in the user receiving a message from FortiGuard indicating that access is blocked. Log files generated by the FortiGuard application record all access attempts.

Can I Still Access FortiGuard-Blocked Websites?

FortiGuard Web Filtering will block particular websites. If you want to unblock them (for legitimate reasons, of course), you’ve got several techniques at your disposal:

Just request that the person managing the FortiGuard Web Filtering tool grant access to the specific sites you need. Theoretically, this is the most straightforward technique; however, opening up the filtering such that dangerous websites are also made available may be impossible.

• Use mobile data to access the website. Don’t forget that you’ll consume some of your data allowance, but this technique is the fastest and maybe the most convenient.
• Access a copy of the website you’re looking for using an alternate domain name if such a copy exists. You’ll need to search online to find out whether an alternative domain name exists. And if it does, hope that this isn’t blocked as well. This method is a bit hit-and-miss, with no guarantee of success.
• Open an SSH tunnel between your networked computer and a second computer that’s not on a filtered network to create a bypass path. Unfortunately, this is a very complicated and highly technical solution that works only if you have sufficient know-how and access to a suitable second computer.
• Utilize a proxy server. This will enable you to disguise your accessing of a site that’s blocked and bypass FortiGuard. Many proxy servers are available, but keep in mind that your internet connection speed will markedly diminish. Moreover, if you use a free proxy server, be prepared to be inundated with ads and to have your internet browsing data recorded and sold to third parties.
• Use a VPN to hide your network’s traffic. This way, you can also avoid the drawbacks of using a proxy server, which are harder to set up, slower, and less secure. A VPN will make it look like you’re not accessing a FortiGuard-blocked site. Just be sure to avoid free VPN services, because they, too, will gather data about your internet usage and sell it to third parties. You’ll want to stick to a reputable VPN provider that offers a premium service.

Please keep in mind that techniques that don’t encrypt network traffic, like SmartDNS, won’t help if you try to enter a blocked website. You’ll be stopped dead in your tracks.

How to Bypass FortiGuard Web Filtering Using a VPN

To unblock your network and access blocked websites such as Facebook and SoundCloud, just install a VPN app on your device.

You’ll get a secure, encrypted tunnel between the VPN’s servers and your device. Then your internet traffic data will be protected as it moves through the VPN tunnel.

Your encrypted connection will prevent FortiGuard Web Filtering from detecting the sites you browse. From the filtering tool’s perspective, all your data will be nonsense. It won’t understand the kinds of sites you visited.

One caveat: You might be breaching terms of use if you utilize a VPN to bypass FortiGuard content-filtering. This can result in certain disciplinary actions against you if you’re caught. It can also increase the chance of your inadvertently downloading viruses if you visit a dangerous site — so be careful. Visit only reputable websites and stay safe online.

What VPN Should I Use?

To get access to FortiGuard-blocked websites, ExpressVPN is our top recommendation, for its exceptional privacy features and encryption. Please check out our beginner’s guide to VPNs if you want to find out more about ExpressVPN and how it works.

How Can I Unblock a Website Using ExpressVPN?

First, download and install the VPN app. As mentioned, you’ll want to avoid anything free. Generally, they’re painfully slow and will typically sell your info to advertisers and various organizations.

Again, our recommendation would be ExpressVPN, a premium product. Its high-speed servers will allow you to view YouTube HD videos, and you won’t notice any issues with buffering! Nor will you have latency problems if you want to have fun with some online games.

Once the VPN app is installed, just turn it on and select the country that you prefer to connect through. For the best internet speed, it’s ideal to connect to the closest server nearby, preferably in your own country. This is the most surefire option if the only thing you want to do is unlock your network. It will be problematic if you want to see content that your country’s ISPs restrict.

After you’ve connected to your selected server, you’re free to visit all the websites you want to see.

Ugh, the Network Has a Block on VPNs. Now What??

FortiGuard Web Filtering may prevent access to VPN websites to stop users from downloading and installing such software. If you don’t have VPN software pre-installed and access to the ExpressVPN website is blocked, then you need a different solution.

In this case, you can install a browser addon like the ExpressVPN Chrome or Firefox extension instead. This solution doesn’t provide the full functionality offered by the ExpressVPN app, but it will still give you excellent service with all the functions you’ll likely need.

This solution will also work if your computer is completely locked down and you can’t install applications without an admin username and password.

What If There’s a Block on VPN Traffic on the Network?

FortiGuard Web Filtering may detect and prevent encrypted traffic if it recognizes that it’s coming from a VPN. In this situation, you’ll want to utilize the “VPN obfuscation” capabilities of a Stealth VPN to make it seem like you’re not using a VPN. This is the best way to circumvent blocks to VPNs.

You might have heard about the Tor network and how it can route VPN traffic through a number of encrypted proxy layers. VPN-over-Tor is actually supported by only a relatively small number of VPN providers.

But if you availed, this technique would give you maximal unblocking power and privacy. However, setup can be complicated. Your internet speed would also become excruciatingly slow, and you’d have to say goodbye to your favourite games or video streams.

I Want to Use a VPN on My Network — But Will I Be Spotted?

Actually, using a VPN won’t mean that the network’s automatic monitoring systems will “catch” you. You just need to be mindful of anyone too close for comfort over your shoulder.

The top VPNs like ExpressVPN are equipped with advanced encryption capabilities. Moreover, a crucial point is that they’ll store encryption keys on your device locally. So with no physical access to your device, no one can detect the websites you enter — at least not without certain advanced technologies typically accessible only to governments.

This encryption is another reason why FortiGuard Web Filtering can be bypassed by a VPN. Filters aren’t triggered because the content of data sent and received online is hidden.

Troubleshooting VPN Connection Difficulties

If you can’t install the ExpressVPN app, first try adding either the ExpressVPN Chrome extension or the ExpressVPN Firefox extension to your browser.

If that doesn’t work and FortiGuard still prevents you from accessing the website you want to visit, you’ll need to find a server that works. Just trial-and-error multiple servers until you get lucky! It’s definitely not atypical for certain VPN IP addresses to be blocked by FortiGuard software. But you’ll find something that works eventually if you have a little patience.

Alternatively, ExpressVPN supports several different network protocols. If FortiGuard Web Filtering is blocking your VPN, then try changing protocols until you find one that works.

• OpenVPN User Datagram Protocol (UDP): The is the default, as it delivers the best combination of speed and security.
• OpenVPN Transmission Control Protocol (TCP): This is considered the safest VPN protocol, but it’s slower than the default UDP.
• Layer 2 Tunneling Protocol (L2TP) / Internet Protocol Security (IPsec): This is less secure than UDP and TCP, but it’s worth trying if the other protocols don’t work.
• Point-to-Point Tunneling Protocol (PPTP): This is very fast and offers the best network compatibility. However, it has the weakest level of encryption and so is the least secure.