Bypassing the Great Firewall of China Using a VPN

Introduction

We are living in a world where the online community is bursting at its seams. Many people spend hours on the internet and it is undeniable that it has become an important part of our life.

For many individuals it is a simple process of having a connection, firing up your web browser, and off you go. This is not always the case for people living in China, or even visiting the country for business or pleasure. The internet as most of us knows it is not accessible unless you have a Virtual Private Network (VPN).

Historical Intervention

During the 1980s when the internet has a phenomenal rise to becoming a web that infiltrated the world, the Chinese government looked upon this technology as a threat to its principles. It was decided to develop a sophisticated system to block the use of specific online sites in China. This became known as the Golden Shield Project. Looking at the name, it signifies offering protection from the outside world.

What is the Great Firewall of China?

The great firewall of China takes its name from the well-known Great Wall of China. It consists of several initiatives which work together to block access to the internet as we know it. In the first place, the system does not allow any access to any websites which are found offensive to the Chinese lifestyle. This includes sites which are pornographic of nature, have any notion of paranormal activity or is seen as propaganda and a threat against the government.

Most of the western online sites are inaccessible. This includes sites such as Google and Amazon. Many of the social media sites such as Facebook and Twitter cannot be reached. YouTube is also off the radar for the general online service on the mainland. Instead, IT companies and service providers’ resident in China have created their own versions of these western tools.

Culture differences

The Chinese internet is different from the one in the west. It can be confusing and not very intuitive for an outsider. It is true that websites and app have a different feel to them. The intuitions and expectations for the user interface don’t always align with the one you’re accustomed to in the West. Language and culture differences have pushed developers and designers on a slightly different path that betters servers to the Chinese people.

How does it work?

The government has introduced several disruptive technologies which assist them in maintaining the great firewall of China.

IP Blockage

When computers connect on the internet, each has a unique set of numbers (code) called an IP address. This is like your street address in normal day life. When linking to a prohibited website in China, the IP address will be scrambled, so that your computer will not be able to get to the page or site you want to connect to.

DNS Interference

DNS is the name used for connecting to a given site on the internet. Computers don’t do well with words, they prefer numbers. When you type the site, the browser will ask a Domain Name System server for the IP of that site. It is like a phone book for machines. Google lives at the IP address 172.217.16.110, Facebook at 185.60.218.35.

The firewall disrupts the relay of the DNS, making it unreadable to the connecting location. As a result, it is not accessible.

Packet Inspection

All information which passes on the internet does this in what is called packets. Each packet will have some information concerning the computer requesting access, the receiving computer and the actual data being transmitted. These bits of information are inspected and tracked. If these are deemed not to be above board according to Chinse regulation, then access to the web contented is impeded.

Given the huge amount of packages send every day, it is speculated not all packages are monitored at all times. As you may imagine, the Chinese ISPs don’t really talk about their algorithms, so educated guesswork is required.

The Solution

The only way to gain full access to the internet outside the confines of the Chinese firewall is to use what is called a VPN. With this software installed on your mobile device or computer, it will seem as if you are located outside the borders of the mainland.

It addresses the IP, DNS, and package inspections filters mentioned earlier.

It connects with servers located in other locations which also run the software, allowing the user to encrypt and redirect its internet traffic through the VPN Server.

This makes it possible for an individual to access the full internet from within the Firewall.

With a VPN installed you will be able to have access to the full internet that you are used to. All of the blocked sites such as Google, Gmail, Facebook, Twitter and other will be there ready to be accessed. You will even be able to do live streaming to and from any site from anywhere in the world. No need to miss that important sporting event or your favorite cable TV show.

Who needs a VPN?

In answering this question, I would like to concentrate on two groups of people. Chinese nationals requiring access to the broader internet services as well as visitors coming to the country, whether it be on holiday or on a business trip.

Chinese nationals

There may be many reasons which warrant access to the whole internet. If you are in education or doing some sort of research, it may be necessary to get hold of information held on servers outside of the Chinese network.

Many Chinese people trade with partners throughout the world. Without a reliable VPN, they would not be able to communicate with their western business counterparts. It is also necessary to be abreast of what is happening within the sector in which you operate. The only way of achieving this will be to have access to resources carrying the relevant information. Once again warranting the use of a VPN.

