Ways to Unblock Restricted Websites

One way of accessing blocked websites is through the use of proxy websites. However, it is not possible to use them to unblock each web site. If the website you wish to visit falls in this category, then you must use the methods given in this article. Beforehand, I would like to make it clear that different websites are blocked differently.

So, you must try all the tricks given before reaching the conclusion that you cannot access a website. Some of the tips given in this article can also be used to prevent your surfing and IP Address from being logged. So, let us begin:-

Cache

Google and other search engines maintain a cache of web pages that are spidered by their robots and are present in their index. This cache (snapshot) of the web page is saved by Google as back up in case the original page is unavailable. This can be accessed by clicking on the cached link besides the search results that appear for search queries. The cached version of the page might not be the latest version of the website but nonetheless, you can still use it to visit the blocked web site of your choice. Another way to view the cached version of a web page is by using the 'cache:example.com' search query. Cache from search engines can also be used to access websites that are suspended or facing outages.

Internet Archive (Wayback Machine)

Internet Archive is a non-profit organization which stores websites in an archive form using which you can see how a website looked at a specific time in the past. This is similar to a saved copy of the website on your local hard drive. Just visit Wayback Machine and enter the address of the web site you wish to visit to see if a cached copy of it is available. Similar to search engine caches, Internet Archive can also be used to access websites that are suspended or facing outages.

Translation Services

Translation Services like Google Translate can also be used to unblock websites. Enter the URL of the website in the translation field. Select a different language than the one on the website in the "Translate From" field, and the language you read in the "Translate To" field. e.g. If the web page is in English, select any other language like Spanish in the 'Translate From' field and English in the 'Translate To' field.

Changing HTTP to HTTPS

This is the simplest way to gain access to restricted websites. To use this method, just change the 'http:' in the URL of the blocked website to 'https:'. This can overcome URL based blocking software that are not blocking the secured channels. Although this might not work every time, it still is a handy trick.

IP Address of the Website as Address

This is probably the most effective way to access blocked websites. To use this method, you need to find the IP Address of the website you wish to visit. You can use the Command Prompt and type 'ping myblockedwebsite.com' (with the blocked website address instead of myblockedwebsite.com) to get the IP Address of the restricted website. Now that you have the IP address of your website, just enter it in the address bar of your web browser in the format http://IPAddress and press Enter. It is highly probable that the website you wanted to visit will be unblocked.


Note: Some websites will not respond to IP address based calls due to shared hosting or other safety reasons.

Related: How to Access Blocked Websites