So you are bored during school break and want to check on Facebook. Unfortunately, as soon as you enter the web address, you'll find yourself greeted with a blocking message from SonicWall. You may think your internet days are numbered, but there are some ways to get around such blocks. If your network administrator has not been willing to invest in the latest features of the upgrade, the first two methods in this article may work, and they work very quickly. For a particularly reliable method of bypassing most blocks, try the Tor Browser.
Steps
Method 1 of 4: Try secure websites
Step 1. Visit the website that has been blocked
You should see the normal This site has been blocked by the SonicWALL Content Filter Service message.
Before digging deeper, try the following method. If your school's network administrator knows what they're doing, this isn't likely to work, but if it does, it's by far the easiest method
Step 2. Add an s to the end of http in the web address of the site
In the address bar, change the address from http://www.example.com tos://www.example.com. This will attempt to load the encrypted version of the site.
If the site doesn't support encryption, then at least it won't work
Step 3. Try to load the site
If Sonicwall's default settings have not been changed, you may be able to view the desired website this way.
Method 2 of 4: Using Google Translate
Step 1. Go to Google Translate
Go to translate.google.com.
If Google Translate is blocked, try another translation service, such as Babelfish
Step 2. Copy and paste the blocked url into the left box
Step 3. Select "English" (or your preferred language) above the right box
Make sure the language above the left box is not the same, otherwise you will get an error message.
Step 4. Click on "Translate"
The website will load in a Google Translate window.
- This method does not allow you to log into secure sites.
- Translation services may be blocked.
Method 3 of 4: Using Tor to hide your internet traffic
Step 1. Gather your material
You need a USB stick of at least 1 GB and a home computer. Downloading and installing the Tor browser may not be possible on a computer that is blocked by Sonicwall, so you will need to do this at home first, then take the flash drive to the blocked computer.
Step 2. Go to the Tor Project website on your own computer
Go to torproject.org.
Tor is an encryption protocol that masks all your network traffic when using the Tor browser. This makes it difficult, if not impossible, for Sonicwall to detect which websites you visit. This is the surest way to bypass Sonicwall
Step 3. Download the Tor browser installer
The Tor browser is a modified version of Firefox and connects directly to the Tor network.
Make sure you download the correct version for the computer you will be using Tor on
Step 4. Insert the USB stick into your computer
If necessary, format it so that there is enough space on the drive for the browser.
Step 5. Run the installer
Select your USB stick as the target drive for the installer.
Step 6. Take the USB stick to the blocked computer
Insert the USB stick and open it with the explorer.
Step 7. Launch the Tor browser from the USB stick
A Firefox window should now open with the message "Congratulations! This browser is configured to use Tor".
Step 8. Visit the sites that are normally blocked
Make sure you only use the Tor browser. The Tor browser has no effect on the Internet connection of other programs on the computer.
Although the data in the Tor network is encrypted, it cannot encrypt data leaving the Tor network. This means that all secure transactions you have to make are just as vulnerable as on the regular internet. Only provide personal information on sites where SSL is active. You see https:// instead of http:// and your browser's address field shows a lock at the beginning
Method 4 of 4: Using a remote desktop
Step 1. Set up a Remote Desktop on your home computer
One way to get around a firewall is to connect to your home computer and use the system through a Remote Desktop. You will need to leave your computer at home on and connected to the internet before you can use it.
See wikiHow for more information about configuring a remote desktop
Step 2. Connect to your remote desktop via your browser
To make a remote connection to your desktop, you'll need a service that allows you to access your computer through a web browser, or a program that doesn't need to be installed. Some of the best options for this are Chrome Remote Desktop and TeamViewer.
Step 3. Browse to the website you want to access from the remote system
Once you have connected to your remote computer, you can use it as if you were sitting behind it. And thus also opening your web browser and surfing the internet as you normally would. You use the internet connection at home to access websites that bypass the SonicWall block.