Tourists

When visiting China, it will be necessary to have contact with your contacts at home. This could be personal or business contacts. You could also need to look up information. Google is blocked in China. This means no access to the search engine and the rest of the Google suite of applications, including Gmail. Once again a case for having a VPN installed on your mobile device.

It is usually advisable to install the application before entering China as it makes the process easier and allows you to test if the application is working before coming to the country. If you are not able to get down to doing this, there are ways of installing the program once you are in China. This is also useful for Chinese nationals who are unable to travel out of the country and need full internet access.

When should I get one?

The suggested procedure is to install the software while back home. Run the VPN and try on opening the required websites from where you are. If your location reflects the location of your VPN host server and the pages open, you are practically assured it will open in China as well.

One of the main concerns when installing and running a VPN in China is the question about being protected and running a stable application. You also want the surety that it will be able to allow access to any of the sites required for your personal or professional use. It is therefore essential to find a provider who is reliable and has some knowledge of how to beat the great Chinese firewall.

VPN Baron

As a company, we are able to provide you with the perfect VPN solution which will give you total access to the internet. This will guarantee that there will be no business, professional or personal downtime on the internet. We are able to provide this service by having the following specifications in place.

Encryption

Encryption is used to protect information from any prying eyes. This is extremely important when roaming the online world. With the increase in cyber rogues, information protection is a critical must-have.

At VPNBaron, we are able to offer an extremely high level of encryption to keep you save. We make use of strong protocols like OpenVPN and IKEV2 that take millions of years to be cracked. The encryption algorithms are used in the military, where the protection of information is always one of the main priorities.

On top of the VPN’s strong encryption, we offer anti DPI protection.

Deep Packet Inspection Protection

All information moving along the web does so in the form of packets. It is these packets of information that can easily fall into the wrong hands if not protected. Packets move data from the requester to the source website and vice versa.
In fact, VPN Baron offers unique algorithms which keep an eye on any packets of information passing through the VPN firewall.

This allows for greater protection and peace of mind and it can be activated with a click of a button.

Developed and Tested in Mainland China

One of the notable things about VPNBaron.com is that it has been designed right on the Chinese mainland. We closely monitor updates to our performance and adapt our product as many times we need to deliver access to the outside internet. Making it the perfect VPN for China.

With this, we are able to confidently serve you with a product that is able to give you hassle access to the internet. They know that it will work while in China.

Unblock Sites

One of the great things about this VPN is that it will give you access to all of the sites that are blocked in China. You will be able to access any of the web pages you usually access including Google and its suite of applications, all social media platforms, news feeds, and the like.

Works with Proxy Servers

Using a VPN provides access to internet resources that are needed for online businesses Many SEO technicians need access to services like BuyProxies.org’s squid proxies. 

Although proxies can be used inside the firewall, most of the time they do not bypass the firewall without connecting to a proper VPN Service first.

Our application has a proven track record of being able to work with most proxy servers and it is constantly tested with proxies from BuyProxies.org.

VPN Baron Support Team

The company has a fantastic support team which will be able to provide full technical, and user support every step of the way. Whether it has to do with installing or using the actual VPN, they will be able to offer you the level of support you deserve.

TeamViewer Support

If you are in a position where you are unable to get to us or do not feel comfortable installing the application yourself. No need to feel jaded. The technical staff is proficient in using TeamViewer, and you can watch while they do all the work!

They will be able to get your VPN up and running in no time at all. It gives you the convenience of not having to download and installing the application yourself.

In Conclusion

There are many traveling in and out of China daily who need to access the full internet while in the country. Chinese nationals could sit with precisely the same situation. The unfortunate reality is that access is controlled and censored. This could be a significant dampener, and could even impact on your business. It can affect everyone while in China whether you are a local or not. The good news is that there is a solution to take care of all of this for you. The secret lies in installing an application called a VPN.

VPN in China is a tool that helps people and businesses. The program will allow you full access to all of the online benefits you are used to, even while on the Chinese mainland.

If you need to get your hands on a VPN with a great set of credentials and which is known to work in China, there is no need to look any further. VPN Baron is a company with a proven track record in China. It offers a system that is stable and is able to access any of the blocked sites. The company even has a great support team to hold your hand every step of the way.

It is absolutely incredible that there is no need to be starved by the great firewall of China. It is easy as installing a VPN, and all of your concerns are something of the past.