There are a number of ways to access sites blocked by your ISP for whatever reason, but a “tunnel” connecting you directly to the site that your ISP cannot observe, by a Virtual Private Network (VPN) looks a more secure option than using a proxy.
Hola is the most straightforward Virtual Private Network (VPN) solution I have found. And Hola VPN also appears trustworthy – or I cannot find anyone who doesn’t trust their assertion that they do not keep logs – and the How-To-Geeks seem have accepted they do not bundle adware (https://discuss.howtogeek.com/t/warning-your-browser-extensions-are-spying-on-you/12394/40).
First, download Hola at http://hola.org/
To use once installed is easier on mobile devices like ‘phones or tablets than desktops, but none are difficult. These are the various steps:
iOS (e.g. your iPad):
Go to Settings/VPN and choose a national server to connect Hola
Android (e.g. ‘phones, tablets):
Use the Hola browser
PC/Laptop (Windows, I have not yet tried Linux):
- Click tiny icon (top right of FF screen)
- If turned off, click the blazing Smiley image in the small window to start
- Select a country
- When connected it will say, “Browsing From” and show the national flag
- Hover mouse above flag and a text entry box will appear between “Browsing” and “From”
- Type the blocked site’s URL in the box and click on the grey hatched globe icon to its right
- The site will be unblocked in the main browser window
One other issue:
“System Administrator has blocked this program”, just close the message, then a bit of arm wrestling is needed:
- In Firefox, click Tools/Add-ons
- Hola Better Internet will be in the ln the list of Add-ons, Disable and Enable the Add-on (possibly a few times)
- Hola may spot you Disabling their Add-on and open a window offering to re-download, don’t worry, they don’t know you are about to Enable again!
- Keep at it and your System Administrator should eventually be side-stepped.
You can test that it works by going to http://www.whatismyip.com/ whilst connected (it will show your location as that of the national server chosen), or just by unblocking sites blocked by your ISP.